July 24th, 2015 - Smokin' And Drinkin' With Humble Pie & Beer

Happy Pie & Beer Day friends!!  Your pal the Meista here today pairing one of my favorite all-time rock albums, Humble Pie's phenomenal "Smokin'" with an Hoptah Session IPA from Black Diamond Brewing Company! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Humble Pie
• Title: "Smokin'"
• Recorded: February 1972 at Olympic Studios in Barnes, London
• Release date: March 1972 (5th studio album by Humble Pie"
• Record company: A&M
• Production: Steve Marriott
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Clem Clempson (guitars, keyboards, and vocals), Steve Marriott (vocals, guitars, harp, and keyboards), Greg Ridley (bass and vocals), and Jerry Shirley (drums and keyboards)
• Additional musicians: Madeline Bell (backing vocals), Alexis Korner (vocals and mandolin-type Martin Tipple guitar), Doris Troy   (backing vocals), and Stephen Stills (Hammond organ and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Blue rock, boogie rock, and hard rock with elements of soul, gospel, and R&B
• Sound: Steeped in old-fashioned rock and roll, blues, and soul, but with a heavier and raunchier edge, Humble Pie's "Smokin'" is one of those seminal early '70s rock album... it may be THE seminal early '70s rock album for that matter!  Every song on this album is perfection... it draws you in.  But for me, "30 Days In The Hole" is IT!!  It has it all, soul, gospel, blues, girls, sex, booze, and drug and a hard rockin' punch that cannot be beat!
• Major themes: Rock and roll, love and lust, sex, loss, and fast living.
• Notes: "Smokin'" was the first Humble Pie album following the departure of guitarist Peter Frampton.  It is also their best selling album.
• Tracks: 

1. "Hot 'N' Nasty"
2. "The Fixer"
3. "You're So Good To Me"
4. "C'mon Everybody"
5. "Old Time Feelin'"
6. "30 Days In The Hole"
7. "(I'm A) Road Runner/Road Runners 'G' Jam"
8. "I Wonder"
9. "Sweet Peace And Time"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Black Diamond Brewing Company (Concord, California)
• Website: http://www.bdbrewing.com/
• Brew: Hoptah Session IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 3.9%
• IBUs: 40
• Ingredients: Caramel malt with Citra, Centennial, and Chinook hops
• Pour: Slightly murky copper-orange with a 1-finger, bright white head that holds its form well and displays good lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose is bready, malty, and hoppy with some more subtle sweet and fruity aromas.  There are notes of caramel, pine resin, lemon zest, and orange.
• Taste: The flavor of the Hoptah is hoppy, grassy, and slightly citrusy with sweeter caramel malt notes.  There are notes of tea, pine, grapefruit, lemon, and bready malt.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is smooth and crisp with a "resinous hop bitterness" in the finish.

Overall pairing: The easy drinking smoothness of the Hoptah Session IPA goes great with the soulful groove of Humble Pie's "Smokin'" while the slightly bitter hops brings out the raunchy harder edge of the band's execution and Marriott's vocal prowess.

Cheers and happy Pie and Beer Day!!