March 28th, 2016 - A Gigantic Dose Of The VU's "White Light/White Heat"

Good evening!  The Meista is here tonight pairing White Light White Heat White IPA from Gigantic Brewing Company and "White Light/White Heat" by the Velvet Underground!

Album Info:

• Artist: The Velvet Underground
• Title: "White Light/White Heat"
• Recorded: September 1967 at Scepter Studios, Manhattan
• Release date: January 30th, 1968 (2nd album by the Velvet Underground) (2009-02-03)
• Record company: Verve Records
• Production: Tom Wilson
• Album cover art: Billy Name and Lou Reed
• Personnel: John Cale (lead vocals, backing vocals, spoken word, electric viola, organ, piano, bass guitar, and medical sound effects), Sterling Morrison (lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals, and medical sound effects), Lou Reed (lead vocals, lead guitar, and rhythm guitar), and Maureen Tucker (percussion and drums)
• Musical style: Experimental rock, noise rock, proto-punk, avant-garde
• Sound: Distorted, noisy, experimental, feedback-driven, lo-fi, "White Light/White Heat" is an aggressive and powerful musical statement.  Of the album, Cale stated "a very rabid record... The first one had some gentility, some beauty. The second one was consciously anti-beauty."
• Major themes: Socially transgressive lyrical themes including drugs, sexuality, sexual acts, drag queens, debauchery, and even a transsexual woman's botched lobotomy
• Notes: The album was recorded in only 2 days!
• Tracks:   

1. "White Light/White Heat"
2. "The Gift"
3. "Lady Godiva's Operation"
4. "Here She Comes Now"
5. "I Heard Her Call My Name"
6. "Sister Ray"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Gigantic Brewing Company (Portland, Oregon)
• Website: www.giganticbrewing.com   
• Brew: White Light White Heat White IPA
• Style: Belgian-Style India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8.2%
• Pour: Clear, deep bronze orange with a firm, 2-finger off- white head that displays lots of intricate lacing and great sustain.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, citrusy, sweet, and floral.  There are aromas of Spring blossoms, tangerine, orange, grapefruit, estery yeast, pine resin, soft caramel, subtle spices, and doughy bread.
• Taste:  Following the nose, the taste of the White Light White Heat White IPA is a really nice blend of a citrusy Pacific Northwest IPA and an estery Belgian Pale Ale.  There are big notes of pink grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon along with softer notes of pine, banana, spices, caramel/toffee, and freshly baked bread.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is smooth, somewhat slick and oily, and refreshing with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: With the obvious name association, the White Light White Heat White IPA from Gigantic Brewing Company is a great beer to drink whilst giving a listen to the chaotic beauty that is the Velvet Underground's "White Light/White Heat"!  The bold and sometimes biting citrusy hops are great for the raw intensity of the album, while the sweeter and spicier flavors lend themselves well to the youth and naiveté of the band at the time.

Cheers!