June 21st, 2017 - The Perfect Symmetry Of The Deseret Edge Belgian Enkel

Good evening rockers and craft beer fans!  The Meista here tonight rocking out to a pairing of a Belgian Enkel from Deseret Edge Brewery and "Perfect Symmetry" by Fates Warning!


Album Info:

• Artist: Fates Warning
• Title: "Perfect Symmetry"
• Recorded: April through May 1989 at Carriage House Studios in Stamford, Connecticut
• Release date: 1989 (5th studio album by Fates Warning)
• Record company: Metal Blade Records
• Production: Roger Probert and Max Norman
• Album cover art: Hugh Syme
• Personnel: Ray Alder (lead and backing vocals), Frank Aresti (guitars and backing vocals), Joe DiBiase (bass), Jim Matheos (guitars), Kevin Moore (keyboards), and Mark Zonder (drums)
• Guest musician: Faith Fraeoli (violin)
• Musical style: Progressive metal/rock
• Sound: More progressive than previous works, the music on "Perfect Symmetry" is still dominated by their heavy and unique sound.  It is very complex and intricate with lots of odd meters and tempo changes.  Of the album Zonder stated: "It seemed a bit more prog and less thrashy.  Seemed like Jim wanted to stretch things out a bit and make them a bit more airy-linear than straight up and down."  Through "Perfect Symmetry", you can definitely see how influential this band was on Dream Theater and Queensrÿche!  Along with Alder's incredibly powerful vocals, the band is very tight, very consistent, and very amazing!
• Major themes: With a dystopian view, themes on the album include anger, isolation, pain, sorrow, helplessness, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Part Of The Machine"
2. "Through Different Eyes"
3. "Static Acts"
4. "A World Apart"
5. "At Fates Hands"
6. "The Arena"
7. "Chasing Time"
8. "Nothing Left To Say"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Desert Edge Brewery (Salt Lake City, Utah) 
• Website: http://desertedgebrewery.com/
• Brew: Belgian Enkel 
• Style: Patersbier / Belgian Blonde Ale
• Serving: Pint off the tap
• ABV: 4.0%
• IBUs: 23
• Ingredients: Pale, Vienna, Wheat, and Biscuit malts with Fuggle hops
• Pour: The Belgian Enkel pours an opaque caramel gold with a thin and bubbly, bright white head that dissipates to a thin ring with soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by a wonderful blend of Belgian yeast, sweet malt, fruit, and spices.  There are aromas of banana, clove, nutmeg, pear juice, apple, bready malt, and toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Belgian Enkel is fruity, sweet, spicy, and malty.  There are notes of banana, pear, hints of citrus, bready malt, clove, nutmeg, and soft caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp with low bitterness and a dry, somewhat spicy finish.

Overall pairing: The complex, sweet, and fruity, yet very drinkable flavors of Desert Edge's Belgian Enkel are perfect for the intricate and melodic tunes of Fates Warning, especially the music they produced on "Perfect Symmetry"!  With an album as richly textured as "Perfect Symmetry" you want a brew that compliments the melodies with similar texture, but something that also goes down easy... the Belgian Enkel definitely fits that bill!

Cheers and hails!!