Ghost in the Machine // Double India Pale Ale

Ghost in the Machine // Double India Pale Ale

As we’ve mentioned before, there are certain beers that gain a bit of attention from craft enthusiasts around the country. If it’s hops, it’s Heady Topper, if it’s stouts, it’s Bourbon County, but sometimes there are beers that fly below that radar and really pack a punch full of surprises. Such is the case for a double IPA brewed in the town of Broussard, LA, by a company called Parish Brewing. You may have heard of Ghost in the Machine before, but if you haven’t, you’re not alone. It’s not as sought after as many beers, but I’m here to tell you that it definitely should be. Luckily, I have a friend in Lake Charles that had easy access to this brew, so I requested a 4-pack and it was delivered. Here are my thoughts:
Let it be known that this only the second beer I’ve had from Parish, but both were extremely impressive and I cannot wait to seek out more. I poured this in a pub-style pint glass to get a good look at the beer. Before anything else, I noticed that the color was much lighter than I was expecting. There were hop particles floating all through the beer and when I saw that, I got too excited, because I knew that this was going to be good. The aroma is more complex than a lot of beers I’ve had lately. You get a ton of grapefruit and lemon with a nice biscuity backbone that compliments an earthiness I wasn’t expecting. It smells amazing.
The taste is something special and almost unlike anything I’ve experienced before. It almost directly follows the nose, but my God is this a juicy beer. People throw that term around a good bit and really undermine what it really means. This is maybe one of three beers I can wholeheartedly give that endorsement to. First you get this intense taste of grapefruit and pine, but as the sip continues, the grapefruit turns to lemon and the pine changes to a maltier flavor to even out the taste. The flavor is so well rounded and it’s easy to pinpoint the different profiles that shine at different times. It takes someone with a real understanding of brewing techniques and flavor profiles to execute something this intense and wonderful.

Mouthfeel was done so that the hops could continue to be magnified. Low carbonation levels and medium body continue to let the hops shine through. Everything was creamy and smooth and had great head retention all the way down the glass and created beautiful lacing.
Overall, this is one beer I hope to drink many more of in the future. The amazing flavors and complex body allow the hops to shine and take center stage. If you’re looking for something that appeals to your inner hop head, I suggest finding someone near the brewery to pick up some for you. You will not be disappointed.
Cheers.