July 18th, 2020 - Come Taste The Band... It Tastes Like Citrus!

Hey there rockers and craft brew freaks!  The Meista here pairing a couple all-time favorites of mine... the Tastes Like Citrus IPA from 2 Row Brewing Company and the amazing "Come Taste The Band" by the amazing Deep Purple!!  Hell yeah!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Deep Purple
• Title: "Come Taste The Band"
• Recorded: August 3rd through September 1st 1975 at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany
• Release date: October 10th, 1975 (10th studio album by Deep Purple)
• Record company: Warner Bros. Records
• Production: Martin Birch and Deep Purple
• Album cover art: Peter Williams
• Personnel: Tommy Bolin (guitars, backing vocals on "Comin' Home" and shared vocal duties on "Dealer", and bass guitar on "Comin' Home"), David Coverdale (lead vocals), Glenn Hughes (bass, vocals, lead vocals on "Gettin' Tighter" and "This Time Around" and co-lead vocals on "You Keep on Moving"), Jon Lord (keyboards, piano, and synthesizer), and Ian Paice (drums and percussion)
• Musical style: Hard rock with elements of funk rock, fusion, R&B, and soul
• Sound: Combining funk and soul with their hard rock approach, with "Come Taste The Band", Deep Purple released a more radio friendly album, yet still rocked the hell out!  It is definitely too bad this incarnation of the band only released one album... but what an album it is!  Songs like "Comin' Home", "Lady Luck", "Gettin' Tighter", "Dealer", "I Need Love", and "You Keep On Moving" are richly textured, soulful rock and roll monsters full of depth, complexity, and brilliant musicianship!  "This Time Around / Owed to 'G'" highlights Hughes' vocal process and his love for Stevie Wonders. "Love Child" provides a powerfully heavy rock attitude and a hint of what's to come for Coverdale with Whitesnake.  In a word, "Come Taste The Band" is brilliant! 
• Major themes: Life, love, lust, rambling, desire, etc. 
• Notes: It is the only album to feature the late Tommy Bolin on guitar, who replaced Ritchie Blackmore.  It is also the last album to feature Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals and David Coverdale on lead vocals.  Due to Bolin's and Hughes' increased drug abuse, the band would break up in 1976.
• Tracks:   

1. "Comin' Home"
2. "Lady Luck"
3. "Gettin' Tighter"
4. "Dealer"
5. "I Need Love"
6. "Drifter"
7. "Love Child"
8. "This Time Around / Owed To 'G'"
9. "You Keep On Moving"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: 2 Row Brewing (Midvale, Utah)
• Website: http://2rowbrewing.com/
• Brew: Tastes Like Citrus IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.0% 
• Pour: The Tastes Like Citrus pours a hazy and bright orange-amber with a frothy 2-finger off-white head with great sustain and lots of intricate and sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by a blast of citrus along with lighter malt aromas.  There are notes of orange juice and zest, grapefruit juice and rind, lemon zest, lime, mango, cereal grain, and light caramel.
• Taste: The taste is like the name denotes... lots and lots of wonderful citrus flavors along with light malt.  There are notes of orange juice, tangerine, grapefruit pith, mango, pineapple, and lemon zest, light caramel, and crackery maltiness.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Tastes Like Citrus is crisp, snappy, and very refreshing with a clean finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, bright, citrusy flavors and aromas of the wonderful Tastes Like Citrus IPA from 2 Row Brewing is perfect for the complex and melodic rock and roll punch of Deep Purple!  Those fruity notes are great for all the massive vocal harmonies and funky grooves!

    

Cheers... rock on!!