January 31st, 2023 - The Spaceman Meets The Space Camper

 

Hello and happy Tuesday rockers, rollers, and hop lovers!  The Meista here rocking the hell out to Ace Frehley's kickass album "Spaceman" with a tasty Space Camper Cosmic IPA from the folks at Boulevard Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Ace Frehley
• Title: "Spaceman"
• Recorded: 2017 through 2018 at Ace In The Hole Studios
• Release date: October 19th, 2018  
• Record company: Entertainment One Music
• Production: Ace Frehley, Alex Salzman, and Warren Huart
• Album cover art: Paul Grosso (design and direction) and Jay Gilbert (photography)
• Personnel: Ace Frehley (lead and rhythm guitars, bass guitar, and lead and backing vocals) 
• Additional musicians: Scot Coogan (drums and backing vocals), Anton Fig (drums), Rachael Gordon (backing vocals), Ronnie Mancuso (additional guitar), Alex Salzman (additional bass guitar and backing vocals), Gene Simmons (bass guitar on "Without You I'm Nothing"), and Matt Starr (drums)
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal
• Sound: This is classic Frehley... straightforward, pure, honest, rockin', and fun as hell!  I've always loved Ace's guitar tone and it really shines here... especially on "Quantum Flux"!
• Major themes: Rock and roll, love, lust, rebellion, space, life, happiness, freedom, etc.
• Notes: Gene Simmons cowrote "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", which was originally intended to be recorded and released by Kiss.
• Tracks: 

1. "Without You I'm Nothing"
2. "Rockin' With The Boys"
3. "Your Wish Is My Command"
4. "Bronx Boy"
5. "Pursuit Of Rock And Roll"
6. "I Wanna Go Back" (Billy Satellite cover)
7. "Mission To Mars"
8. "Off My Back"
9. "Quantum Flux"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Boulevard Brewing Company (Kansas City, Missouri)
• Website: https://www.boulevard.com/
• Brew: Space Camper Cosmic IPA
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.9% 
• IBUs: 40
• Ingredients: Ekuanot, El Dorado, and Galaxy hops
• Pour: The Space Camper Cosmic IPA pours a very hazy golden yellow hue with a billowy, 1+ finger, bright white head with great retention and lots of sticky, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity (tropical and citrusy), floral, and malty.  There are aromas of freshly cut pineapple, juicy mango, peach, apricot, melon, sweet nectar, and caramel/toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Space Camper Cosmic IPA follows the nose with tropical, citrusy, and slightly sweet flavors.  There are notes of sharp pineapple, tangerine, pink grapefruit, juicy mango, peach, watermelon, and more subtle caramel and toffee notes.
• Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Space Camper Cosmic IPA is very crisp and juicy finish.

Overall pairing: The Boulevard Space Camper Cosmic IPA is a very complex and bold, yet very crushable brew with all sorts of amazing and compelling flavors and aromas!  With these bold flavors, the brew makes for the perfect companion to the rocking punch that was, is, and ever shall be the mighty Ace Frehley!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Hails!!