July 12th, 2015 - A Bourbon Barrel Buffalo Springfield

Good afternoon!  The Meista here tonight pairing a Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout from Anderson Valley Brewing Company and the wonderfully rich double compilation album "Buffalo Springfield" by 1960s American/Canadian rock band Buffalo Springfield!!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Buffalo Springfield
• Title: "Buffalo Springfield"
• Recorded: July 1966 through April 1968
• Release date: November 12th, 1973 (2nd compilation album by Buffalo Springfield)
• Record company: ATCO Records
• Production: Ahmet Ertegun, Richie Furay, Charles Greene, Jim Messina, Jack Nitzsche, Stephen Stills, Brian Stone, and Neil Young
• Album cover art: Eve Babitz
• Personnel: Richie Furay (rhythm guitar and lead and backing vocals), Dewey Martin (drums), Jim Messina (bass), Bruce Palmer (bass), Stephen Stills (lead and rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals), and Neil Young (lead and rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Folk rock, rock, and blues rock with elements of country
• Sound: Short-lived, but hugely influential, the sound of Buffalo Springfield was an up-tempo, wonderfully harmonized blend of folk rock, rock, blues, and country music. 
• Major themes: Social unrest, protest, love and desire, the pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment, life, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "For What It's Worth"
2. "Sit Down, I Think I Love You"
3. "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing"
4. "Go and Say Goodbye"
5. "Pay the Price"
6. "Burned"
7. "Out of My Mind"
8. "Mr. Soul"
9. "Bluebird"
10. "Broken Arrow"
11. "Rock & Roll Woman"
12. "Expecting to Fly"
13. "Hung Upside Down"
14. "A Child's Claim to Fame"
15. "Kind Woman"
16. "On the Way Home"
17. "I Am a Child"
18. "Pretty Girl Why"
19. "Special Care"
20. "Uno Mundo"
21. "In the Hour of Not Quite Rain"
22. "Four Days Gone"
23. "Questions"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Anderson Valley Brewing Company (Boonville, California)
• Website: http://avbc.com/
• Brew: Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout
• Style: American Stout
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.9%
• IBUs: 14
• Ingredients: Pale Two-Row, Crystal (40L and 80L), Roasted Barley, Munich, Chocolate, Oats, along with Columbus and Northern Brewer  hops
• Pour: Deep ebony (almost ink black) with a thin, dark khaki head that leaves spotty lacing throughout. 
• Nose: The nose is malty, woodsy, slightly smoky, sweet, and boozy.  There are aromas of bourbon, toasted malts, roasted coffee, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, molasses, and oak.
• Taste: Like the nose, the flavor is a well-balanced blend of roasted and sweet malts, smoky and boozy bourbon, roasted barley, dark chocolate, melted caramel/toffee, vanilla, maple syrup, and molasses.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with lower carbonation, the mouthfeel is thick and creamy, sticky, and slightly slick and oily with a dry finish.
• Notes: The Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout is aged for 3 months in Wild Turkey® Bourbon barrels.

Overall pairing: There's this kinda old-timey, but very complex flavor to the Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout that I though would go really well with the classic rock sound of the Buffalo Springfield.  Those big bourbon notes enhance the folkier, bluesier sound while the sweeter notes of the brew go well with the vocal harmonies, melodies, and overall feel of the album.

Cheers!!