To mark the longest day of the year, Lone Tree Brewing will unleash a juicy version of the much-loved Hop Zombie Imperial IPA at its Parker, Colo., taproom. For this single-day release, Lone Tree Brewing amps up the original concept to create intense tropical fruit flavors that balance a 10% ABV.

One Day Only Release

This will be the 13th year of Lone Tree Brewing’s Hop Zombie but the first juicy incarnation. Lead brewer Dale Hollars promises a tropical medley of stone fruit and sweet ripe peaches complemented by lime and citrus. The beer will be available one day only, exclusively in the Parker taproom and will not be sold after June 21. Juicy-lovers can get it straight off the tap and in cans. The brewery expects it will go fast.

Popping Juiciness and High ABV

Original Hop Zombie is a pine-forward, resinous, bitter Imperial Red IPA. However this year Hollars decided to mix things up by adding Nugget, Strata and cryo Motueka hops on brew day followed by a fermentation with a thiolized American Ale yeast. According to Hollars, the yeast alone created a huge stone fruit/tangerine ester profile.

Taking things even further, Hollars then triple-dry-hopped the 12-barrel batch with over 75 pounds of Moueka, Strata, cryo Dorado and cryo Motueka. To balance the extra intensity and juiciness, he also bumped up the ABV a bit from the original. Hollars expects a final IBU around 50 and is very excited to share the brew with customers. “We hit all our brewing numbers right on the head,” he says. “The final product tastes amazing, and I’m excited to showcase these hops and beer style in a new light.”

Special Release Day Planned

Lone Tree chose the Sandlot movie as the theme marking the brew’s artwork. Glasses and t-shirts with the catchphrase “You’re killing me, Zombie!” will be available.

The Parker taproom opens this Saturday, June 21, at 11 a.m., and the first 10 souls get a free glass. To keep drinkers from getting too zombified, the 2 Salty Sarge food truck will be slinging ballpark-style eats. And lest traditional Lone Tree Brewing Hop Zombie fans be disappointed, Hollars promises to resurrect the original this fall.

Featured image courtesy of Lone Tree Brewing

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