Book-Beer Pairing #4: DOCTOR SLEEP and #9 Not Quite Pale Ale
March 30th, 2014
I made my way back to properly pair DOCTOR SLEEP by Stephen King, the (decades) long-awaited sequel to THE SHINING. The storyline was good, the writing great as always. Danny Torrance is back as an adult, teaming up with the young girl Abra who also has the ability to “shine” but her power is much greater than Danny’s. We learn that the more “shine” a person has, the more they are a target for a pack of RV-driving, energy-stealing vampire wierdos known as the True Knot. To complement this strange set-up, I selected #9 Not Quite Pale Ale by Magic Hat Brewing Company of South Burlington, Vermont. The brew is described as a “mysterious melange of time-honored ingredients” and I have to admit it hits the palette nicely and finishes a bit oddly, but not in a bad way. Much of the book takes place in the fictional town of Frazier, NH and a reference to the Saco River is the only real clue to its location. It won’t surpise anyone that the story returns to the Overlook Hotel in Colorado for the climax. I recommend DOCTOR SLEEP and #9 as a good mix for “rubes” everywhere…
