Beer – #203 – Epic and 8 Wired Brewing – I of the Zombie

A collaboration beer – I of the Zombie – a Black IPA,  with an ABV of 9%, or Epic Hop Zombie and the 8Wired iStout in one glass.

See : Beer – #38 – Epic – Hop Zombie  which I gave a 9 out of 10 score and  Beer – #42 – 8 Wired – iStout which I also gave a 9 out of 10 score .

Therefore result! At least in Pdubyah-world (which bears little in common with ‘world’)

I tried this at the Sky Sports Bar, and I thought gosh this is  unbelievably good.  Luck being what it is the Liquorland in Newmarket store had this “on tap” and also have a new 750ml ‘growler’ bottle that just shouted out “pick me – pick me!” Which is much more sensible than a 2 litre version, you’d have to agree.So to the store and I brought me some, to sit and savour.

750ml of a 9% ABV makes this something like 5.4 standard drinks. It’s not a beer to take lightly.

As it’s a Sunday, and there of course is sports on the teevee, I thought I’d take some time to enjoy this, because I don’t think I’m going to enjoy watching my winless North Harbour team play the winless Manawatu team in the ITM Rugby. The 0 has to go, as they say. For one team. In Pdubyah-world this would be North Harbour of course. Of course.

The aroma is intensely hoppy, it pours a dark black, and has a fairly decent but receding head. Retains its hoppy aroma.

The taste, one of grassy hop bitterness, but balanced against a nice sweetness. Fairly decent carbonation. Decent length on the taste too, making a full on taste in the mouth.  I note too a decent lacing as I’m drinking this.- indicative of a lot of hops (he said with knowledge and certainty)

You would think then, if you were of the thinking kind that two 9 out of 10’s would average a 9 for this, or better. the sum of the whole being bigger than the sum of the parts. I don’t quite think it is though.

A delightful beer, bitter enough, different and of a character.  You have to go into this knowing though that a 9% ABV beer, at home, in front of the teevee is still a big ask. Lucky I have assistance from the lovely MrsPdubyah to provide me sustenance  and for those nice computer peeps to give me a spell checker, otherwise this could end badly.

To the arbitrary and random pdubyah-o-meter then, which says that this is a very good beer, although a little rough around the edges of bitterness. and it gets a lazy 8 making a very good beer.  I tip my hat to the Epic and 8Wired boffins who make this possible, and to North Harbour who at least went in at half-time leading.