February 22nd, 2012 - Let There Be Hops or Extra Pale Ain't A Bad Place To Be

This evening I am pairing Portland, Oregon's MacTarnahan's Brewing Company's Spring Sling Shot Extra Pale Ale and AC/DC's 1977 album "Let There Be Rock" - what better way to spend a Wednesday evening I ask you!

Spring Sling Shot Extra Pale Ale is a refreshing, American-style pale with a rich, golden-amber color and "lively" hops.  It pours a 1-finger head with good, sustained lacing.  The nose is mellow, but hoppy.  And the flavor is a really nice - malty and hoppy.  It is bitter, but not like an IPA... just a good, solid pale.  As the bottle label states, it "hits the spot"!  The only problem with this beer is that it is so refreshing it goes down a little too easily.  (I couldn't even make my beer last through four songs!)

I picked this extra pale to go along with "Let There Be Rock" (one of my all-time favorite AC/DC albums - hell, just overall one of my all-time favorite albums) for two reasons.  First off, the label depicts a kid with a sling shot running away... mischievous and obviously up to no good.  In 1977 I was six years old and probably up to no good as well, just as Bon Scott, Angus Young, and the rest of the AC/DC boys were not either... rocking it out old-school.  The beer and the album conjure images of youth... and that ain't a bad thing be contemplating.  My second reason for this pair is the fact that they just seem to fit together.  The beer is refreshing, hoppy, and goes down smooth.  The album is the same... it makes you feel good, makes you want to bob your head and goes down smooth... it just plain rocks!  Every song on this album from the opening track, "Go Down" to title track, "Let There Be Rock" to "Problem Child" to the finale, "Whole Lotta Rosie" are good-time, mischievous rockers. 

Every pale ale fan should have a six-pack of MacTarnahan's Brewing Company's Spring Sling Shot Extra Pale Ale in his/her refrigerator and every fan of good, old-fashioned rock and roll should have AC/DC's 1977 album "Let There Be Rock" in his/her collection!  If they've got both, "Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be"!!

Check out MacTarnahan's Brewing Company's website at http://www.macsbeer.com/!