Good evening! So I'm posting a brew I had a couple weeks ago, but I've been sick for the last week and haven't felt up to writing... until now! Forget candy canes, and milk and cookies for Santa... tonight Santa's getting pickled on a Winter Warmer and the only red and white stripes are found on a 2000 album cover! That's right... I'm pairing a Pickled Santa from U.K. brewer, Ridgeway Brewing with "De Stijl" by the White Stripes!
"De Stijl" is the second studio album by "garage rock revival" darlings The White Stripes. It was released on June 20th, 2000 on Sympathy for the Record Industry Records. Characterized by their unique minimalist '60s pop/blues/punk fusion sound, "De Stijl" is a cult favorite among fans (myself included) as it embodies the early raw energy feel of the band. As with all The White Stripes albums, the "band" is made of the enigmatic frontman Jack White and the shy, yet sensual Meg White. On "De Stijl," Jack plays guitar, piano, and double bass along with performing lead vocals. Meg plays drums, tambourine, percussion, and provides backing vocals on "Your Southern Can Is Mine". Guest musicians John Szymanski (harmonica on "Hello Operator") and Paul Henry Ossy (violin on "I'm Bound to Pack It Up", electric violin on "Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me?") were also employed for the album. With their low-fidelity approach to both song writing and record production, the duo's music on "De Stijl" fuses psychedelic garage rock, Delta blues, and '70s punk influences with raw, minimalist explosive tracks like "You're Pretty Good Looking (For A Girl)," "Little Bird," "Death Letter," "Let's Build A Home," "Why Can't You Be Nicer To Me?," and "Your Southern Can Is Mine."
"De Stijl" is a fun, fast-paced rocker that deserves a good, tasty brew... thus the Pickled Santa! With a hazy tarnished copper appearance, the Pickled Santa from Ridgeway Brewing offers a sweeter, maltier English winter seasonal for those cold winter nights of the holidays. The nose is sweet, but mellow with cinnamon, nutmeg, and fruit notes along with some nice caramel sweetness. The mouthfeel is smooth with mild carbonation and a very low, yet balanced hop presence. There's a good spice bite on the tongue that lingers and becomes more prevalent as the beer warms. The most pervasive element of the Pickled Santa is the big malt flavor and body along with the sweetness - a mild sweetness like a sweet tea. There are notes of hearty baked bread and toffee along with ripe autumn apple, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a hint of coriander. The Pickled Santa finishes smooth and clean with just a hint of lingering spices.
Cheers and happy holidays!!
No comments:
Post a Comment