Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaains… Oh no, wait! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPS!!!!
Epic is probably one of the most aptly named breweries around. Quite frankly, they specialise in beer that tastes epically good.
I’m particularly excited to review this elixir. I don’t really like to pick favourite beers (I am prone to changing my mind frequently) but the Epic, Hop Zombie has been just that since its original limited release in 2011 hands down.
I’m not gonna lie, the branding of this one definitely doesn’t hurt its standing as favourite brew. I LOVE Zombies. I love zombie books, zombie movies, zombie theatre, zombie art and zombies that appear in academia. So branding a beer with Zombies (complete with bio hazard sign on the label) pretty much fast tracks you into my good “spines” (tehehe books – note to self, perhaps a bit on the lame side there). The labels on the latest batch are even glow in the dark! (Yes, I’m excited). But let me make one thing clear, its much more than a pretty, glow in the dark face.
Epic are known for their hoppy beers, so for them to go ahead and call this’un the Hop Zombie… well, you best be prepared for some assertive hop goodness. And uuurg (that’s zombie for damn) is it good. I actually find the hops to be almost perfectly balanced and there’s a nice fresh hint of oranges or some sort of citrus fruit. Yes, its all about the hops, but Epic have managed to avoid the dreaded bitter aftertaste and resulting grimace that you find in some other beers offering big hops.
The zombie is the Pet Expert’s and my “couple’s favourite” – the point at which our sometimes vastly different tastes merge in agreement. We love this beer. And apparently, its popularity is contagious – the last time it made an appearance at the NZ Beer Festival in Auckland, they ran out of it in the first hour the festival was opened (much to my dismay as I completely missed out).
Careful though, it’s an 8.5%er, so not something that you should have heaps of in quick succession (otherwise you will become a hopped zombie). But, be assured, I would happily have a few over the course of the evening. I’m very much looking forward to trying Epic’s most recent release, Comet (not as epically named as Hop Zombie or their Armageddon, but I’m still excited).
Move over Le Fin du Monde! If it really were the end of the world, I’d be stocking up on Hop Zombies.
The wonderful worlds of Necks and Spines 