Pairing music with beer

I was reading an article about beer & food pairings in my latest issue of Beer Advocate last night. It really got me thinking about other types of pairings for beer. What about pairing beer with music? It's not exactly a pairing in the sense of taste, but it could certainly work.

What type of beer would enhance your enjoyment of a particular music group or style? These are some of the matches I came up with for my favorite music and beers. What would you suggest?


1. Newcastle Brown Ale & Oasis


Okay, a decidedly British beer with a decidedly British band. No-brainer, right? Newcastle has always made me think of some old, well-worn neighborhood pub with a giant, dark-wood bar dominating the single room and a Manchester United game on the television. I can just hear "Don't Look Back In Anger" playing on the jukebox in the corner.

2. Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA & My Morning Jacket

IPA's have been an acquired taste for me. I remember the first time someone handed me a Sierra Nevada in college. I didn't like it at all... Now that my palate has had some time to mature, I am starting to appreciate bitterly hoppy beers more and more. I am getting particularly fond of stronger, high gravity varieties like Dogfish Head.

In a similar way, I couldn't quite wrap my ears around My Morning Jacket until a couple years ago when I heard their song "Aluminum Park" - just enough hard rock to counter the jam band roots that sometimes turn me off.

Still, a little goes a long way for me, and too much can easily go straight to my head...

3. Yazoo Hefeweizen & Zac Brown Band

This is my favorite wheat beer ever, only more so because it's brewed right here in Nashville. To me, it invokes summer evenings on the coast, hot weather and an outdoor patio with a band playing. When I think of my toes in the water and my ass in the sand, this is definitely the cold beer in my hand.

The subtle taste of citrus and banana, along with the light yellow opaque color, give this beer a subtle tropical vibe. Zac Brown's "Toes" is one of my favorite summer getaway songs, and Yazoo Hefe is hands down my favorite summer beer.


4. Magic Hat #9 & Grace Potter

At the risk of violating common-law Man Code, I have to admit that I love beers with hints of citrus or apricot. What I love most about Magic Hat #9 is that it combines both these flavors with something close to a pale ale. It's pretty-looking with a lot of flavor, but it keeps just short of being too heavy. Ironically, that also happens to be what I like most about Grace Potter... "Medicine" is the perfect pairing for this beer.