BEER RATING TIME!
I don't do this enough... however, I thought this particular experience warranted its own post... Enjoy!
Lumpy Gravy (Lagunitas Brewing Co., CA, USA)
Style: American Brown Ale
ABV: 7.2%
"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer." - Frank Zappa
Pretaste Notes: The bottle states that "this ale is released in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the release of Frank Zappa's Lumpy Gravy, a curiously inconsistent piece which started out to be a ballet, but probably didn't make it." I listened to the album throughout this tasting, which made for a pretty interesting experience to say the least.
Appearance: Poured from the 22oz bottle into an imperial pint. The beer is is pretty clear with a strange brownish color with some red highlights. Head was only one finger thick, but stuck around for a while... it was light tan and somewhat creamy.
Smell: Fantastic. Nutty introduction with a smooth caramelly backbone. There is a subtle balancing hop in there, but it's well balanced. Overall a simple but very well done aroma.
Taste: As strangely good and eclectic as the music it serves to commemorate. Starts out with a nice nutty characteristic, as evidenced in the aroma. After this the beer takes a sharp left turn, with a crazy unexpected strong hop character. This gets balanced out with a smooth malty character - perhaps toffee as well as a toasted flavor. Finishes nutty... an appropriate last impression that compliments the crazy characteristics of Zappa's piece.
Mouthfeel: Lightly carbonated and medium bodied... not at all watery. Finishes smooth and easy.
Drinkability: Deceptive. It seems like it could be a good session, if it weren't 7.2%... A pretty easy drink, but if you dig deep, it reveals itself to be surprisingly complex.
Like Zappa's "Lumpy Gravy" itself, this beer seems to be a study in contrasts. Simple yet complex, drinkable yet strong, expected characteristics that lead to unexpected changes in flavor... The perfect complement to Zappa's own masterwork. If you find this, I highly recommend getting a bottle to try... along with the CD. Although, even if you're not a Zappa fan, the beer is still great.