December 26th, 2025 - Getting Christmas Bombed with Willie and Family

 

Hello, happy holidays, and happy Friday!  The Meista here with a festive pairing dedicated to the whole Jensen clan!  I'm pairing a delicious Christmas Bomb Imperial Stout Brewed with Spices (2024) from Prairie Artisan Ales and Willie Nelson's wonderful "Willie And Family Live"!

Album Info:

• Artist: Willie Nelson
• Title: "Willie And Family Live"
• Recorded:  April 1978 at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe, Nevada
• Release date: November 1978 (3rd live album from Willie Nelson)
• Record company: Columbia Records
• Production: Willie Nelson
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Willie Nelson (guitar and lead vocals) with Paul English (drums), Chris Ethridge (bass), Rex Ludwick (drums), Bob "Chicago" Nelson (piano), Jody Payne (guitar), and Bee Spears (bass)
• Guest musicians: Emmylou Harris (vocals on "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", "Uncloudy Day" and "Amazing Grace"), Johnny Paycheck (vocals on "Amazing Grace" and "Take This Job And Shove It"), and Mickey Raphael (harmonica)
• Musical style: Country, outlaw country, country rock
• Sound: With a good mix of classic Willie and classic country music, the sound on "Willie And Family Live" is a real treat!  Willie's unique and heartfelt vocals are dead on, his guitar sings, and the Family is tight!  "Whiskey River" live is perfection!!
• Major themes: Booze, hangovers, sex, love, loss, heartbreak, life, growing older, cowboys, outlaws, music, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Whiskey River"
2. "Stay All Night (Stay A Little Longer)"
3. "Funny How Time Slips Away"
4. "Crazy"
5. "If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)"
6. "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"
7. "I Can Get Off On You"
8. "If You Could Touch Her At All"
9. "Good Hearted Woman"
10. "Red Headed Stranger Medley"
11. "Under The Double Eagle"
12. "Till I Gain Control Again"
13. "Bloody Mary Morning"
14. "I'm A Memory"
15. "Mr. Record Man"
16. "Hello Walls"
17. "One Day At A Time"
18. "Will the Circle Be Unbroken"
19. "Amazing Grace"
20. "Take This Job And Shove It"
21. "Uncloudy Day"
22. "The Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line"
23. "A Song For You"
24. "Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms"
25. "Georgia On My Mind"
26. "I Gotta Get Drunk"
27. "Whiskey River"
28. "The Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
• Website: https://prairieales.com/
• Brew: Christmas Bomb Imperial Stout Brewed with Spices (2024)
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 13%
• Ingredients: Imperial stout made with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg
• Pour: The Christmas Bomb pours an opaque, deep, dark brown (almost ink black) with a creamy, light mocha, half-finger head that slowly dissipates to a thin ring with virtually no lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very spicy, chocolaty, and earthy.  There are big aromas of toasted raisin cinnamon bread, gingerbread, cinnamon, nutmeg, light anise, along with more subtle notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, toffee, tobacco, and rich booze.
• Taste: The taste of the Christmas Bomb is characterized by spicy, earthy, and rich flavors.  There are notes of spicy gingerbread, cinnamon, nutmeg, black licorice, vanilla bean, cream, dark chocolate, raisin, plum, sweet toffee, and a boozy finish of rum or bourbon.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Christmas Bomb is thick, chewy, and velvety smooth with a dry, spicy and somewhat boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The dangerously drinkable of Prairie's Christmas Bomb Imperial Stout Brewed with Spices is great for Willie's unique and deeply honest style of country music!  Both the beer and Willie are truly Americana!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!