February 26th, 2016 - The Man Comes Around Before Noon

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight celebrating Johnny Cash's birthday with his album "American IV: The Man Comes Around" and a Before Noon Imperial Java Stout from Santa Fe Brewing Company!  This pairing is for page fan Kevin McLaughlin... cheers buddy!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Johnny Cash
• Title: "American IV: The Man Comes Around"
• Recorded: 2002 at Americans Recording Studios
• Release date: November 5th, 2002 (87th studio album by Johnny Cash... yes, 87th!)
• Record company: American Recordings
• Production: Rick Rubin
• Album cover art: Christine Cano (art direction and design) and Martyn Atkins (photography)
• Personnel: Johnny Cash (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, arranger, and adaptation) with Fiona Apple (vocals), Thom Bresh (guitar), Mike Campgell (guitar), Laura Cash (fiddle), Nick Cave (backing vocals), Jack Clement (Dobro), David R. Ferguson (Ukulele), John Frusciante (guitar), Jeff Hanna (guitar), Terry Harrington (clarinet), Don Henley (drums, keyboards, and backing vocals), Smokey Hormel (slide guitar and acoustic guitar), Roger Manning (piano, Tack piano, Harmonium, Mellotron, Chamberlin, and orchestra bells), Kerry Marx (guitar), Billy Preston (piano and keyboards), Randy Scruggs (guitar), Marty Stuart (guitar), Benmont Tench (organ, piano, harmonium, keyboards, Mellotron, vibraphone, pipe organ, and Wurlitzerand) Joey Waronker (drums)
• Musical style: Country, Americana, folk, Southern gothic
• Sound: Deeply honest, this is the real deal folks.  It is sparse and powerful, emotional, profound, simple, and beautiful.
• Major themes: Life and death, love, loss, honesty, integrity, solitude, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "The Man Comes Around"
2. "Hurt"
3. "Give My Love To Rose"
4. "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
5. "Hung My Head"
6. "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"
7. "Personal Jesus"
8. "In My Life"
9. "Sam Hall"
10. "Danny Boy"
11. "Desperado"
12. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"
13. "Tear Stained Letter"
14. "Streets Of Laredo"
15. "We'll Meet Again"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Santa Fe Brewing Company (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
• Website: www.santafebrewing.com
• Brew: Before Noon Imperial Java Stout
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 8.0%
• IBUs: 50
• Ingredients: 2-row Pale, Roast, Munich, Chocolate, and Carastan malts, along with Bravo and Fuggle hops, and House Ale yeast.  Top that off with East Timor coffee beans blended with New Guinea coffee beans (roasted by O'hori's Coffee House).
• Pour: Almost ink black with a mocha, half-finger, spongy head that leaves spotty lacing throughout.
• Nose: HUGE aromas of bitter dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee beans, roasted malts, caramel/toffee, marshmallow, and vanilla.
• Taste: A very coffee forward stout, this bad boy his chalk full of massive, complex, and rich flavors.  Notes of dark roasted black coffee, bakers chocolate, cocoa, and chocolate muffin abound!   Underlining flavors include notes of molasses, caramel, vanilla, and marshmallow.
• Mouthfeel: Thick, chunky, creamy, velvety, and incredibly smooth... like a chocolate shake!
• Finish: The finish is very dry with lingering and bitter notes of coffee and chocolate.

Overall pairing: An truly honest and truly artistic album deserves a truly artisan brew... and that's what you get with a pairing of Johnny Cash's "American IV: The Man Comes Around" and a Before Noon Imperial Java Stout from Santa Fe Brewing Company!  This is true Americana! 

Cheers... and RIP to the Man in Black!