The latest in a series of Frank Zappa tributes from California’s most excellent Lagunitas Brewing Co. is now available in Boise and pays tribute to — you guessed it — 1967’s “Lumpy Gravy” album.

The good news is no lumpy gravy was used to brew this beer — beef or turkey-fat based gravy might be good on mashed potatoes but probably not so great with beer. Although it might taste better than some of those fruit beers being sold these days.

Anyway, the “Lumpy Gravy” tastes like an imperial brown ale to me — with sweet but mellow malt flavors (with some roasted grain in there too) flowing smoothly down the gullet with a decent hop bite to balance the malt. A double deuce, complete with a replication of the record cover on the label, is $3.19 at the Boise Co-Op. Supplies are limited, so if you want one, go get it.

An astute reader pointed out the "Lumpy Gravy" is also available at Market Limone in Nampa for all you Canyon County folks.

This is the third FZ-themed beer to come out from Lagunitas, who happen to be Zappa freaks in addition to being great brewers. I think they are going to try to come up with a unique beer to celebrate the 40 anniversary of a lot of these records, and last years “Kill Ugly Radio” imperial IPA was awesome.

“Lumpy Gravy” was FZ’s third album. I am looking forward to the next FZ tribute beer, to be released later this year, in honor of 1968’s “We Are Only In It For The Money” record — a spoof of the most overrated pop record of all time, Sgt. Pepper’s. Something about a tribute beer for Frank Zappa that also serves as a burn on the Beatles — well, that’s about perfect.

The one thing that has confused me about all this Zappa beer is that I always thought Frank was a teetotaler. He certainly was anti-drugs — a refreshing message for a 60s-70s rocker. But project does have the blessing and endorsement of the Frank Zappa Trust.

I got a chance to ask Lagunitas rep Jeff Baltus that question at the Front Door last year. He consulted with Lagunitas owner Tony Magee, and this is what he found out.

“In Tony's words, Frank actually was not a teetotaler. He in fact had a thing for English ales,” Baltus said.

“However, as a serious artist/musician (FZ) did not want himself, his band or the audience he was playing to be under the influence. He did not want to be lumped into the reputation of many of the other bands of his generation as he took his craft very seriously and wanted it to be appreciated.

Tony quoted a line from Frank's book, something along the lines of "alcohol/drugs brings out the worst in a person and gives them an excuse to be an (choose an expletive)"

That makes total sense to me.

(I made a mistake earlier - this is the third Zappa beer from Lagunitas. I saved the Freak Out bottle and everything. I must have had a brain fade. Thanks to "wildaho" for pointing that out.)