March 13th, 2016 - In Memorial: Birth And Death

The Meista is here this evening pairing Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's debut album with a brand new sour from Uinta Brewing Company, the 23rd Anniversary Birthday Suit Sour Raspberry Ale.  This pairing is dedicated to the memory of the late Keith Emerson.

Album Info:

• Artist: Emerson, Lake, And Palmer (ELP)
• Title: "Emerson, Lake & Palmer"
• Recorded: 1970 at Advision Studios in London, England
• Release date: January 1st, 1971 (debut album by ELP) (2009-02-03)
• Record company: Island, Atlantic, Manticore
• Production: Greg Lake
• Album cover art: Nic Dartnell
• Personnel: Keith Emerson (Hammond organ, piano, clavinet, pipe organ, and Moog modular synthesizer), Greg Lake (vocals, bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitars), and Carl Palmer (drums and percussion)
• Musical style: Progressive rock, hard rock with elements of classical, folk, and jazz
• Sound: Deep, brooding, powerful, the sound on "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" is wholly original.  Emerson's keyboards/electronics are nothing short of genius!
• Major themes: Fate, life and death, love and hate, etc.
• Notes: Interestingly enough, the "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" album was intended not as an effort by a unified band, but as a general collaborative recording session of three distinct musicians.
• Tracks:   

1. "The Barbarian"
2. "Take A Pebble"
3. "Knife-Edge"
4. "The Three Fates"
5. "Tank"
6. "Lucky Man"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Uinta Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.uintabrewing.com/
• Brew: 23rd Anniversary Birthday Suit Sour Raspberry Ale
• Style: American Wild Ale
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.5%
• Pour: A very murky, deep pink grapefruit color with a frothy, bright white 2-inch head that dissipates fairly quickly, leaving trace lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the 23rd Anniversary Birthday Suit is fruity, tart, and crisp.  There are aromas of fresh raspberries, lemon juice, Chardonnay, wild yeast, and very subtle hints of malt.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the 23rd Anniversary Birthday Suit Sour Raspberry Ale is a big blast of sour fruit notes with elements of funk, and hints of light malt.  There are notes of fresh raspberry juice, lemon juice, lime, lemon zest, and very subtle crackery malt.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the 23rd Anniversary Birthday Suit is very tart, very sharp, very refreshing with a dry and sour finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, sharp, tart flavors of Uinta Brewing Company's newest brew, the 23rd Anniversary Birthday Suit Sour Raspberry Ale coupled with the brilliance of "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" is the perfect way to pay homage and immerse yourself in the wonderfully rich depth that was the keyboard genius of Keith Emerson.

Rest in peace Mr. Emerson!