Walking Dead Beer Gives Us a Way to Cheers the Undead
It’s true that I’m a fan of The Walking Dead (both the comic books and the TV series), and it’s also true that on Sunday nights when the show is on, I’m usually sipping a beer. Or two. Maybe even three. Hey, it helps calm the nerves. Well, with the show’s sixth season just weeks away, and just in time to welcome the new companion series Fear the Walking Dead, which premiered last weekend on AMC, now beer drinkers can rejoice in the fact that the zombie apocalypse thriller has a companion beer.
That’s right, Terrapin Beer Co. of Athens, Ga., is about to release a brew called Walking Dead Blood Orange IPA. The original TV series, of course, initially was set in Atlanta, so the proximity certainly makes sense. And using blood oranges in the recipe is a pretty obvious choice, too – you’ve got the blood component, and it’s doubtful anyone would drink a beer brewed with brains.
If it seems overdue, it’s actually pretty nice timing. Why? Because if the companion series premiere is any indication, the popularity of The Walking Dead universe isn’t about to slow down anytime soon. The book series is going strong after a dozen years, the original TV series continues to thrive, and last night’s debut episode of the companion series was a gritty, intense ride of its own with a setting we’ve never really seen from The Walking Dead universe.
I’ll drink to that.
According to a press release posted on The Walking Dead’s website, Terrapin Brewing Co. is a brewer that “focuses on making unique beers that they weren’t seeing in the southeast.” Well, Three Floyds Zombie Dust is a popular beer, so why not another zombie-themed brew?
So far, the folks at Terrapin haven’t chimed in much other than to confirm the TV show’s announcement, but if there are already label designs and specs on the beer, then it’s pretty clear this isn’t an unfounded rumor.
As for the beer itself, the “bloodthirsty red IPA” is touted as “the official brew of the undead,” and apparently is made “with blood orange peel and a horrific amount of hops.” It checks in at 6.75 percent ABV, but no bitterness level has been released, nor is there any indication of what precisely goes into the beer. We do know the IPA will come in 650ml bottles, which logically suggests it will be a limited release.
Our guess is it won’t be easy to find, either. Terrapin’s website lists distributors throughout the south as well as along the east coast, but how much will be distributed is anyone’s guess at this point. What we do know is that Terrapin is distributed statewide in Georgia and Virginia – which is where the characters in the original TV series are now based.
However, the characters in Fear the Walking Dead are all the way over in California, so their apocalyptic experience will likely be blood orange free, at least for the short term. But it’s a fair bet there will be no shortage of brains.