Arcade of Zappa en Strata

Arcade Fire is een Canadese indierockband uit Montreal. De groep is gevormd rond het echtpaar Win Butler en Régine Chassagne en bestaat daarnaast uit Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Tim Kingsbury en Jeremy Gara. De band was een initiatief van Win Butler, maar kwam pas van de grond toen hij Chassagne ontmoette. In 2003 ontstond Arcade Fire ep, die een jaar later gevolgd werd door een platencontract bij Merge Records en het debuutalbum Funeral, dat bijna unaniem positieve kritieken kreeg.[1] Na een wereldwijde toer begon het werk aan het tweede album Neon Bible, dat in 2007 verscheen. Het album behaalde de tweede plaats in de Engelse en Amerikaanse hitlijst. Sinds de uitgave van de dvd Miroir Noir in eind 2008 werkte de band aan het derde album The Suburbs, dat in augustus 2010 werd uitgebracht. Het vierde album van de band, Reflektor, werd uitgebracht eind 2013. Op 28 juli 2017 bracht Arcade Fire haar vijfde album getiteld Everything now uit. De muziek van Arcade Fire is een combinatie van postpunk en barokpop, vaak aangevuld met diverse orkestratie. Ze staan bekend om hun hevige liveshows en het groot aantal instrumenten dat ze gebruiken. Naast de gebruikelijke gitaar, basgitaar en drums, zijn de piano, viool, cello, melodica, orgel en harp ook vaak aanwezig. (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcade_Fire)

Arcade Fire kondigt nieuw album ‘WE’ aan by WIL WANDER on 20 MAART 2022... Arcade Fire brengt begin mei hun nieuwe studioalbum ‘WE’ uit. De zeven songs op ‘WE’ zijn opgesplitst in twee kanten: het donkere ‘I’ en het verlichte ‘WE’. ‘WE’ is het zesde studioalbum van de Canadese indierockband. Arcade Fire-echtpaar Win Butler en Régine Chassagne produceerde het album samen met producer Nigel Godrich. Het veertig minuten durende ‘WE’ is volgens Win het compacte resultaat van hun langste ononderbroken schrijfperiode ooit. (https://www.maxazine.nl/2022/03/20/arcade-fire-kondigt-nieuw-album-we-aan/)

Will Butler stapt op uit band Arcade Fire Will Butler is uit de band Arcade Fire gestapt. Dat maakte hij zelf gistervond via Twitter bekend. Hij heeft volgens eigen zeggen al aan het eind van vorig jaar de band verlaten. Showredactie 20-03-22, 11:26 ‘Hoi vrienden, ik heb Arcade Fire verlaten’, schrijft de muzikant. ‘Ik ben weggegaan nadat het nieuwe album af was.’ Er was volgens Butler geen acute reden om op te stappen. Wel zegt hij veranderd te zijn, en dat geldt volgens hem ook voor de band. In een tweede tweet onthulde  de artiest dat hij is begonnen aan een nieuw solo-album, dat de opvolger moet worden van Generations uit 2020. Ook had de Amerikaanse multi-instrumentalist nog een bedankje voor de fans, vrienden en crewleden van Arcade Fire in petto. Hij besloot met de mededeling dat hij nog steeds goede vrienden is met de andere bandleden. Butler is overigens nog wel te horen op het nieuwe album WE. De plaat komt begin mei uit. De eerste single van het album, The Lightning I, II, is donderdag al uitgekomen. (https://www.ad.nl/show/will-butler-stapt-op-uit-band-arcade-fire~a9ec180e/)

Maar goed dit is geen muziekblog, maar een bierblog dus laten we het eens hebben over Brewdog die een arcadebier uit hebben:

Arcade Made Coin Operated Beer 8% Double Dry Hopped DIPA

Het bier is troebel blond en geurt naar tropisch fruit. Het smaakt lekker bitter, maar de afdronk gaat mild weg. Het bier drinkt makkelijk door. Dat is bedrieglijk. Zo lijkt het ook net zo'n arcadehal waar al die machines stiekem veel (munt)geld innemen... Wat vinden anderen hiervan?

ZICHT/KLEUR Blond en ondoorzichtig. GEUR Een frisse geur met fruitige aroma's. SMAAK Vol en fruitig met tonen van passievrucht, aardbei, dennen en munt. AFDRONK Een lange afdronk... BIJZONDERHEDEN Met nieuwe hopsoorten Strata en Zappa. (https://www.mitra.nl/product/brewdog-arcade-made-33cl)

Brewdog Arcade Made in blik is een dubbel gedryhopte Double IPA van 8%. (https://www.speciaalbierpakket.nl/brewdog-arcade-made-blik)

Style IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy ABV 8 % (https://beerizer.com/shop/speciaalbierpakket/brewdog-arcade-made--204412)

jesperhammer(6.758) 🇩🇰Copenhagen, Denmark 3.511 maart 2022 11-MAR-2022, can @home, from Meny.  Hazy orange with a lasting, slightly lacing, white head.  Orange, grape fruit, mango, and a little herbs.  Sweet, a little bitter. Not very distinct, and does not feel like 8% (https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/brewdog-arcade-made/989054/)

Ungstrup(48.097) 🇩🇰Citizen of the universe, Denmark 3.410 maart 2022 Draft. An unclear dark golden beer with a lazing yellowish head. The aroma has notes of exotic fruits, hops, spices, and malt. The flavor is sweet with notes of exotic fruits, spices, hops, and malt, leading to a bitter finish. (https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/brewdog-arcade-made/989054/)

BrewDog Arcade Made 72 10 3.60 15 Ratings 11 Reviews 🇬🇧 Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Grampian, Scotland IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)  •  8.0% •   15 IBU What these scores mean More statistics We’re levelling up this DIPA with an experimental hop expansion pack. Newbies Strata and Zappa attack with a fruity onslaught of passion-fruit and strawberry and their secret weapons dank resin and mint. The high scoring combo of tropical fruit and pine is delivered super smoothly via wheat and oats. Low bitterness, a solid malt base and no-holds barred hopping leaves Arcade Made top of the leader board every time. (https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/brewdog-arcade-made/989054/)

We tillen deze DIPA naar een hoger niveau met een uitbreidingspakket van experimentele hop. Nieuwkomers Strata en Zappa zetten de aanval in met een fruitbom van passievrucht en aardbei en hun geheime wapens: dompige hars en munt. Deze combo van tropisch fruit en den is een voltreffer die door tarwe en haver tot een zachte landing wordt gebracht. De lage bitterheid, stevige moutbasis en dito hop maken van Arcade Made de onverslaanbare winnaar. abv 8% stijl Double IPA ingrediënten open Water, gemoute gerst, geroosterde tarwe, gist, haver, hop. Veganistisch. ... HOP Centennial, Zappa, Strata icon MOUTEN Dextrin, Torrified Wheat, Pale Ale, Malted Oats icon STIJL Double IPA (https://www.brewdog.com/nl/arcade-made-4-can-nl)

BONUS. FLAVOURS. UNLOCKED. We’re levelling up this DIPA with an experimental hop expansion pack. Newbies Strata and Zappa attack with a fruity onslaught of passion-fruit and strawberry and their secret weapons dank resin and mint. The high scoring combo of tropical fruit and pine is delivered super smoothly via wheat and oats. Low bitterness, a solid malt base and no-holds barred hopping leaves Arcade Made top of the leader board every time. (https://www.brewdog.com/uk/arcade-made-4-can)

Okee, weer wat nieuws geleerd: er zijn nieuwe hopsoorten Strata en Zappa!?

Wat weten we over de nieuwe hopsoorten Strata en Zappa?

Strata™, formerly known as X-331, is Indie Hop’s first hop variety to be released out of the Oregon State Aroma Hop Breeding Program in Corvallis, Oregon. Born in 2009, Strata is the progeny of an open-pollinated Perle located in an Oregon State experimental field at Corvallis, Oregon. From the get-go, this hop was out to impress. Between its strong disease resistance, vigorous growing habit, and complex layers of aroma, X-331 rose to the top of an impressive group of competitors. Brewing characteristics of Strata: Strawberry, Passion fruit, Grapefruit, Bubble Gum, Sage, Dank SEE WHAT BREWERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR STRATA™ HOPS Awesome - Weston S. 5/16/20 "I just brewed a 100% Strata NEIPA from the 2019 crop from YVH, this is a phenomenal hop. Very very dank flavor and aroma. Great strawberry fruitiness and citrusy undertones as well. This may be my new favorite hop." EXAMPLES OF BEERS BREWED WITH STRATA™ HOPS Brewers at Fremont use Citra, Mosaic, and Strata together to achieve a naturally unfiltered beer. Sky Kraken - Fremont Brewing Brewers at New Belgium use Strata, Amarillo, and HBC 522 together to achieve a hop forward and bold beer. Voodoo Ranger American Haze - New Belgium Brewers at Sierra Nevada use Chinook, Azacca, Amarillo, Idaho 7, and Strata together to achieve something incredibly juicy. Fantastic Haze Imperial IPA - Sierra Nevada Sku: HOPS-Strata-2021-1 (https://yakimavalleyhops.com/products/strata-hop-pellets?_pos=1&_sid=4dbae4a22&_ss=r&variant=34609115988101)

Zappa™ hops are grown exclusively by CLS Farms in the Yakima Valley, but it is a 100% neomexicanus aroma hop that came from the mountains of New Mexico. Evolving independently, Zappa™, has developed its own rebellious aroma and unique flavor characteristics. Aroma: Passionfruit, mint, spice, tropical fruits, and fruity pebbles. Genetic origins: ZappaTM is a native, North American, Humulus lupulus var. neomexicanus, recovered from the wild in New Mexico. Alpha Range: 4-8% Cohumulone: 40-45% Total Oils: 8-1.2% Sku: HOPS-Zappa-2020-1 (https://yakimavalleyhops.com/products/zappa-hop-pellets)

Zappa was not painstakingly created by growers like every other hop on this list. It was instead found as a wild hop in the mountains of New Mexico. Then, to add to the allure, it was named after legendary musician Frank Zappa. Zappa’s intense flavors hit you hard too. Intense mango, papaya, pineapple, orange, grapefruit, melon, and guava flavors are balanced out with hints of white pepper and mint. This in-your-face hop is one of the most unique hops on the market today. (https://beermaverick.com/ten-hops-to-watch-out-for-in-2021/)

With a flavor and aroma similar to Galaxy and Mosaic, Strata is going to take a huge leap forward in 2021. Galaxy hops are notoriously expensive, and every craft brewer wants them because of… well… Hazies. Regardless of what you think of the not-so-clear style of IPA, it isn’t going away, which means brewers will have to find a replacement to Galaxy pronto. Add to the fact that Strata also has some of the qualities that has made Mosaic hops a household name, you’ve got yourself a winner. In my opinion, the only way this hop doesn’t have a breakout year is if supply doesn’t keep up. There is no reason a dual-purpose hop that has qualities similar to Galaxy and Mosaic can’t make it. (https://beermaverick.com/ten-hops-to-watch-out-for-in-2021/)

The Strata hop is the result of an open pollinated Perle in Corvallis, Oregon in 2009. While it was born in 2009, it wasn't officially released until 2018. Strata was Indie Hops’ first hop variety to be released out of their breeding program in cooperation with Oregon State University.... Strata is a dual-purpose hop that can be used in all hop additions throughout the brewing process. ... The Strata hop has many layers of different fruit flavor, dried and fresh, anchored with a dried chili-cannabis-funk. Late hot side additions using Strata bring out layers of rounded-tropical plus bright-fresh fruit flavors; dry hopping yields more grapefruit and cannabis. Other descriptors include passion fruit, strawberry and dank. ... These are the common ranges that we've seen with Strata hops over the years. Each year's crop can yield hops that have slightly different qualities, so these number ranges are based on history. ....Alpha Acid % (AA) Alpha acids are the main source of bitterness in beer. Longer boil times will result in isomerization of more alpha acids leading to increased bitterness. Learn more » 11-12.5% 11.8% avg Beta Acid % Beta acids are a component of hop resins responsible for contributing volatile aromatic and flavor properties. Beta acids contribute no bitterness. 5-7% 6% avg Alpha-Beta Ratio The ratio of alpha to beta acids dictates the degree to which bitterness fades during aging. 1:1 ratios are common in aroma varieties. 2:1 - 3:1 2:1 avg Co-Humulone as % of Alpha Low cohumulone hops may impart a smoother bitterness when added to the boil as opposed to higher ones that add a sharper bitterness to the final beer. Learn more » 21% 21% avg Total Oils (mL/100g) These highly volatile, not very soluble oils are easily boiled off, but add flavor and aroma to the finished beer when added very late in the boil or during fermentation. Learn more » 2.3-3.5 mL 2.9mL avg TOTAL OIL BREAKDOWN: ›  Myrcene Flavors: resinous, citrus, fruity (β-myrcene) 52-65% 58.5% avg ›  Humulene Flavors: woody, noble, spicy (α-caryophyllene) 22-30% 26% avg ›  Caryophyllene Flavors: pepper, woody, herbal (β-caryophyllene) 5-13% 9% avg. ›  Farnesene Flavors: fresh, green, floral (β-farnesene) 0-1% 0.5% avg›  All Others Including β-pinene, linalool, geranoil & selinene 0-21%.... Some popular beer styles that make use of the Strata hop include IPA, Pale Ale, Stout, Sours, Saison, Pale Ale & Lager. Strata is also sometimes featured as a single hop in beers to highlight its unique flavors and aromas. Some popular examples of commercial beers that use 100% Strata hops in their recipes are Lowercase Brewing Strata IPA & Worthy Strata IPA. (https://beermaverick.com/hop/strata/)

Oregon State University’s history of hop breeding stretches all the way back to 1893. Dr. Haunold, who many consider the grandfather of US hop breeding, worked at OSU. But the last twenty years have seen the breeding program flag; finding only limited success, while slowly running out of public and private funding. In 2010 Indie Hops, owned by Roger Worthington and Jim Solberg, partnered with the university, donating a million dollars to reinvigorate the breeding program, with a new focus toward creating novel aroma varieties. Strata, a brand spanking new variety just released this year (2018), is the program’s first hop to go commercial. Strata was originally bred in 2009, even before Indie Hops came on board. Shaun Townsend, both the program’s director and assistant professor, thought a particular open-pollinated Perle hop plant might have some potential and the donation from Indie Hops allowed him to set up a field nursery of its seedlings.

The selection of the most promising genotype took place in 2011. It was number 9-1-331, and given the designator X331 during the seven-year testing and evaluation process. In 2015, Strata was planted on a 9-acre test plot. The 2016 yield of 2000 lbs/acre (high for a test plot) was more than anyone had hoped for. The first Strata hops were shipped to a few breweries for evaluation. Townsend says in the above-referenced article that Strata “appears in packaged beers brewed by Fort George, Base Camp, Sierra Nevada, and Odell, to name only a few.” But, even before other brewing companies got a chance to play with Strata, it was showing itself to be a hop with promise. In 2013, Worthy Brewing, Worthington’s own company, brewed a pilot batch with Strata and entered it in Basecamp Brewing Protohop Brewfest in Portland. It won best of show. In 2017, Worthy brewing entered their Strata IPA in a state competition. Surprisingly, the beer got first. Somehow Strata was able to achieve the kind of balance usually only found by blending hop varieties. Strata is well on its way to becoming the new darling of the craft brewing community. This early popularity may make it hard for the homebrewer to find, but that will undoubtedly change as planting and production continue to ramp up in the face of its burgeoning popularity..... The Strata hop variety is the first patented variety from Indie Hops, which means that plants and rhizomes are not available for home propagation. (https://learn.kegerator.com/strata-hops/)

Okee dit plantje is gepatenteerd? Zou dat bier dat dan ook zijn?? 

Zappa was recovered in the wild in the mountains of New Mexico. It is a 100% Humulus lupulus var. neomexicanus aroma hop found by CLS Farms.... Zappa is an aroma hop that is typically used in only late boil additions, including dry hopping. Zappa hops have spicy aromas with intense notes of tropical fruit (mango, passion fruit), citrus, and pine. Additional descriptors include savory, mint, and Fruity Pebbles. This hop is unlike any other on the market today..... These are the common ranges that we've seen with Zappa hops over the years. Each year's crop can yield hops that have slightly different qualities, so these number ranges are based on history.

Alpha Acid % (AA)

Alpha acids are the main source of bitterness in beer. Longer boil times will result in isomerization of more alpha acids leading to increased bitterness. Learn more »

6-9%

7.5% avg

Beta Acid %

Beta acids are a component of hop resins responsible for contributing volatile aromatic and flavor properties. Beta acids contribute no bitterness.

8-9%

8.5% avg

Alpha-Beta Ratio

The ratio of alpha to beta acids dictates the degree to which bitterness fades during aging. 1:1 ratios are common in aroma varieties.

1:1 - 1:1

1:1 avg

Co-Humulone as % of Alpha

Low cohumulone hops may impart a smoother bitterness when added to the boil as opposed to higher ones that add a sharper bitterness to the final beer. Learn more »

40-45%

42.5% avg

Total Oils (mL/100g)

These highly volatile, not very soluble oils are easily boiled off, but add flavor and aroma to the finished beer when added very late in the boil or during fermentation. Learn more »

1.8-2.5 mL

2.2mL avg

TOTAL OIL BREAKDOWN:

›  Myrcene

Flavors: resinous, citrus, fruity (β-myrcene)

64-65%

64.5% avg

›  Humulene

Flavors: woody, noble, spicy (α-caryophyllene)

4-5%

4.5% avg

›  Caryophyllene

Flavors: pepper, woody, herbal (β-caryophyllene)

8-9%

8.5% avg.

›  Farnesene

Flavors: fresh, green, floral (β-farnesene)

0-1%

0.5% avg

›  All Others

Including β-pinene, linalool, geranoil & selinene

20-24%

.... Some popular beer styles that make use of the Zappa hop include IPA, Pale Ale & Fruited Sour. (https://beermaverick.com/hop/zappa/)

Selectively bred by plant researcher Todd Bates from wild hops discovered in New Mexico and named after counterculture icon Frank Zappa, the neomexicanus variety known as Zappa was first commercially grown in 2015 by CLS Farms in collaboration with the Zappa family. The list of characteristics Zappa is said to impart is as unique as the musician for whom it was named, ranging from passion fruit and mint to impulsive and purple. Alpha: 6 – 8%

Beta: 8 – 9%

Cohumulone: ​​40 – 45% of alpha acids

Total Oil: 1.8 – 2.5 mL/100g

Myrcene: 64.37%

Humulene: 4.62%

Caryophyllene: 8.55%

Farnesene: 0%

Linalool: 0.82%

Geraniol: 0.67%

ß-Pinene: 1.26%

Parentage: unknown

I was never a huge listener of Frank Zappa, though his mustache was legendary in its own right, and I certainly appreciate his whimsical style. Having never used Zappa in my own brewing, I was excited to see how this wild American hop would play when used all on its own. (https://brulosophy.com/2021/03/18/the-hop-chronicles-zappa-2020/)

Zappa™ SKU: ZAP

Breeding/Development:  USA. Zappa™ is a native, North American, Humulus lupulus variety, neomexicanus, recovered from the wild in New Mexico. Named after Frank Zappa, in collaboration with the Zappa family, this hop is as counterculture as the musician himself.

Brewing Application: Aroma, whirlpool, and dry hopping for any hop- or complementary fruit-forward style: hazy or milkshake IPA, fruited sour, pale ale, American strong ale, and wild or mixed-fermentation beers.

Sensory: Spicy with strong notes of tropical fruit (mango, passion fruit), citrus, and pine. Additional descriptors include savory, mint, and Fruity Pebbles™.

Alpha Acid Range %

6-8%

Beta Acid Range %

8-9%

Co-Humulone as % of Alpha

40-45%

Total Oil mL/100 g

1.8-2.5% (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/zappa/)

Origin: USA. Zappa™ is a native,

North American, Humulus lupulus

variety, neomexicanus, recovered

from the wild in New Mexico. Named

after Frank Zappa, in collaboration

with the Zappa family, this hop is

as counterculture as the musician

himself.

Usage: Aroma, whirlpool, and

dry hopping for any hop- or

complementary fruit-forward style:

hazy or milkshake IPA, fruited sour, pale ale, American strong ale, and wild or mixedfermentation beers.

Aroma & Flavor Characteristics: Spicy with strong notes of tropical fruit (mango,

passion fruit), citrus, and pine. Additional descriptors include savory, mint, and Fruity Pebbles™.

0

1

2

3

5

4

STONE

 FRUIT

HERBAL

SPICY

BERRY

GRASSY FLORAL

TROPICAL

 FRUIT

CITRUS

RESINOUS/

PINE

American

Tropical Fruit

Citrus

Pine

SENSORY HIGHLIGHTS BREWING VALUES

 Alpha Acid Range: 6.0 - 8.0%

 Beta Acid Range: 8.0 - 9.0%

 Co-Humulone as % of alpha: 40 - 45

 Total oils mL/100 gr.: 1.8 - 2.5

OIL FRACTIONS

 Myrcene: 60 - 70%

 Humulene: 1 - 10%

 Caryophyllene: 6 - 12%

 B-pinene: 1 - 2% (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Zappa.pdf)

These hops are far out, man! Named after Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Frank Zappa, this neomexicanus breed was first found in the mountains of New Mexico and later developed by CLS Farms. As wild and free as the music Frank composed, Zappa™ hops are tough to nail down with any singular description. Tropical fruit, pine, and citrus first come to mind, but descriptors such as passionfruit, mint, fresh, purple, savory, impulsive, and fruity pebbles have also been used in an attempt to capture the essence of Zappa™. Use for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hopping additions. Highly recommended for fruit-forward styles like hazy or milkshake IPAs, as well as fruited sours, pale ales, and wild or mixed-fermentation beers.

Hop Statistics

Alpha Acids: 6-8%

Beta Acids: 8-9%

Alpha-Beta Ratio: 0.6 - 1.0

Cohumulone: (% of alpha acids): 40-45%

Total Oils in mls per 100 grams dried: 1.8 - 2.5%

(https://www.morebeer.com/products/zappa-pellet-hops.html) 

Zappa is a newer wild hop native to New Mexico. The neomexicanus varietal was named after musician Frank Zappa, in collaboration with the Zappa family. Used as an aroma hop, Zappa is starting to see some use in the industry both in whirlpool and dry hopping fruit-forward styles like hazy IPAs, fruited sours or mixed-fermentation beers.

Brian Confer, the co-owner and Head Brewer for Stormcloud Brewing Company in Frankfort, Michigan worked with the hop while Juice Drapeau, the Head Brewer for Oskar Blues brewed a​ Zappa​ beer in 2019 ​as a part of the brewery’s Steep Coast ​series​.

Confer had never used a neomexicanus hop variety before, so he said he wasn’t sure what set it apart from other hops that could be classified in a similar way

“It’s definitely different from hops like Citra — it’s more a​ggressive, more of a muscle car than a flower goddess,” he said.

Steep Coast Zappa was an 8% ​DIPA packed with Zappa, along with Sabro and Medusa for a hop load of nearly six pounds per barrel.

“There aren’t many hops that compare with Zappa,” Drapeau said. “It comes at you hard with aroma and flavors of mango, papaya, pineapple, orange, grapefruit, melon, and guava with hints of white pepper and mint.

“It’s an incredibly versatile hop which presents flavors across the hop spectrum.”

​Original Pattern has​​ used Zappa once and ​Head Brewer Andy Crocker and his team were ​’blown away​’​ by it​.

“It’s one of the most unique hops on the market at the moment​,” he said. “​We used it in a West Coast IPA called Zapped on Zappa. We are lucky enough to have a little more on hand, so we will most likely be doing another IPA with it soon as we were super happy with the results of the first one.​”​ (https://thebrewermagazine.com/brewer-magazine-qa-zappa-hops/)

Frank Vincent Zappa (Baltimore, 21 december 1940 – Laurel Canyon (Californië), 4 december 1993) was een Amerikaans componist en musicus, die ook deel uitmaakte van of de leiding had over verschillende rockgroepen (zoals The Mothers of Invention). Zappa mengde op geheel eigen wijze rockmuziek met psychedelica, jazz, experimentele muziek en eigentijdse klassieke muziek gecombineerd met een grote dosis zelfspot, humor en performance-art.... Zappa begon begin jaren zestig met het maken van muziek. In de beginperiode werkte hij veel samen met Captain Beefheart. Zijn eerste professionele opnamen werden gemaakt voor soundtracks, namelijk de films The World's Greatest Sinner en Run Home Slow. Hij maakte deze opnamen in Studio Z, in Rancho Cucamonga.

Medio jaren zestig werd Zappa lid van The Soul Giants. Hij werd de gitarist van de band. Niet lang daarna werd hij de 'leider', en hernoemde hij de band The Mothers. Ze werden opgemerkt door verschillende platenproducers en door Tom Wilson binnengehaald bij Verve Records. Ze moesten wel de naam van de band veranderen van The Mothers, naar The Mothers of Invention, omdat mother een afkorting van motherfucker was (in die tijd werden goede muzikanten in het milieu motherfuckers genoemd). In 1966 kwam het eerste album van de band, Freak Out!, uit.

Opmerkelijk is dat Zappa nooit werkte met muzikanten op de manier die gebruikelijk was in de popmuziek. Hij nam (studio)muzikanten in dienst, betaalde hun loon en ontsloeg ze.

Zappa was naast rockmuzikant ook een eigentijds klassiek componist. Wat zijn vroege werk betreft kwam dit naar voren in Lumpy Gravy (1967). Daarna bewoog hij zich een aantal jaren meer op jazz- resp. rockterrein, maar Orchestral Favorites (1979) en zijn beide platen met het London Symphony Orchestra (Vol. 1 (1983) en Vol. 2 (1987)) waren weer duidelijk modern-klassieke werken. In 1984 verscheen The Perfect Stranger, waarop Pierre Boulez met zijn Ensemble InterContemporain composities van Zappa uitvoerde.... Naast zijn interesse voor onder anderen Karlheinz Stockhausen, Igor Stravinsky en Anton Webern, is Zappa ook bekend om zijn idolatrie van Edgard Varèse, een modern componist. Zappa was een man van precisie, zeer kritisch op zichzelf. Hij voerde steeds vernieuwingen door. Hij was de tweede in de popgeschiedenis die een dubbel-lp uitbracht (de eerste was Bob Dylan met Blonde on blonde). Hij produceerde, behalve zijn twee eerste platen, alles zelf en was een van de eerste muzikanten die op een 4-track opnam, die hij dan nog zelf in elkaar geknutseld had. Zijn muziek laat zich bestempelen als avant-garde. De muzikant was vaak politiek en maatschappijkritisch in zijn teksten, die gekenmerkt worden door hun ironie. Zappa ageerde tegen oorlog, het fundamentalistische geloof en kleinburgerlijkheid, maar ook de popcultuur (hippies, discomuziek enzovoort) bleef niet gespaard. Vooral de media moeten het ontgelden in zijn nummers. Televisie, zo meende hij, is een gevaarlijke propagandamachine. Dit is te horen in zijn nummer I'm the slime uit 1973. Zijn teksten waren ook omstreden vanwege de vele verwijzingen naar seks en seksuele aberraties, bijvoorbeeld in Bobby Brown (goes down) uit 1979.

In 1985 nam Zappa deel aan een hoorzitting die was georganiseerd door het Parents' Music Resource Center (PMRC), waaraan onder andere Tipper Gore, de vrouw van Al Gore, was verbonden. Deze instelling beweerde dat de Amerikaanse platenindustrie de jeugd van Amerika blootstelde aan "seks, geweld en de verheerlijking van drugs en alcohol". Zappa trad tijdens deze congressional hearing op als voorvechter van de muzikale vrijheid en bestreed met verve de mening van het PMRC. Muzikaal nam Zappa wraak met het album FZ meets the Mothers of Prevention uit 1985.

Naarmate hij ouder werd legde hij zich steeds meer op het componeren toe. Tot zijn klassiek-moderne hoogtepunten kan The Yellow Shark (1993) gerekend worden, de laatste cd die hij bij leven maakte. Hierop speelt het Duitse Ensemble Modern werk van Zappa, door hemzelf gedirigeerd. Een jaar later werd Civilization, Phaze III uitgebracht, waarmee hij tot zijn dood in 1993 bezig was.

Zappa kan tot de belangrijkste componisten gerekend worden van de 2e helft van de 20e eeuw.[bron?] Over zijn vocale kwaliteiten was Zappa minder tevreden. Zo stelde hij in een interview, dat wanneer hij auditie zou moeten doen voor zijn eigen band, hij niet zou worden aangenomen. (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa)