January 5th, 2016 - Stranded On Jenny Lake, But That's Okay... I'm With Marilyn Cole And I've Got A Lager!

Good evening ravers!  The Meista here tonight pairing Roxy Music's classic album "Stranded" with a Jenny Lake Lager from Snake River Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Roxy Music
• Title: "Stranded"
• Recorded: September 1973 at AIR Studios in London, England
• Release date: November1st, 1973 (3rd studio album by Roxy Music)
• Record company: Atco / Reprise
• Production: Chris Thomas
• Album cover art: Nicolas de Ville (design) and Karl Stoecker (photography)
• Personnel: Bryan Ferry (vocals, piano, electric piano, and harmonica), John Gustafson (bass guitar), Eddie Jobson (synthesizers, keyboards, and electric violin), Andy Mackay (oboe, saxophone, and treatments), Phil Manzanera (guitar and treatments), and Paul Thompson (drums and timpani)
• Additional musicians: Chris Laurence (string bass on "Sunset") and The London Welsh Male Choir (chorus on "Psalm")
• Musical style: Glam rock/art rock with elements of blues, R&B, Cabaret, classical, and jazz
• Sound: Musically precise and well-produced, yet emotionally raw, the sound on "Stranded" may be a bit more mellow than the previous Roxy Music albums, but is no less potent. 
• Major themes: Love, lust, the '70s club scene, religion, sorrow, nostalgia, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Street Life"
2. "Just Like You"
3. "Amazona"
4. "Psalm"
5. "Serenade"
6. "A Song For Europe"
7. "Mother Of Pearl"
8. "Sunset"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Snake River Brewing Company (Jackson, Wyoming)
• Website: http://www.snakeriverbrewing.com/
• Brew: Jenny Lake Lager
• Style: Vienna-style Lager
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 4.8%
• Ingredients: Continental hop varieties and an authentic German lager yeast strain along with Caramel malt
• Pour: Jenny Lake pours a slightly hazy, rich copper-amber with a firm, off-white 2-finger head that displays intricate lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose is doughy, malty, and grain with a hint of sweetness.  There are aromas of freshly baked bread, crackery biscuit, cereal grains, grassy hops, sweet caramel, and a hint of autumn fruits.
• Taste: Characterized by malt forward profile, the Jenny Lake Lager is bready, malty, slightly nutty, and hoppy.  There are notes of sweet caramel, biscuit, cracked grains, and grassy hops.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with lower carbonation, the mouthfeel is creamy and smooth (very drinkable!) with a crisp, dry finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, drinkable, yet robust and well-balanced flavors of the Jenny Lake Lager from Snake River Brewing Company work wonderfully well with the crooning vocals of Ferry and the brilliant musicianship of the entire band!  The more mellow flavors and aromas are great for songs like "Psalm", "Serenade", and "Sunset" while the hoppier and crisper flavors mingle well with Manzanera's guitars and Mackay sax, especially on songs like "Street Life", "Amazona", and "Mother Of Pearl"!

Cheers!!