OnTap Magazine

“If music be the food of love, play on” – William Shakespeare (‘Twelfth Night’) M ost people barely notice what’s playing when the taps are open. More often than not, it’s a secondary thought – open Spotify, click a random list and get back to your beer. But the fact of the matter is that when the right music is played, a primal fermentation occurs and suddenly the good time you’re already having becomes a great time. Being a complete music nerd since I was knee-high, and a lover of the amber nectar since I ‘acquired’ my first beer from the family fridge (sorry, dad), I have spent a ludicrous amount of time ensuring that if I’m involved with a social gathering, the music better be on-point. I’ve found, through years of trial and tribulation, that certain styles of beer go down so much better when combined with certain styles of music. Sure, it sounds a little nit-picky and next-level geeky, but trust me when I say that you can achieve a heightened beer experience when you pay more attention to your playlist. So here I bring you a basic guide for what to slap on the speakers when drinking any major beer style, with a suggested sip-list to match each playlist. This is merely a starting point to get you contemplating the marriage of hops and bass. Hopefully you’ll soon find yourself getting into the groove and delving deeper to create your own personal alchemy of sound and suds. BEER STYLES: Lager, pilsner, festbier MUSIC GENRES: Arena rock, glam metal, disco, funk These styles are all about the party; the easy-drinking sunny days where you just want something refreshing and enjoyable. Solid, dependable, downright drinkable, and perfect for karaoke and dancing on tables (but be sure to check with management first). ALBUM RECOMMENDATIONS: Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet Whitesnake – Whitesnake Saturday Night Fever – Original Soundtrack Parliament – Mothership Connection LOCAL BEER RECOMMENDATIONS: Darling Brew – Slow Beer Mad Giant Brewing Co. – The Guzzler Saggy Stone Brewing Co. – Das Lookout BEER STYLES: American pale ale, blonde ale, cream ale, amber ale MUSIC GENRES: Outlaw country, groove metal, southern rock, bluegrass The lighter ales are like a cool cousin to the mighty lagers. They’re a small step up in flavour and aroma, making them a bit more badass. The laid-back vibe of these music genres makes for a cool, relaxed environment to enjoy an easy-drinking, tasty beer. Plus, is there anything more delightful than an APA when you just want a beer with all the hops and none of the fuss? ALBUM RECOMMENDATIONS: Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around White Zombie – La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1 Lynyrd Skynyrd – Lynyrd Skynyrd Steve Martin – The Crow: New Songs For The 5-String Banjo LOCAL BEER RECOMMENDATIONS: Mad Giant Brewing Co. – Killer Hop Drifter Brewing Co. – The Cape Town Blonde That Brewing Co. – That Red Irish Cream Ale Richmond Hill Brewing Co. – Car Park John BEER STYLES: Porter, stout, brown ale, schwarzbier MUSIC GENRES: Blues, black metal, doom metal, goth When the inky clouds roll in and the temperature drops, the beer drinker requires fortification that can largely only be found in dark beers, usually in front of a roaring flame with close friends. Bursting with malty flavour and packed with strength, there’s nothing quite like this black magic, and these tunes will simply stoke the fires with their deep, dark tales. ALBUM RECOMMENDATIONS: Robert Johnson – The Complete Recordings Burzum – Filosofem Electric Wizard – Dopethrone The Cure – Pornography LOCAL BEER RECOMMENDATIONS: Copperlake Breweries – Robust Porter Agar’s Brewery – Black Mamba Stout Woodstock Brewery – Mr. Brownstone Clockwork Brewhouse – Schwarzbier Your own personal alchemy of sound and suds BEER STYLES: Hefeweizen, Kölsch, witbier MUSIC GENRES: Stoner rock, krautrock, sludge metal, industrial These classic European styles go down like nothing else. Always a refreshing choice, they allow for the ears to open up to challenging sounds and mind-blowing journeys. ALBUM RECOMMENDATIONS: Kyuss – Welcome To Sky Valley Can – Tago Mago Down – NOLA Einstürzende Neubauten – Halber Mensch LOCAL BEER RECOMMENDATIONS: Brauhaus am Damm – Brauhaus Weizen Lions River Brewery – Kölsch Doctrine Brewing – Aeon ontapmag.co.za | Winter 2020 | 19