“A lie that is half-truth is the darkest of all lies.” – Alfred Tennyson
Terrapin’s Wake N Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout has a name, label, and mystique that scream “hippybeer”. Hell, there ain’t much more telling than an early risin’ anthropomorphic turtle baking cookies suggestively infused with substances that would increase the likelihood of you actually seeing anthropomorphic turtles.
Bob Dylan’s Always-The-Bridesmaid, Donovan released a surprisingly sinister sounding album to support the creepily whirling Hurdy Gurdy Man single called, unimaginatively, Hurdy Gurdy Man. An album acting as reminder that recently bygone Summer of Love was at least in equal parts simply sex, drugs, and bullshit to the proclaimed free love, mind expansion, and revolution.
Remember, how I was talking about the goofy turtle? The goofy turtle is just a front, folks. Under this silly facade (and just as in Donovan’s bright fauna and flora-covered cover and psychedelic-ly flourished songs) one would expect light-hearted and fun fare. The truth about the beer and the album is at their core bitterly and subtly dark. The beer definitely has a spot-on coffee presence that could act as alcoholic doppelganger for 3am burnt to hell and slightly over-sweetened diner coffee – the best type of coffee. Thick enough to let you know you are boozing and not just trying to ward off sleep, boredom, and/or responsibility (though I’d bet this beer can probably do that just as well as coffee).
We got an album and a beer that are brilliantly deceptive. Both much heavier than they lead on. Both have sweetness that gets culled by the bitterness. Sometimes, flutes sound evil. Sometimes, hippies are angry. Sometimes, darker is better. And if that is so, go ahead and lie to me. Or go ahead and lie to yourself.
Dead Wax Drinking 