Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Days of the Beer, September 9

The beer for today is Dock Street Amber, from Dock Street Beer, Philadelphia.

On September 9, 1941, Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was born. Redding sang soul music. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, Redding's name is "synonymous with the term soul, music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm and blues into a form of funky, secular testifying."

Reddings career began in 1960 when he made his first recordings "She's All Right" and "Shout Bamalama".

While he was alive, he released 8 albums, with his greatest hits album coming in at number 9 on the U.S. Billboard.

He died December 10, 1967 when his plane crashed into Lake Monona in Madison Wisconsin. Redding, his manager, the pilot and four members of his band were killed in the crash. One member of the band survived the crash, and another was on a commercial flight that night. The cause of the crash was never determined.

His only number one hit was "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", which was recorded three days before his death. Redding thought the song was unfinished and had planned on adding another verse, so he whistled over where he expected the next verse to be. The song was released in January of 1968.

As for the beer:

Dock Street Amber is a classic, top fermented ale and is the company flagship beer.

It is brewed with American Cascade hops and two row imported pale and caramel malts and then dry hopped. Our traditional brewing process gives this beer its subtle, complex and fruity character and its distinctive hop "nose." The result is an exceptionally balanced premium full bodied ale that finishes clean and smooth on the palate. It appeals to gourmets and beer aficionados.

The brewery produces several beers, a Rye IPA, Bohemian Pilsner, Bubbly Wit, Chupar Limon and Sudan Grass.


The Great Taste of the Midwest is held in Olin-Turville Park in Madison, and overlooks Lake Monona.

So for the man who was Sittin on the Dock of the Bay, if you are around Philadelphia, pick up a Dock Street.

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