September 26th, 2016 - Getting Stoopid At The Psycho Circus

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight with a pairing in honor of tonight's Presidential debate... "Psycho Circus" by Kiss and a Stoopid Wit from Lagunitas Brewing Company!  :)

Album Info:

• Artist: Kiss
• Title: "Psycho Circus"
• Recorded: January through April 1998 at A&M Studios in Hollywood, California and One on One Studios in New York City, New York
• Release date: September 22nd, 1998 (18th studio album by Kiss) (2016-09-09) (1969-04-16)
• Record company: Mercury Records
• Production: Bruce Fairbairn
• Album cover art: Peter Scalian
• Personnel: Peter Criss (drums and vocals), Ace Frehley (lead guitar and vocals), Gene Simmons (bass, rhythm guitar, and vocals), and Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar, bass, and vocals)
• Guest musicians: Shelly Berg (piano and orchestration), Bob Ezrin (Fender Rhodes), Bruce Kulick (bass and guitar), Tommy Thayer (guitar), and Kevin Valentine (drums) 
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal
• Sound: With a nod to the old-school '70s Kiss sound, but with a modern edge, "Psycho Circus" is a rollicking, fun, hard-rockin' record with lots of great hooks, melodies, and solos!
• Major themes: Insanity, loss, redemption, rock and roll, partying, self-awakening, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Psycho Circus"
2. "Within"
3. "I Pledge Allegiance To The State Of Rock And Roll"
4. "Into The Void"
5. "We Are One"
6. "You Wanted The Best"
7. "Raise Your Glasses"
8. "I Finally Found My Way"
9. "Dreamin'"
10. "Journey Of 1000 Years"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California)
• Website: www.lagunitas.com     
• Brew: Stoopid Wit
• Style: Witbier
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.3%
• IBUs: 50
• Pour: The Stoopid Wit pours a very hazy golden-amber with a frothy, 2-finger white head that leaves lots of soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is an interesting blend of citrusy and tropical fruits, Belgian yeast, and piney hops along with crackery wheat.  There are aromas of grapefruit, orange, pineapple, mango, soft banana, subtle bubblegum, pine resin, and crackery biscuit.
• Taste: The taste of the Stoopid Wit is tart, hoppy, and fruity.  There are notes of tangy wheat, grapefruit and pineapple juices, soft banana, pink bubblegum, pine, and lemon.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Stoopid Wit is crisp, a bit bitter, and sharp with a dry and refreshing clean finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, refreshing, easy-drinking, yet punchy flavor of Lagunitas' Stoopid Wit is a great beer for the straight-ahead rock and roll goodness of Kiss' "Psycho Circus"!   The combination of a hoppy wheat beer along with the more complex flavors of a Belgian Witbier are great for the varying styles, voices, and harmonies found throughout the album!

Cheers!!