February 14th, 2024 - Wanderlust in Red

 

Good evening and happy Valentines Day!  The Meista here tonight rocking out with a pairing of a tart and salty Wanderlust Gose from Proper Brewing Company and "Red Album", the killer debut album by Baroness!  Hell yeah!  This pairing goes out to my friend Matt Lamour... thanks for the beer and for the great conversation brother!!  Cheers!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Baroness
• Title: "Red Album"
• Recorded: Mar 18th through May 2nd, 2007
• Release date: September 4th, 2007 (1st full-length studio album by Baroness)
• Record company: Relapse Records
• Production: Phillip Cope 
• Album cover art: John Dyer Baizley
• Personnel: John Dyer Baizley (vocals and guitar), Allen Blickle (drums), Brian Blickle (guitar), and Summer Welch (bass)
• Musical style: Sludge metal, progressive metal with elements of post punk
• Sound: Slow, sludgy, heavy, and progressive, Baroness creates a fresh and richly blended musical journey with the sound on "Red Album" while giving a nod to bands like Mastodon, Melvins, Black Sabbath, and Fugazi!  They approach their writing and delivery with a truly artisan persona... passionate, heavy as hell, and wholly complex!
• Major themes: Power, darkness, mythology, life, knowledge, self-reliance, isolation, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "Rays On Pinion"
2. "The Birthing"
3. "Isak"
4. "Wailing Wintry Wind"
5. "Cockroach En Fleur"
6. "Wanderlust"
7. "Aleph"
8. "Teeth Of A Cogwheel"
9. "O'Appalachia"
10. "Grad"
11. "Untitled"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Proper Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.properbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Wanderlust Gose 
• Style: Fruited Gose / Sour Ale
• Serving: 32 ounce crowler can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Wanderlust pours a clear, bright burgundy hue with a bubbly, bright pinkish white, thin head that dissipates fairly quickly to a thin ring with light lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, tart, and slightly salty.  There are aromas of fresh cranberries, cherry juice, lemon juice and zest, wildflower, freshly baked sourdough bread, and light salt.
• Taste: The taste of the Wanderlust follows the nose with tart, fruity, salty, and lightly grainy flavors.  There are notes of tart cranberry juice, tart and sweet cherry juice, hibiscus, lemon, sourdough bread, a hint of red wine, a hint of honey, and light sea salt.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Wanderlust is very crisp, tart, slightly sweet, and salty, yet smooth with a dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: This pairing was pretty obvious and easy.  My buddy Matt literally named the beer in honor of Baroness' "Red Album"... and particularly the song "Wanderlust".  The originality, unique flavors and aromas, and crispness of the Wanderlust Gose from Proper Brewing is delicious and well-suited as a foil for the sludgy grooves and power of "Red Album" by the mighty Baroness!   Do yourself a huge favor and check them both out!

Cheers and hails!!