October 22nd, 2017 - The Meista's Meastro Midnight Madness

Hey there rockers and hop heads and happy Sunday!  The Meista here today pairing Night Ranger's definitive "Midnight Madness" with a Meastro India Pale Ale from Storm Peak Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Night Ranger
• Title: "Midnight Madness"
• Recorded: 1983 at Image Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California
• Release date: October 1983 (2nd studio album by Night Ranger)
• Record company: MCA Records
• Production: Pat Glasser
• Album cover art: Jeff Lancaster 
• Personnel: Jack Blades (bass and lead and backing vocals), Alan Fitzgerald (keyboards), Brad Gillis (guitars), Kelly Keagy (drums and lead and backing vocals), and Jeff Watson (guitars and keyboards)
• Additional musicians: Glenn Hughes (backing vocals on "(You Can Still) Rock in America")
• Musical style: Hard rock, arena rock, power pop, pop metal
• Sound: With their hard-hitting guitar work, poppy production, and personal lyrics, Night Ranger is very accessible, yet still hard rockin'!  And for me, "Midnight Madness" is definitive early '80s rock and roll! 
• Major themes: Rock and roll, relationships, love, loss, memories, passion, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "(You Still Can) Rock In America"
2. "Rumours In The Air"
3. "Why Does Love Have To Change"
4. "Sister Christian"
5. "Touch Of Madness"
6. "Passion Play"
7. "When You Close Your Eyes"
8. "Chippin' Away"
9. "Let Him Run"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Storm Peak Brewing Company (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)
• Website: https://stormpeakbrewing.com/
• Brew: Meastro India Pale Ale
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 7.1%
• Ingredients: Pale, Crystal, Munich, and Flaked Oats malts and Columbus, Citra, Chinook, and Cascade hops
• Pour: The Meastro pours a hazy, golden-caramel hue with a half-finger, white head with good retention and lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, earthy, dank, and malty.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine, lemon zest, pine resin, herbal tea, doughy bread, and sweet toffee.
• Taste: The taste is a nice and well-balanced blend of sharp citrus, dank pine, and sweet malt with a hint of spiciness.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, tangerine, pineapple, pine, cedar, black tea, caramel/toffee, and freshly baked bread.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the Meastro's mouthfeel is on the thicker side, yet still crisp, smooth, and slick with a dry, somewhat bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The punchy, hop-forward, full-flavored character of Storm Peak's Meastro India Pale Ale is perfect for the straight-forward rockin' punch of Night Ranger's great "Midnight Madness"!  Those sweeter notes go great with the soaring keys and Blades vocals, while the sharper hop notes are great for the guitar fireworks of Gillis and Watson!

Cheers!! Rock on!!