May 25th, 2015 - During The Equinox Down In Dragontown

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight pairing "Dragontown" by the one and only, Alice Cooper along with an Equinox Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company!  This one goes out to my fellow Coop fan, Kevin down at the Heavy Metal Shop (www.heavymetalshop.com)... cheers buddy!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Alice Cooper
• Title: "Dragontown"
• Recorded: 2001 at The Blue Room, Woodland Hills, California and Henson Studios, Los Angeles, California
• Release date: September 18th, 2001 (22nd studio album by Alice Cooper)
• Record company: Spitfire Records
• Production: Alice Cooper, Bob Ezrin, and Bob Marlette
• Album cover art: 142design
• Personnel: Alice Cooper (vocals) with Kenny Aronoff  (drums), Bob Marlette (rhythm guitar, bass, keyboards), Tim Pierce (guitar), Ryan Roxie (guitar), and Greg Smith (bass)
• Musical style: Heavy metal and hard rock with elements of groove metal, industrial rock/metal, and classic rock and roll
• Sound: Similar in style to the previous album, "Brutal Planet", "Dragontown" is a heavier and darker sound from previous Coop albums.  On several songs, guitars are tuned down and the more industrial elements give even the more traditional rock songs an edgier bite. 
• Major themes: A concept album of sorts and possibly a sequel to "Brutal Planet", the themes on "Dragontown" are rather religious and sometimes humorous, dealing specifically with sin, good vs. evil, and punishment.  Several songs are sung from the perspective of Satan.  Other themes include violence, pornography, Hell, Elvis, disgrace, etc.
• Notes: This is the first Alice Cooper studio album to contain no singles.
• Tracks:   

1. "Triggerman"
2. "Deeper"
3. "Dragontown"
4. "Sex, Death & Money"
5. "Fantasy Man"
6. "Somewhere In The Jungle"
7. "DisGraceland"
8. "Sister Sara"
9. "Every Woman Has A Name"
10. "I Just Wanna Be God"
11. "It's Much Too Late"
12. "The Sentinel"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California)
• Website: http://www.lagunitas.com/
• Brew: Equinox Ale
• Style: American Pale Ale (APA)
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8%
• IBUs: 50
• Ingredients: Oats, Pale malts, and Equinox and Simcoe hops
• Pour: A very cloudy copper-orange with lots of effervescence and a billowy off-white head that displays excellent retention and angry storm cloud lacing
• Nose: The nose of the Equinox is heavy with citrus, grain, and woodsy pine.  There are aromas of fresh squeezed orange juice, grapefruit, along with fresh hops, cedar, eucalyptus, pine, and spruce.  There are also light hints of burnt toffee and smoke.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the Equinox is hop-forward and bursting with juicy citrus and tropical fruit flavors.  There are big notes of orange juice, tangerine, grapefruit, mango, and pear along with sweet toffee, oats, and peppery spices.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the Equinox's mouthfeel is very creamy and sticky with a dry, bitter, and spicy finish.

Overall pairing: I chose the Equinox Ale specifically to pair with Alice Cooper's "Dragontown" for the duality of flavors - sweet and bitter.  The more citrusy/tropical fruit notes go well with the Coop's humor, while the bitter bite works perfectly with the more aggressive nature of the album and the overall "message".  Similarly, I think the sweet and bitter flavors work great with Alice's vocal style as well.

Cheers... and hails to the Coop!!