April 15th, 2016 - Tiny Music... For An Itty Bitty Pygmy Owl

Good afternoon!  The Meista here with another pairing for you today... how's about some Stone Temple Pilots' "Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop" and a Pygmy Owl Itty Bitty IPA?  I do believe I shall!  This one goes out to Dain and Chris... cheers fellas!

Album Info:

• Artist: Stone Temple Pilots
• Title: "Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop"
• Recorded: October 1995 through January 1996 at Westerly Ranch in Santa Ynez, California
• Release date: March 26th, 1996 (3rd studio album by Stone Temple Pilots)009-02-03)
• Record company: Atlantic Records
• Production: Brendan O'Brien
• Album cover art: John Heiden and Stone Temple Pilots (art direction) and John Eder (photography)
• Personnel: Dean DeLeo (guitars and bass guitar), Robert DeLeo (bass guitar, guitars, vibraphone, electric harpsichord, percussion, and backing vocals), Eric Kretz (drums, percussion, and piano), and Scott Weiland (vocals and percussion)
• Additional musicians: Dave Ferguson (trumpet) and Brendan O'Brien (piano, tambourine, organ, clavinet, and percussion)
• Musical style: Alternative rock, psychedelic rock, glam rock, post-grunge with some elements of jazz and pop
• Sound: Taking a different approach musically on "Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop", Stone Temple Pilots channeled 1960s and 1970s rock and roll, hard rock, and glam rock, while still sounding fresh and modern.  There are elements of the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and David Bowie within the songs, but with a "punky" vibe. 
• Major themes: Music, relationships, sorrow and loss, lust and love, life, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Press Play"
2. "Pop's Love Suicide"
3. "Tumble In The Rough"
4. "Big Bang Baby"
5. "Lady Picture Show"
6. "And So I Know"
7. "Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart"
8. "Art School Girl"
9. "Adhesive"
10. "Ride The Cliché"
11. "Daisy"
12. "Seven Caged Tigers"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Big Sky Brewing Company (Missoula, Montana)
• Website: www.bigskybrew.com   
• Brew:  Pygmy Owl Itty Bitty IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 4.2%
• IBUs: 30
• Pour: The Pygmy Owl Itty Bitty IPA pours a clear, golden hue with a thin, bright white head that shows good sustain and some lacing.
• Nose: The nose is both grainy and hoppy.  There are aromas of fresh bread, cereal grains, grassy and slightly citrusy hops as well as light herbs and minerals.
• Taste: The taste of the Pygmy Owl is citrusy, earthy, and slightly malty.  There are notes of grapefruit, tangerine, lemon rind, subtle pine, light caramel, and grain.
• Mouthfeel: Very sessionable, light-bodied, and well-carbonated, the Pygmy Owl's mouthfeel is crisp, refreshing, and smooth with a clean, dry finish.

Overall pairing: With a crisp, refreshing, and very sessionable taste, the Pygmy Owl Itty Bitty IPA from Big Sky Brewing Company is a solid brew that goes down easy and goes great with the "mellower" sound of Stone Temple Pilots "Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop"!

Cheers!!