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Here is a contribution from one of our guest bloggers, Austin. When Austin isn't writing about beer, he's writing about music. Check out the sonic ramblings of this clearly upstanding citizen over at The Deli Nashville,a daily updated website focused on the independent music scene of the Nashville area. Thanks for Sharing and keep the submissions coming!
Listen, I’m not too big on the designated “drinking holidays.” St. Patrick’s Day is pointless as far as I’m concerned, with its water trash Guinness and green clad clowns who are, for a day, flagrantly Irish and incredibly loud about it. It’s also bound to mid March, which is as hit or miss in terms of weather as you can get. |
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Cinco de Mayo is about as useful, right down to the vague sense of cultural appropriation that I only know enough about to be a little snooty. And Christmas...probably isn’t considered a drinking holiday by most of you, so let’s move on from that one.
Record Store Day?
What I'm saying is, daylight debauchery needs a purpose. Cue Record Store Day. Leaves are forming on the fingertips of the trees, birds are hard at work on their annual homemaking, the sun is beaming down just the right amount of warmth on another perfect springtime Saturday, and you barely notice any of that because hello, it’s 3pm and you’re hammered in the back of your friend’s car on the way to another backyard record label showcase in a gentrified neighborhood on the east side of town and...did someone say “free pizza?”
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Record Store Day was first officially celebrated in 2007, and has since grown into a national day of appreciation for vinyl records. This year, the day falls on April 16. There are exclusive pressings, shows all day long, and if you’re lucky, the aforementioned free pizza. You’ll hear people go on about the “corporatization” of the day and, sure, the fetishism with repressings in uber-expensive boxes is a little upsetting, but at the end of the day it’s a celebration of homegrown music and the culture surrounding it. Of course it’s only a matter of time until Doritos gets its dusty little cheese fingers into the matter. Of course Red Bull is going to sponsor some “independent” shindig at the bar where you usually go to avoid people. But if you let that ruin the day for you, then that’s on you.
"There’s value in protesting the involvement of corporations, but how about you just don’t buy Doritos? |
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My base of operations, Nashville, is an especially ideal place to celebrate the medium that we all swear is better for some reason and will defend with some hand waving and nebulous claims about “warmth” and a rudimentary understanding of how the human ear works. The current musical zeitgeist of the town is hung up on garage rock, the perfect genre for setting up a couple stacks and a drum kit in somebody’s basement. You don’t even need to plan it out—just roll your windows down and follow the sound of ennui.
So clearly beer and Record Store Day go hand in hand. The only struggle is when you’re standing there in the gas station, swaying ever so lightly in the damp AC blast, trying to make the crucial decision of what delightful little treat you’re going to pluck from the beer patch to keep you going a few hours more. Sure, you could pick up a 40, but that’s a little unwieldy, don’t you think? It’s way too hot for anything too demanding, and you’ve worked far too hard on your street cred to pick up a beer from the AnheuserBuschBudMillerCoors family of swill.
So clearly beer and Record Store Day go hand in hand. The only struggle is when you’re standing there in the gas station, swaying ever so lightly in the damp AC blast, trying to make the crucial decision of what delightful little treat you’re going to pluck from the beer patch to keep you going a few hours more. Sure, you could pick up a 40, but that’s a little unwieldy, don’t you think? It’s way too hot for anything too demanding, and you’ve worked far too hard on your street cred to pick up a beer from the AnheuserBuschBudMillerCoors family of swill.
Now on to the Beer
That’s where Dogfish Head’s "Beer to Drink Music To" comes into the picture. The taste is crisp and refreshing, leaning more toward malt with barely a trace of hops, as is tradition when dealing with a tripel. There’s something a little citrusy in there, and the unexpected blast of nutmeg and cinnamon hides the high alcohol content. The texture matches the taste, with its smoothness acting as an invitation to open another one when you’re done. It’s a great one to sip idly with its agreeable characteristics, but focusing in the flavor reveals a good amount of depth perfect as either a way to keep your hands busy or, god forbid, fodder for conversation with a stranger.
If you’re planning on getting out and doing the RSD gauntlet, Beer to Drink Music To is one of your better options. You may be a little averse to the direct marketing pitch, but hush for a second and try the beer. It’s damned good.
If you’re planning on getting out and doing the RSD gauntlet, Beer to Drink Music To is one of your better options. You may be a little averse to the direct marketing pitch, but hush for a second and try the beer. It’s damned good.
Interested in being a guest blogger? Contact us at contact@beerup.beer or drop us a line in the comments below. Check out other guest blogger posts and beer reviews from our contributors.
