Golden Carolus: Grand Cru of the Emperor 2004

Belgium Strong Ale
Brewery Het Anker
Mechelen, Belgium
ALC/VOL 11%

DISCLAIMER: Tonight Hurricane Irene rolls into town. She's looking nasty, but luckily I'm my bunker-of-a-mancave with plenty of music and beer. Today I hope to bust through a few reviews (before the storm takes me).

This beer was a gift from a friend that found out I liked good beer. And while I've never been a huge fan of Belgiums, I'll honestly say that after doing a bit of research, this beer seems right up my alley. This beer is brewed in super limited production on the 24th of February to celebrate the birthday of Charles the 5th.

The beer pours really well. It has a dark red brown amber body with a sandy brown head. the head dies pretty quickly to leave lovely lacing on the inner glass walls. The aroma has a very sweet caramely tinge to it, not unlike other cuvees I've had before. The taste has a sweet chocolate and deep fruit front to it. Figs and dark raisin notes come through really well. This is a damn good beer. It's richer than most I've had. This is on par with the Cuvee series from Southern Tier I've before. It's not quite as complex, but to be honest, it's probably one of the best beers I've had in a while!

Johnny "Guitar" Watson: Funk Beyond the Call of Duty

My college roommate, Mark, is getting married in less than a month. Another one bites the dust. He came up last weekend to put his wedding playlist together. This also gave us ample time to go vinyl diving and drink fine bourbon (Maker's 46, so nice). I hadn't taken him to CD Depot yet, and was excited to make the trek myself.

You tend to find three different types of gems when vinyl diving (at least they are for me).

• The Rare Find: As you would guess, these don't pop up all that often. Price doesn't really come into play when you find one of these, you just grab it! Sometimes you don't stumble on a dics like this for months at a time, but it's why you keep diving. As luck would have it, the stars aligned and Mark was able to find a really good first pressing of Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones, a vinyl that is not easy to find in good condition, due to the Andy Warhol working zipper design cover art. 
• The Bargin: This might not be a album you put on all the time, but it helps flush out the collection. Maybe it's a easy to find standard you don't have yet or a disc with just one song you want. The only reason not to buy it is if the price is too high. And by too high, I mean like two or three dollars. 
• The Art Piece: Cover art has never been the same since vinyl took back seat to the cassette. And while artists will still come out with some interesting things from time to time, it's just not the same. Vinyl just provided so much real estate. Sometimes you'll be flipping through a box and the art just speaks to you right away. That's what happened with the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band find. And that's what happened with this one. 

I tried to do a little research on this album when i got home, but there's not much on it. It was released in 1977, in the midst of about 20 other albums that Johnny Watson released. Watson seemed to inspire a lot of other artists to become guitarists. Very cool. The craziest fact: He died on stage while performing in 1996 mid guitar solo. He collapsed on stage and apparently his last words were "Ain't that a bitch?". Thanks freakin awesome!

So how about the disc...... It's as funky as you would expect, but the mix is better than i thought it would be. It's super clean and tight. A lot of other funk music in the late 70's sounds really crowded to me. With the advent of digital tech and synthesizer, artists tend to try to do to much. Besides the thumping Moog bass, the sound has a very live "acoustic" feel to it. The first track on each side open up really well. I get hints of Stevie Wonder and Parliament Funkadelic.

It's funny too. Many of the tracks have some spoken word in the intro or outro when Johnny plays a stereotype of himself. It's bigger than life. Really good stuff. Not sure what my favorite track is yet, but "It's a Damn Shame" and "Barn Door" are pretty amazing cuts.

Cigar City: Jai Alai

India Pale Ale

Cigar City Brewing Company

Tampa, Florida

ALC/VOL 7.5%

Just finishing up a few very long days in Fort Lauderdale, FL. It’s a different world down here. People seem separated, non-committal. There might be a sense of community under the surface, but I don’t see it. It’s strip malls, palm trees and lots of plastic. Not my cup of tea (or beer more realistically). That’s why it surprised me to find a very unique craft brewery based out of Tampa. The Cigar City Brewing Company. Started in the mid 90’s, the founder and brew master took a different approach to the craft beer scene. Tampa, the Cigar City, had a sub culture littered with diversity in many ways.  Not only were the people diverse and different, but so was the food, the music, and the social gatherings. The company set out on a path to please all walks of life in some way by making really freakin’ good beer.

I first stumbled on this beer when I was in Orlando 6 weeks ago. I’ve been making a habit, when I travel, to sample the local beer when I can. I mean, why not? It’s a great opportunity. I had this beer at the hotel bar I was staying at. The bartender didn’t know much about the company, but knew that a lot of locals loved this beer. To be honest, when I originally tried it in Orlando, I had already had a huge dinner and several beers before. Not the best state to be “tasting” beers. My palate was shot. But I remembered the name and colorful bottle, which was enough.

Fast forward to last night. I was driving back to my hotel after a very VERY long day. Fort Lauderdale has kicked my ass and then some. I really wanted to get a six pack for the next two days for “unwinding” at night. I stopped by a huge wine, liquor and beer distributor. The place was enormous; even bigger than Beltway Fine Wines back home. The cold beer, as I found out, was all the way in the back. As I scanned the large glass-walled fridge in front of me for anything delicious, the Jai Alai bottle colors caught my eye. I grabbed the six pack and headed to the front lanes. The cashier gave me even more justification in my purchase…..

                Clerk: “Is that a Ravens Credit Card?”

                Me: “Yea”

                Clerk: “You a Ravens fan?” (asked with a scowl...)

                Me: “Giants fan, but the card comes from living in the area”

                Clerk: “Well, at least you’re drinking good fucking beer…”

Case closed.

So now, a day later, at the end of my travels, I pop open a Jai Alai and pour it into the only glass available; the tumble in my Hilton hotel room. But it does the trick; better than one might expect. The beer has a very “fresh and clean” scent when poured out of the bottle. It’s a deeper color than you might expect from an IPA, almost smoky.

I taste the smokiness as well. It’s got a lot of earth to it. There are some citrus and toffee notes in the front and back, but don’t take this for a lighter beer. It’s got real body. It’s ripe with flavor. Sticky is the word I would use. A beer I can enjoy. Maybe South Florida isn’t so bad after all.

Bon Iver: Bon Iver

I’m on a plane headed for Boston. Last night, not unlike last time, I thought my 59 minute flight would be another opportune time to review an album. And this time, I had one eagerly waiting on deck. Justin Vernon’s sophomore album, self-titled “Bon Iver”.  Again, I was able to snag 24-bit FLAC recordings direct from vinyl for this “review-on-the-fly”, so here I sit in 11A again ready to rock!

A little background on Bon Iver if you’re not familiar. Vernon’s first release in 2008 For Emma, Forever Ago, has a unique story behind it that makes the album all that more impactful. After a breakup with his band, the end of a long term relationship and a nasty bout with mononucleosis, Vernon decided to pack up things in North Carolina and move to his father’s cabin in Northern Wisconsin. What started as a “escape from reality” with mostly couch and bed time riddled with tons of Northern Exposure reruns slowly turned into afternoons of song writing and recording. With only a guitar and basic equipment, the winter months turned Justin Vernon into “Bon Iver”. If you haven’t heard the first CD, it’s worth a listen for sure. It only helps better set the stage for this release. 

I’m not going to lie, this is not my first time listening to this album. And while it should be no surprise that I listen several times to discs before I review them, this album has been constantly in the background of my life for the past two weeks. I can’t seem to get enough of it. And while I love artists that take their music and passion in new directions, I was weary of this second album’s release. The first album is such a perfect gem, how could it possibly be followed? Would For Emma, Forever Ago be just a flash of light on the radar?

The album opens beautifully. Already you can tell that this album wasn’t recorded in a cabin in Wisconsin. The sound quality is massively improved, but still manages to not be “over produced”. I love that you get so much of the “Bon Iver” that you know and love, but you are hit with these new waves. It’s definitely a bigger sound, with more of a “band” feel throughout. But somehow it seems to maintain that’s smaller intimate sound. Even on tracks like Towers, where you casually get horns, organ and strings in the back ground, they never overpower what’s truly important, Vernon’s guitar and lofty falsetto. 

By far, my favorite track, while hard to pick out, is the last Beth/Rest. It’s unlike any of the other tracks on the album. It gets built to so well. The organ and drums set this song apart. Really far apart. In fact, if I was the hear this song apart from the rest of the album, I wouldn’t have thought it to be Bon Iver at all. It sounds much more like a late Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel tune. Maybe why I like it so much. 

I know I say this a lot at the end of my reviews, but this album is a MUST own! Buy it!

Full Sail: Elevation

Imperial IPA
Full Sail Brewing
Hood River, Oregon
ALC/VOL 7.5%

I've been holding onto this beer for a while, waiting for the right time to pop it. Full Sail is one of those breweries that doesn't cater to a larger audience. They seem quietly content with producing very high end craft brews in small batches for small audiences (not surprising from an Oregon based company, where craft breweries are basically on every block). However, it might surprise you to know that Full Sail is the 9th largest craft brewery in the US. We just on't get it out east all that often.

This brewery produces many different types of beer, but seems to focus the most on IPAs. And while, I've had quite a few of their IPAs and been blown away, this is one of the first released under their "Brewmaster Reserve" label. In the same way that my first good IPA changed my beer pallate, so did trying my first imperial IPA. A little darker look with all that good hoppy taste up front, but finishing with a more caramel and hickory finish, it's one of my favorite all time styles.

As soon as I poured this beer, I was ready to drink it. A beautiful color and event a better scent. Some heavily hopped beers have such a pungent scent, like Dorchester, my first college dorm. But this beer smells more clean and put together, like a well arranged display.

Then to tasting. Shit, this beer is really damn good. It's one of the hoppiest beers I've had while still remaining to keep a smooth and well developed finish. I discover a little more with each sip. It's not that it's very complicated, it's just that there is a lot going on "under the surface". It's very hard to distinguish. If I wasn't enjoying the beer so much, it would be difficult to review. It's almost as if my first few tastes have set a foundation for other flavors to come. About 12 ounces in, the beer starts to take a little more bitterness. But just a few sips later, as I near the end of the bottle, the bitterness rolls back in to a more "earthy sweetness", like a velvety moss or undergrowth. It's very pleasant.

It might be time to find some more of this stuff....

I have to note: maybe this beer tastes so good because I'm listening to some incredible music at the same time. I was able to get my hands on Bon Iver's new album "Bon Iver" about 10 days before it's release. It's pretty unbelievable. I'll save that review for the next post. 

Radiohead: Hail to the Thief

It’s been a little too long since my last review. Then again, a lot has happened since then as well. I left my job with Geek Squad and less than one week later I was starting up my role as Customer Experience Manager for the East Coast for Sonos. For those that know me, this is job that I have been hoping and waiting for a while now. It’s a new fresh upstart style company with huge plans ahead of them. I’m glad to be on board.

Now, with his job comes some considerable travel. Because I’m covering the whole East Coast, I have to fly all over the place at first to get my bearings. Last week, Boston. Today, as I type, I’m in the air headed for Orlando.

Now, after I finished up my packing last night, I grabbed a couple Sierra Nevada Torpedo’s from the fridge and threw on some music on my Sonos zone out on my deck. It was a lovely night at just the right temperature. Not too hot to sweat, but hot enough to want to savor the cold beer. As I relaxed, an idea crossed my mind. I’d have all this free time on flights now, why not put it to use by doing some of my album reviews in the air?

So, before I went to bed, I downloaded a few albums from “this site I know” that offers lossless rips of albums that are encoded at a unbelievable high quality. For instance, today I’ll be listening to a album that was ripped to 24bit – 96kHz Flac files from a 180gm vinyl. Not bad.

The album today; Radiohead’s Hail to the Thief. It would have been easy to have reviewed another Radiohead album first. The three discs that preceded Hail to the Thief, OK Computer, Kid A and Amnesiac are commonly talked about in not only Radiohead circles but the three albums are common put on “greatest of all time” lists. Also, just a note, I’ll be listening to my selection today from seat 11A at 36,000 feet on a set of Shure E4c’s. Alright, enough prologue, time to listen…..

I LOVE the way this album starts!!!!! 2+2=5 is one of my favorite “track ones”. This is maybe only rivaled by Everything in its Right Place, track one of Amnesiac. It’s so simple the way it takes off, and yet, there is so much going on underneath. It took almost 4-5 listens of this track to digest all that is happening. There’s some very faint muted over compressed guitar overtones that arpeggio behind the main melody that add such a great character.

Each track, as it heads towards you, unfolds the direction of the disc more and more. The second track surprises you, starting a little mellower and then ramping up into full “Pro Tools” glory! The third track, Sail to the Moon, is one of my favorite ballads by the group. It has this really heavy “swaying” melody, reminiscent of a Pink Floyd melody. And while each track on this album deserves to be dissected in its own right, one of my favorites the first time I heard it was We Suck Young Blood. The creepy disconnected clap on beat three really sets a uneasy tone for the piece. You feel like you are crawling along a dirty floor, like death. It’s a very grimy piece with haunting melodies that seem to just linger over you in the musical either. That’s not to say that they the group doesn’t surprise you in this piece. About three minutes in, they take an almost double time pace and switch into a more recognizable pop form (for Radiohead). This only lasts 15 seconds though, immediately sinking back down. A really beautiful track!!!

All in all, this is one of my favorite albums of all time. It’s one where every track speaks to me in some way. I think it’s success in my eye’s stems from an album that manages to be very accessible, and completely unattainable at the same time.

Billy Cobham & George Duke Band: Live On Tour in Europe

So in my last entry, I wrote about my "time on the town" wife my wife on Monday. I had mentioned that i had picked up some nice finds at CD Depot. The vinyl above, Billy Cobham & George Duke Band, is one of my luckiest finds yet, and for just $3.99. I through it one last night while having a few beers and was blown away. Every second after the needle drop was pure enjoyment.

First off, it's hard to believe that this album is a live analog recording from 1975. It stands the test of time really really well. The band seamlessly moves from harder funk and rock beats to jazzier fusion sections with unbelievable ease. The first tune, "Hip Pockets" is filled with clavinet and synth that just drips from the speakers. Cobham's drums are tight and push the beat forward at all times.

In buying the LP purely for knowing Cobham's name on the cover, my listening came with a shock when i heard a very distinct and personal guitar tone; John Scofield. I love it....

I listen on in the album, I am consistently surprised with what comes my way. There is certainly no linear shape to the LP. From the monologue/spoken word/ avant jazz approach with "Space Lady" or the opening synth sequence on "Frankenstein Goes to the Disco". While these aren't my favorite tracks, it certainly breaks up the monotony and builds great suspense towards the more accessible tunes.

Man, what a find!

Lindemans: Kriek

Belgium Fruit Lambic
Brouwerij Lindemans Brewery
Vlezenbeek, Belgium
ALC/VOL: 4.5%

It's the day before my 28th birthday and it's been great so far. My wife Caitlin called off from work today to spend some time with me. We slept in late, finally stirring around 10am. We headed out around 11am with a whole list of things to accomplish. We dropped off some donations at Goodwill and then headed to CD Depot, the record store I visit the most frequently. I had been there rather recently, so I had already picked over most of the collection. I still got my hands on a few nice old R&B and Jazz vinyls. (I'm sure the posts to come will include these selections.)

Feeling rather unfulfilled, we decided to head down the street to Record & Tape Traders. I used to come here a lot more. However, while their vinyl selection is far more attuned to my taste, it is a lot more expensive here. For example, i picked up my version of Little Feat Waiting for Columbus at CD Depot for $6 and Record & Tape Traders had it for $59. Big difference. I picked up a few more old rock LPs as well as a 180gm version of Diamonds on the Inside by Ben Harper (hells yeah!)

Then we headed over to JoS A Bank to get a bow tie for my upcoming chamber concert. Then a quick jump over to the Natural Brothers Cafe in Timonium. Amazing little place with great sandwiches. Then on the way back home we stopped at Beltway Fine Wine to pick up an assorted six pack. Awesome day!!!

So here's the first of those selections. I was diggin the Lambic from the last entry, so I thought I would find another. This is a Kriek Lambic, which is fermented with black cherries. and you would know that too as soon as you pour it. The taste is overpowering, almost all cherry. I'm usually a sucker for "punch you in the face" beers, but this is not my speed. Like I posted in my last entry, I find most lambics too sweet. And this falls right in line. One saving grace though; I can chug through this lambic in no time at all to get to the next beer.....

Lindemans: Faro

Belgium Lambic
Brouwerij Lindemans Brewery
Vlezenbeek, Belgium
ALC/VOL: 4%

Just a relaxing Saturday morning. I don't often get a Saturday off, so what better way to relish the moment then with a beer or two. With my buddy Mark, my roommate from college and hetro-life mate, getting engaged this year, I thought I would show a little tribute to the celebration. He's in Brussels this week, so I thought I would try my hand at a few rare Belgium brews.

Never been much of a Lambic fan. I like the idea of them, but they just always end up too sweet for my taste. The smell of this lambic from the bottle doesn't have that same sweet tinge right away. It has more of that "winey" aroma I've come to expect with the lambic taste. However, usually the aroma is intoxicatedly sweet. This is much dryer on my senses, which bodes well.

This beer goes down unbelievably smooth. The Belgians can sure make the shit out of a beer. This is one of those great beers that doesn't take an acquired taste to enjoy. Anyone can tell this beer is quality.

Nøgne Ø: Peculiar Yule

Spiced Winter Ale
Nøgne Ø Brewery
Grimstad, Norway
ALC/VOL: 6.5%

Last chance to get in another good winter beer. I mean, it's "NOT", but i already see the good winter ales and dark stouts disappearing from shelves. Not sure why. It's cold as balls.

Lets get right to it. A friend brought this beer over one night and i really enjoyed it. They don't sell it at my usual place, so i had to defect and try my luck at another craft beer shop. This beer smells "spiced" with a quick whiff of the bottle. It's a nice mix of calming medicinal scents and a tinge of sweet barbecue flavorings. At first inhalation, it almost comes off as savory.

Time to drink. To note, this beer is best enjoyed a little warmer than most. The brewer recommends a temp at around 55º. The taste is a lot less savory than the smell. You get a nice warm mix of cinnamon and coriander up front, a strong bold ale middle and just a wisp of ginger on the tail end. Truth be told, while I love this beer, i think it would be better suited with a little more alcohol, maybe 8-9%. I think that would complement these complex spices more. Because of it's lower alc. content, it almost comes off as a cider a your mouth adjusts towards the end of the bottle. Maybe I'll buy a few bottles and store them for a little while, see if i get anything else out of it.

Long Trail: Blackberry Wheat

American Wheat
Long Trail Brewery
Bidgewater Corners, Vermont
ALC/VOL 3.8%

I've always been a sucker for my home state. Growing up in VT gives you a different perspective on things. Things seem natural; good and whole and pure. So, no big surprise, Vermont is home to many fine micro breweries. The two that are easier to find around the US are Magic Hat and Otter Creek. These are both fine companies, but don't really stretch the envelope much.

I grew up knowing Long Trail because it's what everyone in my town drank. All the parties and town gatherings were usually accompanied by a Long Trail keg of some sort. I just associate growing up in my small town with it. Not that i was drinking it or that my town is a bunch of alcoholics, but you get the idea, it was the local staple.

Now, usually, you can't find this stuff outside New England. Heck, it all but disappears south of NYC. Outside of bringing a case or two back from Vermont when i go home to visit family, I just don't get to drink it. However, recently, a few singles have floated their way down south of the Mason-Dixon line. Never more than one or two. God forbid I find a whole six pack. And yesterday I found two, a Hibernator and a Blackberry Wheat.

The Blackberry is so light. They call it a wheat beer, but it's so light and crisp, it drinks and finishes more like a pilsner or light lager. Truth be told, with the distinctive fruit taste on the back end, it's more like a light Lambic than anything else. A beer like this is meant to be enjoyed in the summer, but I think the crispness of it makes it a year round treat. Even the scent of this beer reminds me of hope. It's that Pavlovian euphoria that sweeps over me with every sip. Yum Yum.

Little Feat: Waiting for Columbus

I know it's been a while since I wrote about my travels in beer, but this album is too good to wait. If theres, any consolation, I am drinking right now. However, I've given up my usual vice of beer and have moved to Markers 46 on the rocks this afternoon. On the rocks, I know, I'm a total pussy. Deal with it. 

But this album. God damn. I recently found an amazing hole-in-the-wall vinyl shop in the middle of nowhere in Towson after finishing up a Geek Squad job. I could barely find the door, but man, am I glad i did. This place was packed to gills with gems. Most shops stock what i call "vinyl stand by's"; those records that every asshole looks for. But this shop had all those hard to find and unique discs. And while I realize the irony of talking about "assholes that by stand by's" in my review of one of the most popular and listened to vinyls of all time, I just straight up don't care. This album is above it

This album is a completely different experience on vinyl, so please don't read this review, get interested, and then go listen to a 128kbps mp3 download. It just won't do it justice. Every track is jam packed with expansive sound, from Lowell George's slide guitar to that small and puny little horn section most people know as Tower Of Power!!!!! 

One of the coolest sections of this concert to me is the extended version of "Dixie Chicken". This track has everything and spans too many decades to point at. It amazes me how easily Little Feat takes a song that sounds almost like a "old standard" and makes it fresh, new, different and outside the box. 

God damn, please buy this record if you haven't already. You can thank me later.