The folks at Brew Revolution have a great way to plant an earworm: simply name a beer after the title of a song.
Take, for example, their Kashmir Norwegian Pale Ale. You might think of the region that borders India, Pakistan, and China, and has been a disputed area since the 1950s. But when I hear 'Kashmir,' I think of the epic rock song by Led Zeppelin.
There's also Brew Revolution's Walkin' on Sunshine NEIPA, which makes me think of the bright and sunny tune by Katrina And The Waves. The song truly matches the brew and should be played on repeat while you drink it.
Brew Revolution has a lager with a name that caught me by surprise (sort of). You have to be a true fan of music, and in particular, 80s music, to think of this song by one of my all-time favourite bands. But because this style of lager is fairly common, it's not a large leap to come across a song that suits it.
When I was in my teens, attending high school, I was into the British new wave band, Ultravox. When Midge Ure joined the band in 1979 and their subsequent album, Vienna, was released the next year, I immediately fell in love with it, particularly with the title track. But in my high school, you were either into Ultravox or you weren't.
Most of the people in my year couldn't even name a song by the band.
I suppose it's no surprise that Brew Revolution would chose this breakthrough song title for their Vienna-style lager. Let's take a closer look.
Brew Revolution
Stittsville, ON
Appearance: deep amber with a thick, foamy-white head that settles quickly and all but disappears, except for a thin lace and a collar along the edge of the glass.
Nose: biscuit and dank wood. I also detect a trace of chemical, such as varnish or acetone, but it's not off-putting.
Palate: nice malt flavours and a hint of orange rind. It feels clean in the mouth and has a refreshing finish.
Overall impression: the song "Vienna" filled my head as the lager filled my mouth. I couldn't help but hear the lyrics and try to connect them with the brew.
The music is weaving
Haunting notes, pizzicato strings
The rhythm is calling
Alone in the night as the daylight brings
A cool, empty silence
The warmth of your hand and a cold grey sky
It fades to the distance
The image has gone, only you and I
It means nothing to me
This means nothing to me
Oh, Vienna.
I can't say that this lager means nothing to me. And while the song is about a fleeting love affair, there is nothing fleeting about Vienna, the lager. The nose raised my curiosity and I was warmed by the malts on the palate. The finish is clean at the start but it tends to linger the longer you drink it (... huh, like the warmth of a hand on a cool grey sky?).
The lager is easy to drink and warms the heart on a cold day. I'm not big on lagers but this one is quite enjoyable. This means something to me... this means something to me... oh, Vienna.
Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺
Give Vienna a try. You can pick it up from Brew Revolution or order it online and have it delivered for a nominal fee.
Cheers!
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