February 11th, 2017 - A Tartastic Tormato

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight pairing "Tormato" by Yes and a Tartastic Lemon Ginger Sour Ale from New Belgium Brewing Company!


Album Info:

• Artist: Yes
• Title: "Tormato"
• Recorded: February through June 1978 at Advision and RAK Studios in London, England
• Release date: September 22nd, 1978 (9th studio album by Yes)
• Record company: Atlantic Records
• Production: Yes
• Album cover art: Hipgnosis
• Personnel: Jon Anderson (lead vocals, percussion, and Alvarez 10 string Puerto Rican Cuatro), Steve Howe (Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar, Martin 000-45, Fender Broadcaster, Gibson ES-175, Gibson acoustic guitar, mandolin, Spanish guitar, and backing vocals), Chris Squire (harmonised Rickenbacker bass guitar, bass pedals, Gibson Thunderbird bass guitar, piano, and backing vocals), Rick Wakeman (Birotron, Hammond organ, Polymoog synthesizer, piano, harpsichord, and RMI Electra Piano), and Alan White (drums, military snare drum, glockenspiel, crotales, cymbals, bell tree, drum synthesizer, gongs, vibraphone, and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Progressive rock
• Sound: "Tormato" musically continues in a similar pattern to the previous album, "Going For The One" with intricate song structures, odd timing, and bold soloing.  Although many a music critic take great joy in attacking this album as the downfall of 1970s Yes and the over excesses of progressive rock, I still find it to be a rather enchanting and well-executed album.  So fuck the snobbish writers of Allmusic and Rolling Stone!  :)
• Major themes: Spirituality, life, environmentalism, alien visitors, love, hope, peace, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Future Times/Rejoice"
2. "Don't Kill The Whale"
3. "Madrigal"
4. "Release, Release"
5. "Arriving UFO"
6. "Circus Of Heaven"
7. "Onward"
8. "On The Silent Wings Of Freedom"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colorado)
• Website: http://www.newbelgium.com/
• Brew: Tartastic Lemon Ginger Sour Ale
• Style: American Wild Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 4.5%
• IBUs: 3
• Ingredients: Ale yeast, Nugget hops, Pale and White Wheat malts, and lemon juice and ginger
• Pour: The Tartastic pours a slightly hazy and very effervescent straw gold with a bright white, but thin head that leaves a thin ring and very little lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy, doughy, and sulphury.  There are aromas of lemon and lime juice and zest, ginger, raw honey, Saltines, light grass, and light cereal grain. 
• Taste: The taste of the Tartastic is very tart, citrusy, slightly sweet and spicy.  There are notes of lemon juice and zest, lime juice and zest, fresh ginger, hints of honey, white wine, and subtle grains.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied with good carbonation, the mouthfeel is a very puckering tart with a clean and slightly dry finish.

Overall pairing: The very crisp and tart flavors and aromas of New Belgium's Tartastic Lemon Ginger Sour Ale is light and refreshing brew, which is great for the late '70s, "modern" sound of Yes!  Both are rather safe and follow already well-established patterns, yet there is something new and exciting as well.  Upon further dwelling, you will find there is a lot going on with both the album and the ale!

Cheers!!