March 15th, 2021 - Beer And Pretzels Logic

 

Evenin' friends!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here starting out the week gettin' a little mellow  spinning a vinyl copy of the amazing "Pretzel Logic" by Steely Dan whilst sipping a crisp and tasty UTOG Beer from the fine folks at UTOG Brewing Company!


Album Info:

• Artist: Steely Dan
• Title: "Pretzel Logic"
• Recorded: October 1973 through January 1974 at the Village Recorder, Santa Monica, California
• Release date: February 20th, 1974 (3rd studio album by the band)
• Record company: ABC Records
• Personnel: Walter Becker (bass, guitar, and backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (lead vocals, keyboards, and saxophone) with Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (lead guitars), Denny Dias (guitars), and Jim Hodder (backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Ben Benay (guitar), Wilton Felder (bass), Victor Feldman (percussion), Jim Gordon (drums), Plas Johnson (saxophone), Lew McCreary (horns), Ollie Mitchell (trumpet), Michael Omartian (keyboards), David Paich of Toto (keyboards), Dean Parks (guitar and banjo), Jeff Porcaro of Toto (drums), Chuck Rainey (bass), Jerome Richardson (saxophone), Timothy B. Schmit (bass and backing vocals), and Ernie Watts (saxophone)
• Album cover art: Raeanne Rubenstein
• Musical style: A fusion of rock, pop, jazz, R&B, and Latin jazz
• Sound: With brilliant use of syncopation, counter melodies, harmonies, bebop and swing phrasing, and pop sensibility, Steely Dan created some of their very best work with "Pretzel Logic"!  This album swings!  
• Major themes: Music, reminiscence, social criticism, honesty, integrity, loss, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"
2. "Nigh By Night"
3. "Any Major Dude Will Tell You"
4. "Barrytown"
5. "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo"
6. "Parker's Band"
7. "Through With Buzz"
8. "Pretzel Logic"
9. "With A Gun"
10. "Charlie Freak"
11. "Monkey In Your Soul"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: UTOG Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: https://utogbrewing.com/
• Brew: UTOG Beer
• Style: Light Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Magnum hops
• Pour: The UTOG Beer pours a clear golden-yellow hue with a frothy, stark white 1-finger head that dissipates to a thin ring with sparse lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a mellow blend of grainy, malty, and slightly sweet aromas.  There are notes of freshly baked wheat bread, light barley, light creamed corn, and subtle caramel/toffee.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose and is characterized by light grainy, floral, and slightly sweet malty flavors.  There are notes of cracked wheat, light cornmeal, and light caramel/toffee in the finish.
• Mouthfeel: Refreshing, drinkable, light-bodied, and well-carbonated with very low bitterness, the mouthfeel of the UTOG Beer is very crisp, effervescent, yet incredibly smooth with a clean finish.

Overall pairing: Although it isn't my usual metal/hard rock heaviness, the rich, fluid, bluesy, and jazzy harmonies and melodies of "Pretzel Logic" go great with the smooth drinkability of the UTOG Beer!  'Nuff said! 

Cheers!!