the Making of Live blues tonight
This past winter, with live music essentially eradicated due to Covid-19, the Maine Blues Society had to adapt their strategy for fundraising, keeping blues alive, and keeping the spirits of the community lifted.
As many of the bands in the society are longtime Bigelow performers, it was a no-brainer for the brewery to team up with the society to find some creative marketing strategies to promote both business and the blues.
In January, Bigelow’s marketing guru Dana Valletti and Blues Society president, Brandon Stallard put their heads together and started brainstorming ways to combine beer and blues.
It didn’t take long for two hit ideas to blossom. Firstly, the kickoff of ‘Blues & Brews Sundays,’ which features a new blues band on the last Sunday of every month from May to late October.
Next, a blues inspired beer. The idea of a collaboration beer had everyone involved stoked from the beginning. The Bigelow and Blues team started off with conceptualizing the essence of the blues to capture in a beer: the flavors, the aromas, the feelings, the experience of live blues music.
Jeff and head brewer Colin got to work on a recipe that could incorporate a whole array of complex flavors, with the mission of making it an easy-drinking and light beer that you could drink while you relax and concerts, festivals, and most importantly, while listening to the blues.
“We started by all sitting down and just brainstorming all of the flavors, aromas, sights, feelings, and sounds that we all associated with being at a lives blues show,” says Colin, Bigelow’s head brewer.
“We had a lot of complex flavors we wanted to work into this beer – earthy woody, rye to bring about bourbon, a spiciness, smokiness, and tobacco. The challenge really came about with making a brew with such a complex flavor profile to be light, smooth, approachable, and most importantly, drinkable.
Right away, Colin was ready to take on this challenge. “It’s an idea of balance, right? With a darker beer, they can be heavy and you’re able to get all this complexity. But you can also do that with a lighter beer. We thought about the smoky smell when you’re in a bar and you’ve got the band up on stage just wailing away, and all the flavors and aromas and the influences of blues. We just took all that and just ran with it.”
Once you try Live Blues Tonight, you’ll know that Colin succeeded. “We managed to capture all of that into a beer that’s low enough in alcohol that you can drink it all day while you’re at a festival or concert easy-drinking beer for anyone to enjoy at a live show.”
Live Blues Tonight incorporates smoked malt and earthy hops blended together to celebrate the essence of live blues music. Aromas of applewood smoke and tobacco give way to brown sugar and caramel. This beer drinks crisp and clean with a medium body. Grassy and spicy notes mix with smoke and cherries to give the beer a complex but drinkable flavor. Bigelow even played blues music while brewing this beer. While there is no proof that this had any impact, it’s fun to think it did.
The Maine Blues Society, part of International Blues Foundation, has a mission to bring and support live blues to and within the community of Maine. They book live-local acts, as well as bring “National acts” to the state of Maine. The society builds relationships and foundations with venues who support live blues and help blues musicians get booked across the state. The group also focuses on “blues education” and keeping the traditions, styles and culture of blues music alive and accessible to future generations.
The Maine Blues Society supports blues musicians, blues venues, and blues fans alike! A portion of proceeds from the sale of this beer will go towards benefitting the Maine Blues Society.
‘The Maine Blues Society brings the blues to the people!’
Check out their Facebook page here.
We want to thank everyone for supporting the Maine Blues Society and Bigelow Brewing Company, and a special shout out to Christene O’Brien for bringing our ideas to life for our labels! Check out her work on instagram at @Christenemarieobrienart
