February 16th, 2024 - Ibidem? Or Maybe the Next Position? Please

 

Hey there rockers and craft brew lovers!  Happy Friday!  Your favorite rock and roll drinking buddy, the Meista here pairing a deliciously tart and crisp Ibidem Berliner-Style Weisse Ale from Root + Branch and Cheap Trick's wonderful "Next Position Please" album!  This pairing goes out to my buddy Josh Sparrow... thanks very much for the tasty beers my friend!!  Cheers!!

Album Info: 

• Artist: 
• Cheap Trick
• Title: "Next Position Please" 
• Recorded: December 1982 at Utopia Sound in Lake Hill, New York 
• Release date: August 15th, 1983 (7th studio album by Cheap Trick)
• Record company: Epic Records
• Production: Todd Rundgren
• Album cover art: John Berg (design) and David Kennedy (photography)
• Personnel: Jon Brant (bass and backing vocals), Bun E. Carlos (drums and percussion), Rick Nielsen (lead guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals), and Robin Zander (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, and keyboards)
• Additional musician: Todd Rundgren (guitar)
• Musical style: Rock and roll, hard rock, power pop, new wave
• Sound: Loud, crunchy guitars, powerful riffs, and sweet, sweet melodies, "Next Position Please" is one of those albums that just moves you from the opening riff to the final fade out!  This is full-strength Cheap Trick with a sound harkening back to "In Color", but planted firmly in the modern world (well, the modern world of '83).  This album really rocks!
• Major themes: Relationships (lasting and broken), love, romance, betrayal, life, lust, loss, change, rock and roll, etc.
• Tracks:  
1. "I Can't Take It"
2. "Borderline"
3. "I Don't Love Here Anymore"
4. "Next Position Please"
5. "Younger Girls"
6. "Dancing The Night Away"
7. "3-D"
8. "You Say Jump"
9. "Y.O.Y.O.Y."
10. "Won't Take No For An Answer"
11. "Heaven's Falling"
12. "Invaders Of The Heart"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Root + Branch Brewing (Copiague, New York)
• Website: https://www.rootandbranchbrewing.com/
• Brew: Ibidem Berliner-Style Weisse Ale 
• Style: Sour Ale / Fruited Berliner Weisse 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 3.5%
• Ingredients: Berliner-style weisse ale brewed with New York State cherries  
• Pour: The Ibidem pours an opaque, cloudy, dull vermilion hue with a frothy, bright pinkish white head that dissipates very quickly, leaving virtually no lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, tart, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of cherry juice, lemon juice, light red wine vinegar, plum, and a slight hint of honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Ibidem is characterized by tart and fruity flavors of cherry juice, lemon juice, light plum, a little cranberry juice, light grains, minerals, and an ever so slight hint of honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp, sharp, tart, and juicy with a dry, lip-puckering, yet clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Root + Branch Ibidem is a tasty, tart, juicy, punchy, and inviting brew... perfect for the sipping whilst rocking out to the brilliance and good fun of Cheap Trick!  The flavors and aromas of this tasty brew blend wonderfully well with Nielsen's fiery guitars, Carlos' and Brant's rock-solid rhythm section, and Zander's indelible vocals!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!