October 20th, 2012 - Wheels of Fire and Ale!

 

Hello my beer-loving and music-loving friends!  The Meista here with another pairing for you tonight: The Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale from Boulevard Brewing Company (part of their Smokestack Series) and the amazing 2-disc, 1968 Cream album, "Wheels Of Fire."

 "Do you know what dwells in a glass?"  Named from a short cautionary tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale is "mysterious libation."  Full-bodied, dark auburn in color, deceptively sweet - all characteristics of the Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale.  Coming in at 10.5% ABV, this one sneaks up on you so I suggest you sip it and/or share it with a friend.  The nose is as complex as the flavor: notes of figs, dates, brown sugar, and hints of spice.  The flavor has notes of caramel, baked bread, malt, light fruity ester (apple and banana), and bubble gum.  Incredibly well-balanced, the hops and malts nearly mask the booziness hidden underneath.  A very big, very complex beer

So what can I say about Cream and their amazing album, "Wheels Of Fire" that hasn't already been said?  Like the Sixth Glass, this is very big, very complex stuff.  Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton, and Ginger Baker are completely on top of their game here and dominate their instruments with finesse, passion, and ease.  "White Room," "Sitting On Top Of The World," "As You Said," "Politician," "Born Under A Bad Sign," among others on the studio disc are classics - the essence of what a power trio should be, the essence of heavy blues rock... and then there's the live disc with tracks like "Crossroads," Spoonful," and the amazing drum work of Baker on "Toad."  The track list, the double album length, along with the depth of the music is perfect listening for the Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale!

Learn more about the Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale and the other great beers from Boulevard Brewing Company at www.smokestack.boulevard.com.