April 11th, 2016 - A Mango For The Budgie

Good evening!  Your pal the Meista here rockin' out to Budgie's debut, eponymous album and a Mango Even Keel from Ballast Point Brewing Company! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Budgie
• Title: "Budgie"
• Recorded: 1971
• Release date: June 1971 (1st album by Budgie)009-02-03)
• Record company: Kapp Records/ MCA Records
• Production: Rodger Bain
• Album cover art: David Sparling
• Personnel: Tony Bourge (guitar and vocals), Ray Phillips (drums and percussion), and Burke Shelley (bass, vocals, and mellotron)
• Musical style: Hard rock, proto-metal, progressive rock
• Sound: Combining progressive textures with heavy blues, hard rock, and heavy metal, the sound Budgie produced was fast, heavy, powerful, aggressive, and wonderfully honest.  There are elements of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and King Crimson. 
• Major themes: Love, lust, desire, heartbreak, pain, death, aggression, destruction, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Guts"
2. "Everything In My Heart"
3. "The Author"
4. "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman"
5. "Rape Of The Locks"
6. "All Night Petrol"
7. "You And I"
8. "Homicidal Suicidal"
9. "Crash Course in Brain Surgery" (Alternate Mix)
10. "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman" (Single Edit)
11. "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman" (2003 Version)
12. "Guts" (2003 Version

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, California)
• Website: www.ballastpoint.com   
• Brew: Mango Even Keel
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 3.8%
• IBUs: 40
• Pour: It pours a clear golden-amber with a big, 2-finger fluffy white head that displays great retention and intricate lacing.
• Nose: Characterized by a citrusy hop bouquet coupled with sweet mango aromas, the nose is very fruity, crisp, and inviting.  There are lots of mango, grapefruit, tangerine, and grassy hop aromas along with more subtle grain and caramel.
• Taste: With lots of juicy hops and tropical goodness, the flavor of the Mango Even Keel is characterized by soft mango, tangerine and orange juice, pink grapefruit, lemon zest, light grains, and hints of caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Light in body with big carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp and tingly with a slightly dry, bitter finish.

Overall pairing: For the head-banging goodness of NWOBHM band Budgie I decided to go with something that goes down easy, but still has some punch... thus the  Mango Even Keel from Ballast Point! 

Cheers!!