May 25th, 2016 - Have You Experienced Purple Haze?

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight rocking out to the quintessential psychedelic album "Are You Experienced" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience and a Purple Haze from Abita Brewing Company!!

Album Info:

• Artist: The Jimi Hendrix Experience 
• Title: "Are You Experienced"
• Recorded: October 23rd, 1966 through April 4th, 1967 at De Lane Lea, CBS, and Olympic Studios in London, England
  Release date: May 12th, 1967 (debut album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience)009-02-03)
• Record company: Track Records
• Production: Chas Chandler
• Album cover art: Karl Ferris
• Personnel: Jimi Hendrix (guitars and vocals), Mitch Mitchel (drums and backing vocals), and Noel Redding (bass and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: The Breakaways (backing vocals on "Hey Joe")
• Musical style: Hard rock, psychedelic rock, blues rock, R&B
• Sound: Wow... how do you even start to describe the sound on this groundbreaking album?!  The first time I heard it I was probably about 13 years old and it literally changed everything for me!!  The power, the beauty, the honesty, the depth, the soul... unparalleled!!
• Major themes: Drugs, states of mind, states of being, sanity/insanity, murder, revenge, love, loss, lust, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Purple Haze"
2. "Manic Depression"
3. "Hey Joe"
4. "Love Or Confusion"
5. "May This Be Love"
6. "I Don't Live Today"
7. "The Wind Cries Mary"
8. "Fire"
9. "Third Stone From The Sun"
10. "Foxy Lady"
11. "Are You Experienced?"
12. "Stone Free"
13. "51st Anniversary"
14. "Highway Chile"
15. "Can You See Me"
16. "Remember"
17. "Red House"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Abita Brewing Company (Abita Springs, Louisiana)
• Website: www.abita.com
• Brew: Purple Haze
• Style: Wheat Beer / Fruit Beer
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 4.2%
• IBUs: 13
• Ingredients: Pilsner and wheat malts with Vanguard hops and raspberry puree
• Pour: Hazy, peach-gold with a purple tint, a thin, but frothy white head that fades into a subtle ring with light lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a blend of light grains, fruit, and very subtle hops.  There are aromas of tart raspberries, soft banana, lemon juice, orange zest, sourdough bread, hints of caramel, and hints of grassy hops.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Purple Haze is fruity, grainy, tart, and slightly grassy and malty.  There are notes of raspberry jam, gooseberry, lemon, lime, biscuity cracker, wheat bread, cereal grain, light caramel, soft banana, and very subtle grassy hops.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp and smooth with a refreshingly dry and clean finish.

Overall pairing: Let's be honest, no beer can adequately stand up to the sheer brilliance and profundity that is the Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Are You Experienced"... seriously!  So for a pairing I basically just went for name association... thus the simple, yet tasty Purple Haze from Abita Brewing Company!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!