April 8th, 2017 - I'm Going Slightly Barmy... or A Barmy Innuendo

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight pairing a Barmy Golden Ale With Apricot And Honey from Ballast Point Brewing Company and Queen's "Innuendo"!  This pairing is dedicated to the memory of the late Freddie Mercury!  Rest in peace Mr. Mercury!

Album Info:

• Artist: Queen
• Title: "Innuendo"
• Recorded: March 1989 through November 1990 at Metropolis Studios in London, England and Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland
• Release date: February 5th, 1991 (14th studio album by Queen)
• Record company: Parlophone Records / Hollywood Records 
• Production: David Richards and Queen
• Album cover art: Richard Gray
• Personnel: John Deacon (bass guitar, keyboards, and programming on "The Hitman"), Brian May (electric, slide and classical guitars, keyboards on "Headlong", "I Can't Live with You" and "The Show Must Go On", piano on "Headlong", programming on "Headlong" and "I Can't Live with You", and backing vocals), Freddie Mercury (lead and backing vocals, piano, keyboards, and programming on "Delilah" and "I'm Going Slightly Mad"), and Roger Taylor (drums, percussion, lead vocals on "Ride the Wild Wind", keyboards on "These Are the Days of Our Lives" and "Ride the Wild Wind", programming on "I'm Going Slightly Mad" and "All God's People", and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Steve Howe (classical guitar, shared with May on "Innuendo" - credited as the "Wandering Minstrel") and Michael Moran (piano and keyboards on "All God's People")
• Musical style: Rock, hard rock, pop
• Sound: Maybe a little more mellow and poppier than previous albums, "Innuendo" is still Queen and it still rocks!  And I think it is a fitting final album for such a great band.  What I find most striking is Mercury's absolutely stunning vocal performance, especially considering he was quite ill at the time of the recording and probably knew he was close to death. It is really quiet wonderful and inspiring.
• Major themes: "Innuendo" itself is a tribute to Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir".  Other themes include insanity, perseverance, a passion for life and love, independence, danger, rock and roll,  a passion for cars and race, etc.
• Notes: Sadly, "Innuendo" is Queen's final studio album to be released in Freddie Mercury's lifetime.  9 months after the album was released, Mercury died of bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.
• Tracks:  

1. "Innuendo"
2. "I'm Going Slightly Mad"
3. "Headlong"
4. "I Can't Live With You"
5. "Don't Try So Hard"
6. "Ride The Wild Wind"
7. "All God's People"
8. "These Are The Days Of Our Lives"
9. "Delilah"
10. "The Hitman"
11. "Bijou"
12. "The Show Must Go On"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, California)
• Website: https://www.ballastpoint.com/
• Brew: Barmy Golden Ale With Apricot And Honey
• Style: American Strong Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 12.0%
• IBUs: 32
• Ingredients: 2-row malt, Galena hops, house yeast, apricots, and caramelized orange blossom honey
• Pour: The Barmy pours a clear, deep orange-amber with a thin white head that dissipates quickly, leaving only a thin ring and soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is sweet, malty, spicy, and boozy.  There are aromas of fresh apricot, raw honey, orange zest, barley malt, caramel, and light spices.
• Taste: The taste is tart, sweet, fruity, and malty.  There are notes of sweet/tart apricot juice, sweet honey, mead, toffee, orange zest, and a hint of pepper and booze.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with , the mouthfeel is smooth, sticky, and thick with a slightly boozy warming and dry finish.

Overall pairing: The bold and boozy, yet sweet and inviting flavors of Ballast Point's wonderful Barmy are perfect for the depth, artistic integrity, and musical passion of Queen's "Innuendo"!  The flavors and aromas of the Barmy seem to invoke the ghost of the late, great Freddie Mercury!

Cheers!!