Let us conduct an exercise by combining two random words.

Air worm.

Dirt whisker.

Cactus muffin.

Butt fossil.

Carpet weasel.

Road door.

Productive philosopher.

Corn Relax.

Stumble Melon.

Awkward digit.

Tomato politician.

Aside from one admittedly reaching, and not so subtle dig on deep thinking, none of these combinations make a lot of sense.  All of these word combinations are random, so, feel free to read into that whatever you wish.

Sometimes the combination of two, usually unrelated, terms generates a response, or memory recall, specific to ones experience.  For myself, the combination of the following means something special.

Space Oddity.

When these words are succinctly used in conjunction with one another,  my natural reaction is to relate the terms to David Bowie’s iconic song Space Oddity. This song I encourage you to revisit, or experience for the first time, now.

Now that we have either experienced or reconnected to this brilliant piece of music, allow me to evaluate an additional item that could be considered a space oddity.

A Gorillanaut. This term would assume a gorilla as an astronaut, that is going into space.  This qualifies as a space oddity in my book.  We’ve been launching monkeys into space for several decades, mostly to determine the effects of space travel on the human/primate body.  Most of these endeavors didn’t reach the moon, or mars, or jupiter.  In fact, many of these launches didn’t make it to “space.” Space, is designated as 100 km, or 62 miles beyond sea level.  So, to have a  gorillanaut is actually an amazing feat.  Why not give this fantastic primate a review?

Straight to Ale – Gorillanaut – I don’t know the origins of the monkey/ipa process for Straight to Ale.  However, the single ipa option from straight to ale is Monkeynaut so…..this is the big brother option to Monkeynaut ipa, that plays diddy to the donkey.  This pours a big, bold, robust and meaty 9% into my glass with a billowy thick white head of foam. Glass lacing is formidable as well in addition to a crystal malt centric and crisp, sweet,hoppy aroma.  It, however, is a decidedly malty, earthy and cloyingly sweet brew.   As one who appreciates, and in fact loves, barleywines, I would tout this brew as markedly close to an american style barleywine.  Some might light this format of imperial/double ipa.  I personally prefer a lighter bodied, more floral, piney, and citrusy laden imperial ipa.  As a new frontier, upper stratosphere exploring, epic, mouth conquering, double ipa, I deem this primate, unacceptable to launch. 4/10

Humbly yours,

J