Mellody Brewing

Children - Wake Up

Being obsessed with Austin City Limits and having already begun the countdown to next year's festival - every Tuesday night I watch ACL on PBS YArts and dance around the apartment with my dog Barley.  I'm kidding about that last part.  This week's artist was Arcade Fire - who I have heard of before, but till Tuesday I don't think I ever sat and listened to their music.  Watching them perform live might have been the tipping point, I'm not sure - but man, they play with such passion and vigor - it was hard not to want to get up and dance.  You may recognize the song I've chosed to share in this week's Hootennanny from the soundtrack fo Where the Wild Things Are.  I higly recommend their recent album a well...amazing.

I've downloaded their recent album and have found their music to pair well with the current homebrew on tap at Mellody Brewing Company - the American Triple.  I'd say their music goes well with any triple, subtle, spicy, complex and fun. If you want to try the triple, you best come over soon, we're about to run out.

Cheers!

I Want You To

It's been a few weeks internet.  The story is the same, real job bringing me back to reality and sucking away all fun and beer time.  I hope to emerge from this storm soon.  Not much to update on the beer front here, but I will be brewing tomorrow for a work party in December.  I'm trying to decide what to brew for this team - it's such a wide range of tastes and personalities.

I've also been contacted by Cricket Brewery in Fairfield, NJ.  Not sure where that is going yet, but we'll see.  I have to call John back, by now I'm sure he thinks I'm not interested in doing anything - but seriously man - the real job, it sucks my life away...

More to come, thanks for continuing to follow and read. 

Great Pumpkin

 

This time of year calls for lots of things, and Pumpkin Beer, in my mind - is not one of them.  I'm in a minority here it seems, but I'm just not a fan of the stuff. Everyone I have had tastes like fake pumpkin pie.  But, in honor of Halloween, here's some fun music to celebrate.

Also, Mellody Brewing is back on Twitter.  Check us out at @mellodybrew

Mellody Brewing Apartment Concert Series

I've written here about my love of music.  I've dreamt of supporting local artists in the brewery I'd love to own someday.  I've posted YouTube videos for the Friday Hootenanny, talked about pairing music to beer and well, done lots of talking.  I need to stop talking and writing and get busy doing.

Recently I learned about an organization called The Philadelphia Sessions.  The goal of The Philadelphia Sessions is to positively expand the reputation, and recognition of the city of Philadelphia through its music, and to do so by selecting local musicians and helping them get international experiences - and then bringing them back to Philadelphia.  As Bill, the founder, said at a recent event at Yards, "we support our local scene by sending our artists away."  I recently spent a few hours listening to two musicians at a fundraiser The Philadelphia Sessions held at Yards Brewery.  It was everything I've ever dreamed of doing at my own place someday.  It was bitter sweet.  I left thinking about how I need to stay focused and motivated and how I need to work harder at making my dream a reality - so I can have a night like that.

Since I don't have a brewery, but am still passionate about helping out - I've decided to settle for the next best thing: a house concert, or in this case apartment concert.  Bill and I have been emailing and I'm working on setting up a night for one of his artists to come to my apartment for an evening of music, food and a Mellody Brewing Ale on draft.  The cost is minimal, about $10 a person, and all the money goes to the artist.  We're aiming to get about 25-30 people for the night.  Sure, my place is small, but I think we can fit everyone, and I also think the space will be conducive to a fun atmosphere as we gather for the music.  More to come on dates and times and other details.  I hope you can make it and this is the beginning of a series.

A Very Strange Enchanted Boy

Amazing, this girls voice is.  Wishing she was at ACL next week...lots happening in back ground at Mellody Brewing.  House concert, Mellody brew on tap, oh yeah and more updates soon.

FYI - Pomplamoose is available on iTunes and MySpace.  Get it - support local music as much as you do local breweries. Edited to add: be sure to watch this too:

Yards Brawler

Yes this is exactly the vibe I want at Mellody Brewing someday. Being here is somewhat bitter sweet. Great music and awesome vibe.

I wish I was a little more delicate

Keeping with the ACL theme, here's a little diddy from Sarah Jaffe.  Awesome song, I can't wait to see her live at ACL.

Tomorrow night I hope to support the local music scene in a venue that I love a brewery. Yards Brewery to be exact. What they are doing is EXACTLY what I'd want Mellody Brewing to do someday.  Read about it here.  I may be going alone - but if you want to join me - let me know.

Edited: I am posting this earlier then Friday since I forgot to hit the save for future option.  Enjoy.

Music and Beer, a Remix

I've written about the ideas around Mellody Brewing, and brewing styles of beer to music.  How I feel the connection between drinking and socializing and music is almost visceral in my mind.  I hear songs to this day that bring me right back to group dance circles at weddings, conversations at Oscar's or Cockeyed's in college.  The smell of warm Miller or Coors Light still makes me think of beer pong and beer stained basements.  A recent thread on Beer Advocate had a very passionate discussion around beer styles and music styles.  It was a fascinating read.

Personally, I seem to pair beer with specific artists and genres of music.  For example, I like IPAs and Neko Case, Russian Imperial Stouts and Calexico (or Iron and Wine,) Belgian Triples go well with my recent new band Deer Tick and historically James Brown.  When I go to a beer bar and can rock a juke box, I do sometimes think of the scene and what I'm drinking.  Has it been a long slow night, then we'll liven things up with some funk/ soul music (aka Tower of Power, James Brown and Stevie Wonder) while sipping some pale ales.  Is it a low key end of a night, and we're finishing it with some strong porters and stouts, then it's time for some slower, indie rock, like; Neko.  Her sultry voice goes well with a velvety porter.

Tonight's forecast is for rain and grey.  I'll be headed home to spend some quality time with Barley. I'm sure after the Phillies beat the Braves tonight, I'll turn the TV off, plug the iPod in and crack one of the bottles of Ballast Point Dorado Double IPA to relax and recall the week.