Let's pair a beer. Schmetterling Gose, a salty sweatsock of an ancient beer style is described more professionally as a "saline sour ale." A brew native to Saxony in its day, the beer is crisp and citrusy, seasoned with black lava salt, coriander and hops and fermented sour with lactobacillus. It's an oddly addictive flavor, and the aromas remind one of a musty dorm room. It's a great way to start a spiraling evening at only 4.5%.

As the guitars continue to whale and grind, American Muscle, a double IPA, smoothed things out. This is a big, malty DIPA with a body like a trippel, and the citrus and floral is tightly packed on the nose until the very end of the sip. As it works against your nose and palate, the booziness comes through as big as a barleywine.