Why This Midwestern Craft Beer Has A Cult Following

Craft beer is like music, films, and comic books; you don't just get fans, you get megafans. Some beers attain legendary status, sustaining hype many years after they were first released. Zombie Dust is one such brew from 3 Floyds Brewing in Munster, Indiana, and has been making beer nerds scramble for a pack since 2010. The brewery gets its name from its owners, three heavy metal-loving Floyds — two brothers and their father with the common surname.

Resoundingly, Zombie Dust's flavor balance is what sets it up as a best in class American Pale Ale ... or as the 3 Floyds classify it, "undead Pale Ale." The beer has plenty of bitterness, but that stays perfectly in check with its generous, caramel-rich malt backbone. There's some debate about whether the alcohol volume (6.5% ABV) and hop-presence could class it as an IPA, which is not surprising, given the popularity of the style. One Redditor comments that Zombie Dust is "as close as you can get to IPA without getting your eyes wet."

In fact, the beer's categorization as a classic American Pale Ale may also be a contributing factor to the longevity of its success. As the craft beer world continues to flood with "juicy" fruit bomb hazy beers, a classic pale ale with sustained balance appeases both the newby and the old-school craft beer fan. Sixteen years after first release (at the time of writing), Zombie Dust still holds an impressive Untappd rating of 4.21 out of five stars.

One aspect that has undoubtedly characterised the beer and perpetuated its iconic status is that it's a single-hop pale ale. Zombie Dust uses only the Citra hop, known for the (obviously) prominent citrus-driven flavor profile and moderate bitterness that make also this a satisfying summer beer. If you're wondering what the Citra hop adds to this beer — it's basically what the guitar solo adds to the song "Free Bird". It's not the only good thing about the song, but it's a big part of why people request it again and again. While many of the best beers around the world go underrated, it seems that Zombie Dust has rightfully earned its accolades in the craft beer halls of fame.

Zombie Dust's image also has something to do with its place in the hearts of beer nerds, with its memorable, original, horror-inspired artwork by Tim Seely still featuring on the cans. Even the name, Zombie Dust, is evocative, original, and works to characterize the beer as nothing boring. The iconic 3 Floyds' motto says it all: "It's not normal." The cult status of Zombie Dust is not an accident, but the result of continued commitment to the highest brewing standards and dedication to the uncompromising spirit of the brewery. 3 Floyds had even been crowned the best brewery in the world five times by popular (but now inactive) beer site Ratebeer.

Much like the underground heavy metal that lends its tone to everything the brewery puts out, 3 Floyds has long been an inspiring source of boundary-pushing excellence for the those who know where to find it. For many years, Zombie Dust and other cult favorites from 3 Floyds were only distributed to stones-throw states within the Midwest, increasing its intrigue and demand, all the while building a reputation as one of the best breweries in the country. Now, distribution has expanded to at least 22 states, and Zombie Dust has been a large part of the brewery's success.

A major event on U.S. beer calendars is "Dark Lord Day," on which around 10,000 visitors from all over the country travel to the 3 Floyds brewery to snatch up the single-day release of that year's Dark Lord Imperial Stout, along with other limited-run variants of beloved beers. One notable variant of our favorite undead pale ale is the Zombie Ice, a doubled-up version of the beer with an "unholy amount" of Citra hops, pouring at a whopping 8.5% ABV. Thankfully, this cold twist on Zombie Dust is available from the brewery year round.