For anyone familiar with the venerable rock band out of Dayton, Ohio, Guided by Voices, you’ll know that a mere six-pack cannot contain Robert Pollard and company. For one, the discography of Guided by Voices is vast. Even more so are all the solo discs from frontman Robert Pollard, as well as other band members. Throw in all the side projects and there’s a lifetime of music here. From all incarnations and side projects, they have over 100 albums of recorded music. Another reason though is the seemingly endless quantity of beer that the band is known to consume on stage. For these reasons, I present to you Guided by Voices and a 12 pack.
Since Bob Pollard and bandmates are known to throw down, like consume copious bottles of beer per show (even now in his 60s!), the ABV has to be low for this article. Each of the twelve beers that accompany these albums is under 5%. Unlike true GbV fashion, most of these beers are craft in nature, no Miller or Coors. There is Iron City though! (Unfortunately no Beer Thousand by Dogfish Head, which they brewed in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of GbV’s iconic, Beer Thousand album.) The music represents selections from the GbV and solo Pollard catalog.
Another big shout out to Dave for the article idea and for use of some of the albums. Author’s note–this band is so prolific that since I started the “research” for this article, they have released another album, with another one announced for later in the year.
Iron City Beer and Let’s Go Eat the Factory
Even though the Iron City beer was already involved in the Iron & Wine and a Six Pack, it rears its midwestern can tab once again. Truly it’s a great representation of the band. Iron City, the beer of Pittsburgh, is in the same general location as GbV’s Dayton. With a low ABV, this would be a beer that Pollard and bandmates could easily slug (and probably have) when they’re on tour in the Iron City. The album Let’s Go Eat the Factory was the first with the original lineup in many years as the 2010 release marked a few-year reunion for the group.
Stone Corral’s Strawberry Rhubarb Gose and Alien Lanes
Quite honestly, even though this album is one of GbV’s best-known, this beer matches it due to the closeness in the color scheme of the can to the album. With shades of red adorning both items, it’s a perfect fit. The strawberry rhubarb taste is not overpowering, hence it being a gose and not a sour beer.
von Trapp’s Radler and How Do You Spell Heaven?
Heaven is drinking this Radler (part grapefruit juice and part lager) on a warm summer’s day. Even though the weather is cooling, it brings the feeling of a summer’s breeze. The album is a 2017 release from GbV, which is another catchy indie rock endeavor full of hooks, singalong choruses and background vocals. Read more about the von Trapp Brewery here.
Samuel Adams’s Porch Rocker and Do the Collapse
Some consider Do the Collapse as GbV’s most polished record with well-known songs such as “Surgical Focus” and “Teenage FBI” included. It was also their first album with a major record label, TVT Records. For a major label release, it pairs with a low ABV beer from a big brewery, Samuel Adams. The Porch Rocker is light and tangy, their take on a Radler, with a lemony refreshing taste.
Mast Landing’s All the Way Up and Beer Thousand
Beer Thousand is the pinnacle of GbV’s oeuvre for many fans. It certainly is the disc that brought the band led by a former elementary school teacher, Pollard, to the forefront of the indie rock scene. The pseudo-British accent of Pollard was showcased to the masses through this record as it became a mainstay of college radio stations everywhere. Although this sour beer is not the best known of the Mast Landing beers, it just might be my favorite. As a part-time sour fan (meaning I like them, but I’m not an aficionado) this is one of the best I’ve had in this style. The raspberry/blackberry taste is just so good!
Hermit Thrush’s Party Guy and English Little League
This one may be a stretch, but here it goes. The album contains the song “Cry Baby 4 Star Hotel.” Remember those sour candies, Cry Baby? I remember they were so incredibly sour that thinking of them makes my mouth pucker. Well, the same goes for the Party Guy, a kettle-soured beer that clocks in at 3.0 ABV. This is probably the sourest beer I’ve ever tried. I love Hermit Thrush, but this could be on the border of too sour for me.
Lost Nation’s Gose and The Best of: Human Amusements at Hourly Rates
This gose is the perfect lighter beer (no, I didn’t say “lite”). It’s so tasty, but at the same time with subdued flavors. It is one of my favorite beers of all time. This would have to pair with the “best of” album. Released in 2003, it covers the earlier part of their career, including tracks such as “Official Ironmen Rally Song” and “Echoes Myron.”
*Note the next beers of the Guided by Voices and a 12-pack are all Robert Pollard solo albums
Brick & Feather’s Nature Loves to Hide and Elephant Jokes
The track “Cosmic Yellow Children” is represented by the beer since it has a yellow label. Nature Loves to Hide is an interesting name; actually, it sounds like a GbV song title. The beer is a Franconian Lager called a Zwickelbier. Franconia is in reference to Germany, not New Hampshire. For info about my trip to Brick & Feather, read about it here.
Night Shift’s Whirlpool and Standard Gargoyle Decisions
Not that I have been, but I’d imagine the motion sickness would be pretty terrible (cue “Motion Sickness Ghosts” on this album) if one were trapped in a whirlpool. This album is definitely a rocking affair. Also, what could cause motion sickness is trying the Robert Pollard patented high leg kicks while drinking as many beers as he does on stage. (The only better dancer/high-leg kicker is Jonathan Richman). Read here for my trip to Night Shift. Or here for some more JR.
Japas Cervejaria’s Oishii and Silverfish Trivia
No silverfish aren’t fish, but the Oishii, which is a ginger-flavored beer, has sushi on the can. Sushi and fish, see the connection? Oishii comes from a term that means delicious. Those who have tried this beer agree with this description! Silverfish Trivia is a seven-song ep from 2007.
Shovel Town’s Pumpkin Ale and Normal Happiness
The Pumpkin Ale from Shovel Town is a fall seasonal beer. Since pumpkins like full sun, it is an easy match with this Pollard record that includes the track “Full Sun (Dig the Slowness).” It’s a classic Pollard track from a classic Pollard album which was released in 2006.
Untold’s Mr. Breeze and Superman Was a Rocker
So this album includes great titles including “More Hot Dogs Please” and brings back a lo-fi ethos that characterized his early work (and can be heard on this track). Any reader of Backyard Road Trips can attest that I am, even if I don’t want to admit it, a sucker for IPAs. That being said, most beers on this list are not IPAs. Since the ABV is low, and I’m not a huge session IPA fan, these are branching out. Similar to Lost Nation’s Gose, which is a favorite beer of mine even though it is not an IPA, Mr. Breeze by Untold I absolutely love even though it is a coffee pale ale. It tastes so good it is like Kryptonite, a la Superman!
For any Guided by Voices fan, hopefully, this 12 pack will be a trip down memory lane and a trip to the fridge. For those not familiar with the band, or these beers, give them both a try, you won’t regret it! If you’ve enjoyed Guided by Voices and a 12 pack check out the other beer and music pairing articles on the site!
