May 4th, 2016 - The Hop Nosh May Be Different, But The Song Remains The Same

Good afternoon!  Your pal the Meista here rockin' out to Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains The Same" and a Hop Nosh Tangerine IPA from Uinta Brewing Company!!  Hell yeah!!  Oh, and this pairing is dedicated to John and Andy Neill... cheers brothas!!

Album Info:

• Artist:  Led Zeppelin
• Title: "The Song Remains The Same"
• Recorded: July 27th, 28th, and 29th 1973 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York
  Release date: October 22nd, 1976 (1st live album by Led Zeppelin)
• Record company: Swan Song Records
• Production: Jimmy Page and Peter Grant
• Album cover art: Hipgnosis (George Hardie)
• Personnel: John "Bonzo" Henry Bonham (drums and percussion), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards, and Mellotron), Jimmy Page (guitars, Theremin, and backing vocals), Robert Plant (vocals)
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy blues, folk rock
• Sound: Raw, high-energy, and honest, the sound on the album is sometimes a bit sloppy, but it is pure Zeppelin!  Of the album, Page stated, "Obviously we were committed to putting this album out, although it wasn't necessarily the best live stuff we have. I don't look upon it as a live album...it's essentially a soundtrack."
• Major themes: The blues, rock and roll, love, loss, life and death, etc.
• Notes: One of my fondest childhood memories was seeing a midnight showing of "The Song Remains The Same" at the Wilshire Theater in my hometown of Ogden, Utah with my good friend John and his brother Andy back in 1980s.  I still have my ticket stub in fact!  I adore this movie!!
• Tracks:   

1. "Rock And Roll"
2. "Celebration Day"
3. "The Song Remains The Same"
4. "The Rain Song"
5. "Dazed And Confused"
6. "No Quarter"
7. "Stairway To Heaven"
8. "Moby Dick"
9. "Whole Lotta Love"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Uinta Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: www.uintabrewing.com      
• Brew: Hop Nosh Tangerine IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 7.3%
• IBUs: 82
• Pour: It pours a hazy golden-amber with a 1-finger, frothy egg shell white head that leaves a nice ring and spotty lacing.
• Nose: The nose is dank, earthy, hoppy, citrusy, and juicy with a more subtle malt backbone.  There are aromas of freshly squeezed tangerine juice, orange zest, lemon, pine resin, cedar, freshly cut herbs, and hints of mango, pineapple, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste is tangy, fruity, tart, and hoppy.  There are big notes of tangerine and orange, pineapple, pine, grassy hops, minerals, herbs, and very subtle caramel malt notes in the finish.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp, very refreshing and somewhat tart with a dry, tangy, and sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The overwhelmingly profound depth and honesty of "The Song Remains The Same" is pure magic!  As such, it deserves a brew of exceptional character and drinkability... thus the wonderfully sharp and tasty Hop Nosh Tangerine IPA from our friends at Uinta Brewing Company!  I cannot think of anything better today than rocking out to Led Zeppelin and sipping an Hop Nosh Tangerine IPA!! 

Cheers!!