July 21st, 2018 - Beatles + Beer = Happiness

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight pairing Beer from New Zealand's Garage Project and probably one of the most important rock albums ever in my humble opinion: "The Beatles" (aka the White Album) by The Beatles!!

Album Info:

• Artist: The Beatles
• Title: "The Beatles" (aka the White Album)
• Recorded: May 30th through October 14th, 1968 at EMI Studios and Trident Studios in London, England
• Release date: November 22nd, 1968 (9th studio album by The Beatles)
• Record company: Apple Records
• Production: Sir George Martin
• Album cover art: Richard Hamilton
• Personnel: George Harrison ( lead, rhythm, acoustic, and bass guitars, Hammond organ on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", extra drums and assorted percussion, sound effects, and lead, backing, and harmony vocals), John Lennon (lead, rhythm, acoustic, and bass guitars, piano, Hammond organ, harmonium, Mellotron, harmonica, tenor saxophone, extra drums and assorted percussion, tape loops, sound effects, and lead, backing, and harmony vocals), Paul McCartney (lead, rhythm, acoustic, and bass guitars, acoustic and electric piano, assorted percussion, drums on "Back in the U.S.S.R.", "Dear Prudence", "Wild Honey Pie", and "Martha My Dear", recorder, flugelhorn, and lead, backing, and harmony vocals), and Ringo Starr (drums, assorted percussion, piano, and lead and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Frederick Alexander (cello), Ted Barker (trombone), Leo Birnbaum (viola), Eric Bowie (violin), Leon Calvert (trumpet and flugelhorn), Ronald Chamberlain (saxophone), Jim Chest (saxophone), Eric Clapton (lead guitar on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"), Derek Collins (tenor saxophone), Keith Cummings (viola), Henry Datyner (violin), Art Ellefson (tenor saxophone), Mal Evans (trumpet and backing vocals), Jack Fallon (violin), Eldon Fox (cello), Bernard George (baritone saxophone), Pattie Harrison (backing vocals), Ronnie Hughes (trumpet), Reginald Kilby (cello), Harry Klein (saxophone), Norman Lederman (violin), Jackie Lomax (backing vocals), Les Maddox (violin), Louis McConnell (violin), Bernard Miller (violin), Rex Morris (saxophone), Danny Moss (tenor saxophone), Henry Myerscough (viola), Raymond Newman (clarinet), Yoko Ono (backing vocals and tape effects), Alf Reece (tuba), Stanley Reynolds (trumpet), Ronnie Ross (baritone saxophone), The Mike Sammes Singers (backing vocals), Chris Shepard (Stumpf fiddle), David Smith (clarinet), Lou Soufier (violin), Ronald Thomas (violin), Tony Tunstall (French horn), and John Underwood (viola), and Dennis Walton (saxophone)
• Musical style: Rock and roll, pop, folk rock, blues rock, psychedelic rock, avant-garde
• Sound: I wouldn't even know where to start... this album is musical perfection!  It is simple wonderful from beginning to end and is very much a definitive album of my childhood and adulthood!  In a word, BRILLIANT!
• Major themes: Love, loss, the blues, music, life, desire, revolution, rebellion, seeking knowledge, humility, humor, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Back In The U.S.S.R."
2. "Dear Prudence"
3. "Glass Onion"
4. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
5. "Wild Honey Pie"
6. "The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill"
7. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
8. "Happiness Is A Warm Gun"
9. "Martha My Dear"
10. "I'm So Tired"
11. "Blackbird"
12. "Piggies"
13. "Rocky Raccoon"
14. "Don't Pass Me By"
15. "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?"
16. "I Will"
17. "Julia"
18. "Birthday"
19. "Yer Blues"
20. "Mother Nature's Son"
21. "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey"
22. "Sexy Sadie"
23. "Helter Skelter"
24. "Long, Long, Long"
25. "Revolution 1"
26. "Honey Pie"
27. "Savoy Truffle"
28. "Cry Baby Cry"
29. "Revolution 9"
30. "Good Night"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Garage Project (Wellington, New Zealand)
• Website: https://garageproject.co.nz/
• Brew: Beer
• Style: Czech Pilsener 
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 4.8%
• Ingredients: Pilsner malt, Saaz hops, and Czech yeast
• Pour: Beer pours a bright, slightly hazy hay-yellow with a foamy 2-finger, bright white head that dissipates to a thin, but sustained film with little lacing.
• Nose: The nose is grassy, grainy, and a hint of fruit.  There are aromas of fresh summer grass, hay, light biscuit, a very light hint of apple.
• Taste: The taste of Beer is grassy, grainy, and spicy.  There are notes of cereal grain, crackery biscuit, grassy hops, black pepper, and hints of apple.    
• Mouthfeel: Light in body with solid carbonation, the mouthfeel of Beer is very crisp, with a clean, peppery finish.

Overall pairing: Beer from Garage Project is a simple, unpretentious, very drinkable, very crisp, and very delicious brew... perfect for kicking back with The Beatles on a lazy Saturday night!

Cheers!!