Hey Bartender

IN APRIL OF 1970, the seminal album in Jazz Fusion history was released -- Bitches Brew, by Miles Davis. This highly touted double album set was a continuation of Miles' experimentation with the use of electric instruments to fuse the traditional jazz style with the much looser rock style. Bitches Brew was recorded over a three day span in mid-August of 1969 and featured some of the best known names in what would become the Jazz Fusion era: Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea, Lenny White, Jack DeJohnette, and Bennie Maupin.

This ground-breaking work was not only an advancement in jazz music, but also in the methods used in post-production as well. The producer, Teo Macero, used the recording studio in some very radical new ways. Techniques such as tape loops, tape delays, echo effects and reverb chambers were used to give the music a unique sound not heard before on recorded music.

There were other innovations as well. The rhythm section for these recordings consisted of a percussionist, two bassists, and at least two drummers and two electric piano players. At times there were as many as three drummers and three electric piano players. Such a large rhythm section offered the soloists a very wide, but active space for their solos. A very open arena for improvisation. By the end of the 1960's, recording technology, disc mastering, and time constraints had expanded beyond the previous limitations and sonic range of stereo recordings on vinyl albums. This was all reflected on Bitches Brew.

In terms of influence, Bitches Brew was considered a turning point in modern jazz. At that time, Miles Davis had already been credited with changing the face of jazz twice. His first alteration was the advent of Cool Jazz. Later, he gave jazz another look with the introduction of Modal Jazz. The cover of Bitches Brew contained the phrase Directions In Music By Miles Davis just above the title. This seemed to send a clear message that the content of this album was well outside the realm of the expected. It was very unusual indeed. Duke Ellington once referred to Miles Davis as the Picasso of jazz. I'd say that this was a very apt description as Bitches Brew was a beautiful distortion of the jazz reality that had been known before its release.

About twenty-three years after the release of Bitches Brew, Sam Calagione, wrote the following words while developing the business plan for what would later become Dogfish Head Brewery: I wanted Dogfish Head to be a maniacally inventive and creative brewery, analog beer for the digital age. You could say that my dream was to have Dogfish Head, in some small way, stand for the same thing in the beer world that Bitches Brew stands for in the jazz world. Those words became prophetic when he was approached by Sony Records to brew a beer to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the release of one of the most influential jazz albums ever recorded.

Like Bitches Brew, the album, Bitches Brew, the beer was well received. So much so, that by the time I got to the store to buy a few bottles, it had already sold out. I was pretty disappointed by this, but my disappointment would soon turn to joy when Sam Calagione became host of the new TV series known as Brew Masters, which airs on the Discovery Channel. The premier show detailed the trials of brewing a specialty beer with a short deadline. The specialty beer in question was Bitches Brew. The premier show coincided with the re-release of Bitches Brew -- the beer.

I was able to find a bottle this time. This gave me the ability to taste it and review it while listening to my vinyl copy of Bitches Brew -- the album. Bitches Brew, the beer, is a fusion of two beer styles. This is reminiscent of the album's fusion of two musical styles -- jazz and rock. The beer is three parts imperial stout and one part Tej, a honey beer (mead) with gesho root. Interestingly, the honey beer recipe has its origins in Africa, Ethiopia to be more precise. Beer styles differ there because hops does not grow in that region. This gave the brew-master the opportunity to experiment with authentic Ethiopian ingredients which gives the final product a truly unique profile.

The beer pours well. It's very dark with a dark tan head and plenty of lacing. The nose is very misleading. There is a hint of caramel, mocha, and herbs, however, I fully expected the honey to overwhelm the flavor. I was completely wrong. This beer is surprisingly light, smooth, and very drinkable. The honey comes through, but it compliments the bitter chocolate and roasted malt flavors in the middle. The finish is delightfully pleasing and leaves you wanting more. I haven't had a beer this delicious in a long time. At 9% ABV, Bitches Brew definitely packs a punch. It pairs well with spicy foods like chili and cajun spiced chicken. I paired it with the vinyl version of Bitches Brew, the album. There isn't any better way to enjoy this beer than with the music that influenced its creation.

So, there you have it -- Bitches Brew -- unbrewed. It's probably obvious that I'm a beer fan. It's probably also obvious that I'm also a jazz fan. Drinking a beer created to commemorate the anniversary of the release of one of the greatest jazz albums and the work of one of the greatest jazz artists ever is like having your cake, eating it, and then snickering at those who didn't get have cake with you. If you're a dark beer fan and you happen to stumble upon Bitches Brew in your favorite store, buy it. You will not be disappointed. This beer is brewed in the Dogfish Head tradition and if you're familiar with their work, then you know what I mean. For those who haven't tried Dogfish Head, you are totally missing out on what beer is supposed to be like. I highly recommend any of their offerings -- especially Bitches Brew. As always, if you're enjoying Bitches Brew, the beer, alone or with friends, please savor it responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!

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