Magic Hat Heart of Darkness

I stopped by the "Artifactory" (Magic Hat) today after work to see what was brewing. I haven't kept up with any of their seasonal beers lately as my interests have turned to newer breweries' creations. It has also been a while since my last post so I decided to give Heart of Darkness a try - A dark stout balanced with English hops for a dark, winter night. Their website describes the yeast as an English-style ale yeast, which I believe is Ringwood like most of their other beers.

Alcohol Content: 5.7%
IBU: 30
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Crystal, Roasted Barley, Chocolate, Munich
Hops: Apollo, Goldings

Price: ~$15/ Variety pack

Aroma: Smooth, bittersweet chocolate mingles with touches of roasted barley. Alcohol adds spice and complexity, with a faint ester of winter-fruit. Hops add light floral notes but are mostly masked by the fermentation and malt backbone. Chocolate comes back around with subtle warmth - this is the most noticeable probably for new tasters.
Appearance: Jet black, or as they say inky black. Even under bright lighting I can hardly pick out any other colors such as deep reds typically present to some degree in stouts (more so for porters). An SRM (Standard Reference Method) of 80 units is a lab technique to describe this as a very dark stout - other examples may fall in the 40's range. A thick frothy brown head develops and remains afloat for quite some time.
Flavor: Letting the beer warm for a few minutes to pick out aromas and flavors, my senses were quickly turned to the bittersweet notes of chocolate malt, crystal, and Munich. A moderate level of caramel sweetness is perceived at the front end of the palate but comes back around even stronger in the finish, leaving residual sweetness in the aftertaste. Combined with roast and more chocolate notes, the beer finishes with a touch of alcohol spice. Hops contribute to the perceived floral spiciness. I picked up on grainy notes after drinking about half of the glass. Yeast character provides some fruity background notes of fig.
Mouthfeel: Moderately heavy body with a silky texture.Warmth in the finish and aftertaste from the alcohol. Considerable degree of astringency, giving that puckering effect in aftertaste. Despite the astringency, it starts out smooth and is pretty easy-drinking. Some residual sweetness and slightly tannic (think wine). A better description for the overall mouthfeel is that it leaves a dry, coffee-like finish from roasted grains. Strongly brewed coffee is a great example of the astringent bite.
Overall Impression: I was surprised to come across such a degree of astringency. A little is okay but this was a just too much for me. Depending on what type of chocolate malt they used, perhaps a paler malt and revising the roasted barley would aid in contributing a more pleasant aftertaste. Yeast adds another layer of flavor that complements the bittersweet chocolate. This is one of three stouts currently available from the brewery this winter.

Magic Hat Feast of Fools

One of three Stouts currently available during the winter season, Feast of Fools features a limited batch of raspberry-infused stout (in this case raspberry extract). The other two winter varieties are Heart of Darkness (available in variety packs) and their "artifactory" series Maple Chocolate Stout. I was able to pick up a wax-dipped 22oz bottle of Feast of Fools to bring home for the snowy evening.

Alcohol Content: 5.3%
IBU: 28
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Cara, Munich, Chocolate, Roasted Barley
Hops: Columbus

Price: 8$/ Holiday wax-dipped bomber
Medium: Pint glass

Aroma: Intensely fruity, borderline perfume-like esters form from the combination of an english ale yeast and raspberry extract. The raspberry aromas are supported by cocoa and roast. A highly sweet malty nose suggests an overly sweet, "syrupy" beer. No hop aroma.
Appearance: 22 oz bomber perfectly dipped in dark red wax with a little gift card attached to the neck of the bottle for the holiday season. Poured a thick mocha head with good retention. Mostly black with some ruby red highlights in bright lighting.
Flavor: Sweet, malty, and syrupy as the nose suggests. Raspberry plays a major role mid-palate and becomes the showcase into the aftertaste. Malts provide extra sweetness to play with the raspberry extract. Roast is light for the style, with more emphasis on the cocoa notes from presumably from chocolate malt. No hop flavors, some bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Bitterness is moderately low in comparison to a heavy malt body. Cloyingly sweet on the tongue and sides of the mouth (syrupy). Carbonation moderately high to help alleviate the heavy body (to some degree). Some creaminess is good. Some alcohol warmth. Served at about 55F.
Overall Impression: A good beer in many regards; On the other hand, perhaps a little too much carbonation was dialed in to compensate for the overly sweet, heavy body. Raspberry extract provides more of a perfume-like quality that disagrees with my palate and nose. 22oz is a lot to handle and one pint was more than enough to sip on for the evening. An obvious pairing would be dark fruit desserts or chocolate cake.

Magic Hat Vinyl

Magic Hat Vinyl is a self-defined American Amber Lager. According to their website, availability is from January 15- March 31 but this just came on tap for Mardi Gras the first weekend in March (plus I recall it lingering into May of last year). This recipe combines an interesting combination of lager yeast with ale characteristics.

Alcohol Content: 5.1%
IBU: 20
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Crystal, Munich, Victory
Hops: Apollo, Northern Brewer

Price: $3.50/ pint at RJ's
Medium: Pint glass

Aroma: Slightly toasted and even some hints of nuttiness are submerged within an unexpected caramel nose. Approaches a roasted/ chocolate-like character but this is very minimal. Fermentation character seems clean enough for a lager but some fruitiness is tucked in there. Hop aroma is slim to nonexistent. Mainly malt driven with some hints of the darker varieties.
Appearance: Very clear with a dark amber color. Approaching something of a red ale but looks more like an amber. Poured for a persistent white-ish head with creamy spots billowing up on the surface. Carbonation looks normal as shown by a steady stream of bubbles flowing uniformly from the bottom up. Looks filtered. Strong lacing throughout.
Flavor: A surprising hint of toasted nutty character is presented alongside an initial caramel sweetness. Bitterness is mild and rather clean. Some earthy and woody hop flavors are hidden amongst the forward malt character. Aftertaste contains some residual sweetness, especially of caramel. No distinct yeast character. Balanced more towards the malts.
Mouthfeel: Moderate body leaning towards a heavier mouthfeel, supported by moderately-strong carbonation and a decent finish. I sense some degree of bicarbonates in the water but I can't fully describe it - this played a role mainly in the aftertaste and affected the flavor as well as mouthfeel. The experience was similar to when you switch to a different source of drinking water and notice a sulfury aftertaste.
Overall Impression: I had no idea what I was getting myself into when it was first presented to me - an Amber Lager? The mouth wants to taste what the eyes perceive, so even though its a lager I expected certain ale qualities to shine through (and they did). Very flavorful and not exactly a session beer. I would stay away from this as the summer draws nearer, but for now its still a decent option.

Magic Hat Single Chair

Single Chair represents the single chair lift of Mad River Glen Ski Area. Its availability is year round in Vermont only. The style is a Golden Beer (ale) but it has some interesting lager-like characteristics.

Alcohol Content: 5%
IBU: 17
Malts: Pilsner
Hops: Hallertau

Price: $3.50 for a pint
Medium: On draught served in a regular pint glass

Aroma: Very light hop character with a slight noble earthiness. Malt profile is straight pilsner, representing a sweet, grainy character with some hints of corn. Somewhat bready. Also consistent with a lager-like crispness. Overall very clean with a slightly dry nose. Is this really an Ale?
Appearance: Poured for a large frothy white head and presented like any other lager. Deep golden color with some straw tints. Good clarity approaching brilliant. Strong head retention and a great deal of lacing. Carbonation looks great, with lots of bubbling just under the surface when swirled (also with the pour).
Flavor: Very pale malt sweetness with an overall grainy character. Very refreshing and clean - no distinct yeast characters. No strong hop flavors or aromas - the finish and aftertaste is a bit sweet with a balanced bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Pleasant creaminess and refreshingly smooth with a crisp/ clean finish. Ake's place served it very cold which helped emphasize the lager-like characteristics. Carbonation was moderately strong. Medium to thin bodied. Some watery qualities. I feel like it should be on one of those "drinkability" commercials - what is that anyway?
Overall Impression: Hipsters unite - if you're sick of everyone stealing your image associated with drinking PBR and you're looking to pay more money just to stand out, then this is the beer for you. The classy (or at least crafty) beer that's just slightly better than PBR and certainly not worth the money. Hard to say how accurate it is to style. Not much to drool over but at least its refreshing.

Magic Hat Juniper Rye

A typical Finnish Sahti is a style of beer brewed with rye and juniper berries and fermented with wild yeast. Magic Hat's Juniper Rye is brewed with both rye and juniper berries but fermented with an English Ale yeast. I sampled it at Junior's on Main St.  - can be found only on draught at various locations. Junior's recently got a very nice draught tower currently with three beers on tap. Stop in for great beer and pizza.

Alcohol Content: 7.2%

IBU: 25

Malts: 2-Row Pale, Rye Malt, Cara Vienna, Carafa

Hops: Northern Brewery

Adjuncts: Juniper Berries

Price: $5.25
Medium: Served in a regular pint glass

Aroma: A dominantly spicy and herbal aroma with a bit of a pepper kick to it. There in lies some bready malts and earthy/ somewhat piney hops. The pine nose could be more consistent with the use of juniper berries over the NB hops. Minimally sweet and slightly toasted malt backbone.
Appearance: Presented a slightly hazy, deep amber color. Poured for a rather thin, white-ish head that started to fade after a few sips, keeping to the sides of the glass.
Flavor: Some butterscotch/ toffee qualities and a slightly toasted sweetness in the beginning. This is quickly overrun by a spicy graininess and a hint of pine in the bitterness. The finish was moderately dry with an herbal tea-like spice. The presence of juniper berries was only slightly apparent about mid-taste. A nice balance of spice and sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Although spicy, I was impressed with the smoothness from start to finish. There's also a nice warming sensation from the alcohol content which paired with the spicy graininess. Moderate body and some creaminess. Also a bit chewy, possibly from a large amount of unfermentable sugars.
Overall Impression: I figure this to be one of the best beers that Magic Hat has introduced. However, I would have liked to see more of a presence from the juniper berries. If you like this then you would definitely like Goose Island's Mild Winter.

Magic Hat Ravell

Magic Hat Ravell is a Vanilla Porter fermented with English Ale yeast. This newly crafted brew is available October 15- January 15, although I had this one draught just two days ago. Kegs should be getting kicked soon. A decent experience but if you want to get your hands on an even better one then I suggest the Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter (can be purchased in $4 bottles at Ake's place).

Alcohol Content: 5.8%
IBU: 28
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Crystal, Chocolate
Hops: Apollo
Adjuncts: Whole Vanilla Beans

Price: $3.00 for a pint at Ake's Place
Medium: Served in a regular pint glass

Aroma: Overall roasted character with a large vanilla influence. Hop aroma is almost nonexistent - although the beer was served way too cold. A potent bittersweet chocolate profile with a bit of a smokiness probably hides the hops as well.
Appearance: Dominantly black, approaching opaque with some dark ruby tints around the top edges. Server poured it for an overly large tan head that held its own for a long time. Was very thick and frothy. Carbonation impossible to see.
Flavor: Roasted from start to finish with a minimal degree of smokiness. Bittersweet chocolate notes upfront with vanilla playing a major role as well, giving it a sort of s'mores taste. Bitterness is certainly apparent but theres no real contributing flavors from the hops, maybe the slightest of citrus. Somewhat burnt finish leaves an interesting aftertaste - slight astringency/ harshness from roasted grain.
Mouthfeel: Very thick/ dextrinous body with a bit of a creaminess. It was definitely better than the bottled version I had earlier. Served too cold making the experience seem more smooth at the beginning with more defined flavors and aromas towards the middle/end.
Overall Impression: Not too impressed with this one because of its rich, creamy texture and heavy body. The malt profile was sweet and dense - quite similar to my own attempt at a vanilla porter, which came out with a low attenuation.

Magic Hat Encore IPA

Magic Hat Encore is the winter session of the IPA On Tour series, rotating with Demo, Blind Faith, and HI.P.A. Giving credit to the brewery for some creativity, this unique version of IPA combines a mix of American wheat beer and traditional India Pale Ale (not an official style but nonetheless intriguing).

Alcohol Content: 6.4%

IBU: 45

Malts: 2-Row Pale, Wheat, Cara Vienna

Hops: Apollo, Simcoe, Amarillo

Medium: 12oz bottle poured into a tall mug

Price: $14.00 for a 12-pack winter sampler

Aroma: Bold, floral, grapefruit (citrusy), grassy, and perhaps fruity esters from yeast activity. Its very reminiscent of the use of Simcoe hops. The sweet malt nose is rather bland, but perhaps its masked by the characteristically bold hop presence. I expected more of a caramel sweetness from the malts.

Appearance: Poured for a large white foam with decent head retention. Strong carbonation as shown by its very bubbly appearance. Hazy, perhaps from the wheat malts and/or dry hopping rates. Color is of golden orange.

Flavor: Initially sweet malts but then quickly overrun by a resiny, grassy, spicy, and fruity bitterness - yes all of that. Citrus qualities are of grapefruit, along with some other undefined fruity character (perhaps within a yeasty/ bready profile). Some drying as expected along with a molasses-like sweetness that lingers into the aftertaste. The sweetness reminds me of an English Special Bitter (E.S.B.) but the hop profile still dominates this one.

Mouthfeel: The resiny bittering qualities are fast to coat the mouth. A strong carbonation slightly deters the experience. Consists of a moderate body with some thickness leaning towards a chewy character (also reminiscent of an E.S.B). Some alcohol warmth to it and a suspended dry aftertaste.

Overall Impression: Because its really a hybrid of styles, its hard to give an accurate measure to its appropriateness/ fit with a true American IPA. Its got a big hop profile but the malt balance does not quite match with an IPA. Although I still enjoyed it :)

Magic Hat Howl

Magic Hat Howl is a Black Lager typically known as a German Schwarzbier (Black Beer). This particular example is fermented with San Francisco Lager yeast, which is stylistic of California Common - A hybrid style that uses a particular strain of lager yeast capable of fermenting at slightly warmer temperatures than other lagers. For a Schwarzbier, this should be interesting...

Alcohol Content: 4.6

IBU: 32

Malts: 2-Row Pale, Carafa, Cara, Munich, Crystal

Hops: Apollo, Hallertau

Price: $14.00 for a 12-pack Magic Hat sampler

Medium: 12oz bottle poured into a pint glass

Aroma: A spicy noble hop character is revealed first and then overrun by hints of smokey, cacao or bittersweet chocolate, and other deep roasted qualities. The munich malt presence is only slightly clear at this point. A bit of a dark coffee nose to it as well, especially in each breathe I take - yuk.

Appearance: Very dark brown approaching black - when held up to the light its still as clear as a lager should be with some garnet tints. Poured for a moderately large, tan head that slowly dissipates but still covers the surface. Also, a small constant flow of bubbles like tiny geysers across the surface.

Flavor: Initially rich and sweet with a Munich malt presence followed by a bittersweet chocolate and smokey character. Roasted malt flavors hit about mid pallet and finishes a bit acrid/ harsh. The roasted profile clearly dominates over any Munich qualities. Bitterness is spicy and balances the malts well. Everything else feels clean, giving it a sort of lager crispness. Aftertaste consists of a lingering astringency with some residual chocolate-like sweetness and a small amount of drying.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and moderately high carbonation (acceptable). Bitterness feels "hot"- or perhaps the mid-end pallet altogether, thus not a direct result of the spicy bittering qualities. Increasingly acrid/ harsh throughout the session.

Overall Impression: Reminds me too much of a porter and perhaps does not fit the definition of a Schwarzbier appropriately. The aftertaste is slightly unpleasant and just doesn't cut it either. Drinkable but I wouldn't recommend a 6-pack - Variety packs suffice. I'm curious as to how the yeast strain plays a role in this one since much of the flavors were dominated by the malts and hops.

Magic Hat #9

Magic Hat #9 is a "not quite pale ale" brewed with the natural flavor of apricots. I assume this label to mean that Magic Hat uses apricot extract to flavor the beer instead of using whole apricots. Nonetheless, its crisp fruity character makes for a refreshing experience. Available year round and always offered as part of Magic Hat seasonal variety packs. (Fruit beer - section 20).

Alcohol Content: 5.1%
International Bitterness Units (IBU): 20
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Crystal
Hops: Apollo, Cascade

Price: $14.00 for a 12-pack winter sampler
Medium: 12oz bottle poured into a pint glass

Aroma: Sweet fruity esters are perceived first, followed by a restrained citrusy hop profile. The light malty notes upfront contain hints of sweet biscuit and wheat characteristics (although no wheat is used). The citrus profile is of pear, oranges, and of course apricots. Overall the nose is sweet & tart with a hint of yeast character.
Appearance: Poured for a deep golden color with a small white head that dissipates to a thin film fairly quickly. Small degree of retention and no lacing. Presented chill haze that was slow to clear and never showed any true brilliance. Very bubbly suggests strong carbonation.
Flavor: At first a restrained sweet caramel and slightly biscuity character with a sour/ tart bitterness hitting about mid pallet and exponentially getting sweeter/ more apricot-like in the finish (quite a synergy of events). No distinct hop flavors detected in the bitterness, perhaps a bit grassy - also expected it to be a bit more citrusy, as suggested by the aroma. Somewhat fruity esters presented by a yeasty and grainy character. Aftertaste is moderately dry but still crisp and refreshing. More malt/ sweet balanced.
Mouthfeel: Very strong carbonation as expected, close to drinking champagne. Moderately light body with an overall sweet profile that is not too cloying. Pleasantly smooth.
Overall Impression: The message under the cap read, "If you're in jail, your friends pay bail". Definitely one of the better quotes from a bottle cap - cheers to John Dubs. Although a very drinkable beer, perhaps the fruitiness deters drinking more than one or two at a time. Great for that sunny afternoon at the beach (now served in cans).