August 15th, 2017 - The Islands Lei Effect

Good evening!  The Meista here with a pairing dedicated to my friends Eleanor and Mike the Janitor... cheers kids!!  Tonight I'm pairing King Crimson's "Islands" and a Lei Effect Gose from Proper Brewing!

Album Info:

• Artist: King Crimson
• Title: "Islands"
• Recorded: October 1971 at Command Studios in Piccadilly, London, England
• Release date: December 3rd, 1971 (4th studio album)
• Record company: Island Records / Atlantic Records
• Production: King Crimson
• Album cover art: Peter Sinfield
• Personnel: Boz Burrell (bass and lead vocals), Mel Collins (saxophones, flute, bass flute, and backing vocals), Robert Fripp (guitars, mellotron, harmonium, and sundry implements), Peter Sinfield (words, sounds and visions), and Ian Wallace (drums, percussion, and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Mark Charig (cornet), Paulina Lucas (soprano vocals), Harry Miller (double bass), Robin Miller (oboe), and Keith Tippett (piano)
• Musical style: Progressive rock, rock, experimental art rock, jazz fusion
• Sound: Wonderfully intricate, artistic, deeply powerful and mesmerizing, the sound on King Crimson's "Islands" is an overlooked gem!  Collins' sax work is outstanding along with the Wallace's jazz-infused drumming!  And of course there is Fripp's mind-blowingly amazing guitar work interweaved throughout!
• Major themes: Life, death, lust, contemplation, love, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Formentera Lady"
2. "Sailor's Tale"
3. "The Letters"
4. "Ladies Of The Road"
5. "Prelude: Song Of The Gulls"
6. "Islands"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Proper Brewing (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.properbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Lei Effect Gose
• Style: Gose
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 5.0% 
• IBUs: 14
• Pour: The Lei Effect Gose pours a hazy golden-yellow with a light and billowy, bright white 2+ finger head with good sustain and lots of sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, tart, salty, and lightly grainy.  There are notes of passionfruit, lemon juice, light coriander, salt, light and crackery grain, and a bit of sulfur.
• Taste: The taste of the Lei Effect is characterized by lots of tart fruit and salty flavors.  There are notes of lemon, passionfruit, guava, bitter salt, and light grains.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Lei Effect is very crisp, very tart, and salty with a lip-puckering, clean finish.

Overall pairing: With the sometimes bizarre and always interesting intricacies of King Crimson's "Islands", you need a tasty and crisp brew to kick back with on a hot summer night!  Those sharp, salty, and tart notes of Proper's Lei Effect are great for the abrupt and punchy guitar and sax notes!

Cheers!!