November 5th, 2021 - Utah... Plums

 

Hey there evil-doers, rockers, and craft beer freaks!  Happy Friday!  The Meista here today excited for the weekend and enjoying some metal and craft beer pairings.  Let's start it off with a pairing from a couple of locals... "Utah", the killer 3rd album by St. George metal band Aura Surreal and a tart and complex Mobius Trip Utah Plums from SaltFire Brewing Company outta Salt Lake City!  Hell yeah!! 

Album Info: 

• Artist: Aura Surreal
• Title: "Utah"
• Recorded: 2019 at Hit Track Studios in St. George, Utah
• Release date: July 1st 2019 (3rd full-length studio album by Aura Surreal)
• Record company: Independent
• Production: Tod Parham and Aura Surreal 
• Album cover art: Christopher McKenney 
• Personnel: Jeff Culligan (drums), Ben Krieger (rhythm guitars), Steven Lee McLaughlin (bass and vocals), Justin Vogel (lead guitars and backing vocals)
• Additional musician: Bryan (samples and sounds) 
• Musical style: Groove metal, progressive metal, thrash metal, nu metal 
• Sound: Combining multiple styles and genres, with "Utah", Aura Surreal provides a richly textured and complex sonic journey with soaring guitars, thunderous bass, and powerful and intricate drumming! 
• Major themes: Darkness, life, death, suffering, misery, evil, apathy, mythology, religion, rebellion, rage, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Devil In The Details"
2. "The Worst"
3. "Vantablack"
4. "Wordporn"
5. "In Your Apathy"
6. "Udopia"
7. "101"
8. "Widowmaker"
9. "Fallen Angel"
10. "Doomed"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: SaltFire Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.saltfirebrewing.com/
• Brew: Mobius Trip Utah Plums 
• Style: Fruited Sour / Wild Golden Ale 
• Serving: 16 ounce bottle 
• ABV: 8.0%
• Pour: The Mobius Trip Utah Plums pours a hazy, bright orange-yellow with a very thin, white head that dissipates very quickly leaving virtually no lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by fruity, tart, and floral aromas.  There are notes of fresh plum, lemon juice and zest, dried apricot, wild flowers, light honey, and oak.
• Taste: The taste of the Mobius Trip Utah Plums is a refreshing blend of fruity, sour, and slightly sweet flavors.  There are notes of tart plum, lemon juice, pear, Chardonnay, and light honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp, fizzy, and frothy with a very dry, lip-puckering finish.

Overall pairing: SaltFire 's Mobius Trip Utah Plums' tart and intricate flavors and aromas go great with the aggression and complexity of "Utah"!  The fiery and soaring guitar work of Vogel and Krieger shines even brighter with the tart notes of the brew, while earthier, funkier notes are right in line with the powerful vocals of  McLaughlin and the sweet and hearty malt backbone is great for Culligan's drumming!

Cheers and hails!!