October 3rd, 2021 - An Oktoberfest In Hell-oween!

 

Guten Nachmittag and happy Oktoberfest!!  The Meista here today with a pairing in honor of Deutschland's annual celebration of beer... a tasty Oktoberfest Lager from the fine folks at Talisman Brewing Company and the self-titled and latest album from German power metal gods Helloween!  Oh, hell yeah!!

 
Album Info:

• Artist: Helloween
• Title: "Helloween"
• Recorded: 2021 at HOME Studios in Hamburg, Germany
• Release date: June 16th, 2021 (16th studio album by Helloween)
• Record company: Victor
• Production: Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward
• Album cover art: Eliran Kantor
• Personnel: Andi Deris (lead vocals), Sascha Gerstner (lead and rhythm guitars), Markus Grosskopf (bass guitar), Kai Hansen (lead and rhythm guitars, and vocals), Michael Kiske (lead vocals), Dani Löble (drums), and Michael Weikath (lead and rhythm guitars)
• Additional musicians: Tim Hansen (guitar solo on "Skyfall"), Jens Johansson (keyboards on "Skyfall"), Xavier Russell (narration on "Out For The Glory"), Matthias Ulmer (keyboards), and Dennis Ward (bass on "Robot King")
• Musical style: Heavy metal, power metal, speed metal
• Sound: Blending the old-school, classic '80s Helloween power metal sound with speed metal and a modern sound, Helloween's latest is a wonderfully powerful heavy metal album with explosive drumming, thunderous bass, blisteringly fast and soaring guitars, and amazing vocals!
• Major themes: Life, freedom, valor, following one's own dreams, being an individual, self-actualization, science fiction, power, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Out For The Glory"
2. "Fear Of The Fallen"
3. "Best Time"
4. "Mass Pollution"
5. "Angels"
6. "Rise Without Chains"
7. "Indestructible"
8. "Robot King"
9. "Cyanide"
10. "Down In The Dumps"
11. "Orbit"
12. "Skyfall"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Talisman Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: https://talismanbrewingco.com 
• Brew: Oktoberfest Lager
• Style: German Märzen
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Oktoberfest Lager pours a fairly clear, burnt toffee color with a frothy, half finger, off-white head with good retention and lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by bready, malty, and sweet aromas blended with light fruit ester.  There are notes of bready malts, sweet biscuit, hints of roasted nuts, herbal tea, grassy hops, and sweet caramel.
• Taste: Characterized by a big bready and malty backbone, the taste of the Oktoberfest Lager is filled with well-blended flavors of bread, biscuit, caramel, black tea, hints of apple, and well-balanced with slightly hoppy bitterness.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with crisp and moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very smooth, yet crisp with a dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The malty, bready, slightly fruity, complexity, and drinkability of the Oktoberfest Lager from Talisman Brewing Company is perfect for the bombast, driving power, and sheer joy that Helloween conveys on their most excellent "Helloween" album!  I cannot think of anything I'd rather be doing right now than rockin' out to Helloween and sipping a tasty Oktoberfest Lager!!

Prost... Zum Wohl!!