September 11th, 2020 - PB & Jelly Jam with Raspberries

 

Hey there craft beer fiends and rock and rollers!  Happy Friday!  The Meista here today get the weekend off to the right start and rocking the hell out with a pairing of The Jelly Jam's brilliant 2nd album "The Jelly Jam 2" and a tasty and rather unique PB&J with Raspberries American-Style Sour Ale from Shades Brewing!  This pairing goes out to my good friend and rock and roll sista, Sonia... I was wrong my friend... cheers! :)

Album Info:

• Artist: The Jelly Jam
• Title: "The Jelly Jam 2" 
• Recorded: 2004 at Millbrook Studios and Alien Beans Studio
• Release date: September 14th, 2004 (2nd studio album by Jelly Jam)
• Record company: InsideOut Music 
• Production: Ty Tabor
• Album cover art: Thomas Ewerhard and Stefanie Veenstra 
• Personnel: Rod Morgenstein (drums and percussion), John Myung (bass guitar), and Ty Tabor (guitars and lead vocals)
• Musical style: Hard rock, progressive rock/metal
• Sound: Characterized by hard-driving riffs, intense playing, precise musicianship, and strong songwriting,  "The Jelly Jam 2" is a monster of an album!  Songs like "Not Today," "Empty," "Allison," "She Was Alone," "Angel Or Devil," "Runaway," and "War Is..." are big, meaty, powerful tracks with elements of King's X, The Dixie Dregs, and Dream Theater, but also embracing classic hard rock, metal, progressive rock and, and even a little punk.  While embracing a classic hard rock sound, at the same time, The Jelly Jam lays down a sound that is totally fresh and new.  More "mellow" tracks like "Coming Round," "Maybe," and "You Don't Need Me Anyway" add great balance to the album!
• Major themes: Life, relationships, love, loss, fear, sorrow, war, moving on, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Not Today"
2. "Coming Round"
3. "Empty"
4. "Drop The Gun"
5. "Allison"
6. "Maybe"
7. "She Was Alone"
8. "Angel Or Devil"
9. "You Don't Need Me Anymore"
10. "Runaway"
11. "War Is..."
12. "Message"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Shades Brewing (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.shadesbrewing.beer/
• Brew: PB&J with Raspberries American-Style Sour Ale
• Style: American-Style Sour Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 6.5% 
• Ingredients: Peanut butter, raspberry jam, and Norwegian Kveik yeast
• Pour: The PB&J with Raspberries pours a very murky dark pink/violet color with a thin, white head that dissipates quickly, leaving only a thin ring.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, nutty, sweet, and slightly tart.  There are aromas of creamy peanut butter, peanuts, raspberry jelly, freshly picked raspberries, light lemon zest, a hint of honey, and bready dough.  It literally smells exactly like a peanut butter and raspberry jam sandwich on white bread!
• Taste: The taste of the PB&J with Raspberries follows the nose with big notes of creamy peanut butter, tart raspberry juice, sweet raspberry jelly, lightly toasted bread, and a hint of lemon juice.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp, refreshing, and slightly tart, yet very smooth with a dry and slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: Complex and unique, yet very drinkable, the delicious PB&J with Raspberries is a huge blast of interesting and nostalgic sweet, tart, and nutty flavors... perfect for the sheer power, rock and roll sensibilities, and melodic prowess of the mighty Jelly Jam!  "The Jelly Jam 2" is an album of three amazing musicians producing great music on their own terms... a must own for any fan of hard rock, metal, and progressive rock!  'Nuff said!!

Hails!!  Skål!!