June 18th, 2025 - Adventures in Utopian IPAs

 

Hello and happy Wednesday evening my friends!  The Meista here tonight with a pairing of the wonderful "Adventures In Utopia" by Todd Rundgren's Utopia and a crisp and tasty Adventures In IPA from Talisman Brewing Company!  This pairing goes out to my brother Dain-o!  Cheers buddy!

Album Info:

• Artist: Utopia
• Title: "Adventures In Utopia"
• Recorded: 1979 at Utopia Sound Studios
• Release date: December 27th, 1979 (4th studio album by Utopia)
• Record company: Bearsville Records
• Production: Todd Rundgren and Utopia 
• Album cover art: Bob Lampel (photography), Jamison Goodman (photography), and Todd Rundgren (concept and design)
• Personnel: Roger Powell (keyboards, trumpet, and lead and backing vocals), Todd Rundgren (electric guitars, and lead and backing vocals), Kasim Sulton (bass, electric piano, and lead and backing vocals), and Willie Wilco (drums, and lead and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Progressive rock, pop/rock with hints of disco and new wave
• Sound: With a unique and interesting blend of progressive rock, pop, new wave, and disco, with "Adventures In Utopia", the Rundgren led Utopia created a sonic journey that is both compelling and entertaining.  There are many great hooks, melodies, and passages.
• Major themes: Life, relationships, journeys, utopia, freedom, etc.
• Notes: According to Todd Rundgren, the "Adventures In Utopia" album was intended to be a soundtrack for a television show the band was going to produce.  However, they never got around to writing the show.
• Tracks:  

1. "The Road To Utopia"
2. "You Make Me Crazy"
3. "Second Nature"
4. "Set Me Free"
5. "Caravan"
6. "Last Of The New Wave Riders"
7. "Shot In The Dark"
8. "The Very Last Time"
9. "Love Alone"
10. "Rock Love"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Talisman Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: https://www.talismanbrewingco.com/home
• Brew: Adventures In IPA 
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Adventures In IPA pours a very hazy, bright golden-yellow with a frothy, 2+ finger bright white head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, citrusy, floral, herbal, and malty.  There are aromas of orange juice, orange peel, fresh cream, vanilla bean, tangerine, lemon zest, light mango, light pineapple, herbal tea, summer grass, wildflowers, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Adventures In IPA follows the nose with lots of fruity (tropical and citrusy), herbal, sweet, and malty flavors.  There are notes of juicy pink grapefruit, orange juice, creamsicle, tangerine, light mango, a hint of pineapple, crackery biscuit, and light toffee. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full in body and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Adventures In IPA is very crisp and hoppy with a dry, slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The Talisman Adventures In IPA is a bold and complex, yet very crushable brew... great to pair with the progressive rock and roll stylings of the wonderfully unique and underrated Utopia!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!