February 28th, 2016 - The Dissident Vs. Me!

 

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight pairing "Vs." by Pearl Jam and The Dissident from Deschutes Brewing Company for ya!  This one goes out to my brother, the infamous Daino!

Album Info:

• Artist: Pearl Jam
• Title: "Vs."
• Recorded: March through May 1993 at The Site in Nicasio, California and Potatohead Studio in Seattle, Washington
• Release date: October 19th, 1993 (2nd album by Pearl Jam)
• Record company: Epic Records
• Production: Brendan O'Brien and Pearl Jam
• Album cover art: Joel Zimmerman (art direction) and Ames (artwork and black-and-white photography)
• Personnel: Dave Abbruzzese (drums), Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (vocals and rhythm guitar on "Rearviewmirror" and "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town")
• Musical style: Grunge (whatever the fuck that means), hard rock, post-punk
• Sound: With a looser and rawer sound than on the previous album, "Ten", Pearl Jam's "Vs." is more aggressive, more honest, and more powerful.  Of the album's sound, Gossard once said, "We got our heavyosity out on that record."  This is their best album in my opinion.  It is richly textured, very full, intriguing, and masterfully produced.
• Major themes: With lyrics examining personal, social, and political subject matter, themes include child abuse, the American gun culture, racism, relationships, loss, and indifference.
• Tracks:   

1. "Go"
2. "Animal"
3. "Daughter"
4. "Glorified G"
5. "Dissident"
6. "W.M.A."
7. "Blood"
8. "Rearviewmirror"
9. "Rat"
10. "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town"
11. "Leash"
12. "Indifference"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Deschutes Brewing Company (Bend, Oregon)
• Website: www.deschutesbrewery.com
• Brew: The Dissident
• Style: Flanders Oud Bruin
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 11.1%
• IBUs: 19
• Ingredients: Pilsner Malt, Munich, Bohemian Pilsner, Acidulated Malt, Crystal 20, Dark Crystal, and Special B with Czech Saaz, Hallertauer Hersbrucker, and Hallertauer hops along with Dark Candi Sugar and Oregon Montmorency Cherries.  It is oak-aged for 18 months in Pinot Noir barrels.
• Pour: Clear, very effervescent, cherry-red amber with a very thin white head that leaves a thin ring with little lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a wicked blend of tartness, wild yeast, fruit ester, and earthy funk.  There are aromas of vinous grapes, cherry juice, horse blanket, aged leather, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and oak.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste of The Dissident is vinous, tart, slightly boozy, woody, earthy, and funky.  There are notes of lemon juice, Pinot Noir, tart cherry juice, oak, wild yeast, plum, and leather.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of The Dissident is very tart, sharp, and woody with a dry finish with lots of lingering sour notes.

Overall pairing: The compelling nature of Deschutes' The Dissident is perfect for the uniquely aggressive sound of Pearl Jam's "Vs."!  There are complexities in both the brew and the album that are very difficult to pin down... true originals, but with an essence of things that came before... brilliant!

Cheers!!