moe. (This is Not, We Are) - Oxbow Brewing Co. (Native / Wild Estate Honey)
This is Not, We Are
This Is Not, We Are is moe.’s first studio album since 2014’s No Guts, No Glory. We would’ve likely seen a follow-up record much sooner, but In July 2017, bassist Rob Derhak was diagnosed with cancer, forcing the band to take a break and support their leadman. This Is Not, We Are is a recovery for the band and healing for Rob. A healthy dose of groove, tasty guitar licks, head-nodding bass riffs, and always interesting lyrics, moe. returned to the “stage” packing a punch.
moe.
moe. Is an American jam band, formed at the University of Buffalo in 1989. Always with adventure and a tangible sense of humor, moe’s first record, Fatboy (1992), established the spontaneous, improvisational group in the American jam band scene. Rapidly becoming a part of the rotation among Deadheads, Phish fans, and more moe. provided the complex, layered, and interesting sound not found on the surface of “common” music libraries. Those interested to discover the band have continued to be rewarded with “an amalgamation of a wide variety of the history of rock - all regurgitated and recycled through the eyes, ears, hands, whatever of the guys in our band.” - Al Schnier (guitar, vocals, keyboard)
Native / Wild Estate Honey
by Oxbow Brewing Co.
Native/Wild Estate Honey is a spontaneously fermented ale brewed with Maine grains and Maine well water. This particular beer is apart of Oxbow’s Native/Wild series. At their rural literal farmhouse brewery in Newcastle, ME, Native/Wild is cooled in a traditional coolship, fermented and aged in oak barrels, and with the addition of more estate wildflower honey the beer is bottled and naturally conditioned and aged in Oxbow’s cellar. With some serious barnyard funk, Native/Wild is gold in color with notes of stone fruit, ripe pear, orange blossom, and gentle oak with a bright acidity and a dry, mineral finish.
Loud music from a quiet place.
This pair is for the capital “S” Seekers. Neither this beer nor album would be found on the surface of either respective category - as niche as they may be, to begin with. But if you seek. And you find. You shall be rewarded. With a punch that will wake you up, the complexity Native Wild pairs perfectly with moe.’s newest, layered, upbeat album. For maximum enjoyability, the combination is best enjoyed alongside a “Jazz Cigarette” - also the title of the third song on the album, written by Jim Loughlin (percussion). With Oxbow’s signature, hunter orange lighters stamped with “Blaze on with your saison!” I can imagine the brewers would agree with Tony Magee, founder of Lagunitas, who famously said “It takes a lot of good weed to make great beer.”
To promote intelligence in their baby’s to come, some expecting mothers will place headphones on their stomachs - broadcasting the likes of genius composers such as Mozart and Beethoven. During the 18-month bottle aging process, I would not be surprised to discover if Oxbow plays This is Not, We Are to a cellar full of Native/Wild - promoting bright, refreshing, fruitful notes of energy and complexity.
Oxbow and moe. continue to showcase their ever-evolving curiosity to explore and push the envelope further - with little interest to repeat but motivated to discover. As a wise man once said, cherish those who seek the truth...be wary of those who’ve ‘found it’...
