Most of the beers we dive into on this blog are our favorite limited or special releases, but this post is going to be different. This time, I'm writing about a beer I love that y'all need to stop sleeping on. Readers, meet 3 Floyds Zombie Dust. Seriously, buy a full six pack of this beer (if not more). While this is a year round release, there are limited quantities and we always bring it in when it’s available. Sometimes it's hard to find a year round brew that really stands out from the crowd but Zombie Dust does just that.
One of, if not the best, beers to showcase Citra hops, Zombie Dust gives off an aroma of grapefruit rind with woody and earthy undertones. Pouring a beautiful copper color, the head settles out into a frothy creamy off white color that's well retained. But wait, there's more! The taste of this beer is about as close to perfect as I’ve ever had in a traditional IPA (3 Floyds calls it an APA, but that's more or less a stylistic choice).
Grapefruit bitterness from the hops hits up front but is quickly balanced out by the sweet and crackery malt backbone. The bitter grapefruit is also backed up by some pine and dank resin that brings an absolutely stellar balance to the beer. A smooth and creamy mouthfeel up front leads to a crisp and über dry finish. Personally, I love a nice dry white wine and the mouthfeel on Zombie Dust reminds me of that. Overall, this is a near perfect example IPA. Grapefruit, resin, malty backbone with a dry crisp mouthfeel? Sign me right the hell up.
Author: Desmond O'Neil, beer enthusiast and manager of KOP Beer Outlet