March 9th, 2022 - In Trance, In Helles

 

Guten tag!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here tonight pairing the Scorpions' killer 3rd album, "In Trance" and a delicious Weihenstephaner Helles from Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan (Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan)!  Hell yes!

Album Info:

• Artist: Scorpions
• Title: "In Trance"
• Recorded: 1975 at Dierks Studios in Stommeln, West Germany
• Release date: September 17th, 1975 (3rd studio album by the Scorpions)
• Record company: RCA Victor Records
• Production: Dieter Dierks
• Album cover art: Michael von Gimbut
• Personnel: Francis Buchholz (bass guitar and backing vocals), Klaus Meine (lead and backing vocals), Rudy Lenners (drums and backing vocals), Uli Jon Roth (lead guitar, backing vocals, and lead vocals on "Dark Lady" and "Sun In My Hand"), and Rudolf Schenker (rhythm guitar and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Achim Kirschning (keyboards)
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal, heavy blues rock
• Sound: A complete departure from the first two Scorpions albums, "In Trance" is that classic 1970s hard rock the band is known for from this era.  The songs are shorter, the arrangements tighter, and it is filled with killer hooks, riffs, and solos!
• Major themes: Rock and roll, fame, desire, sex, life and death, relationships, freedom, escape, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Dark Lady"
2. "In Trance"
3. "Life's Like A River"
4. "Top Of The Bill"
5. "Living And Dying"
6. "Robot Man"
7. "Evening Wind"
8. "Sun In My Hand'
9. "Longing For Fire"
10. "Night Lights"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan (Freising, Germany)
• Website: https://www.weihenstephaner.com/ / https://www.weihenstephaner.de/en/
• Brew: Weihenstephaner Helles 
• Style: German Helles 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.8%
• IBUs: 16
• Pour: The Weihenstephaner Helles pours a clear, bright yellow hue with a billowy, bright white, 2+ head with great retention and lots of sticky, soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is malty, bready, grassy, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of bready dough, malted barley, lemon zest, light herbs, fresh hay, and sweet biscuit.
• Taste: The taste of the Weihenstephaner Helles is a balanced blend of malty sweetness, crackery grains, and grassy hops.  There are notes of hearty malted barley, sourdough, lemon zest, hay, and light German hops. 
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is smooth, crisp,  and very drinkable with a dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The bready, malty, slightly sweet flavors and aromas of the Weihenstephaner Helles is a great brew to enjoy whilst rocking out to the hard rock grooves, melodies, and harmonies of the mighty Scorpions and their very wonderful "In Trance" album!  'Nuff said!

Prost!!  Rock on!!