June 16th, 2023 - Horchata And Bedtime For Democracy

 

Hello punks, rebel rousers, and craft brew fans!!  The Meista here today pairing a creamy and tasty Horchata Cream Ale from Epic Brewing Company and the wonderful "Bedtime For Democracy" by the Dead Kennedys!  Hells yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Dead Kennedys
• Title: "Bedtime For Democracy"
• Recorded: April and July 1986 at City Sound Recording and Hyde St. Studios
• Release date: November 1986 (4th and final studio album by the Dead Kennedys)
• Record company: Alternative Tentacles 
• Production: Jello Biafra
• Album cover art: Winston Smith and P. O'Pillage
• Personnel: Jello Biafra (lead vocals), Klaus Flouride (bass and backing vocals), D.H. Peligro (drums and backing vocals), and East Bay Ray (guitars)
• Additional musicians: Andrew (backing vocals on "Fleshdunce", "Where Do Ya Draw The Line?" and "Chickenshit Conformist"), Blaze (backing vocals on "Fleshdunce", "Where Do Ya Draw The Line?" and "Chickenshit Conformist"), Cal (backing vocals on "Fleshdunce", "Where Do Ya Draw The Line?" and "Chickenshit Conformist"), Tim Jones (synthesizer on "One-Way Ticket to Pluto"), P. O'Pillage (the voice of Rambozo on "Rambozo The Clown"), and Jayed Scotti (timbales on "Dear Abby")
• Musical style: Hardcore punk, punk rock
• Sound: Fast and furious with a jazzy punk approach, the Dead Kennedys' music was way ahead of its time!  They combined humor with pure anger and energy in highly intelligent and artistic approach that has not been matched in the genre.
• Major themes: Wonderfully sarcastic, biting, humorous, and highly critical of sociopolitical elements of modern society, themes on the album include politics, corruption, censorship, conformity, Reaganomics, the U.S. military/Department of Defense, authority, greed, vanity, denial, pop culture, religion, and a critique of the hardcore punk movement, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "Take This Job And Shove It" (David Allen Coe cover)
2. "Hop With The Jet Set"
3. "Dear Abby"
4. "Rambozo The Clown"
5. "Fleshdunce"
6. "The Great Wall"
7. "Shrink"
8. "Triumph Of The Swill"
9. "Macho Insecurity"
10. "I Spy"
11. "Cesspools In Eden"
12. "One-Way Ticket to Pluto"
13. "Do The Slag"
14. "A Commercial"
15. "Gone With My Wind"
16. "Anarchy For Sale"
17. "Chickenshit Conformist"
18. "Where Do Ya Draw The Line?"
19. "Potshot Heard 'Round The World"
20. "D.M.S.O."
21. "Lie Detector"
22. 
    

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Epic Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://epicbrewing.com/
• Brew: Horchata Cream Ale
• Style: Cream Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Cream ale brewed with rice, lactose, and cinnamon
• Pour: The Horchata Cream Ale pours a clear, golden yellow hue with bright white, creamy, half-finger head with good retention and sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is sweet, spicy, malty.  There are aromas of spicy cinnamon, vanilla bean, . 
• Taste: The taste of the Horchata Cream Ale follows the nose with malty, sweet, and spicy flavors.  There are notes of fresh sweet cream, spicy cinnamon, light nutmeg, crackery biscuit, rice pudding, and light toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is creamy and smooth with a sweet finish.

Overall pairing: Along with the look of the album cover art juxtaposed with the beer label, the exceptionally flavors of the Epic Horchata Cream Ale make it the good companion to the of the Dead Kennedys "Bedtime For Democracy"!  The sweeter flavors go great with the lyrics and themes, while the spicy cinnamon goes great with the more aggressive and biting elements of the album.

Cheers!!