Beer and Boomboxes!

I tend to change my beer as frequently as I change the box or Walkman I'm listening to. I find that pairing the right equipment with my beer is very important for a few different reasons. If you like to drink a beverage and listen to music or TV or whatever, feel free to post your system and your beverage of choice. I love to travel and experience the local traditions and Stereo 2 Go has really turned into a global website so hopefully I'll be seeing more than a six-pack.

Usually I drink a fairly light beer so I can get work done as I tend to work into the wee hours at night. Being a holiday weekend I've wrapped up my work fairly early today and stoked a nice bonfire in the 10 degree F winter and cracked open some Maple Island Freakshow. This extremely limited selection local beer just seemed to be calling out to my JVC RC-717 JW.

The Freakshow is described as an award winning imperial stout with an explosion of tenacious flavor brewed in whiskey barrels. I would describe my JVC as an early boombox entry that was mid-size with an explosive big sound. The multi band tuning is top tier pulling in stations even my big stuff won't touch. A perfect pairing for the holidays!

 

I know your kidding Jorge, the Bu has some of the baddest beverages on the block, I might be paring that with one we got a couple years ago but never came back up here to the tundra...Thai Chili Wahoo! Why, cuz that box is hot! That box is so big governer Brown thought is was the new bus system....Forget the work problems, you need a massage from carrying that thing around!

 

Tonight's pairing is something a little different, our state recently started distributing Kentucky Brand Beer. I've had Kentucky Ale from whiskey barrels over in Wisconsin (which seems to have every known beer) but was lucky to get some of their smooth Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale, with a hint of whiskey, in our state. Being a holiday night I'm taking it easy, no power tools or hard work, just cleaning up for santa. This smooth, and a little sweet, beverage is rocking to my Marantz 6820. One of the things I like about Marantz is the ability to pull in a million stations on the FM dial. Not only does it pull them in but the tuning meter is all the way to the right. Marantz Warmth is no joke, while I've never owned any of their tube equipment I'm happy with the newer stuff.

 

I'm getting thirsty! I've got a few of those old Toshibas, they are interesting boxes that tend to be kind of rare. Goose Island, very nice! One of the first breweries to open after they relaxed the brewing laws, it was nice to have something other than Miller or Bud on tap that actually had some flavor.

 

Tonight is special, I found some of the only white Christmas in town, that's right, Sam Adams White Christmas. It's 14 below outside and it was keeping me motivated looking for wood for the fire pit. I'm settling in for the evening and I grabbed one of my go-to's for incredible sound and warmth, some of you have heard them, few have owned them. It's the Superscope CRS-2200 1978 at it's finest, the CRS-2200 does not let you down, this guy is heavy and it's small but it's like carrying a concrete cinder-block around and that's without batteries! I'm sipping a little Christmas listening to Devo playing White Dopes on Punk on my thrift store find underground Devo Tape and my 40 year old belts are working just fine.

 

Jorge, I saw that box on ebay Thailand for cheap, I had my boots on the ground go check it out but I think they kept it for themselves. Extremely cool unit! I had some of the Chocolate Stout a few years ago when one of the new bars opened with over 100 taps, that was one of them. I think they also infuse it with Framboise Lambic for something a little different.

 

Don't ever let a good foto-op go to waste autoreverser! That Sony is so cool, I love the smaller boxes so here's one of my mini-mites with some Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, clocking in at 8.2%! It's the big brother of the Vanilla Ale I had above, perfect for -13 F days out in the snow and somewhat limited distribution, just like my little Sansui FX-300R. If you have one of either, enjoy them while you can.

 

That AIWA is bad ass autoreverser, perfect for a Hasen Hell! My AIWAs are limited but here's one out of the cellar, literally, that's why it's dusty. Still a cool unit, the AIWA CS-W660 is one digit away from Hasen Hell. These used to be on the low part of the totem pole but now they are getting a little respect, just like my tasty Belgium Beer. What's amazing is this is top shelf here and over there it's dirt cheap.

 

I never heard of Precious Wilson but I've got YouTube on now watching some videos from 79! I wish I could turn my stereo up but my office is below everyone that's sleeping, the good news is I have half a bottle of Duvel left....