July 15th, 2012 - Hefe Stomper

The Meista here pairing some local color today: Utah's very own Uinta Brewing Company's Golden Spike Hefeweizen and power trio, the Krypled and their album, "Rondragon And The Griffin."

Admittedly, I'm not usually a huge Hefeweizen consumer, but on a hot day... very refreshing.  And that definitely goes for Uinta's version, which is a long-time staple of the Utah beer family.    The Golden Spike Hefeweizen pours a beautiful, cloudy amber with a thin, white head that leaves nice lacing.  Subtle in nose and flavor, the Golden Spike is a very drinkable, very smooth brew with notes of sourdough bread, citrus, and malt.  It goes down easy and has a nice, clean finish.

"Rondragon And The Griffin" opens with the very cool, very rocking "Waffle Stomper."  Front man Jeff Mondragon's guitar work and powerful vocals really drive this song, but that is not to say that the powerhouse rhythm section of Brent Davis on bass and Paul Griffin on drums aren't impactful... these guys are pros and crazy talented!  We then move into the very odd, but very cool "Black Oz," with its almost psychedelic sound and cool signature changes.  That's one thing that prevails throughout their music - cool signature changes, which makes them very refreshing and "drinkable" in the local metal scene.  "Cookie Monster Syndrome" and "Big Bad Truck" are humorous, rocking numbers and "Z-4" really highlights the musicianship of the band.  They do a really nice version of the Scorpion's "The Sails of Charon" as well on this album.  The Krypled approach their playing with fun, passion, and intensity.  As much as I like this album, nothing beats seeing them live.   That sense of fun, passion, and intensity is multiplied by 10 when they hit the stage... especially in Jeff's humor and antics.

Check out the Krypled at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/The-Krypled/243451582369867 and make sure you pick up a copy of their cd from them or from Kevin down at the Heavy Metal Shop... then pick up a sixer of Golden Spike Hefeweizen, kick back, and enjoy!

Cheers!  -The Meista