March 27th, 2017 - Trying To Kiss The Sun In The Spring Reign

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight pairing a Spring Reign from Ninkasi Brewing Company and "Trying To Kiss The Sun" by RPWL!


Album Info:

• Artist: RPWL
• Title: "Trying To Kiss The Sun"
• Recorded: 2001 at Farmlands Studios
• Release date: July 2nd, 2002 (2nd studio album by RPWL)
• Record company: Tempus Fugit
• Production: Yogi Lang
• Album cover art: Stefan Wittmann
• Personnel: Stephan Ebner (bass), Yogi Lang (vocals and keyboards), Phil Paul Rissettio (drums), Karlheinz Wallner (guitars), and Andreas Wernthaler (keyboards)
• Musical style: Progressive rock
• Sound: Heavily influenced by Pink Floyd and the Beatles, RPWL's sound is ethereal, somewhat psychedelic, and rather mellow, but with complex song structure and melodies.
• Major themes: Isolation, life, sadness, relationships, humanity, states of mind, states of being etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Trying To Kiss The Sun"
2. "Waiting For A Smile"
3. "I Don't Know (What It's Like)"
4. "Sugar For The Ape"
5. "Side By Side"
6. "You"
7. "Tell Me Why"
8. "Believe Me"
9. "Sunday Morning"
10. "Home Again"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ninkasi Brewing Company (Eugene, Oregon)
• Website: http://www.ninkasibrewing.com/
• Brew: Spring Reign
• Style: American Pale Ale (APA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.0%
• IBUs: 38
• Ingredients: 2-Row Pale, Biscuit, and Kilned Amber malts, and Santiam, Simcoe, and Ahtanum hops
• Pour: It pours a very hazy golden-amber with 1-fnger, white foamy head with good retention and soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is toasty, bready, citrusy, and piney.  There are aromas of toasted biscuit, grains, grassy hops, orange peel, light grapefruit, and light pine resin.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose... lots of bready, citrusy, and piney flavors.  There are notes of toasted bread, sweet biscuit, toffee, light pine, grapefruit, orange, and tangerine. 
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel very crisp, refreshing, and smooth with a clean, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The bright, crisp drinkability of the Spring Reign from Ninkasi lends itself perfectly to the mellow, yet intricate grooves of RPWL's great "Trying To Kiss The Sun"!

Prost!!