Some brews are sneaky. They confuse the senses, making you wonder what the hell it is you’re drinking. Encore is one such brew. A nice light wheat beer can make for a great summertime refresher, while heavier IPAs offer a little more weight that’s typically not as sessionable. Encore attempts to blend the two with some sassy flair, but while it gets off to a good start, I’m not entirely sure the end result is worth sticking around for to catch a repeat performance.

The Rundown:

Encore is a limited edition IPA/Wheat Beer hybrid that’s part of Magic Hat’s year-long IPA On Tour series. Yeah, and the 6.4 percent ABV? Let’s rock-n-roll!

Label – A gnarly lighter erupts flame from the crowd as rock-n-rollers do their thing on-stage. This beer alternately makes me want to shout “SLAYER!!!” and then “FREEBIRD!!!!”

Appearance – Encore’s medium golden color is muddied slightly by wheaty haze. It sports a thick creamy white head that dissipates ever-so-slowly, leaving ample lacing on its way down. Very nice.

Aroma – Simply beautiful. Pungent grapefruit aromas mingle with lots of pineapple and citrusy sweetness that entices the nose. My stomach is rumbling. Let’s do this.

Taste – Hopheads will definitely feel teased, as there’s less hop aggression on the palate as is suggested in the aroma with this one. Caramel sweetness and a hint of grapefruit give way to wheat and pine which stick around for a bit on the tongue. The hops are present but subdued, letting the wheat take over a hair in the finish.

Overall– Encore gets off a to a bold start but flounders a bit in the flavor department. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for more casual imbibers. This beer is very drinkable, save for its high alcohol content, but hop addicts will find it lacks that sustaining punch they crave from a good hefty IPA.

Verdict: C+