May 3rd, 2016 - An Azacca Aftermath

Good afternoon and happy Friday!  Your buddy the Meista starting off the weekend with a pairing of "Aftermath" by the Rolling Stones and an Azacca India Pale Ale from Founders Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist:  The Rolling Stones
• Title: "Aftermath"
• Recorded: December 3rd through 8th,1965 and March 6th through 9th, 1966 at the RCA Studios in California
  Release date: June 20th, 1966
• Record company: London Records
• Production: Andrew Loog Oldham
• Album cover art: Iris Keitel (art direction) and David P. Bailey (photography) 
• Personnel: Mick Jagger (lead and vocals, harmonica, and percussion), Brian Jones (rhythm guitar, slide guitar, piano, organ, harpsichord, marimba, sitar, percussion, Appalachian dulcimer, harmonica, and koto on "Take It or Leave It"), Keith Richards (rhythm and lead guitars, and backing vocals), Charlie Watts (drums and percussion), and Bill Wyman (bass guitar, backing vocals, and organ pedals)
• Additional musicians: Jack Nitzsche (piano, organ, harpsichord, and percussion) and Ian Stewart (piano and organ)
• Musical style: Rock, pop, blues with elements of jazz, folk, and country
• Sound: Their first album with all-original material, on "Aftermath" the Stones created maybe the perfect rock and roll album!  It is bold, honest, and brilliantly executed!
• Major themes: Relationships, misogyny, darkness, love, devotion, loss, the blues, etc.
• Notes: "Aftermath" was originally conceived as the soundtrack for the film Back, Behind And In Front, which was never produced as Mick Jagger didn't get along with the director.
• Tracks:   

1. "Paint It Black"
2. "Stupid Girl"
3. "Lady Jane"
4. "Under My Thumb"
5. "Doncha Bother Me"
6. "Think"
7. "Flight 505"
8. "High And Dry"
9. "It's Not Easy"
10. "I Am Waiting"
11. "Goin' Home"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Founders Brewing Company (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
• Website: www.foundersbrewing.com   
• Brew: Azacca India Pale Ale
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.0%
• IBUs: 70
• Pour: It pours a very murky caramel gold with a frothy 1-finger white head that leaves a sustained ring.
• Nose: The nose of the Azacca is characterized by intense tropical fruit aromas, citrus, and malt.  There are aromas of pink grapefruit rind, mango, melon, passion fruit, tangerine, caramel, sweet biscuit, and a hint of pine resin and herbs.
• Taste: Like the nose the taste of the Azacca is chalk full of fruity intensity along with rich malt.  There are notes of mango, pineapple, pink grapefruit, lemon, tangerine, pear, soft caramel/toffee, crackery biscuit, grassy hops, and white pepper.
• Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Azacca India Pale Ale is crisp, refreshing, and clean with a dry, crisp, and hoppy finish. 
• Notes: "The label artwork symbolizes the god of agriculture watching over a field where the ingredients used to make the beer are being grown."

Overall pairing: The complex hop and fruit flavors of the Founders' Azacca India Pale Ale is a great beer for a leisurely Friday afternoon whilst enjoying the wonderfully rich and rockin' tracks on the Rolling Stones' brilliant and groundbreaking "Aftermath"!  The tropical fruit notes of the brew are great for the unorthodox instruments of the marimba, sitar, percussion, Appalachian dulcimer, and koto played by Jones while the solid malt backbone is great for the overall tone and depth of the album!

Cheers!!