October 4th, 2023 - Sign in Please and "Turn Up the Radio [Coffee Stout]"

 

Good evening and happy Wednesday rockers, rollers, and craft brew freaks!  The Meista here tonight rocking the hell out with a pairing of "Sign In Please" the debut album by American hard rockers Autograph and a tasty, bold, and rich Coffee Stout from Radio Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!  

Album Info:

• Artist: Autograph
• Title: "Sign In Please"
• Recorded: February through June 1984 at the Record Plant in Los Angeles, California
• Release date: September 27th, 1984 (1st studio album by Autograph)
• Record company: RCA
• Production: Neil Kernon
• Album cover art: Vigon Seireeni (art direction and design)
• Personnel: Steven Isham (keyboards and backing vocals), Steve Lynch (lead guitar), Steve Plunkett (rhythm guitar and lead vocals), Randy Rand (bass and backing vocals), and Keni Richards (drums and "noises")
• Musical style: Heavy metal, glam metal, hard rock
• Sound: Filled with loads killer hooks, riffs, and melodies, Autograph's "Sign In Please" is a solid, sleek rocker of an album!  
• Major themes: Rock and roll, rebellion lust, love, loss, etc. 
• Tracks:  

1. "Send Her To Me"
2. "Turn Up The Radio"
3. "Night Teen & Non-Stop"
4. "Cloud 10"
5. "Deep End"
6. "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend Isn't Me"
7. "Thrill Of Love"
8. "Friday"
9. "In The Night"
10. "All I'm Gonna Take"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Radio Brewing Company (Kellogg, Idaho)
• Website: http://www.radiobrewingcompany.com/
• Brew: Coffee Stout
• Style: Coffee Stout
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• IBUs: 50
• Pour: The Radio Brewing Coffee Stout pours an opaque, deep, dark brown (almost ink black) with a creamy, light mocha, 1+ finger head with great retention and lots of sticky, spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose is malty, roasty, and earthy.  There are aromas of dark roasted coffee beans, espresso, dark chocolate, oak, dark toasted bread, brown sugar, vanilla beans, a hint of cinnamon, and a hint of bourbon.
• Taste: The taste of Radio Brewing Coffee Stout follows the nose with lots of earthy, rich, malty, and chocolatey flavors.  There are notes of dark roasted coffee, espresso, dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, cocoa, light vanilla, light cream, earthy hops, molasses, and burnt toffee. 
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel is thick, creamy, and velvety smooth with a dry, slightly boozy and slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The Radio Brewing Coffee Stout is a wonderfully smooth and rich brew... perfect for the richly textured, upbeat, and well-crafted rockin' tunes of Autograph's debut album "Sign In Please"! 'Nuff said!

Interesting side note: When I was in my early 20s (around 1993-94), my plane was delayed for a couple of hours at the Salt Lake City International Airport, so I went to the bar for some beers while I waited.  It just so happened that the late Steven Isham, original Autograph keyboardist was sitting at the bar.  He was on his way to visit his parents in Pocatello, Idaho after touring with Vince Neil in Japan.  He and I ended up getting a bit drunk together and had a great chat about metal and rock and roll.  He was incredibly friendly and rather funny.  I remember he was carrying a laptop in a briefcase.  It was the first laptop I had ever seen, and I was amazed and impressed.  He paid for each of his drinks, one by one from a giant wad of cash he'd pull out of his black leather jacket.  Super cool guy.  May he rest in power.

Rock on!!