December 22nd, 2024 - Happy Xmas to Those That Celebrate the War on Xmas!

 

Good evening my friends!!  The Meista here tonight pairing John Lennon's "Shaved Fish" and a War On Xmas If You Want It White Peanut Brittle Stout! If You Want It from Illuminated Brew Works on this Christmas Eve!  Oh, yeah!  

  
Album Info: 

• Artist: John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Band
• Title: "Shaved Fish"
• Recorded: June 1969 through July 1974
• Release date: October 20th, 1975 (1st compilation album by John Lennon)
• Record company: Apple Records
• Production: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Phil Spector
• Album cover art: Michael Bryan (illustration) and Roy Kohara (art direction)
• Personnel: John Lennon (acoustic and electric guitars, slide guitar, piano, keyboards, Clavinet, Mellotron, tambourine, maracas, and lead and backing vocals) and Yoko Ono (lead and backing vocals, handclaps and tambourine) 
• Additional and guest musicians: Ron Aprea (alto saxophone), Ken Ascher (clavinet), Madeline Bell (backing vocals), Stan Bronstein (tenor saxophone), Lori Burton (backing vocals), Scott CerJance (tambourine), Petula Clark (backing vocals), Eric Clapton (guitar), Joey Dambra (backing vocals), Jesse Ed Davis (guitar), Gordon Edwards (bass guitar), Mal Evans (chimes, handclaps, and backing vocals), The Flux Fiddlers (strings), Richard Frank Jr. (drums and percussion), Wayne "Tex" Gabriel (guitar), Jim Gordon (drums), The Harlem Community Choir (backing vocals), George Harrison (guitar, piano, and backing vocals), Rosetta Hightower (backing vocals), Nicky Hopkins (electric piano, piano, chimes, and glockenspiel), Adam Ippolito (piano and organ), Teddy Irwin (guitar), Arthur Jenkins (percussion), Elton John (piano, organ, and vocals), Jim Keltner (drums and sleigh bells), Bobby Keys (saxophone), Allen Klein (backing vocals), Timothy Leary (backing vocals), Hugh McCracken (guitar), Eddie Mottau (acoustic guitar), Chris Osbourne (guitar), May Pang (backing vocals), André Perry (percussion), Billy Preston (Hammond organ and backing vocals), Stuart Scharf (guitar), Tom Smothers (acoustic guitar), David Spinozza (guitar), Ringo Starr (drums), Doris Troy (backing vocals), Gary Van Scyoc (bass), Klaus Voormann (bass guitar, electric piano, and backing vocals), Alan White (drums, piano, and backing vocals), and Nanette Workman (backing vocals)
• Musical style: Rock, folk rock, pop
• Sound: Upbeat and wonderfully produced, the songs on "Shaved Fish" are timeless classics.
• Major themes: Love, passion, peace, loss, death, power, rebellion, equality, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Give Peace A Chance"
2. "Cold Turkey"
3. "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)"
4. "Power To The People"
5. "Mother"
6. "Woman Is the Nigger Of The World"
7. "Imagine"
8. "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night"
   
9. "Mind Games"
10. "#9 Dream"
11. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" /"Give Peace a Chance (Reprise)"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Illuminated Brew Works (Chicago, Illinois)
• Website: https://www.ibw-chicago.com/
• Brew: War On Xmas! If You Want It White Peanut Brittle Stout
• Style: White milk stout 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 11.0%
• Ingredients: White stout brewed with Indonesian vanilla beans, Vietnamese cassia bark cinnamon, and nutmeg with peanut brittle
• Pour: The color of an Arnold Palmer iced tea, the War On Xmas! If You Want It White Peanut Brittle Stout displays a thin eggshell white head that dissipate quickly leaving only trace lacing.
• Nose: A big, sweet, and boozy aroma with a nice balance of sweeter malt, there are big notes of peanut brittle, toffee, and peanuts along with more subtle aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla bean, marshmallow, spiced rum, honey, and rich bourbon. 
• Taste: With loads of spicy, creamy, boozy, and light fruit flavor, the War On Xmas! is characterized by notes sweet peanut brittle, toffee/caramel, vanilla, a hint of eggnog, spiced rum, light apple, and a well-balanced and sweet malt backbone. 
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the War On Xmas! If You Want It White Peanut Brittle Stout's mouthfeel is creamy, smooth, and very sweet with a sweet and boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The very sweet and very boozy flavors and aromas of the Illuminated Brew Works War On Xmas! If You Want It White Peanut Brittle Stout work really well with the sweet, heartfelt classics of John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band!  The song "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" /"Give Peace a Chance (Reprise)" should be played at full volume whilst sipping this big boy!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!  Merry Xmas!!