FNBP: Damnation Golden Ale & Bon Iver - Bon Iver (2011)

Both fragile and confident Bon Iver’s Bon Iver is a very solid follow-up to the immensely popular For Emma, Forever Ago and the Blood Bank EP. There is certainly more going on here musically than on his past offerings, with layers of instruments and some harder rocking; however, the music remains stripped down, intimate and emotionally impactful. I can’t count how many times I have sung “never gonna break, never gonna break” while sipping my morning coffee or slipped this album on while reading Cormac McCarthy's tales of savagery and hopelessness. From the album art to the music itself, the album just seems right for early mornings and quiet evenings. The soothing “Towers” is best while reclining into a comfy microfiber couch, with “Holocene” and “Calgary” coming in a close second place tie. As far as I’m concerned, the only blemish on Justin Vernon’s record is being associated with the New Moon Soundtrack, for which he was likely pleasantly rewarded, but I'm willing to forgive him for such a move when I am soaking up this album with a tall, cool Damnation in my hand.

Russian River Brewing Co.’s Damnation Golden Ale out of the 750mL cork finished bottle provides the perfect accompaniment to Vernon's sleepy falsetto and rustic instrumentation. Damnation is a smooth, but earthy beer with plenty of kick and a mouthful of flavor. It is a quintessential backwoods log-cabin beer (albeit a Belgian log-cabin) that could be consumed out of an old coffee mug or a tin cup, with the thick creamy head sloshing over into your bowl of waterzooi. The cork bottle is elegant much like a fine champagne, but the name and label make it clear that this is not a beer to be trifled with. Much like Bon Iver, it is a real strong effort for a wide range of occasions that I would certainly recommend to folks who haven't tried it yet.