Drinkify: A New Site Pairs Music and Drinks, or Guns N' Roses, Bourbon + Red Bull

Seven months ago, we wrote about Hot Knives and the duo's scientific approach to pairing music and beer. The two local chloggers (chefs + bloggers) stuck to craft beers, which prompted Jonathan Gold to chime in with a comment: "I like craft beers and handmade bitters as much as the next guy, but any music that is not at its best with a sweaty longneck Bud is music you shouldn't be listening to."

Gold may have a point, but the new website Drinkify begs to differ. Created by Matthew Ogle, Hannah Donovan, and Lindsay Eyink as part of Echo Nest's recent "hack day," Drinkify uses drink recipes with bands both major and miniature. In just three days, the site racked up five million clicks, a figure that will billow and swell like a Neil Young guitar solo in the weeks to come.

Basically, you type in the name of a band and a recipe materializes. We tested the hack with a few local artists. Rap collective OFWGKTA is paired with a heinous-sounding blend of honey, rum and Worcestershire sauce. Guns N' Roses is matched with Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon, Red Bull and bitters. Jane's Addiction gets a chilled can of Pabst. Clearly, something's amiss here.

The site was created quickly and, as of press time, some drinks come up again and again as pairings. We're guessing this will eventually get ironed out like a hangover at a Waffle House, but for now all the repitition threatens to cloud the novelty. Our other complaint is more personal. Our old band, one that has since changed its name and personnel, gets hooked up with a massively unappealing concoction: "home brew," milk, and tonic water with a twist of grapefruit.