January 9th, 2016 - Wönderful Wünderbier

Good afternoon!  Your pal the Meista here today pairing "Wönderful" by the Circle Jerks with a Wünderbier Kölsch-Style Ale from Ninkasi Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Circle Jerks
• Title: "Wönderful"
• Recorded: 1985 at Crystal Studios in Hollywood, California                  
• Release date: July 21st, 1985 (4th studio album by the Circle Jerks) 
• Record company: Combat Records
• Production: Karat Faye and the Circle Jerks
• Album cover art: Gary Leonard (artwork), Peter Oliver (photography), and Mark Weinberg (design)
• Personnel: Keith Clark (drums and piano on "Another Broken Heart For Snake"), Greg Hetson (guitar), Keith Morris (vocals), and Zander Schloss (bass)
• Guest musician: Jamie Sheriff (strings on "Another Broken Heart For Snake")
• Musical style: Hardcore punk, punk rock
• Sound: Fast, aggressive, unapologetic classic Circle Jerks punk rock!!  'Nuff said! 
• Major themes: Mixing biting sarcasm, religious and socio-political criticism, and outright silliness, themes on "Wönderful" include anti-war, religion, race, hatred, anger, stupidity and ignorance, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Wönderful"
2. "Firebaugh"
3. "Making The Bombs"
4. "Mrs. Jones"
5. "Dude"
6. "American Heavy Metal Weekend"
7. "I & I"
8. "The Crowd"
9. "Killing For Jesus"
10. "Karma Stew"
11. "15 Minutes"
12. "Rock House"
13. "Another Broken Heart For Snake"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ninkasi Brewing Company
• Website: http://ninkasibrewing.com/
• Brew: Wünderbier Kölsch-Style Ale
• Style: Kölsch
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 4.4%
• IBUs: 22
• Original gravity: 1044
• Ingredients: German Spalt hops and 2-Row Pale, Pilsen, and White Wheat malts
• Pour: The Wünderbier pours a slightly cloudy, bright golden-yellow with a 1-finger, foamy white head that leaves sticky lacing behind.
• Nose: The nose combines malty sweetness, crackery grains, and grassy hops.  There are aromas of light biscuit, freshly cut grass, lemon zest, light honey, and soft caramel.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Wünderbier is a grassy, biscuity, slightly sweet traditional Kölsch-style.  There are notes of lemon, honey, barley, cracked wheat, dry crackers, a hoppy, grassy bite and very subtle caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body with good carbonation, the mouthfeel is with a dry, yet crisp, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Wünderbier Kölsch-Style Ale from Ninkasi Brewing Company is a very drinkable, very sessionable, very crisp ale that goes down easy, but with a solid flavor... perfect for the fast-paced punk rock fun of the Circle Jerks' "Wönderful"!  Those bitter and grassy hops are prefect for Morris' angry vocals and lyrics while the crisp and biscuity notes go well with the simple, yet concise song structures and delivery!

Cheers!!