Beer of the Weekend #950: Zack Morris Cell Phone

A few weeks ago, I drank a can of Zack Morris Cell Phone, brewed by the Lion Bridge Brewery of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.



Serving type: 12-ounce can. 12/14/2020 is printed on the bottom.

Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is orange with chunks of suspended “haze.” (I should have rolled it before pouring. I did not realize it is a hazy IPA.) A finger of off-white, tight, bubble-spotted head leaves a skim and ring.

Smell: Lots of orange, rind and all. It is very inviting. Grapefruit is there as well, and it has a nice citrus sharpness, almost akin to lemon. This is another beer that reminds me of Orange Julius. It’s juicy and smells a lot like orange juice.

Taste: It tastes a lot like an orange-flavored mixed drink. I’m thinking something with Triple Sec. Earthy hops settle on the taste buds. It’s sharp. It’s not quite like an Orange Julius, but it has a smoothie element. It’s like a boozy, bitter, orange-flavored smoothie.

Fun facts about ZMCP:

• Style: Hazy IPA.

• Price: $3.49 for a 12-ounce can at John’s Grocery on February 12, 2021.

• Alcohol content: 6.8 percent ABV.

• I can’t find the text online, but the story behind the name was printed on the can and goes a little something like this: Quinton, Lion Bridge’s owner, was at a bar way back in the day and someone told him to order a Zack Morris Cell Phone, an orange-flavored mixed drink. When Quinton did, the bartender had never heard of it and the person who told him to order it was long gone. So Zack Morris Cell Phone was brewed in homage to a drink that never existed but sounded really good.

The Quiet Man’s grade: B.