February 7th, 2015 - Dawn's Explosion of Jubelale!

Good afternoon!  The Meista here pairing Captain Beyond's "Dawn Explosion" with a 2015 Jubelale from Deschutes Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Captain Beyond
• Title: "Dawn Explosion"
• Recorded: 1976–1977 at the Record Plant, Sausalito, California
• Release date: 1977
• Record company: Warner Bros.
• Personnel: Bobby Caldwell (drums, percussion, and vocals), Willy Daffern (lead vocals), Lee Dorman (bass, string ensemble, and vocals), and Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt (guitars)
• Musical style: Hard rock/progressive rock/psychedelic rock
• Sound: A bit "poppier" than the previous two albums, "Dawn Explosion" is still a solid rocker.  The album blends straight-ahead hard rock with more progressive arrangements and R&B grooves.  I'm reminded a bit of Jo Jo Gunne and Bad Company.  Rhino's smokin' guitar work paired with the monster rhythm section of Caldwell and Dorman is profoundly rich and mesmerizing!
• Major themes: Time and space, Greek mythology, states of consciousness, dreams, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "Do Or Die"
2. "Icarus"
3. "Sweet Dreams"
4. "Fantasy"
5. "Breath Of Fire, Part 1 (A Speck Within A Speck)"
6. "Breath Of Fire, Part 2 (Alone In A Cosmos)"
7. "If You Please"
8. "Midnight Memories"
9. "Space Interlude"
10. "Oblivion"
11. "Space Reprise"

  Brew Info:

• Brewery: Deschutes Brewing Company
• Website: http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/
• Brew: Jubelale, A Festive Winter Ale
• Style: Winter Warmer  (ironic as it is currently 60 degrees Fahrenheit here in Salt Lake!)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.7%
• IBUs: 60
• Ingredients: Carapils, Crystal, Extra Special, Pale, and Roasted Barley malts along with Cascade, East Kent Goldings, Nugget, Styrian, Tettnang, and Willamette hops
• Pour: The Jubelale pours a very deep and cloudy garnet hue with a yellowish-tan half-finger head with good retention that leaves chunky lacing behind.
• Nose: Lots of spice and bready aromas with this one along with some nice herbal and toffee notes. 
• Taste: Medium bodied, the flavor is rich and earthy like "Captain Beyond's" tone with notes of chicory, light roasted coffee, fruit ester, and chewy malt.  There are notes of caramel/toffee and fresh bread that give way to black tea and spices.  There are also some really nice dark fruit notes throughout.  There is a nice balance of bitterness with malt and subtle sweetness.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with low carbonation, the Jubelale is sticky and syrupy, yet very smooth with a rather dry finish.  The generous use of hops gives this ale a refreshing and crisp sharpness with 60 IBUs.
• Notes: Check out the great history of this tasty brew here: http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/sites/default/files/Jubeale-Art-History.pdf! 

Overall pairing: I paired the Jubelale with "Dawn Explosion" as a celebration of the music and the lives of Rhino and Lee Dorman, who both left us too soon.  The Jubelale is a really nice winter ale... perfect for kicking back on a cold winter night with the richness and complexity of Captain Beyond!

Cheers!!