Beer Review: Ghost in the Machine (Parish Brewing Co.)
Finally, my turn to get to review this wonderful gem of a beer. J. Doncevic got to review it first, and his review can be found here: J. Doncevic’s Ghost in the Machine Beer Review. It is an excellent read and if you are reading this I highly recommend taking the minute or two to jump over and read his perspective on the beer as well.
Whereas Josh got his Ghost in the Machine from Tavour, I was lucky and got mine in a beer trade (having traded some Boneshire Brew Works, Tattered Flag, Troegs, and Pizza Boy) to get locals from a wonderful lady in Mississippi (thanks Brooke!).
I’ve been dying to try this as its been a highly regarded beer by many people I know, in the industry, in trade and beer groups (like Central PA Whalers), even some of my co-workers who use Tavour and stuff have been gushing about it. It is just one of those “must try” sough after beers, and I am glad to have finally gotten to check it off my beer wish (bucket) list.
And thankfully, compared to some of my bucket list beers, this didn’t disappoint at all!
Beer: Ghost in the Machine
Brewery: Parish Brewing Co.
Style: IPA – Imperial / Double
ABV: 8.5%
IBU: 100
Untappd Write-Up: Welcome to the future. Our collective human consciousness, or Ghost in the Machine, has gained a tolerance for hops beyond what mankind has ever known before. This Double India Pale Ale is the necessary outcome.
Year: 2019
Firstly, this was way too easy of a drink on a super hot 95 degree mid-day when I’m supposed to be mowing. I drank it waaaaaaaaaaay too fast, it was completely crushable and I probably drank it in about 10 minutes while reading. Way too fast, and definitely makes me wish I had a whole six pack to fully enjoy just how good it is, because it is just that, way too good!
It poured wonderfully from the bottle, leaving a beautiful fluffy head with great retention. The look is just beautiful, straw color, golden hue, and just a gorgeous looking beer. The carbonation is perfect and the head is great with good bubbles.
Aroma is spot on Double IPA. Hoppy, very hoppy, just nothing but hops. And this is the non-DDH version. I can only imagine the hop aroma from the DDH version. (After drinking this, I instantly added the DDH version to my wish list / bucket list. Wink wink if anyone …you know…. wink wink….).
But taste is where this baby really shines. Its wonderful, so smooth, so fresh, so refreshing, so wonderfully delicious that I had this glass drained in ~10 minutes. Perfect on a hot day. Didn’t even feel the 8.5%…. for …. about fifteen minutes later, until the heat and booze kicked in and I just sat there reading thinking… do I really want to mow? (Sadly, the answer is, not “yes” but “need to”, and so I am, while writing this blog, interleaving the two to give my body and fingers a rest alternately.)
It has a fantastic hop profile that has no bitterness and just a wonderful pine and citrus at the same time that comingles and works perfectly and tastes absolutely delicious. Just a joyful drink that will make you wanting to go back for more and more!
My Untappd Rating: ****.5
Global Untappd Rating: 4.28 (as of 8.22.19)
2019 Variant Rating: 4.41 (as of 8.22.19)
And for comparison’s sake, J. Doncevic’s rating: ****.5
Definitely go and check out his review here: https://thebeerthrillers.home.blog/2019/08/04/beer-review-ghost-in-the-machine-parish-brewing-co/ to compare our two thoughts and reviews on the beer.
Amazingly, without even checking his beer review out (since the first time I read it when he published it) I ended up scoring this the same as he did, exact same rating. Do we have identical tastes and thoughts? Who knows, we’ll have to try and co-review some more beers in the future and see!
(And once again, for those curious, the books featured behind the beer this time are:
* Foxtrot : The Best of Foxtrot Vol. 1
* Master & Apprentice [still!]
* Brief Answers to the Big Questions
All from the Hershey Public Library.)
Keep on sippin on folks!
-B. Kline
