Many, many moons ago (I’m talking late eighties here folks) I worked with a guy that used to accuse me of drinking “weird beers”. If he could only see me now, all these years later, I can only imagine what he’d think about my beer drinking habits. Then too, he might cast an even more suspicious eye on my good buddy Indiana Krunkles, who you see is always in search of, well, weird beer.

Case in point is perhaps Indy’s weirdest concoction yet, Indiana Krunkles Wheat IPA, release 15 in the Side Project Series of beers from Athens, Georgia’s Terrapin Brewing Company. The beer is a sort of hybrid between Hefeweizen and IPA, something I don’t think I’ve yet come across in my beer-seeking travels. Of course, new and exotic styles and combinations of styles of beer are very common these days in the halls of beer geekdom.

Anyway, I’ll let Indy do the talking and tell you about the beer, straight from the Terrapin webpage:

The Legend of Krunkles lives on with number 15 in our Side Project series of beers. “Indiana Krunkles” Wheat I.P.A. boasts all the hop adventure of an American I.P.A. while leading you on a quest for the malt and yeast found in a traditional German Hefeweizen. Explore all the unique flavor of this unconventional wheat beverage while your senses take you on a journey into complete beer nirvana. We hope you enjoy this audacious brew!

ABV: 6.7%

OG: 15.8

FG: 2.2

Malts: 2-row pale, Wheat, Munich, Victory, Acidulated, Crystal 24*L

Hops: Bravo, Amarillo, Centennial, Dry Hop (Falconer’s Flight)

And here’s what I think:

Indiana Krunkles Wheat IPA pours to a cloudy orange yellow color with a thick creamy head formation and a caramel and banana nose. This is definitely a weird beer. At first, there’s caramel up front like an IPA, tempered by some tart crackery wheat notes. Notes of banana are light and though I don’t get clove the tropical fruit suggests a bit of hefeweizen. Then come the hops in the finish, very bitter if not very aromatic. I do get a bit of herbal grass, but only a bit, then a long dry finish like an IPA. In fact, a huge bitter finish. Alcohol content is closer to IPA levels at 7.3% by volume.

Terrapin is trying to combine two styles here and they have succeeded in preserving the spirit of both, I think, though I am not sure this works for me. Hefeweizens are not known for their hoppy finishes, so in a way the beer seems a bit incongruous. Still, kudos for being original and interesting. I think I would buy it again to see if it grows on me.

Average in price at $7.99 for the 22 ounce bottle.



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