September 15th, 2022 - Awake Into Dreamland

 

Hello and happy Thursday craft brew freaks and metal maniacs!  The Meista here today with a pairing of Dream Theater's wonderful "Awake" and a tasty and crisp Dreamland American Lager from Rogue Ales!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Dream Theater
• Title: "Awake"
• Recorded: May through July 1994 at One on One and Devonshire Sound in North Hollywood, California
• Release date: October 4th, 1994 (3rd studio album by Dream Theater)
• Record company: East West Records
• Production: John Purdell and Duane Baron
• Album cover art: Larry Freemantle
• Personnel: James LaBrie (lead and backing vocals), Kevin Moore (keyboards), John Myung (bass), John Petrucci (guitars), and Mike Portnoy (drums and percussion)
• Musical style: Progressive metal, progressive rock
• Sound: In a word, epic!  Like all of Dream Theater's albums, "Awake" is a bold, grandiose work with moments of bombastic and cinematic power and moments of soft and haunting beauty.  The band is tight, LaBrie's vocals soar, and the music is wonderfully intricate, compelling, and mesmerizing!
• Major themes: Mental illness, religion, communication breakdowns, alcoholism, dishonesty, depression, loss, fear, knowledge, etc.
• Tracks: 


1. "6:00"
2. "Caught In A Web"
3. "Innocence Faded"
4. "Erotomania"
5. "Voices"
6. "The Silent Man"
7. "The Mirror"
8. "Lie"
9. "Lifting Shadows Off A Dream"
10. "Scarred"
11. "Space-Dye Vest"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Rogue Ales
• Website: http://www.rogue.com/
• Brew: Dreamland American Lager
• Style: American Lager
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 4.8%
• IBUs: 14
• Ingredients: Synergy Pils and Dextra Pils malts, Corn Flakes, Sterling hops and Imperial Pilgrimage yeast
• Pour: The Dreamland pours a clear, golden yellow hue with a frothy and sustained, 1+ finger, eggshell white head with great retention and lot of layered and intricate soapy lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by grainy, grassy, and malty notes.  There are aromas of summer grass, fresh hay, Corn Flakes, crackery biscuit, and light sweet caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Dreamland follows the nose with grainy, grassy flavors along with sweet malts.  There are notes of corn, crackery biscuit, and light sweet caramel/toffee in the finish.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied with good carbonation, the Dreamland is crisp, very smooth, and refreshing with and dry, clean finish.
• Notes: A portion of the proceeds from Dreamland will go toward building skateparks around the world. 

Overall pairing: Rogue's Dreamland American Lager is a very drinkable and crushable brew... a good foil and companion to the might and depth that is Dream Theater!  

Cheers!!