This just in from New Zealand: To satisfy the taste buds of hop-lovers nationwide, another batch of Epic Brewing Co.’s Hop Zombie is on its way to bars, liquor outlets and supermarkets. The first batch was exceptionally popular due to Hop Zombie’s luscious taste and a rock star launch tour by Epic’s Luke Nicholas and Kelly Ryan. Events in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton were immensely successful, with patrons vanquishing kegs at a record-setting rate. But Melbourne fans were even quicker – at a Good Beer Week event in Cookie Bar, patrons slaughtered their keg of Hop Zombie in just forty minutes! That’s 100 pints, selling at a pint every 24 seconds. The stock in the warehouse didn’t last long either, as retailers around the country snapped up the tasty brew.
Why the huge popularity? Hop Zombie is a big, tasty IPA that people love. Praise includes “Quenching, satisfying and ultimately delicious” and “Devilishly drinkable.” The huge taste is delivered by Epic’s use of hop flowers. While most beer in New Zealand uses the equivalent of less than one hop flower per bottle, Hop Zombie crams in more than fifty. Hop flowers give beer flavor and aroma, with different hop varieties giving many different flavors, from resiny pine to floral citrus and tropical fruits. Luke and Kelly used four varieties of hops, two from New Zealand and two from the US, to create Hop Zombie. These varieties, chosen for their intensity and ability to deliver a soft bitterness, make Hop Zombie very aromatic, smelling of mango, guava, and a hint of ripe raspberry, with lots of tropical fruit and malt sweetness in the mouth.
Be in quick to get your hands on some of this amazing beer – it won’t last long and once this batch’s gone, there won’t be anymore until after the next hop harvest in spring.
