Wicked Weed Pernicious
Wicked Weed may be more known for their sour ales, but damn if they don’t know how to make a hell of an IPA, as well. Pernicious isn’t the first IPA that I’ve enjoyed that the brewery was involved with — the other was, however, a collaborative effort with Stone Brewing and Ecliptic Brewing. This 7.5% ABV brew also received a 2015 GABF Silver Medal American IPA.
What I love about Pernicious is that it’s not crafted with any adjuncts. It’s as straightforward an IPA that you can get with everything that I personally love in the style. The beer isn’t overly fruity, packing in a solid shot of pine, grapefruit and, at 70 IBU, an appropriate amount of hop bitterness. Tropical fruit notes linger gently in the background with a hint of cattiness. This is a well-rounded IPA with excellent flavor and refreshing quality.
I know the trend today is to make IPAs that are fruitier, less biting. I’m personally not a fan of this trend. Yes, there are some solid beers in this new realm, but there’s also something missing from them. Wicked Weed have created an IPA after my own heart, packed with pine, grapefruit and just the right amount of hop bitterness. This is a beer that will certainly make frequent appearances in the fridge, as long as I can manage to find more of it.