December 6th, 2025 - A Grand Night at the Bavarian Opera

 

Guten morgen!  In anticipation of tomorrow night's Blind Guardian show in Salt Lake, your drinking pal the Meista here bringing you "A Night At The Opera", the bold and adventurous 7th album by German metal legends Blind Guardian and a delicious and spicy Grand Bavaria Bavarian Style Hefeweizen from Red Rock Brewery!  Holle ja!

Album Info:

• Artist: Blind Guardian
• Title: "A Night At The Opera"
• Recorded:  at Karo Studios in Germany
• Release date: February 21st, 2002 (7th studio album by Blind Guardian)
• Record company: Virgin Records / Century Media
• Production: Charlie Bauerfeind
• Album cover art: Paul Raymond Gregory
• Personnel: Hansi Kürsch (lead and backing vocals), André Olbrich (lead, rhythm, and acoustic guitars, and backing vocals), Marcus Siepen (rhythm guitars), and Thomas "Thomen" Stauch (drums and percussion)
• Additional musicians: Pad Bender (keyboards and sound effects), Thomas Hackmann (choir vocals), Oliver Holzwarth (bass), Billy King (choir vocals), Rolf Köhler (choir vocals), Sascha Pierro (keyboards and sound effects), Boris Schmidt (keyboards and sound effects), Michael Schüren (piano on "Age Of False Innocence"), Olaf Senkbeil (choir vocals), and Mathias Wiesner (keyboards and orchestration)
• Musical style: Power metal, progressive metal with elements of speed metal
• Sound: Taking a bit of a different direction from previous releases, "A Night At The Opera" is powerful and fast-paced musical delivery.  Blending overlaid vocals, choirs, orchestral keys, and soaring guitar leads with the complexity of progressive metal, and the punch of power metal, Blind Guardian creates a wonderfully rich tapestry!
• Major themes: Folklore, mythology, life and death, valor, dreams, quests, wizardry, power, war, magic, good vs. evil, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Precious Jerusalem"
2. "Battlefield"
3. "Under The Ice"
4. "Sadly Sings Destiny"
5. "The Maiden And The Minstrel Knight"
6. "Wait For An Answer"
7. "The Soulforged"
8. "Age Of False Innocence"
9. "Punishment Divine"
10. "And Then There Was Silence"
11. "Mies Del Dolor"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Red Rock Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://redrockbrewing.com/
• Brew: Grand Bavaria Bavarian Style Hefeweizen
• Style: German Hefeweizen / Bavarian Weissbier
• Serving: ounce bottle
• ABV: 5%
• Ingredients: German malted wheat, German yeast strain, and premium two row barley
• Pour: It pours a hazy, rather pale golden-yellow with a medium sized, creamy white head that dissipates quickly and displays only trace lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by aromas of hearty wheat, soft vanilla, banana esters, and citrus (orange and lemon). 
• Taste: A classic Hefeweizen flavor in the German tradition, the Grand Bavaria is full of clove, banana, citrus, bready dough, and apple/pear rind flavor.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with good carbonation, the mouthfeel is smooth, creamy, and somewhat spicy with a slightly dry finish.

Overall pairing:  The spicy, fruity, and refreshing flavor of the Grand Bavaria from Red Rock Brewing Company is an excellent beer to throw back with the mighty, rockin' progressive prowess of the indelible Blind Guardian! Those spicy notes go great with the fiery guitar solos while smooth drinkability goes great with all the wonderful melodies!

Prost!!  Hails!!