February 1st, 2026 - The Verlorene Welt of Planet Utah

 

Guten tag rockers rollers, proggers, and hopheads!  And a very happy Sunday to you!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here pairing "Verlorene Welt", the wonderful sophomore album by Dusseldorf progressive rock band Flaming Bess and a bold and hoppy Planet Utah Double India Pale Ale from Silver Reef Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Flaming Bess
• Title: "Verlorene Welt" 
• Recorded: 1980 at Dieter Dierks in Pulheim Stommeln near Cologne, Germany
• Release date: January 1st, 1981 (2nd full-length studio album by Flaming Bess)
• Record company: Polydor 
• Production: Flaming Bess and Wolfgang Neumann 
• Album cover art: Flaming Bess (design), Philipp Steuerwald (art direction), and Klaus Witt (illustration)
• Personnel: Joachim Jansen (keyboards and piano), Barry Peeler (acoustic guitars and keyboards), Hans Schweiß (drums and percussion), and Hans Wende (bass, guitar, and vocals)
• Additional and guest musicians:  Bruno Blättler (guitar), Wolfgang Emperhoff (vocals), Herbert Ihle (vocals), Dieter Joswig (percussion, cello, and vocals), Valerie Kohlmetz (percussion), Marlene Krückeland (vocals), Achim Wierschem (guitar)
• Musical style: Progressive rock, art rock, Krautrock, soft rock
• Sound: With influence from bands like Camel, early Genesis, early King Crimson, and Pink Floyd, the sound on "Verlorene Welt" is richly textured,  
• Major themes: Science fiction, mythology, fantasy, , etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Mythos"
2. "Aufbruch"
3. "Kristallplanet"
4. "Zay"
5. "Cron Endor"
6. "Ballade"
7. "Verlorene Welt"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Silver Reef Brewing Company (Saint George, Utah)
• Website: https://sgbev.com/
• Brew: Planet Utah Double India Pale Ale
• Style: Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) / Imperial IPA 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 8.0%
• Pour: The Planet Utah pours a murky bronze-amber hue with frothy half-finger, off-white head with good retention and soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is hoppy, earthy, floral, citrusy, malty, and dank.  There are aromas of wet pine needles, bitter herbs, wildflowers, grapefruit rind, tangerine, bready malts, and burnt toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Planet Utah follows the nose with bitter, malty, piney, and citrusy flavors.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, orange pith, pine resin, bitter herbs, bready malts, and caramel/burnt toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Planet Utah is very thick and chewy, yet crisp, with a dry, bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The Planet Utah is a bold, hoppy, and crisp brew with lots of bold flavor, which makes it a great beer to sip whilst enjoying the intricate, complex, yet inviting grooves of Flaming Bess on their excellent "Verlorene Welt" album!  Those citrusy hop notes go great with the progressive complexities, while the malty backbone is perfect for the captivating rhythm section!  'Nuff said! 

Prost!