Zombie Dust - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

falloutsnow

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

From: Binny's, Chicago - South Loop, IL
Date: None on bottle
Glass: Standard US pint glass

Zombie Dust is one beer that I feel lives up to the hype. There's an incredible amount of hoppiness compacted in this pale ale base, making this "extra pale ale" quite special if you like the taste of hops (and, in particular, Citra hops). The price is also quite decent at $12 per six-pack. After tasting this beer, I've realized that the concept of rating is worthless. While this is an excellent result of artistry, inspiration, and brewery production management science, it's not an APA that I'd want to drink all the time: Daisy Cutter, Burning River, St. Lupulin, and SN Pale Ale are all other staples I enjoy for other reasons (flavors, aromas, densities). I also need to thank the beer staff at Binny's South Loop for connecting me with their last six-pack from their personal stash, it was really much appreciated.

Pours a tall, 2.5cm head of off-white to beige foam that consists of small and medium-sized bubbles, with above average retention, lasting over two minutes. Head eventually falls to a thick ring around the glass and a large island of wispy residuum atop the beer's body. Lacing left is moderate: a few large random splashes of foam along the glass' perimeter. Body is a deep copper orange, mostly transparent, with mildly active carbonation. Light brings out the body's orange tints and brightens them substantially.

This beer is intensely aromatic, Three Floyds has likely taken the idea of pre-boil, post-boil, and dry hopping to new levels with this beer. The beer smells remarkably similar to an open packet of Citra hop pellets (with all that grapefruit, pineapple juice, mango, and hints of peach) mixed with fresh pale malt wort. In general, the smells tell you, "this is really deep and dank stuff."

Zombie Dust is a pale ale for someone who has a taste for citrus-inspired hops. The flavors are huge and sweet, full of citrus fruit salad that's been lightly touched with malt extract. Tasting opens with sweet pale malt base and hints of sweetened pineapple and grapefruit juice. Mid-palate is where the hop flavors truly shine, bringing out sweetened grapefruit juice, pineapple, mango, kiwi, and hints of peach, all with a medium-intensity bitterness. Back of palate picks up grapefruit, Meyer lemon rind, pineapple juice, and mango with modest bitterness. Aftertaste is quite bitter, with grapefruit and mildly sweet pineapple juice being the major flavors.

Beer is medium-light in body, with superbly gentle carbonation that never feels fizzy, but still manages to foam the beer up on the palate. The result is a smooth, foamy mouthfeel that's as enjoyable as the aromas and flavors. Closes quite dry, with little residual stickiness across the palate, which invites taking another sip.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 22:53:18 | More by falloutsnow

AaronBricking

Kentucky

5/5  rDev +7.8%

05-23-2013 04:59:33 | More by AaronBricking

Moofmac25

Maryland

5/5  rDev +7.8%

05-23-2013 03:12:29 | More by Moofmac25

Yosefus

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +7.8%

05-23-2013 01:05:28 | More by Yosefus

smitty5245

California

5/5  rDev +7.8%

05-22-2013 22:33:07 | More by smitty5245

JoeStepOner

Michigan

5/5  rDev +7.8%

05-22-2013 21:42:19 | More by JoeStepOner

wogreen

Arkansas

4.25/5  rDev -8.4%

05-22-2013 17:42:26 | More by wogreen

MoistPope

California

4.75/5  rDev +2.4%

05-22-2013 17:31:09 | More by MoistPope

Bigtwin

Michigan

5/5  rDev +7.8%

05-22-2013 16:43:56 | More by Bigtwin

fgilbert2

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +2.4%

05-22-2013 04:08:20 | More by fgilbert2

BrewSensei

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +2.4%

05-22-2013 01:56:38 | More by BrewSensei

patm1986

New Jersey

4.55/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

THANKS, MATT.
A--big, fluffy head. looks like a doily around the glass. dark golden, dark straw colors.

S--pine, grass, citrus. very fruity, very earthy. DIPA-like.

T--interestingly, this changed every four ounces.
1st third-big-time american ipa flavors: grass, funk, bitter citrus, booze, citra, centennial.
2nd third-english ipa: doughy malt, fuggles, goldings, mellowed hop bitterness.
last third-esb: muted hoppiness, bready, nearly no bitterness, uncannily smooth.

M--rich, yet dry. good carbonation makes it extremely sessionable.

O--when i opened this beast, it was dank american ipa with a nose the likes of heady and abner and lunch. it really, really mellowed from something astoundingly pungent and mildly abrasive to something resembling a cask session ale. after watching kimmich's video on why he cans HT, the taste variations in my experience beg the question: if this were canned, would it have retained its
first third ipa characteristics a la heady?
nonetheless, it was damn tasty and covers a lot of ground at 6.4% abv.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 01:05:15 | More by patm1986

msinger1002

Ohio

5/5  rDev +7.8%

05-21-2013 22:53:10 | More by msinger1002

aleman39

California

4.25/5  rDev -8.4%

05-21-2013 21:17:24 | More by aleman39

PlinyBeMiney

California

4.5/5  rDev -3%

05-21-2013 06:35:06 | More by PlinyBeMiney

TheCuriograph

New York

4.71/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: It pours a fine deep gold with a nice medium clarity. Healthy fizzy head.

S: Citric hop notes leap out of the glass. The bouquet is uncluttered earthiness: forest greenery, lemon and mango, with the musty-sweet malt beneath.

T: Great balance between the caramel, honey-biscuit malt and the sharper hop notes on the front. Not fruity, just wonderfully bittersweet.

M: Light and drinkable. Not the slightest bit overbearing

O: This is a compulsively drinkable ale. Really nice to experience a balanced brew with a subtle but still robust flavor profile. Wish I could enjoy this with every meal; already plotting how to get more. Thanks to Matt for the bottle.

Full review at: http://thecuriograph.com/blog/2013/5/20/imbibliography-three-floyds-zombie-dust

***

Politics, Art, Beer. A Compendium of Worldly Facts
The Curiograph
www.thecuriograph.com
Twitter: @TheCuriograph

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:07:03 | More by TheCuriograph

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +2.4%

05-21-2013 01:43:41 | More by mikeincharleston

ackeeper

Illinois

5/5  rDev +7.8%

05-21-2013 01:14:46 | More by ackeeper

cram

New York

4.75/5  rDev +2.4%

05-20-2013 20:34:09 | More by cram

JellyJacket

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -8.4%

05-20-2013 20:10:07 | More by JellyJacket

TrinidadJ

Trinidad & Tobago

4.5/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

the main thing in this beer is that how the hops shine.. the hoppynes in the beer proved to be true.. in the end.. though hops was fading but they came.. they came n proved that if u love hops from all your heart u wud actually get them.. kinda connects with me.. with my story..

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2013 19:01:37 | More by TrinidadJ

dbc5

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +2.4%

05-20-2013 19:00:03 | More by dbc5

mrw1zard

Alabama

4.75/5  rDev +2.4%

05-20-2013 13:59:06 | More by mrw1zard

BlackTuesday

California

4.75/5  rDev +2.4%

05-20-2013 04:07:35 | More by BlackTuesday

MooseBoose

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -8.4%

05-20-2013 02:36:41 | More by MooseBoose