Have I had another Wicked Weed beer since the quartet of desert stouts that I enjoyed immensely? I'm not sure I can even remember any other beers from them. There must be some, and a simple search will tell me how many there are, but I'm not gonna do that before I write this review. While I have recently stressed that double IPA's are among my favorite styles of beer, I have to admit that recently my bias has been toward regular IPAs. The high alcohol content brought by the double IPAs is not the most motivating factor, but it is a factor. Also a factor is the relatively heavy weight that the malt tends to have, and I think I want something a little lighter these days. Still, the style is good, and I can appreciate a good beer.
The straw yellow beer pours with a reasonable amount of head that will leave a little bit of lacing in its wake, but it's not going to leave a whole lot. The tiny bubbles completely cover the top of the beer and have a very strong ring around the sides. The aroma is a lot more hops than I normally get in a DIPA. The hops that I'm smelling have a little pine to them, but they are mostly fruit. Tropical fruit seems to dominate over a slight citrus bend.First sip reminds me that I have definitely had some style of IPA from Wicked Weed before. There is a slight dankness to it that I didn't expect, but I probably should have. The combination of flavors is a signature I won't soon forget, and I believe I saw this in the Pernicious Ale. I don't remember how much I did or did not like it in that beer, but here it is somewhat unsettled. It's not overly bitter, but it is pretty far from demure. An uncharacteristic second sip reveals that I am overstating the issue. Maybe it was just the first sip that had a bite to it, as the second sip is a lot more muted and congenial.
Tip-in is moderate carbonation burn with pine seeds and tropical fruit rinds combining in a bitter pool. The middle moves the carbonation to the roof of the mouth to sizzle away while the pine and skins mixed in a torrid of spiky nettles and unsettling bitterness. The finish does little to quell the irruption that started in the middle and trails the bitterness out to the very end.
Bottom Line: Some freaks should be saved for the freak show.
1.25/5