Zombie Dust - Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub

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

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

ktblue22

Vermont

4.8/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Wow, this beer definitely lives up to its hype!!

Thank you Omensetter for the quick sending, as well as the freshness promised!!

Appearance - an almost aggressively robust 2 inch head on the pour! Straw in color with a slight haze.

Smell - A lot going on in the nose - I'm getting tropical fruit and almost a peanuty-ness? Very interesting

Taste - doesn't disappoint...the nuttyness comes through again although its framed with clear and crisp citrus

Mouthfeel - really well balanced, well carbonated and goes down real well

Overalll- really really impressed with this beer. Wish I could drink it all the time!!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 07:18:12 | More by ktblue22

Dools9

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle into a pint glass with no date, thanks much to Arsenal0328 for the Dust!

A: Golden amber orange, big three finger slighlty off white head that retains to a skim, excellent lacing left on the glass.

S: Big hop smell with lots of oranges, lemons, candied citrus and a little bit of pine. Decent caramel malt sweetness in there as well. Really good smelling brew.

T: Right upfront it hits you with a firm, dry hop bitterness with oranges, lemons and grapefruit peel, also some citrus as well. Malt does a decent job at keeping it balanced but the hops win in the end, still very drinkable all things considered.

M: Lighter end of medium, good crispness, very easily drinkable.

O: Damn I wish we got FFF here in MA, this is just an awesome Pale Ale, love the single citra hop, really showcases well with this brew ans overall its very tasty. The only thing I'm gunna knock it for is not having a bottle date.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 20:21:08 | More by Dools9

JamesShoemaker

New York

4.29/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I received a six pack from redsand22, thanks again, along with a bottle of Permanent Funeral. Between three of us, we polished off the sixer in a night, yet another good offering in a long line of pale ales that I've had recently.

ZD is an interesting beer and deceptively strong for its ABV. Normally, with a strong nose and citra hop profile like this, I'd see this kind of beer landing right between seven and eight percent by volume; though it's close, ZD has a little less than that, and ever fewer than expected IBUs. It drinks like a big malty IPA, like Sucks or Undercover Investigation Shut-Down, and honestly I found it difficult to discriminate between it and other west coast IPAs. This isn't to say that it's not delicious, of course, but it seems to me that the popular pale ales all fall on the bitter end of the malt spectrum. They're still sweet in their own right, but nothing like Hopslam, Union Jack, Sculpin, or Head Hunter, all of which I prefer to ZD. Of course, getting down and dirty with cross-style comparison is a no-no on Beer Advocate, I'm comparing them by way of taste. Like I said, I don't taste a huge difference between ZD and Lags IPAs and DIPAs, even though they're technically different styles.

Would I get ZD again? Of course. It's delicious, affordable, and brewed year-round, even if it's difficult to get off site. A fresh bottle of it would blow a stale bottle of any of the above listed beers out of the water, but that's not to say that it's better. The margin of difference between these top tier IPAs, DIPAs, and PAs is so slim that it's negligible.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 16:11:59 | More by JamesShoemaker

hopoilcrazy

Tennessee

4.53/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've had Zombie Dust many times, but never reviewed because it doesn't need any more praise, but....

A - Awesome hazy orangish gold. Awesome puffy light head that stays around and punches lacing into the pint glass.

S - Lemon pith, orange juice, citrus everywhere. Very light malty toast notes

T - Not very balanced, but awesome nonetheless! It definitely showcases the Citra hops well. Barely toasted bread, orange pith, pomelo, aspirin big time, almost a sort of implied saltiness.

M - Nice and light. Perfect timing that I got this at the start of summer in TN

I love this beer so much that even though I can tell the certain batch I am drinking now is not the freshest, it still does the trick!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 06:11:22 | More by hopoilcrazy

ubenumber2

Arkansas

4.76/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass , almost an orange color with a one finger head and nice lacing

The nose is sweet and malty with hints of citrus , pine and earthy tones

Super mouthfeel on this beer with just the right amount of carbonation , goes down so smooth

The taste is super hop forward , the malt kind of comes through in the middle the the malt and the bitterness comes through at the end.

This is just wonderful , the flavors are all so complex but come together so nicely and make for one hell of a brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 14:45:39 | More by ubenumber2

UncleBart91

Indiana

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

No other APA like it out there . Ordered on draft at Sonka's pub in Terre Haute, IN. I heard from a few different sources though, that this beer has been completely sold out in TH and the brewery ran out of ZB ingredients for the year. I guess I'll have to wait til next year :( FFF does it again with a top quality beer. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2013 21:03:10 | More by UncleBart91

tvl89

Texas

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Holy s**t! First of all I would like to thank beergod1 for the trade! Your package will arrive soon buddy!

This beer is awesome, and I don't think there are words to describe how awesome this beer is! Please drive ir get a partner who can send you this beer of gods to you! It's a must try! Everything about zombie dust is perfect! I am planning on moving to Munster, Indiana after this experience!

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 19:49:19 | More by tvl89

nesarebad

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle, no freshness date. Bottle courtesy of bjohnston, thanks Brian!

A - Pours a cloudy dark amber, fluffy thick three finger head. Sticky lacing lingers throughout as I drink the beer.

S - Lots of tropical and citrus fruits, very strong nose. No apparent malts in the nose, definitely very unique for the style and trending towards IPA.

T - Oh wow, am I drinking fruit or am I drinking fruit. A lot of orange peel, mango, kiwi, and even orange juice itself. Definitely does not drink like a pale ale, where the typical biscuity malt backbone would be expected. To a fault, this throws it to the side of being unbalanced.

M - Heavier than a typical APA, but had no issues with drinking multiple in a night. Not too sticky or heavy on the tongue.

Overall, I would have to say this is the best APA I have ever had, but not to say that it is traditional in any sense. A wonderful explosion of juiciness I would love to have again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 18:38:11 | More by nesarebad

screamking

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance-pours a dark amber with a thick khaki head. Some nice lacing about. 4.25

Aroma- lots of grapefruit and orange peel. There's also a lot of tropical citrus in there to. For a pale ale the citrus is very heavy. 4.25

Taste-grapefruit is killing it in this one. Some apricot and a little mango/pineapple tropical touch in there to. Fresh ground pepper at the end of the tounge is good as well. For a pale ale it's tops. 4.75

Feel-this has a very smooth even feel. I could see drinking this all day long. Coats mouth completely and leves it want more. 4.25

Overall-this is a great beer. I purchased this with some other Three Floyd's beers that must have been very old. This is the only that lived up to the hype. It's solid thru and thru if I could get more of it I would. The problem is I can't and could find stuff regular that comes close to this. Taking that out of the picture and rating this by itself I say it is a epic pale ale that tastes like a great IPA. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 05:05:01 | More by screamking

IrishHockey

Indiana

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Being so close to Three Floyd's I've had the pleasure of having this on tap as well as very fresh bottles.

This is a brew that I love when fresh. I don't think any brew can beat it. So many tropical fruit notes in the taste and smell. I love it!

Now on the flip side: if this beer sits for a couple of weeks it becomes average. Over a month it's almost a drain pour. All in all, if you can get this fresh,by all means get it. You will dig it!

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 03:45:44 | More by IrishHockey

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.89/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Three Floyds Brewing Co. & Brewpub - Zombie Dust

Hendry generously provided me with one of these as part of a pick-up so I could take some beers off his hands. Cheers!

Look - Pours a hazy amber orange with a great soapy head. Sticky lacing. Moderate carbonation. My kinda look for this style of brew.

Smell - Aroma a grapefruit hyper-bitter hop with resiny overtones. Smooth maltiness throughout.

Taste - Snappy crisp malt with smooth (grapefruit, orange, sour pineapple) citrus, pine, and resin hops coming in after. Smooth as hell, sweet caramel malts are perfectly balanced.

Mouthfeel - Nice bitter resting on the palate, super drinkable and muted ABV. Ridiculously smooth.

Overall - The king of these kinds of hops, similar hops to the Surly line are present, I love those hops. Super smooth even creamy with a bite and some balls. 100% recommend.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 11:13:28 | More by JMScowcroft

lsummers

California

4.56/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a three finger creamy head. Very cloudy, amber orange.

Smells of very fresh grapefruit and some subtle lemon zest. A touch of nutty creaminess.

Taste is just fantastic. Highly balanced pine and citric grapefruit notes meld with the dulce de leche sweetness. It stays light somehow through out all the tastes. Definitely a hoppier pale ale, but very well balanced. It has a slightly thin character to the taste but suits its amped up sweet hop profile.

Mouthfeel is a moderately carbonated. Zingy and crisp, slightly viscous.

Overall, this is a fantastic pale ale. One of the best I've tasted and a definite try.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 04:28:45 | More by lsummers

Claytonbrewsby

Virginia

5/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is one of the best(if not the best) Pale ales out there. One of my personal favorites as well. Three Floyd's does no wrong. It's so flavorful and refreshing. Tons of grapefruit in taste. I would consider Zombie Dust an IPA, and would put it up there alongside Pliny and Heady.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 21:02:45 | More by Claytonbrewsby

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.16/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a a 12 ounce bottle into a Dogfish Head signature glass.

A: A finger and a half of head tops an plain-looking auburn beer. Clearish, orangeish, and full of effervescence. Not much to knock.

S: Dusty, musty, and strange. This could be just raw hop oil that smells almost like hash; it's vegetal, bitter, and pungent. Not entirely pleasant. I am unsure what to expect from the flavour.

T/M: Hmmm. Wow. Very hoppy, but very thin. I suppose this is what it would taste like to overhop a pale ale to its breaking point. The body is not substantial, but is full of carbonated pale malts, crisp and dry. It's very refreshing...or it would be, if the monumental hoppiness weren't distracting. It tastes great, don't get me wrong. It reeks of soft juiciness, blueberries and mango, pine needles, faint-sweet citrus. The hop bitterness is significant. The aftertaste is biscuits and bitter herbs.

O: I wonder if this bottle wasn't a little out of date, and I'd be keen to try it certainly fresh. As it stands, it's an interesting experiment that might be a little extreme. But I like it, maybe even love it. Recommended, but potentially overhyped.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 04:45:25 | More by AgentMunky

Justin_Neff

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a bottle, purchased at dark lord day, into a CCB snifter.

A: Light, copper-ish color, translucent. Bright, white head. Great, frothy retention and sticky lacing.

S: Strong hops in the nose. Citra hop bomb. Grapefruit rind bitterness. Orange juice and pineapple sweetness.

T: follows the nose. Loads of citrus. Very hoppy. Exotic fruits aren't nearly as strong as the orange, grapefruit, and lemon sweetness. It's offset with heavy bitterness.

M: high carbonation. Medium body. Prickly. Sticky. A bit buttery.

O: Feels like hop cones stuck in my teeth. This ones one of my all time favs.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 01:51:55 | More by Justin_Neff

Norseman

Illinois

4.83/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

I've been waiting for a long time to try my first Zombie Dust, and finally the day arrived. I can't describe it as eloquently as my fellow BA members can, but it's simply awesome. Perfect levels of hops and malt to satisfy any beer drinker. Eye catching art as well on the bottle and six-pack box. Best beer I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 00:56:08 | More by Norseman

Hendry

Vermont

4.89/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

The legendary Zombie Dust arrives, props to Thecherryman, who really knows how to pack a box with world class finds! With off the charts BA ratings for Zombie Dust, and my Vermont craft beer spoiled palate, I was ready to crack the top after finishing up a late night of work deadlines.

The second the top is popped, the hints are present that something special is about to happen.
Cloudy peach colored goodness pours into the Lawson's tulip with a half inch of soapy white head. Lacing was exceptional and the cap remained until the last sip. There is a dankness in the nose that draws you in immediately: the citrus tones including pineapple and mango are present but not overly assertive, and in the world of six pack beer this is rare.

Taste is a wonderful balance of citrus,piney resinous hops, and just the right amount of bitterness on the dry finish. Medium bodied and expertly carbonated, Zombie Dust dances gracefully over your palate, and the anticipation for every sip builds as you drink this fabulous Pale Ale. Completely worthy of the stellar ratings and all the hype surrounding it, Three Floyds really delivers a world class gem with Zombie Dust and it gets my highest recommendation for hitting all the right notes. Exploding with all citra hop goodness, Zombie Dust is a must have for serious hop hunters!

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 05:31:44 | More by Hendry

macher0

Kentucky

4.46/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Fresh. Poured into a tulip glass.

A: Copper. Translucent. Poured a finger head that retreats to a substantial rim that is frothy and a blotchy film. Superb layers of frothy laces that remain the entire beer.

S: Floral. A little citrus and a lot of hops at the end. This is a moderate to highly fragrant ale.

T: The taste is the reverse of the nose. Strong hops hit on the front that gives way to a floral finish. Very hoppy overall, but not very bitter. Slightly piney.

M: Full bodied. High carbonation. Moderately smooth. Leaves a very clean palette.

O: A top-notch pale ale. Very hoppy, but the clean finish makes it great for non-hop heads. The laces are amazing. This ale will open up, especially the smell and taste, so be patient.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 01:06:10 | More by macher0

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

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

I poured this beer into a glass, it has a great looking body the color it has a light amber color body with a very nice 2"head on top that hangs around for a little while and it leaves a very sticky lace on the glass.
The aroma has a very pungent aroma of citrus and pine. The taste is very hoped up, kinda sweet but not over powering. i get a hint of carmel on the back of the tonuge. The mouthfeel is very nice, a little thick but just rolls off the tongue really nice.
Overall, defently in the top 3 APA, i have had.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 20:05:45 | More by chefhatt

magictacosinus

California

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

While it was impossible to find even a single bottle of this during DLD weekend in Chicago, I was glad that they were tapping this all day at the brewery. It definitely made waiting in line far more pleasant! Poured into a 16oz plastic pint cup.

Pours an orange-amber color complete with a strong dose of carbonation and a creamy, frothy looking head at the top. Despite its low ABV, it's surprisingly viscous and thickened with each swirl, almost to the point where the hop resin oils are revealing themselves already at this point. Lacing is enormous on this thing, and the fact that foam is sticking around the plastic so well as here is both amusing and pretty awesome. Not too many bubbles stick around, although each sip is definitely followed by a large geyser of them as they crawl to the top and maintain the head going. The head in particular never dies down. Honestly, I can't really find any flaws here. The appearance is nice and typical to these types of beers but the oily look is gnarly enough to give this a perfect passing.

The aroma is quite different too, especially in terms of APAs - although I admit I'm quite new to all of these Citra single hop focused beers in recent years. However, if any beer is at the forefront in displaying this hop, it's this one. Getting a breeze of orange grove notes, as well as limes, freshly mown grass, pungent yet vibrant earthiness, and tons of other flavors (although I think they're subtle). Pineapples, pine, maybe a little bit of other tropical fruits abound, but it's not explosive by any means. Nevertheless, it's phenomenally pleasant in the same way other world-class hoppy beers (Pliny, 2 Hearted, etc) are. The pungency of the fresh, oily hop character is quite fantastic here. I must mention, rather than ramble about hops for the next paragraph, that the malts provide an excellent backbone towards balance here, with light caramel that integrates the earthy, citrus notes very well. Very good stuff.

The flavor really opens up whatever was going on in the aroma, to successful results. The citrus character immediately gets at the tip of the tongue, combined with juicy, malty characteristics that envelop a full bodied fruit experience. There's a pungent, earthy backbone here that compliments the hoppy, floral, slightly grassy flavor, which is is more accentuated with the constant burst of bubbles that carry forward all of these nuances. Passion fruit, apricots, limes, and soured apples come and go, according to my notes (this changes throughout consumption). The finish contains a lingering astringency that is very much like an IPA, except far more mellow with the extra grainy and malty body, as well as less ABV. Strangely, this spicy, bittered sensation does not make the palate salivate, although it does make it crave the beer every time more. Alcohol is nowhere to be found. This is so easy to drink I think I finished all 16oz in 20 or so minutes.

Lives every bit up to the hype. This is a world class APA, but also one that sets new standards to the style, and perhaps all hop focused beers in general that are yet to be crafted. This beer is the opposite of most FFF beers, and the key difference is subtlety. The nuances change over time but never in a way that makes the beer more unpleasant to drink. It's pretty impressive what the Citra hops have to offer here, especially on their own. What appeals to me the most about this is how much it resembles a rustic, fresh homebrew of sorts. I had it the next day at a bar in town, and while it was substantially less fresh, with more muted characteristics, the oily, earthy flavor was still spot on. Great stuff - wish I could have brought some back with me to save up for the zombie apocalypse!

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2013 04:52:27 | More by magictacosinus

ConfuseTheMule

Illinois

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

The aroma was tremendous and the citrus notes are really what separate this beer from others. The citra hops are distinct as the hop profile stays with you in the after taste. Always smooth and a FFF classic. Pine notes along w/ citrus on its finish. Tremendously well balanced so that neither overpower your senses

Appearance is that of a slightly darker unfiltered wheat beer. Hazy amber color.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 01:43:56 | More by ConfuseTheMule

bditty187

Nebraska

3.83/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A bottle was given to me and I had no idea it was a “highly rated” beer when I sampled it. The guy who gave it to me said it was awesome and another beer geek said the same thing about it before I tried it. My overall impression of Zombie Dust was… “yeah, it’s good but is it really any better than Alpha King?”

Clear, peachy-amber in hue with an off-white rock star head. Good head retention and equally good subsequent lacing. It is an attractive looking beer… but aren’t most hoppy beers!

Sugary-sweet tropical and orchard fruitiness surprised me and kind of muddled the “brightness” citrus and grapefruit notes from the hops. Biscuit/toast maltiness is noticeable as well. Hop-forward but balanced. A lovely aroma, plenty complex and inviting.

Hop bitterness is moderate… plenty of flavor though, citrus, pine, grapefruit as well as tropical and orchard fruitiness. And, like the nose, sweet biscuit, toast and some caramel. A tasty beer… a nice pale ale but I don’t get the high scores here on BA.

Medium in body, standard for the style, moderate carbonation…

Overall, like I said, tasty… good. Really good I guess. It’s just a pale ale. Thanks for the bottle Rod!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 18:59:57 | More by bditty187

SPLITGRIN

Kentucky

4.58/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

First off let me say this is not your fathers beer. I have wanted to try this one since I saw it's name for the first time. It quintessential Three Floyds.

Beautiful orange amber in color. Two fingers of rocky off white head emerges from a standard force pour. Thick waves of lace stay on the glass as the foam slowly fades. Nose is exuberant with bursting pineapple and floral resinous notes. Pine and dandelion comes through as well. With first sip I am taken by how refreshing this beer is initially. The hop profile of this beer really builds with bitter bite. This brew really has nice malty balance while letting the hops shine. Very juicy as the citrus plays nicely. Gets piney and prickly on the back of the tongue as it finishes. Mouthfeel is not without the appropriate bitter bite and a really nice tingle that is unique and very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 02:02:40 | More by SPLITGRIN