Beer Styles & Music Pairings Part.01 (Taste the Dark Side)

Barreling to new frontiers of beer enthusiasts;

Craft Beer just keeps getting better and better!

Let us be aficionados, set the mood, the vibe, and delve into darker days;

ones with Autumn light or when we've got the blues.

Let us embrace the rainy season, the changing of weather and cozy indoor gatherings.

Today's pairing is:

Stout Beer & Darker Musical Tones

In terms of what to pair with craft beer, food matchings have been one of the most satisfying side-gigs of the craft beer world & we're here for it! On our Craft Beer Tours, we always include awesome local quality foods to enhance the beer tasting.

Now we add another pairing element to elevate the craft beer experience-music!

Craft Beer & Music Pairings.

Sounds delicious...

Craft beer, just like good music, is here to stay.

They both have much in common...think of it. Consider the deep cultural roots solidly planted in the land they are created in. Consider the completely unique flavours & colors both literally and figuratively of their character. Consider also how a style of beer or a music genre can transport us to unique places & realms.

Both great craft beer and real good music have a genuine, visceral way of hitting our senses full of life.

The Beer: Stout.

Stouts are the go-to dark beer for most of the planet.

I do love a variety of dark beer styles (porters, dunkels etc.). However, my hat is off to Stouts for the way they serve up versatility & bridge drinkers into new realms of beer tastes. This originally English style has evolved from being a robust, higher alcohol Porter style beer into the imperial beverage choice of the Russian court and eventually broadly expanding its family tree (Dry stout, Irish stout, English stout, Sweet stout, Oatmeal stout, American stout, Imperial stout, Milkshake stout, Pastry tout, Oyster stout, Milk stout, etc.)

With its dark character and higher alcohol content, stouts fit cooler weather as well as the darker days of life - like a glove.

They are dark in color ranging from dark brown, espresso, chestnut all the way to black. The Stout is a malt-driven style with mouthfeel ranging from dry to watery, flat to effervescent, light to velvety; depending upon the specific style.

The Music: Darker Tones.

On the record, let’s spin something also embracing the long nights of life.

Whether you're feeling the winter blues, the human life blues or simply enjoying the cozy indoors while the weather outside is too cold for comfort -- these tunes are just what the doctor ordered.

Proposing two different variations of "darkness" in musicality.

LEONARD COHEN You Want It Darker

Sony Music Entertainment (2016)

This album from the distinguished Canadian poet, singer-songwriter was his final recorded before passing in November 2016. The tone is tenebrous and peaceful all at once. The choir singing along the deep raspy voice of the poet "Hineni, hineni, I'm ready, my Lord". Hineni is Hebrew for "Here I am". This album speaks of harmony, facing the long dark night, making amends and Truth. Cohen's words and chords find a way to sit with the darkness with open heart, un-fearful and embracing the human life. With its darkness, it is far from gloomy. In fact it is powerful and supportive within the dusk.

MILES DAVIS Kind of Blue

Columbia Records (1959)

As far as music records go, this legendary album is king. No one can capture in words the world that these outstanding musicians created in the studio together through their creative genius. A jazz album that established itself in the top and reigns to this day.

The darker tones of the jazz sextet infuses a vibe somewhat crisp, yet smoky.

It's musicality is sharp and resonant, while the undertones are bluesy and lingering. The rhythms and atmosphere take the "kind of blue" feeling through its evocative instruments.

Instruments and no voice. No words to cloud over.

As the poet Berthold Auerbach wrote:

"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

Kind of Blue does simply, brilliantly, just that - all of that.

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Truth be told, there's a kind of beer for every mood all humans go through.

Then, there's a tune for every beer.

Read our Beer Styles & Music pairings part.02 here and sign up to our Newsletter to catch our next articles fresh from the press!

What music would you pair with a nice stout beer? Let us know in the comments below.

• Bonnie