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Pernicious

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Tropical fruit leads the way, resinous hop character follows, and the finish runs dry: Pernicious is Wicked Weed's flagship IPA, a 7.3% West Coast IPA brewed with Amarillo, Centennial, Columbus, Motueka, Pacific Gem and Warrior hops and dry-hopped with Amarillo, Citra, Galaxy, Mosaic, Motueka and Pacific Jade. It was first bottled at the Wicked Weed West production brewery in Candler, North Carolina.

ABV
7.3%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
amber10
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
resinoustropicalhoppy
resinous
tropical
hoppy
fruity
piney
citrusy
Aroma
The nose leads with prominent tropical fruit notes—mango and stone fruit—layered beneath a pronounced resinous and piney hop character.
not found:juicy,caramel,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Pernicious

◎ Appearance

Pernicious presents a brilliant golden-amber hue characteristic of the West Coast IPA style, with excellent clarity and fine carbonation evident throughout. The dense, creamy head displays robust lacing, clinging to the glass with persistence as the beer is consumed.

golden-ambercleardense headstrong lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with prominent tropical fruit notes—mango and stone fruit—layered beneath a pronounced resinous and piney hop character. Subtle citrus undertones emerge from the Amarillo and Citra hops, while the overall aromatic profile remains clean and inviting without harsh alcohol heat.

tropical fruitresinous hopscitrus notespine

◐ Taste

The palate opens with a balanced blend of tropical and citrus fruit flavors, transitioning into a firm, resinous hop bitterness mid-palate. The Malz foundation is restrained but present, providing structure without sweetness, while the finish drives toward dryness with lingering herbal and piney character.

tropical, citrus blendresinous bitternessclean palatedry

◑ Finish

The finish is crisp and dry, with hop bitterness gradually fading into a clean, refreshing aftertaste. No cloying residue remains; the beer leaves the palate refreshed and ready for the next sip.

dry aftertastecrisprefreshing
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
85
Taste
82
Appearance
85
Finish
80
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Tulip glass

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Pernicious

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About West Coast IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a West Coast IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar West Coast IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same resinous, tropical, dry character as Pernicious will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all West Coast IPA beers in hopIQ →New to West Coast IPA? Read our guide →Browse United States beers →