Hello friends! The Meista here with another pairing for you... today I'm going with Red Rock Brewery's Le Quatre Saison and Steve Vai's doubled CD collection, "The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology." My brother actually came up with this pairing... so this one goes out to you Daino!! Cheers!!
A farmhouse-styled, Belgian Saison, Le Quatre is a aromatic and refreshing golden ale. Saison, French for season, originates from Wallonia, the fertile, farming area of Belgium. Saisons were originally brewed for field workers during the harvest season as a means to keep them refreshed and sustained the the long work days. Le Quatre Saison by Red Rock is modern version of this traditional ale. It pours a cloudy and golden, honey-amber with a bright-white, thick head with strong, sustained lacing. Le Quatre is characterized by a nice range of complex and interesting flavors, much like the music of one Mr. Steve Vai! There are notes of citrus, spice, and mellow fruit ester, specifically banana. There are also strong notes of pink bubble gum, malt, Belgian yeast, and a bit of hoppiness in the finish. With strong carbonation and a hint of tartness, Le Quatre is incredibly refreshing and a joy to drink. Coming in at 6.2% ABV, it isn't too strong like traditional Saisons, but still delivers a good kick!
Steve Vai got his start taking lessons from Joe Satriani back in 1974. He was 14 years old at the time. He attended the Berklee College of Music and at the age of 20 sent Frank Zappa guitar transcription of Zappa's "The Black Page." Zappa was so impressed that he hired Vai to transcribe a number of his guitar pieces as well as work on some overdubs for the 1979 "You Are What You Is" album. In 1980, Vai became a full-fledged member of Zappa's band. After leaving Zappa's band in 1982, Vai spend the 1980s working with Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake. In the early 1990s Vai launched his solo career and has been going strong ever since. "The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology" was released in 2003 and collects tracks from his entire career (up to that point), featuring songs from albums "Fire Garden," "Passion and Warfare," "Alien Love Secrets," and "The Ultra Zone." Similar to Satriani, Vai is known for his shredding guitar attack as well as his rather quirky and off-the-wall technical ability and intricate chord structures. He has a very deep knowledge of music theory and music history, which in turn influences his sometimes odd song structures and rhythms. He regularly uses "floating vibrato" and the Lydian mode, which is a rising pattern of pitches. His guitar collection (and other instruments) is as vast as his style and knowledge.
I paired "The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology" with Le Quatre Saison as both the album and the beer for one simple word: COMPLEXITY! Both the album and the ale require your complete attention. Check out Red Rock Brewery at http://www.redrockbrewing.com/ and pick up a copy of "The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology" for an evening of interesting and profound depth of flavors!
No comments:
Post a Comment