April 30th, 2017 - The Armored Saint And The Cardinal At La Raza

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight rockin' out with "La Raza" from the mighty Armored Saint and a Cardinal Pale Ale from !

Album Info:

• Artist: Armored Saint
• Title: "La Raza"
• Recorded: 2009 at Tranzformer Studios
• Release date: March 16th, 2010 (6th studio album by Armored Saint)
• Record company: Metal Blade Records
• Production: Joey Vera
• Album cover art: Brian Ames and Stephanie Cabral
• Personnel: John Bush (vocals), Jeff Duncan (guitars), Gonzo Sandoval (drums), Phil Sandoval (guitars), and Joey Vera (bass guitar)
• Additional musicians: Eddie Rouse (congas), Jon Saxon (percussion), and Steve Zukowsky (Theremin) 
• Musical style: Heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: Heavy, fast-paced, and pure and honest rockin' metal with some nice bluesy elements!   The powerhouse guitar and drums of the Sandoval brothers is truly wonderful! 
• Major themes: Rebellion, honesty, living, life, self-respect, pain, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "Loose Cannon"
2. "Head On"
3. "Left Hook From Right Field"
4. "Get Off The Fence"
5. "Chilled"
6. "La Raza"
7. "Black Feet"
8. "Little Monkey"
9. "Blues"
10. "Bandit Country"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Nebraska Brewing Company (Papillion, Nebraska)
• Website: http://nebraskabrewingco.com/
• Brew: Cardinal Pale Ale
• Style: American Pale Ale (APA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 6.0%
• IBUs: 42
• Ingredients: 2-Row, Munich, Caramel 10, and Caramel 20 malts, and Galena and Cascade hops
• Pour: The Cardinal pours a clear orange-amber with a 2-finger, fluffy off-white head with good sustain and layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose is floral, citrusy, and malty.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine, lime, mountain wild flowers, toasted biscuit, sweet bread, and soft caramel.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Cardinal is a great balance of citrus/floral and malts.  There are notes of tangerine, pink grapefruit, caramel / toffee, freshly baked bread, a touch of brown sugar, and sweet biscuit.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp, clean, smooth, and slightly creamy with a somewhat dry and clean finish.

Overall pairing: The straightforward and pure flavors and aromas of Nebraska Brewing Company's delightful Cardinal Pale Ale is perfect for the honest rockin' goodness that is Armored Saint's "La Raza!  The floral and citrus notes work well with the melodies and punchy guitar solos while the sweet and bready maltiness is perfect for Bush's vocal and the heavy bass!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!