February 20th, 2021 - The Stormbringer's Spindrift

 

Hello and happy Saturday night my friends!  The Meista here tonight rocking the hell out with a pairing of a delicious and juicy Spindrift Hazy IPA from Talisman Brewing Company and Deep Purple's classic "Stormbringer"!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Deep Purple
• Title: "Stormbringer"
• Recorded: August through September 1974 at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany and The Record Plant in Los Angeles, California
• Release date: November 16th, 1974 (9th studio album by Deep Purple)
• Record company: Purple Records
• Production: the late, great Martin Birch and Deep Purple
• Album cover art: John Cabalka 
• Personnel: Ritchie Blackmore (guitars), David Coverdale (lead and backing vocals), Glenn Hughes (bass and backing vocals, lead vocals on "Holy Man") Jon Lord (keyboards, electric piano, Hammond organ, and backing vocals), and Ian Paice (drums and percussion) 
• Musical style: Hard rock with elements of soul, funk rock, and the blues
• Sound: Blending hard rock, soul, blues, and funk, "Stormbringer" was definitely a bit of a departure from the band's heavier sound of the early 1970s.  Characterized by the wonderful and harmonious vocals of  Coverdale and bassist Hughes, along with the brilliant drumming of Paice, the keyboard wizardry of the late Jon Lord, and Blackmore's enchanting guitar work, "Stormbringer" is a brilliantly rich and toe-tapping good time of an album.  Maybe not as recognizable to casual listeners as earlier DP works, this album is intensely soulful and incredibly influential to the sound of English rock in the '70s.  A bit more "mellow" that previous albums, Blackmore's tone is amazingly warm and ethereal.  The rhythm section of Hughes and Paice is fantastic!  And Lord's keyboard work is grooving perfection... just listen to that Hammond organ on "High Ball Shooter"!!  With songs like the killer title track, feel-good "Hold On," the rockin' "Lady Double Dealer," the super funky "You Can't Do It Right (With The One You Love)," the kick-ass "High Ball Shooter," and the bluesy "Soldier Of Fortune," the "Stormbringer" album is a wonderful, underrated gem.  Man, I adore this album!!
• Major themes: Mythology, spirituality, knowledge, the blues, love, loss, deception, etc. 
• Notes: According to bassist Hughes, the opening backwards lyrics spoken by Coverdale at the beginning of the song "Stormbringer" are those from the backwards dialogue that Linda Blair says in "The Exorcist."
• Tracks:   

1. "Stormbringer"
2. "Love Don't Mean A Thing"
3. "Holy Man"
4. "Hold On"
5. "Lady Double Dealer"
6. "You Can't Do It Right"
7. "High Ball Shooter"
8. "The Gypsy"
9. "Soldier Of Fortune"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Talisman Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: /https://www.talismanbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Spindrift Hazy IPA
• Style: New England India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 25 ounce bottle
• ABV: 5.0%
• IBUs: 45
• Ingredients: Mosaic and Simcoe hops
• Pour: The Spindrift Hazy IPA pours a hazy golden-yellow with a frothy, eggshell white, 1-finger head with good retention and lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy, tropical, floral, and herbal.  There are aromas of orange juice, orange peel, grapefruit rind, pineapple, mango, wild flowers, light pine resin, herbal tea, crackery biscuit, and light caramel.
• Taste: Much like the nose, the taste of the Spindrift Hazy IPA is citrusy, tropical, grassy, and herbal.  Bright and hop-forward, there are notes of orange juice, tangerine, pink grapefruit juice, mango, grassy hops, orange tea, and a hint of pine.  There's also some English toffee notes in there as well adding sweetness and depth.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp, juicy, and smooth with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: Since "Stormbringer" is good-time rock and roll, I thought a juicy, hoppy, and refreshing IPA in the New England tradition would make for a nice pairing. The sweeter malt flavors go great with the funkier grooves, the tropical elements go great with the harmonies and soaring keys, and those bright Mosaic and Simcoe hops hit you right between the eyes, like Blackmore's guitar tone! 

Happy rockin'!  Happy drinkin'!  Cheers!