January 8th, 2015 - Spinning With The Angels

Hails and good evening!  Your pal the Meista here pairing "Mobile Of Angels", the latest release by Portland doom metal darlings Witch Mountain and a Hopworks IPA from Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB)... also from Portland, Oregon!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Witch Mountain
• Title: "Mobile Of Angels"
• Recorded: Type Foundry Studios in Portland, Oregon
• Release date: September 30th, 2014 (4th studio album)
• Record company: Profound Lore Records/Mountastic
• Album cover art: Sam Ford and Jason Lewis
• Personnel: Nathan Carson - drums and percussion; Uta Plotkin - vocals; Charles Thomas - bass; and Rob Wrong - guitars
• Major themes: Pain, the blues, deception, corruption, strength, self-preservation
• Musical style: Doom metal/stoner rock with blues and a sprinkling of folk
• Sound: Heavy, muddy, bluesy, and soulful are just a few adjectives that describe the huge sound this band wonderfully creates!  Wrong's guitar work is so very, very right!  His tone and heaviness is mesmerizing as is Plotkin's emotional and soulful vocals.  And Carson and Thomas bring the hammer down with a rhythm section that is about as heavy as it gets! 
• Tracks:

1. "Psycho Animundi"
2. "Can't Settle"
3. "Your Corrupt Ways (Sour The Hymn)"
4. "Mobile Of Angels"
5. "The Shape Truth Takes"

  Brew Info:

• Brewery: Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB)
• Website: http://hopworksbeer.com/
• Brew: Hopworks IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can ("Pounder")
• ABV: 6.6%
• Ingredients: Munich and Caramel malts, and Northwest "organic five-hop medley" hopped in the kettle, hop-back, and fermenter
• Pour: Hazy and bright copper-orange amber with a thick and frothy 2-finger head that leaves lots of intricate clinging lacing with excellent retention.
• Nose: Very hoppy, floral, dank, and citrusy.  There are aromas of tropical fruit, floral perfume, grapefruit rind, juicy orange and tangerine, and more subtle caramel and toffee malt notes in the background.
• Taste: Following the nose, the Hopworks IPA is a wonderfully refreshing, complex, and tasty ale.  There are big and bold notes of juicy grapefruit, sweet mango, tart lemon and pineapple, sweet caramel, and sharp pine.
• Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with lighter carbonation, the Hopworks IPA mouthfeel is creamy and smooth with a dry and slightly bitter finish.

  Overall pairing: Okay so I usually pair doom metal with thick and smoky Porters or Imperial Russian Stouts, but I decided to go with the Hopworks IPA for two reasons.  First off, I liked the idea of a local Portland brewery's beer going with a band from the area.  Secondly (and most importantly), the complexity of the Hopworks IPA works great with the beautiful heaviness of  "Mobile Of Angels".  The floral and citrus notes work wonderfully with Uta's amazing voice while the sharper and more bitter hop notes sing in perfect harmony with Wrong's killer guitar work!

Cheers and hails!!