A hybrid style between basic wheat beers and barleywines, the wheatwine (sometimes referred to as an Imperial/Double Wheat) is a relatively "new" creation with a growing number of brewers making attempts at the style. They can range from deep golden or straw to orange-brown in color and be anywhere from clear to cloudy in appearance. As their name (barleywine) implies, they are often quite strong in aroma and flavor in both alcohol and malt content. The malt base is not only rich, but includes a signifcant amount (but no more than 50%) of wheat in the profile. American wheatwines are typically balanced out with a significant amount of hops (much like an American wheat beer, tipping toward a hoppy vs. malty emphasis), although as more brewers create new examples of this style, the boundaries may become broader. For now, most wheatwines on beerpal are imperal American wheat beers, while most of the higher alcohol content (but less than 8% ABV) German wheat beers are still classified as hefeweizens.
