June 15th, 2024 - Pickled & Licked Up

 

Hello and happy Saturday rockers and craft brew lovers!  Today, your buddy, the Meista is pairing Kiss's "Lick It Up" album with a Pickle Me Up Gold Ale with Pickle Juice from Bootstrap Brewing Company!  Hells yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Kiss
• Title: "Lick It Up"
• Recorded: July through August 1983 at Right Track Recording, The Record Plant, Atlantic Studios, and The Hit Factory in New York City, New York
• Release date: September 22nd, 1983 (11th studio album by Kiss)
• Record company: Mercury Records
• Production: Michael James Jackson, Gene Simmons, and Paul Stanley
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Eric Carr (drums, percussion, and vocals), Gene Simmons (bass guitar and lead vocals), Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar and lead vocals, bass on "Gimme More"), and Vinnie Vincent (lead guitar and backing vocals)
• Guest musician: Rick Derringer (guitar solo on "Exciter")
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal, glam metal
• Sound: Straight-forward, heavy-duty rock and roll, "Lick It Up" saw Kiss change direction to a very glam metal direction, which would dominate their sound and look throughout the decade.  Say what you will about Kiss and the tongue-in-cheek lyrics of "Lick It Up", Carr is on top of his game here and Vincent lays down some killer guitar licks!  I also love Derringer's solo on "Exciter"!
• Major themes: Love, lust, sex, rock and roll, rebellion, desire, living life, power, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Exciter"
2. "Not For The Innocent"
3. "Lick It Up"
4. "Young And Wasted"
5. "Gimme More"
6. "All Hell's Breakin' Loose"
7. "A Million To One"
8. "Fits Like A Glove"
9. "Dance All Over Your Face"
10. "And On The 8th Day"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Bootstrap Brewing Company (Longmont, Colorado)
• Website: https://bootstrapbrewing.com/
• Brew: Pickle Me Up Gold Ale
• Style: Gold Ale with Pickle Juice
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 4.5%
• IBUs: 10
• Pour: The Pickle Me Up pours a clear golden yellow hue with a thin, but bubbly head that dissipates quickly to a thin ring with little lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by tart, salty, and lightly grainy aromas.  There are aromas of pickle juice, dill, vinegar, a hint of lemon, and light grains and toasted cracker.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the Pickle Me Up is tart, salty, and lightly grainy.  There are flavors of pickle juice, vinegar, dill, salt, light bready grains, and a hint of corn.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp, salty, slightly tart and sharp, yet very drinkable with a lingering pickle finish.

Overall pairing: The Bootstrap Pickle Me Up is a very pickle-forward, crushable, flavorful brew... perfect for the rockin' grooves of the mighty Kiss!  Those punchy, tart flavors go great with rock and roll punch!  Pucker up, buttercup!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!