Wicked Weed Freak of Nature
While Wicked Weed — recently acquired by AB InBev — has quickly become synonymous with wild/sour ales, this North Carolina brewery is more than adept at crafting a hell of an IPA. Freak of Nature is about as dank a beer as you can get in the IPA world. It’s brewed with a blend of Centennial, Chinook, Columbus and Warrior hop varieties before undergoing a further dry-hopping with Amarillo, Centennial, Columbus and Simcoe. As you can imagine, the double IPA is packed with an array of hop-forward flavors and a solid bite at 100 IBU.
Immediately upon cracking open the bottle, the smell of pine, luscious tropical fruits and a hint of cattiness fill the immediate surrounding. All of those aroma transfer as dank flavors once the beer hits the tongue. The bite is spot on for the style and compliments the flavors quite well, as a decent bit of floral notes linger after each sip. The 8.5% ABV is hidden deceptively well making for a beer that goes down much quicker than it probably should.
I may have purchased and reviewed this bottle prior to the news that Wicked Weed would be joining AB InBev, and much like Goose Island or local favorite Devils Backbone, I probably won’t stop picking up a bottle here and there. I’m a beer drinker that appreciates a well made beer and if Wicked Weed is able to continue to make products like Freak of Nature, then I’m going to continue to drink ’em. It’s a damn fine beer.