Although I tend to think of myself as a traditionalist, at least where beer is concerned, there are time when throwing the old textbooks out the window is a very good thing. And although I have recently been quoted as saying something to the effect of wanting more classic beers, more of the old school, and less of the salted-watermelon saison, sour cherry robutussin-barrel aged stout, imperial butterscotch cream ale, on occasion a crazy concoction just bowls me over and brings a smile at the brilliance of craft beer.
One such creation comes to us from the fantastic brewers at Ballast Point Brewing Company out of the hotbed of beer that is the San Diego, California area. Ballast Point has been heavy on my radar for several years now, after stumbling on their Sculpin IPA, possibly one of it not the best standard American versions of the style made today.
Another huge favorite is their Calico Amber Ale, an American take on the traditional English ESB, a super malty, 5.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) beer that goes SoCal with west coast hops to clean it up and give it a puckering kick. A desert island beer for sure.
The exploits of Victory at Sea, the brewery’s excellent Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter have been rung far and wide by me in this column and to anyone who will listen. But it was a limited release that just snuck in under the radar that really made me stop and think about how much I love Ballast Point.
Indra Kuindra is classified as a Foreign Export Stout, in the vein of the stronger, more alcoholic, and sweeter versions of stouts that were shipped on the long journey’s from England and Ireland to the tropics. Bigger, boozy and sweeter, if you have never had Guinness Foreign Export Stout, you’re in for a real treat should you locate one.
However, this export stout from Ballast Point is almost unrecognizable compared to that dark ale from St. James’ Gate in Dublin…maybe if you think Ireland by way of southern India.
From the label: “Indra Kunindra is a burst of Madras Curry, Cumin, Cayenne, Coconut and Kaffir Lime Leaf. Enjoy! Our India-style Export Stout is a unique collaboration with award-winning home brewer Alex Tweet. Released in limited quantities, this explosion of South Asian flavors is reason enough to kneel down and thank the heavens. And further proof of San Diego’s status as a brewer’s playground, and a beer lover’s utopia.”
The somewhat menacing octopus on the label, clutching a variety of spices in its arms, sets the stage for this 7% ABV encounter. Mind-blowing may be a touch of an overstatement, but I have not had a beer this interesting in quite a while. Sweet and spicy, carbonated and tingly yet creamy, flavors of stout ale meld with madras curry and coconut to make one very novel creation. You are convinced the beer at hand is a stout, yet sweet curry and a peppery finish call your certainty into question in the most pleasurable way possible.
Absolutely not a beach or lawnmower beer, this is a food-pairing dream, if not a dessert option. I just cannot tell if I love this beer because it is so unusual and original, or if I love it because it’s an excellent ale. Who cares, its wild, dig the South Asian flare. Enjoy the brews … Cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.
 

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