Pernicious Wicked Weeds Are Among Us

>> Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, Suds, and Smokes. >> Tim: So today, the wicked weed beers we'll be trying are the, uh, Pernicious IPA. The Perni Haze Hazy IPA. Freak of Nature Double IPA. Coastal Love Hazy IPA. Wow, it's romantic. The Dr. Dank Pineapple Dream IPA with pineapple. The Mango Wowie Hazy IPA with mango. Oh, man. Really expanding their lineup. The Strawberry Kiwi Burst session. Are, uh, you these Kool Aid flavors that you pasted? >> : Oh, yeah.

>> Tim: Strawberry Kiwi Burst Blast Session. >> : Sour. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I just crashed through the wall. >> Julianna: Juicy. >> Tim: Juicy indeed. Uh, and we have one extra special wicked weed beer that we'll be trying at the end. >> Announcer: We'll be right back after this break. Brought to you almost live from the dude in the

basement studios. Why? Because that's where the good stuff, uh, is it Sips, suds, and smokes with your smoke and host the good old boys. >> : Suds. >> Tim: Suds. >> : Suds. >> Announcer: Uh, it's time for more Suds. >> Julianna: Welcome, everyone, to this Suds. Uh, segment where when we refuse to. To. To just drink any old beer that's put in front of us unless it's free, of course. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : What?

>> : Wow. >> Dave: Who. Who wrote that? >> : Is that a real sentence? >> Tim: And when do they start third grade. >> Dave: Interesting. If someone would read the script a couple times before we start the show. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : And then we did we just chat GPT this entire episode. >> : Don't think I need a beard. Can't be in charge of conjugating anything. >> Julianna: God bless.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Certainly not conjugal visits. Oh, wait, no. That's a different. >> Julianna: It's a whole different. >> Tim: He does that. >> Julianna: But thank you, Spark. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I'm here for you guys. >> Dave: I used to make a living off conjugal. >> : Never mind.

>> Julianna: It's gonna go, Juliana. Joining me at this great table today is good old boy Mike. >> : I'm just, uh, glad nobody's shot shooting at our show yet, anyway. >> Julianna: That we know of. >> : There's always. There's always hope. >> Julianna: There's always hope. Yes. Um, good old boy Sparky. Hello. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I mean, the day ain't over yet, I think, is really the,

uh, the point. I want to drive home. >> : I think I just rang the dinner bell for Barger. He went, whoa, weapons. I'm in. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah, we better, uh. We better record this episode quickly. That's all I'm saying. >> Julianna: And, um, good old boy Tim. Hi. >> Tim: Oh, hey. I'm here to help Dave put verbs into his sentences.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : You're a scholar and a gentleman. >> : What do you call that? The verberator? Is that. Is that what you called it? >> Tim: Um. >> : Where do you Put that on your resume, man. I think you should just put it, like, right in the middle in big 24 point, you know, bold type. >> Tim: Oh, yeah, that's right.

>> Dave: Listen, all I'm saying is I put a good 15 minutes into putting these scripts together, all right? >> : You can only hit pace so many times. Is that what you're saying? Dave? >> Julianna: Wow. Hi, good old boy Dave. >> Dave: I'm, uh, not. You know what? You and I have issues. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Some backstory here. Just, there's a whole couple episodes that need to build this up.

>> Dave: All this is put together well in. >> : Advance, so Swiss watch like 42 minutes before we turn the mic on. Quick, read through. >> Tim: It's put together poorly, you know. >> : You know, reverberator and quality control. I liked. I like that Tim is here. >> Dave: Taste Awards hall of Fame. You know, I mean, I'm just saying there's a certain standard.

>> : Oh. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I mean, I feel like we're maybe the best of Nashville. >> : Yes, we are. Hang tough with this, folks. We are going to get to beer today. >> Dave: I think this is more about the rest of Nashville. >> Julianna: Yeah. Yeah, I guess. Okay. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : The bar is low.

>> Julianna: Recently, I saw an interesting article come across my feed. It was from Forbes.com from a few months ago. And it's about some new things happening with wicked weed brewing company. Seven years after they were acquired by AB InBev. I realized it had been a long time since we had tried any of their beers. Well, any new ones anyway. So good old boy Dave and I headed to the beer store to see what we could find.

Um, good ol. Boy Tim, speaking of beers that we got, would you mind giving us the lineup of what we're going to drink today? >> Tim: Yeah, of course. And I won't be doing it in my best, uh, Roy Williams, North Carolina accent because I just don't have that drawl, uh, despite living in north and South Carolina for years.

So today, the Wicked Weed beers we'll be trying are the Pernicious ipa, the Perny Haze Hazy ipa. Freak of Nature Double ipa. Coastal Love Hazy ipa. Wow, it's romantic. The doctor Dank Pineapple Dream IPA with Pineapple. The Mango Wowie Hazy IPA with Mango. Oh, man, it's really expanding their lineup. >> Dave: And fruity here. >> Tim: These Strawberry Kiwi Burst session. Are you. They're these Kool Aid flavors that you pasted. >> : Strawberry Kiwi Burst Blast Session. Sour.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I just cried. Crash through the wall. >> Julianna: Juicy. >> Tim: Juicy indeed. Uh, and we have one extra special Wicked Weed beer that we'll be trying at the end. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yay. >> Julianna: Well, thank you. Um, go to. Boy Sparky, why don't you give us the suds ratings for today?

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Well, first of all, I would like to use a completely offensive accent for the state of North Carolina. And I must add that my children go to summer camp in the same county where Deliverance is filmed, which is right on the Georgia. North Carolina border. That's correct. They know what to do when they hear banjo music. But in light of respect of all the tragedy they've been to recently, I'm going to eschew that

for another episode. But I will come back to you once you rebuild North Carolina. I promise. >> Dave: Your time's coming, North Carolina. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : So we'll be discussing and rating these beers with these suds raisings, plus our signature belching sounds. And here are Those ratings now. 1. That sucks. Give me anything but a Bud Wiser product. Number two. Was that a belch? Number three.

>> Julianna: Ah. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Uh, what a relief. Number four. A body really should not make that sound at number five. Listen to that. Hang time. Give me another. >> Dave: You know, it's like the words. You could tell by the words that five is better than one, but when you listen to the sounds, you're like, is that really better? >> Tim: I don't know. Yeah, I guess. What's better? You know, uh.

>> Dave: You know, your whole insides exploding out of you. >> : You missed the creative meeting in the basement, like, 14 years ago. But thanks for playing along, Dave. I appreciate it. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : It's now occurred to you there's always time to revisit that. >> : Put it in a memo. >> Dave: I've been thinking about it for a while.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : He's got a vision board about it. >> : Just chew the gummy and swallow. It'll be okay. >> Dave: You know what, Juliana? We're still in the house. >> Julianna: Okay? >> Tim: Talk about it. >> : If you wondered where you were now, you know. Big Ginger. >> Julianna: Okay, so, wow. >> : Let's. Let's talk about one beer, and then we'll give the

context of, uh. Yeah, I like this because. Okay, I need to get some beer flowing in me, and I'm sure our audience needs to go. What is this about? >> Julianna: All right, let's start with the original. The Pernicious IPA. 7.3% ABV. Pernicious implies influence that is harmful in a way not easily noticed. This beer is harmful not because of overwhelming hop bitterness, but because its balanced brightness insidiously ruins your expectations for

all other IPAs. This hop delivery vehicle is crafted to enjoy fresh and often. And because of its drinkability, you'll never look at IPAs the same. Same again. >> : Oh, I definitely don't look at it the Same way ever again. >> Julianna: So the hops that they use are Amarillo, Centennial, Columbus, Matuka, Pacific, Gem and Warrior. >> : I thought that Centennial was probably the predominant hop I was, you know, picking up on is this beechwood aged and.

>> Julianna: Then it's dry hopped with almost as many as it's hopped with. Yes. >> Tim: Of different hops. >> Julianna: Um, Amarillo, Citra, Galaxy, Mosaic, Matuka and Pacific J. >> Dave: Why so many? >> Julianna: Well, okay, I was gonn ask that question. >> : So a little bit of context, you have to think about what was going on. You know, it was craft beer in the marketplace. So this was what I would call the preamble to the hops

wars. Um, you know, this is, this is when everybody had gone through and they were looking at, you know, pub style. Uh, everybody was making a pilsner, everybody was making a white ale, everybody was making a red ale, everybody was making a stout. And you know, this is kind of just beyond that and everybody is really getting into the point where hops are becoming a lot more available and the style the beers were moving into

more, more and more. And so I think that's what I remember very much about this was, wow, this is a, this is a very hoppy beer. And, uh, it was an explosion of flavor. Now we kind of look at it and go, yeah, it's not in balance, you know, um, or there's, you know, we've had, you know, 400 other beers that are just like this, you know. >> Tim: Yeah, it definitely tastes kind of like a lot of other beers. I don't know. I do think it's very balanced though. I guess maybe in the IPA west coast

world. Um, it's, it is really smooth for 7.2 or something. >> Dave: Like you're looking at me for confirmation. >> Tim: Two of these pints. I, I know. >> : Was that a question or a statement? I'm not quite sure. You're looking at Dave going. >> Tim: And I feel like Dave's the kind of guy, like, who also would have two of these pines quickly and be like, wow, that was kind of where I wanted to get.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : And I got there. >> Tim: Yeah. >> Dave: Drive, Drive my mouth out. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Do you guys remember the whole like, story of the, the name Pernicious? Mhm. >> Julianna: Do tell. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Oh yeah. >> Julianna: Father Sparky.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : So Henry VIII was, uh, offended by hops and he called it a vile. >> : Off with their head. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Pernicious and wicked weed. Oh, well, that, that was banned. >> : He was at the marketing meeting once again. Okay, um, somebody read that article and.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Uh, it wasn't until his daughter Elizabeth came and hops were allowed to come back into fashion. Again. But yeah, he apparently did not like the hop. >> Dave: So if she did not have daddy. >> Tim: Issues, we would never have hops at their brew pub. That was. Had that quote on the wall,

um, back in the day. I mean this reminds me of like a not quite as good uh, two hearted, you know, to Mike's probably about Centennial. >> Dave: So it's like a one hearted. >> Tim: Okay. Yeah. It's a one hard. It is. I don't, it's not terrible though. >> Dave: Three. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : It's not terrible. >> Julianna: Well we are going to rate pernicious A3.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : But M also now I want 2 hearted now that you mentioned. >> : Well too hard. It is like all Centennial this, you know, the Amarillo off this I thought was the odd duck, um, you know, probably in that hot blend. And I, I just uh, I would rather have the two hearted all day long. >> Tim: Yeah. I mean it's not a bad IPA though being in Bev, that it's everywhere now if you go to a football

game. Yeah. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : And you can get it fresh which is nice too, a lot of times. >> : Yeah. >> Julianna: Um, yeah. >> : Well we'll talk about their distribution footprint after the break here. >> Julianna: Yes. >> : Yeah. >> Julianna: So stay tuned with us and we'll be back in just a minute. Welcome back everyone. Today's discussion is on Wicked Weed.

>> : Part of what kind of inspired this conversation was actually an article that was published in Lifestyle Spirits, um, by Emily Price, contributor. I love her uh, byline, which is I cover alcohol, cannabis and intoxicating travel and adventures. That sounds like us, right? >> Dave: That's a good job. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Mhm. >> : I can already hear Barger at the top of the mountain going yes.

>> Tim: How do you get paid for that Stone? >> : What do I have to do again? >> Dave: It's a weird last name contributor. >> : Well the name of this article was seven years after joining AB InBet High End, Wicked Weed is Thriving was the name of the article. We'll include a link, uh, to this,

uh, full article if you want to read it. But you know, I think that it just kind of provoked a conversation that you know, uh, if you did not know that InBev is the uh, owner of a huge, you know, uh, alcohol conglomerate globally. It's fairly beer heavy, although they do make other forms of beverages as well. >> Dave: Dutch. >> : And um, they own, uh, Anheuser Busch, um, in the US market as well as, you know, globally as well.

And so they went through a lot of acquisitions of purchasing a tremendous number of brands, you know, uh, globally in the craft beer industry. And Wicked Weed was actually one of the very first acquisitions, um, that they made. And so I think this is kind of looking at the. What happened, you know, um, are they, are they better off, you know, some of these breweries in a post acquisition mode. And so this article kind of was answering

that basic question. And one of the key things that they talk about is, is that, um, they have definitely expanded distribution. And actually they had the largest production year last year, um, in the history of the brewery. And part of that is so, uh, Wicked Weed, uh, is based in North Carolina, um, in Asheville. But they've expanded distribution to a number of states. I think I counted five, six. So it's uh, north and South Carolina is where they distributed at

the point of acquisition. But after that they added Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and Virginia, um, as well as some other, uh, um, select markets in the northeast part of the US So they really expanded a lot of the geographic, um, footprint for a lot of the beers that they had been making. But we've had some conversations in pre production.

Is that really a good thing? And what's really kind of going on with kind of the application footprint or the, the common cycle that you know, are they doing the same thing with each of these brands or they're doing something completely different? Because, I mean, I don't think you have to look any further than looking at Goose island and saying, you know, is, is Goose island, you know, better off. They were actually probably one of the very first acquisitions, you know, to go down.

>> Dave: They're probably like, man, we went, we went cheap. >> Tim: Yeah, so cheap. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah, so cheap. >> : You know, so this cycle actually happened through a lot of craft beer. And I think the one moment that all of us were kind of gasping at is when Constellation purchased Ballast Point, which is in California, um, was for $1 billion. That's a million with a billion dollars. And so.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : And ran it into the ground and record time. >> Dave: Yeah, pretty much like obviously Ballast Points. >> : One of their P.E. >> Dave: That was bad. But like, but for Goose island, like Goose island is still out there. Like they're still, you can still find their beers. And there's a lot of craft brands that have come and gone

since then. So in that sense maybe, you know, these, like, they, they are better off in a way. >> : I, I know who was the winner out of all of this. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : America. >> : The lawyers that, uh, all these deals that went down. Ah, no, played golf with them. So I know exactly who wants I. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Having been in that, that space and

signing these brands. You know, there was a very big difference. Like for Ballast Point, their goal was to get it in all 50 states as quickly as possible. And there was no planning or sustainability model or anything like that. And then, you know, I would argue that when you look at some of these bigger brands, like Laganitas or Ballast Point, their culture was amazing, and it did not fit, like, how you use. >> : It in a past tense. Like, it's been dragged out back and shot.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : It was. >> : Right. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : So they. They. They murdered what made these brands special and significant and then ran them into the ground. And EB InBev has done that, too, with, like, a lot of the brands they've acquired. Um, this is, like, one of the rare moments where they haven't screwed it

up. Um, which, you know, they just offloaded a bunch of brands recently that they had just run into the ground. So it's. I think there's a really, like, lack of understanding with these big brands. You know, you can't. You can put Bud Light or make Ultra or, you know, Coors Banquet anywhere. Right? But you can't. You can't necessarily do that with some of these craft brands. And I think they were smart with this brand by not just blowing it up all over the country and letting it die

on the shelf. I think that was a smart move on their part, but that was probably the exception and not the rule. God bless those attorneys. >> : So I'm gonna throw out one, uh, question. When you tasted pernicious today, did it hold up to where you thought that beer was originally? Did it get better or worse, or was it basically the way that you remember it?

>> Dave: I don't know about today, but, like, I remember tasting it before they were purchased, and then not long after when they had started expanding the production on it, and. And it felt like. And maybe it was just my perception then and bias, but it felt like it. It was different. It fell off between that, so. And it's been so long since I've had it now. >> : Like, it tasted different or it was muted, wasn't. >> Dave: It just wasn't quite as is flavorful.

>> Tim: Yeah, it doesn't. Doesn't pop. Uh, yeah. Like, it did. >> : It had too much Amarillo, which is what it had today. But. >> Dave: But, like, now, like. But now it's seven years gone. Like, my palette's changed in so many different ways. >> : We've. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : We've had a couple of episodes since. >> Dave: I've grown. I've grown.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I appreciate that. Juliana was just telling me about that prior to this. >> Dave: She's told me. Yeah, she's always talking about how big I am. >> : You're more full of crap than you were seven years ago. Is that what you're saying, Dave, that's a boy. >> Dave: That's a. That's a way to say it. >> : Everybody has to have a goal.

>> Dave: It's not the way. I would appreciate it being said, but that's. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : What were you gonna say, Juliana? >> Julianna: No, but to talk about my gross. About your growth. Talk about all of our. >> Tim: You need to get it removed. >> Julianna: Yeah. >> : Again. >> Julianna: Now. >> : But I thought the hair was cute before.

>> Julianna: Before Wicked weed was taken over, they were a, uh, force to be reckoned with. Everything that we had was great. We couldn' Stop talking about the next great beer, et cetera, et cetera. >> Tim: Yeah. >> Julianna: And then the takeover happened. And then we were all, like, just sort of, like, shell shocked, Right? >> Tim: Absolutely. >> Julianna: And then somebody was like, well, let's at least try what's coming out now and just see.

Maybe it won't be so bad. And I do remember it being, like, uh, softer and. And almost watered down, and we were like, oh, so this is what happens, right, when inbev buys out. You know what I mean? >> Tim: Yeah. >> Julianna: So now that it's been a few years later, it's okay. I don't. I still feel like it's not. And maybe, again, this is my perception, because back then, everything was pretty and they could do no wrong. >> Tim: Yeah. >> Julianna: You know what I mean?

>> Tim: Absolutely. >> : Speaking, um, of soft and watered down, let's move on to our next beer. >> Julianna: All right, so this one, I'm here to help. Yeah. So this is the hazy brother of Pernicious that came out last year in 2023. Um, it is 6.9% ABV, so a little bit less than its big brother. >> Dave: So this is the brother that transitioned to hazy. >> Julianna: Uh, right. Transitions to hazy, yes. So the hazy hop delivery vehicle is to be enjoyed fresh

and often. Citra and Simcoe from our favorite hop fields Drive the Juicy ipa with its crushability and effortless finish. You'll never look at a Hazy IPA the same. This one is Hop with Citra and Simcoe. >> Dave: I don't know, man. >> Tim: This is not good. >> : This is a lot sweeter. And to even say that it is a stepchild of, uh, Pernicious. >> Dave: Is this what they're, you know, New England with? Like, I know they're going to do some expensive.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Not. Because that's going to get you a wicked china. >> Tim: It's just like, there's. It's just the most basic mass produced hazy. Like, it's so boring. This beer makes me angry. Well, it's, like, not poorly made. It's just so innocuous. >> Dave: And you like him when he's just. >> : You're saying this was really good six years ago, probably. >> Tim: Yeah. Yeah, that's accurate.

>> Julianna: If it was made six years ago. >> : That's what it reminds me of is just this was a great recipe, you know, six or seven years ago. >> Tim: Yeah. >> : What they came out with. But, you know, we've had, you know, 100 plus other. At least 100, uh, more like a thousand plus other beers that are in this style that are actually a lot better than this. This is just, I don't know, um, slow effort. Yeah, it's, uh, very bourgeois.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : You know what pisses me off about this kind of going back a second was, you know, I remember walking with Walt Luke, like, pulling nails in the Funkatorium, and they were like, oh, we'll never sell out, and stuff like that. And I said, we were trying to sign him. We had a relationship with him. And I was at the Miller Coors house at the time. Like, yeah, yeah, we can't do that right now. I'm

like, well, it's strange. And, like, they were just. They were just like, oh, we'll never sell out. We'll never. But. But, like, it's interesting because, like, this beer. Sell out beer. >> Dave: Yeah. >> Tim: Oh, nice. >> Dave: This is. This is like, if you. If you just want to make a. A hazy beer that you think anybody would, you know, just kind of middle of the road. >> Tim: It's like when you feel obligated to have a hazy in the lab.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I'd like to feel that this was not made by Wicked Weed, but by the marketing team at AB the computer, the Don Draper. >> : We're here from InBev, and we're here to help, uh, out with what happens. >> Dave: It's almost like when you make an Imperial or a session IPA and you just take the. You have a really good IPA and you're going to make a session or an Imperial version of it.

And instead of, like, creating a recipe for that new beer that is tailored to that style, you just take your recipe and you kind of just, I. >> Tim: Don'T know, reduce it by 25 or up it by 50. >> Dave: Mess around with it a little bit. Yeah. Or something. I don't know. >> Julianna: Okay. We are going to rate the Perny Haze Hazy IPA from Wicked Weed A2. >> Dave: Do better ABM Biff.

>> : So I think that it's kind of provoking the next question I wanted to throw out for a little bit of discussion, which is when you are looking at the influence of the, you know, acquiring overlords that have come into a lot of these brands I like that. Um, you know, if you had to over characterize the net effects, are you saying that what's happened here with, you know, uh, Pernicious Haze or Perry Haze is perennium. Um, uh, that it got better, it got worse. They tweaked

recipes. Tweaked meaning the accounting people came in and changed, you know, vendors for a certain hop. And no, it's not going to taste the same, but we save 20%, you know. >> Tim: Yeah, definitely. Like the contracts they have, like there's Galaxy and Motueka. You were saying in Pernicious there's, there's absolutely no way that was in Pernicious when they first made it. Like literally no one knew about Galaxies. >> Dave: They weren't there yet.

>> Tim: Unless you're in Australia or you're a stripper. >> Dave: I mean. >> Tim: Yeah. And your name, the Galaxy they knew about was the South. Asheville, you know, definitely see, you know. >> : The yield accounting, you know, uh, Department of AB InBev. Stepping in and having a measure of undue influence on a, uh, I mean. >> Tim: That'S operations, part of buying it. Right? You know, and the economies of scale. And we get this grain at this rate. So

this is what you're used to talking about, like. Yeah, absolutely. And that's somehow we got. >> Dave: Got too much of this hop. So we're gonna need you to go ahead and make a beer. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Which brings us to our next one. >> Tim: And it's called Perny Hayes. >> Dave: Yeah, yeah, Perny Hayes. Just call it Bernie.

>> Tim: Yeah. The next beer is Freak of Nature. Freak of Nature as well as Pernicious were some of their original beers. I don't know that they were the first ones, but when I, whenever I started going, you know, I don't even remember 2011 or 12 or something, um, four times in the long ago, but I can't speak. >> Dave: I think they first opened in 2012, so probably. >> Tim: Okay, yeah, so I mean my, I grew up an

hour away. Um, and. And Asheville was always the place to go for arts and culture and beer. Hippie and hippies. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah, dirty, dirty, goddamn filthy hippies. >> : You hold your gummy like this. >> Julianna: All right, so speaking of freak of nature, let's talk about freak of nature. It is 8.5% ABV. Freak. Um, of nature. No, unusual, unexpected natural

phenomenon. 2. An outlying West coast style double IPA brewed with an abnormally large quantity of hops. 3. A delicately crafted incredible ale designed for fresh and immediate consumption. 4. A hop head vice or downfall example though warned about its habit forming hoppiness, they were seduced by the dank, tropical and drinkable Freak of Nature. So hops used were Centennial, Chinook, Columbus Warrior and then dry hopped with Amarillo, Centennial, Columbus Simcoe.

>> : I think Freak of Nature is actually Barger stage name. >> Julianna: That makes so much sense. >> Tim: Maybe wrestling name. Yeah. >> : I feel new tattoo. A new tattoo just got born right there. Um. Yeah, this is ah, this is actually pretty good. >> Dave: I like this. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah. It's a clean west coast. >> : Pretty solid.

>> Tim: Yeah. >> Julianna: This orange is Ginominosaurus. >> : Okay. >> Julianna: There you go. >> Tim: It's got that little alcohol kind of hot burn. >> Dave: Mhm. >> Tim: But you know it's a double. >> Julianna: Right. But it's not bad for eight and a half percent. >> Tim: Uh, they've always kind of held or hidden alcohol. Well, I think. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah.

>> : And. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : But you're gonna get wrecked after two of these. >> Tim: They used to be like 16 ounce bottles I think. Yeah. Bury some tacos, one of them fast enough and you're, you're good. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : You know, fight somebody or something. >> Tim: Yeah. I mean I. >> Dave: It don't take much to get sparky ready to fight though.

>> : Well, I'm ready. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Let' drive now. >> Tim: Driving from Nashville down to South Carolina and I'd drive most of the way and get to the um, brew pub and I'd. My wife then girlfriend would walk the dog while I go make my sour order and have a pint of Freak Nature. Have a pint of Pernicious and let her finish the drive. >> Dave: I was gonna say she probably took over the wound.

>> Tim: Yeah. And just let me uh. >> Julianna: Oh Mel. >> Tim: Yeah. Bless her. But that was the. >> Dave: Then Tim would take a nap for beer sleepies. >> : Also it reminded me of Laganitis. >> Tim: Ah. >> : You know, uh, if I had to say something that, you know, really, it was like, wow. You know, um, I think it's just because, you know, I think of that as the keeper of kind of what does a double ipa, you know, really taste like?

Yeah. Uh, from a reference guideline and you. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Can see through it, this really kind. >> : Of steps right into this. This still holds up very well. This is definitely in a style. I mean if we had it in a beer competition it would definitely, you know, get a good high

rating for me for sure. I still, I think this is actually probably one of the more truer taste profiles when I. Of the three we've had so far, this one is like. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah. >> : Uh, I remember it just like this. >> Dave: This one is. >> Julianna: Everything changed. >> Dave: That last one is not like it stands out.

>> : It's. >> Dave: It's a bold flavor and they, they really went to make a uh, you. >> : Know, solid beer I don't think the accountants have screwed around with this recipe. >> Julianna: Yeah, no, which is great. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : This still will allow you to nap all the way to South Carolina. >> Tim: Oh, yeah. You'll get a nice sleep.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Sleep. >> Julianna: Okay. Well, we are going to rate Freak of Nature double IPA a four. Okay. Next up for bids is the Coastal Love Hazy IPA. And this, uh, one is ironically appropriate. 6.3% ABV, the second beer to hit distribution in our Beers that Build series. A portion of the proceeds for this GC IPA are donated to hurricane relief efforts in the Southeast. Um, it doesn't say what hops are used in it, but.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Or what hurricane. >> Julianna: Juicy, huh? >> Tim: M. You don't know? H. Yes. >> Dave: M. I like this beer a lot, man. >> : Ah, it has a, like a lemon peel over top. >> Dave: It's weird coming off that last beer because that last beer lingers a little. >> Julianna: Bit, but it's got like a lemon drop kind of thing. Like, you know, like those candies.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Lemon heads. >> : Yeah, yeah. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Oh, man, that's such a great candy. >> : But I, I thought that the bitterness in this just reminded me of a straight up lemon peel, you know, um. >> Tim: You get a lot of this. >> : Here. We can write this up before we, uh. >> Julianna: Nice though. Yeah, we're gonna go with that's.

We're gonna rate the Coastal Love a three. >> Dave: Oh, you guys. >> Tim: Be a good, good solid beach beer. >> : I agree. You're affording. Mhm. >> Julianna: Yeah, no, that's. I mean, it's different, but good. Well, we'll be back with more in just a minute. Welcome back, everyone. So today we're talking about Wicked Weed brewing. The before and the after, so to speak.

>> : Well, speaking of before, after, and thereafter, um, so the question I wanted to throw out for our, uh, cast today is when you think about the general cycle that we're in right now in craft beer, uh, when you look at acquisitions, are we at the beginning? Are we kind of at the middle of that phase or are we at the end of that? >> Tim: I don't think it's. There's, there's never going to be an end as much as it is a different part of the cycle or a different era.

>> : Oh, I think $1 billion was the end. >> Tim: That was the end of an era and the start of a new one. Absolutely. >> : I don't think anybody will hit that valuation again. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I think, you know, there's over 9,000 breweries in the United States. A lot of first and second generation are starting to close down now of the original brewpub era.

And, you know, I mean, the reality is Younger generations are not drinking alcohol. They're just, they're just not. So that, that 9,000 number is unsustainable. It's just not. So is there an opportunity to get some smart acquisitions in there? Yeah, probably. But there's a lot of dead weight that's going to fall to the side over the next five years. I think as we kind of come out of the pandemic and, and we deal with this generation that doesn't like alcohol.

And um, I will start selling beer goggles though, because they need that. >> : I feel I have invented a new style of beer. Yeah. So you basically just take any hazy beer that you've been producing for the last three years and you add THC and you call it hazy and laced. Uh. >> Julianna: Oh yeah, I like that. >> : I've trademarked that. >> Dave: Hazy and lazy.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I know you're California sober, right? Like uh, that, that's, that's a thing now. >> : So I think THC is just going to obliterate everything on the landscape for the next 10 years. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : And, and I think it's, it's the sad thing about that is that I've tried a lot of those beverages and. >> : The base beverages are not good.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : No, they're not good. It's a way to be. They don't have to be. >> Tim: Well, once the industry blows up, you'll get the more and more craft aspect of that. But I think in terms of acquisitions, like, like the big boys, big boys and girls out there are done buying. I hope so these breweries and they tried what they wanted to do and

some worked, some didn't. And now you'll, I think you'll see like kind of more creative or different money maybe at some of these regional ones that, that are struggling because craft brewing is in a, uh, downturn. There's just so little growth unless you're making beer that's non alcoholic. >> Dave: I felt like the buyouts, there were a couple different reasons people were buying. Like sometimes it was, oh, I see a successful brand, we can probably push

this and make some money. And then sometimes it seems like they would just buy it to sit on it. And then like, this is a barrel. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah, this is a threat to us. >> : This is the one brewery that came to my mind that just got sat on. >> Tim: Yeah, you know, Reverend Mark and I have talked about that. >> Dave: Like, let's just get it out of the way. >> Tim: Strategy was this is a regional threat.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : We're gonna kill it off so we can get more tap handles. >> : I think they added, you know, basically fine. We'll, yeah, they Added, uh, Washington and Idaho and, you know, maybe Northern California and called it a day for 10 barrel. >> Tim: Because, like, first was that Virginia. >> Dave: Yeah. >> Tim: Oh, devils. Back then they had that one, like. >> Dave: Beer that was the Vienna Lager.

>> Tim: Was exactly. >> Dave: Vienna Lager. >> Tim: And then that was maybe their first one they ever bought. >> Dave: It was. It was early feel. >> Tim: Goose was first. >> Dave: That was pretty, pretty, pretty early on. Yeah, but, like, um. Because, you know, like, um, the big breweries, they, you know, they have different techniques for carving out shelf space, you know, with the distributors. Like, you know, hey, we'll offer incentives or

do different things, you know, just to. To get more and more of that shelf and aisle space. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I have to tell you, though, like, being, like, intimately involved with, like, Sweet water and laganitas and some of these, you know, ballast points in these brands and just watching their culture just get completely. Because that's what they always came in with. Like, oh, we're going to let you.

>> : Keep your neat culture and culture. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : You can. >> Dave: Oh, you can still drink on the job. >> Tim: Uh-huh. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Like, you would go in to the Laganitas, uh, brewery in Chicago, and they were playing Pure imagination from Willy Wonka. And it was like the trippiest, craziest stuff on the planet.

And they just shut it down. Right. Like, a couple of months ago. And it's like, like, you. You kept seeing all this, like, unique, amazing culture just completely scaled and annihilated. >> : Thanks for making great beer. Now go get a real job.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah, exactly. And it was always sad, too, because they would always, you know, I knew a lot of those people in the middle that, like, were the brand ambassadors that really passionate about it. They're all out of a job now. They're all gone. Like, they had this, like, they built it up to this huge thing and then. >> : Welcome to Crystals. Would you like a ten pack today?

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah, totally. >> Dave: It's like the first thing they. They bring in as a time clock, you know. All right, now everybody, you know. >> Tim: Yeah. Well, they did talk about wicked weed. They always talked about kind of being hands off and, like, Goose island, you know, which we say is still kind of success for in Bev, like, in Chicago. People. Chicago people love those. Those, uh, bars or tap

rooms or whatever they call them. Like, there's four or five at least across the city that are close. >> : One in Lincoln Park. Yeah, they're crazy. >> Tim: I mean, they're. They're still. When I've been there, there's still a lot of people there. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Honkers and 3, 1, 2. >> Tim: Local community still. Still does embrace them. Um, And Wicked Weed wanted that, but.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I feel like it's not scaled outside of Chicago. >> : Right. I really think the one thing that they did very well with the Goose products is that they took them and did off premise exceptionally well, especially in sports venues where they gave up one tap handle that they already had. >> Tim: One, two.

>> : Correct. And they put Goose, you know, they put Honkers, you know, directly on, uh, you know, one of those taps that they already had and took off, you know, a brand that they had been swapping, you know, four or five, 10 different times. And I think that that was what, you know, really, you. I was looking at that and going, oh, so that's the model. That's what you're going to do with all these acquisitions.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : They didn't. >> : And they did not. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : They did not. >> : It was like a different copy. That model was confusing of taking a lot of things and swapping inbev taps out for other products that had been placed in the portfolio.

>> Tim: Yeah, yeah, I remember hearing that. I don't know if it was true, but they bought up either a bunch or trademarked a bunch of either area codes or airport codes. And then its, um, own. >> Dave: Could have been some. >> Tim: Some rumor for sure. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I would have loved a 615 with the carpet of the old airport. >> Tim: Exactly. 312, 615. All that. >> : Oh, my gosh, what a bad idea.

>> Tim: But that could have. >> : Speaking of a bad idea, let's talk about this pineapple. >> Julianna: Okay. >> Tim: So I was hoping we were. >> Julianna: We were. Okay. We were in the flagship series, and now we're going to the Dr. Dank series. This is the Dr. Dank pineapple drink. 6.7% ABV. Dr. Dank's delectable botanicals, uh, offer the dankest of flavors to expand the mind, body,

and palate. This ipa, dreamiest new world hops with real pineapple for a tropical resinous blast. >> Dave: It almost tastes like pineapple juices. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I was gonna say this is like a can of dole that you had to, like. I remember, like, pineapple sculpin. Like, that was all right. >> Julianna: Oh, yeah, that one was okay. >> : Can we just accelerate the conversation about all three of these?

>> Julianna: About the colors? >> : Yeah, I mean, I think we should. I think we should just accelerate this and then go to the bonus beer. >> Julianna: Okay. One thing that's true about this, though. It is. >> Tim: It is. Yeah. It smells super. The flavors are complete opposite dank and, like, acidic pineapple. >> : Does not work. >> Tim: Does not work at all. >> Julianna: No. But, um, you taste

pineapple, granted, it's. It's a crazy pineapple and mango is. >> : Even a worse idea. Well, in the strawberry is okay. >> Julianna: But anyway, so Dr. >> Dave: Dank Pineapple Dream. >> Julianna: We are going to rate a five. >> Dave: Uh, one. >> Julianna: Okay. >> Dave: Oh, sorry. Yeah, this goes back to. What's better, one or five? I don't know. >> Julianna: Okay. And then moving on, let's go to the again in the Dr. Dank series, the Mango

Wowie. This is 6.2% ABV. >> : Worst beer of the flight. >> Julianna: Dr. Dank offers the dankest of flavors to expand your mind, your body, your palate. So this hazy IPA uses awe, uh, inspiring cashmere and citra hops with real mango for a blast of tropical fruit. >> Dave: This beer makes want to offer Perny Hayes a sincere apology. Can I have more terrible things I said about it. >> : This is the worst beer in the.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I just saved some freak so I can cleanse my palate from whatever's left. >> : I am. I am going to send them a free T shirt that says, please stop making this. >> Dave: I will say one nice thing about this beer. It does have a pleasant mango aftertaste. >> Julianna: Yeah, uh, it does, but it doesn't taste like a beer to me. >> Dave: No, it just. No, I put some thc.

>> Tim: I hate mango. It's the only fruit I hate and I feel sorry for it that I put in this beer. >> Dave: You hate mango? How do you hate a fruit? >> Tim: I don't know. I didn't pick. >> Julianna: What did he ever do to you? >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : You don't know about his childhood. >> : This is a Canadian export. >> Dave: Tim was. >> Tim: I don't want to talk about it.

>> Dave: Tim was pelted with mangoes as a. >> : Little poutine with this mango. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Oh, my God. >> Julianna: Okay, it's just. It's not. >> Tim: It. >> : It's not a big good. >> Julianna: Uh, and it's not good. Okay, we're gonna rate it a one. >> Dave: All right, fine, fine.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Should we talk about the strawberry nightmare? >> Tim: It was better than the. >> : Oh, my goodness. >> Dave: It was. So the mango was better than the pine. >> Tim: It was. >> Julianna: Okay, so this. This one in our fruity series is actually. This is a flagship. And this is the Strawberry

Kiwi Burst. Yes, because when you go to their website, they have the flagship, the Dr. Dank, the seasonal. >> : The barrel age specialty hasn't come overwhelmin desire to put on white boots. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Does this have like a 32 ounce can and it's actually a strawberry Kiwi areita? Is that what we're doing? >> Julianna: Okay, so this is a four and a half percent session. Sour session. Sour ale. Okay. >> : Um.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : That's a lie. >> : Yeah, there's nothing good that's going to come of this. >> Julianna: Okay. >> : Jello shots are way better. >> Julianna: So the smell is artificial. Strawberries. >> : Oh, yeah. It put the A in artificial. >> Tim: Yeah. Where do you start? >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I just. I'm here for you.

>> Tim: Oh, my God. Yeah. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Now if you need. I've got you. >> : Yeah. >> Dave: So I'm going through process. >> : I was in this long conversation about, uh, yeah, uh, about cocktails, and we were discussing aromatics. This needs an atomizer that just is so offensive, that smells like dead farts that you just do not want to drink.

>> Dave: If this was. If this was a vodka seltzer, I mean, I. I would not be surprised, like, if you poured this as a. >> : If you put some THC in this, it would actually. That's exactly right. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : It would sell. Yeah. >> : You can make 4.5 in THC. Lace. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : M. 10 milligrams. >> : Yes. Yeah, we'll call it Fruity and Lace.

>> Dave: Ah. Are we sure this is not N A? >> Tim: I mean. >> Julianna: Yeah, yeah. Four and a half percent, you know. >> Tim: Yeah. You said, hey, this is like a vodka can cocktail. I'd say, thanks, but if I said, can I have a beer and you handed me this, I would just walk away. We would never be friends with it. All right. >> Dave: Man, this. This is worse than the Aldi show. >> : That was A1 footage. >> Dave: Everything just sort of fell off a cliff.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I just. Every time I go into Aldi, which I've, like, it's taken some time. I've, like, had some stranger danger. >> : So do you think that this style line. We've had some really good sour beers, you know, from Wicked Weeds, you know, Functorium, Uh, for sure. I don't know who dreamed up, you know, this fruited nightmare, you know, line, but Satan. Do you think? Well, speaking of Satan, it was,

you know, InBev. Overlords stepped in and said, we can, we can market and make this, you know, low. >> Dave: They showed them some. >> : Really? >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : My marita. Guess what happens when we throw strawberry in it. >> Tim: It friends. >> Dave: They showed some trend analysis, I'm pretty sure. >> : And I don't think these are infected. These are just. >> Tim: No, uh, they're not.

>> : Yeah, these are. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : These are intentional acts of war. >> Tim: Their QA has got to be crazy. Yeah, they're not sending out infected beer. They're just, they. They came upon, like a shipping container. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Brown Schwager. >> : I like. >> Dave: I like the fact that we're even having the conversation. I don't think it's infected.

That's like every time I cut my hand or something. >> Tim: We're talking about your growth again. >> : Look, I don't think the hair is infected. >> Dave: Hold on, guys. I'm m going to show you my growth. >> Julianna: Oh my God. >> : Thank God for radio and Scene M. >> Julianna: In so many ways. Okay, okay. Uh, emotional damage. >> : Well, this next beer you poured for us, jb is pretty good. >> Julianna: So let's chat about it.

>> : So. >> Dave: Whoa. >> Julianna: Yeah. Okay, so thank you to good old boy Tim for bringing this. Now this. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : So much wood. >> : It's a byproduct. Thank you, North Carolina. >> Dave: For 15 years, this is a family show. >> Julianna: Okay, this is the batch 1000. This is 11 and a half percent ABV. Okay. So you're not going to feel your molars. It's okay.

Um, Bourbon barrel aged Imperial dark ale brewed with turbinado sugar, dried cherries, golden raisins, star anise, rose hips and plums. Each of the first three brewers at Wicked Weed. So Luke, Walt and Eric chose two of the ingredients that were used in the special batch. >> : How come I have a feeling this is a pre acquisition beer? >> Tim: I think it was. >> Julianna: This is a pre acquisition beer. >> Tim: I know it was because I bought it. >> Julianna: Right.

>> Tim: I'm not, I'm like literally not joking though. >> Julianna: No, this, this is right. This is a pre acquisition beer. >> : None of my money shall go to in bed. >> Julianna: And this honestly represents the heyday of what we enjoyed about Wicked Wheat. Um, because I have like two untapped. >> Tim: Do you? >> Julianna: Yeah, yeah. And one of them was last year we had a bottle that we opened up and then the other One was from 2017. Yeah.

>> : Great beer. Very complex. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : It's great. >> : Um, it's like 20 layer cake. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yeah, I'm not getting it, the rose hips or any of that stuff, but turbinado and raisins, like all day long for sure. >> Julianna: Yeah. And a little bit of the cherry, you know, like, like a whiskey cherry kind of thing going on.

>> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Uh, yeah, all in there, but so much wood from like. >> Julianna: Right. >> Dave: It's all wooden anus. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Yes. >> Dave: I mean it's great. >> : Yeah. >> Julianna: No, and this is a five because this, this really represents the greatness. >> Tim: It has a date on the bottle, I think.

>> Dave: You know what? And we're gonna give good old boy Tim a five for bringing. >> : Oh, yeah. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Good job, Tim. >> Julianna: This was bottled 321 16. >> Tim: Okay. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Oh, yeah, that was before. In the before times when we were all young and the long ago. >> Julianna: Right.

>> : Well, I think to, uh, wrap up a little bit of our conversation of our topic today is, you know, I, I look forward to going back and listening to this episode like five years from now and going, Hm, we were right. Or we were wrong, you know, because. >> Julianna: Right. >> : I don't think any of us would have guessed this is where, you know, a lot of these beers from Acquisition would have wound up, you know.

>> Julianna: Yeah. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Do you remember what Sparks was like before the stroke? >> : We're not here listening to this episode. >> Tim: Right. >> Julianna: Okay. Good boy, Mike. Thanks for being here. >> : Hey, uh, thanks for joining us today. Come back, uh, listen to another exciting episode of Sip, Suds and Smokes. I will ask you to keep on sipping big ginger.

>> Julianna: Goode boy, Sparky. Thanks for being here. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : I will do my all for the University of Tennessee. >> Dave: See? >> : Wow. >> Julianna: Good a boy. Tim. Thanks for bringing the beer and thanks for being here. >> Tim: Oh, thanks for having me. Wicked Weed was an early craft beer love, especially from North Carolina. So it's fun to revisit and yeah, thanks.

>> Julianna: Cool. Good a boy, Dave. >> Tim: My nipples are always hard. >> : Yeah, I knew it was coming. >> Julianna: And that's. Yeah. Goes with that saying. >> : You just had that taste. That was it. >> Julianna: It's good to come to keep on struggling and. And God bless. We'll see you next time. >> Announcer: We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you're listening to us online, do yourself a favor and tap. Just tap it in the subscribe button.

>> Tim: Give it a little tappy. >> Identification Announcer: On the next episode of Sips, suds and : Tap, tap, taparoo. >> Announcer: The easiest way to listen to our show is to ask Siri, Alexa, Google, Uncle Larry, or whoever it is that talks to you on your phone play podcast, Sip, Suds and Smokes. We love your feedback and you can reach us at info@sipsudsandsmokes.com our tasting notes flow out on Twitter and Instagram with our

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>> Announcer: This has been a one tan hand production of Sips, Suds and Smokes, a program devoted to the appreciation of some of the finer slices of life from the dude in the basement studios. Your host. The good old boys will see you all next time.