Single Chair Ale - Magic Hat Brewing Company

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

somewhat less than a pale ale in my opinion. pours almost clear beach sand color with a one inch white head that dies out after a couple minutes. the small is qute malty, but on the lighter end of the spectrum. no hops to really speak of aromatically. flavor is a bit more balanced than the nose. this is just an easy drinking session beer, with nothing to really set it apart. the hops only present themselves in the finish, which is mildly bitter. feel is fine, lighter in body and well carbonated. i tend to like my pale ales with a little more going on, fuller body, more hops etc., but if you want a nice cruisy drinking pale ale, this could be your beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2012 15:23:01 | More by StonedTrippin

jtierney89

New Jersey

2.3/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap pours a very clear gold color with a lasting bright white head smell is floral subdued and dry grain like extremely crisp body is a little thin but not super watery crisp cold sliced apples come to mind on the palette flavors are subdued and not over the top floral hop presence brings about a nice dry finish to balance the slight amount of helles lager like sweetness that is also present in the beer subtle notes of dried pares along with a caramel sweetness somewhere in the middle easy drinking but nothing special at all.

just noticed I really had to dig for those flavors. A certain grainy macro beer flavor is present as well and takes away from the subtle notes that are difficult to find anyway. not a huge fan.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2012 01:03:26 | More by jtierney89

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had on draft at The Rusty Nail in Stowe, VT 12/9
Served in a pint glass

A: This beer pours a light golden color with a 1/2 inch of sudsy head. Head recedes at a moderate pace, leaving nice wispy sheets of lacing.

S: Nose is sweet, muted fruit, grainy and bready.

T: Taste starts with grainy notes and light caramel malt. Touches of sweet corn in the finish.

M: Light bodied, moderate carbonation, crisp with a slick finish.

O: Goes down ok, somewhat tasty, not filling, mild kick, not a great representation of style. This would be a good alternative to BMC, but not something I would seek out.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2011 17:50:11 | More by Jayli

Arenbeer

Connecticut

3.03/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle into a tumbler glass

No date on bottle

A- Pours a lemonade yellow with 1 finger of bright white head that sticks around due to tons of carbonation streaming up from the bottom of the glass.

S- Pale malts with an almost wheat aroma that's very bready and maybe some skunk. No hops at all other than a slight earthiness but not in your face like most APA's.

T- Are you sure this isn't a lager? Lots of fruity esters from what seems like the yeast. Once again the mouth is coated with bready malts, possibly wheat and an almost corn like taste. Not good.

M- Light bodied with a good amount of carbonation and a mouth coating wet finish.

Skål!

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 20:58:42 | More by Arenbeer

BierFan

Michigan

3.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a pint glass.

Hazy golden body with a thin white head. Almost no lacing. The smell is somewhat tart. Mild yeast flavor and pale malts on the tongue. Good mouthfeel.

Doesn't really impress greatly but it's a fine ale for a simple style.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2011 07:09:46 | More by BierFan

Lauthaha

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +26.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a beer mug.

Appearance: Pours a light golden color with great transparence. Head is super-frothy and pours very high, while heavy carbonation visible through the glass bubbles its way up through the head and out of the beer. Head dimples down nicely, with some light, bubbly lacing as it recedes.

Smell: Grassy, bitter hop character accented by some very gentle floral tones. Some mild sweetness with the malt.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Beer has a perfect level of carbonation; keeps things active but doesn't overpower. A great malt base takes hold on the tongue, and a gentle herbal spiciness dots through the malt. Very nice APA.

Overall: Not over-the-top, out-of-this world awesome, but hey...it's a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 04:33:23 | More by Lauthaha

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

2.23/5  rDev -33%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

First had: on tap at Casey's, Newtown Square, PA

Poured into a pint glass, a clear, very light, straw yellow with a finger and a half of foamy white head, that laced well and receded to a thin layer after a minute or so. Aroma was very light, but grains and floral hops were noticeable. Very light in taste too, almost like an adjunct, light sweet malts, and crisp hops; crisp and clean overall, but not very flavorful and a bit watery. Light-bodied and quite drinkable for even the most conservative drinker, but not something I'd ever get again...just too bland and light for me.

Magic Hat just isn't that good.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2011 22:54:44 | More by Rifugium

CHickman

New York

2.63/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours cloudy bright yellow color with creamy 2 finger snow white head that's full of bubbles that faded kind of slow and left a creamy layer on top and good lacing sticking to the sides; pours out of a bottle like it came from a tap.

Smells of wheat, roasted grains, yeast, hay, grass, corn husk and earthy tones and some metallic funk; this smells like a grain silo. It is really a very odd aroma that smells like it was mixed in a health food store.

Tastes like it smells, with wheat, roasted grains, yeast, hay, grass, corn husk, light sweet malt, caramel, flowers or light floral hops, lemon, wood chips, earthy tones like peat moss and some metallic funk; a strange beer that's part Belgian and part wheat beer, and yet kind of like a cleansing shake. It’s more grains than beer in the nose and I don’t think I like it.

Mouthfeel is light and crisp with light carbonation, a light body and a dry grainy finish that's almost tart. Not sure I really like this as it seems like it was too healthy or earthy for me. Another strange Magic Hat beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 04:18:52 | More by CHickman

jondeelee

Massachusetts

2.88/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Single Chair begins with a smooth, malty nose that bears a remarkable resemblance to hot buttered French bread--the quality kind served before a meal in fancy restaurants. Beneath that is a slightly sour (in comparison) layer of fresh wheat, smelling like wet wheat fields, as well as light, sparkling fruit esters such as berry and apricot.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a strong wheat and grain note, resembling biscuits, toast, and Grape Nuts cereal rolled into one, as well as a hint of rice cereal. A slight bitter bite at the edges tells of hops, but there is little taste to that hop presence. Very light fruit esters--again, apricot and berry--linger at the extreme edges. Mostly, however, the taste is grains, and the beer thus resembles sucking on fresh malt. Mouthfeel is medium-light, and carbonation is medium to medium-high.

Overall, while this is still far better fare than, say, a Bud, the beer lacks any distinctive characteristics, and also lacks diversity in its flavor profile. A few more sugars and fruit esters would have helped here, or at least another handful of hops.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 01:41:43 | More by jondeelee

ShrinerMcBitey

Florida

3.6/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: 12 oz bottle with best by date on neck, hard to read. Pours light golden, cloudy suspension like. initial head a little better than 1 finger that settles down to a thin head but hangs around for almost the entire beer. Minimal, but some, lacing

S: Faintly floral, faint citrus

T: Kind of biscuity with slight citrus hop bite. Pretty well balanced. Malt mostly an undertone.

M: Slightly astringent but not drying. Good.

Overall I like this "Golden Beer". It's not super memorable, but is an easy drinker with enough flavors to keep you satisfied.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 21:57:35 | More by ShrinerMcBitey

TheHopMonster

New York

3.95/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance:

Pale golden color with a thick white head and fast rising bubbles. Looks very clean and refreshing lets see if it is.

Smell:

From the moment I put the brew in front of me I could smell this beer. I can pick out some tree fruits such as pears, bananas, and some spice notes like a faint hint of white pepper. Some hop notes with mild floral characteristics.

Taste:

Clean and refreshing as I predicted. Buttery biscuits with a clean floral juiciness that's nothing like I have experienced before. I can almost pick out hints of ginger and fruit zests.

Mouth feel:

Really clean and easy to drink for an ale. Easy on the stomach too, I could drink many of these. I just wish it had a little more aggressive character to it

Overall:

Excellent summer beer. Refreshing without sacrificing taste. I wouldn't mind having another one of these. Well done MH

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2011 22:22:06 | More by TheHopMonster

twiggamortis420

Texas

2.7/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle with a best by stamp of SEP302011. Pours a lightly hazed, gold color with a bubbly white head. Retention is good and lacing is not.

Nose is fruity and floral hops with a light grain and biscuit malt background. Straightforward and simple.

Taste is quite tart, was not expecting that at all. Lemony and grainy with a mild floral hoppiness. Lots of carbonation, little bit of zest here and there. All in all, this beer is unremarkable. Glad I only got a single of this, and as an APA (as classified here) a pretty big disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 18:17:33 | More by twiggamortis420

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up a single at Trader Joe's. Poured from the bottle into a standard pint glass. Golden yellow color. Small white head, but it fades away quickly. Decent carbonation. Smell was grassy and musty. Taste was adequate, with enough hops at the very end to give this beer a slight kick of flavor. Decent amount of malt lends the beer a fairly good base. The beer really doesn't stand out either way. Not bad, nothing great. Not worth putting down money for a six pack. There are better tasting APAs out there.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 03:59:24 | More by morebeergood

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Slightly hazy pale golden body into a pint glass. Foamy white head forms to about a finger in size and retains decently. Small white ring leaves only a bit of lace.

S- Has a peach/apricot note that reminds me a lot of #9. Thats mostly what I get from s fairly faint overall aroma.

T- A nice apricot note layed onto a hoppy pale flavor. Hops give notes of lemon zest, pine, herbal and peach. I also pick up some bread, light malt, corn and sweets.

MF- Creamy light-end body with high carbonation. Silky feel with a somewhat bitter finish.

A good pale ale with nice fruit flavors. Kind of reminds me of #9, doubt they meant that though.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 02:03:52 | More by cbutova

JEdmund

Kansas

3.78/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I’m really thrown here because I felt certain I was drinking an American pale wheat... Anywho.

Looks like a hazy blonde and forms a smallish head. Aroma is malty and slightly grassy hops are detectable. Malt gives a nice smell (which I thought were from wheat), with dough and honey notes. Flavor is light but enjoyable. No off flavors. A smooth malt profile with a light body and finish. Carbonation is good and texture is smooth. Low bitterness but enough in the finish to end dry and leave me wanting more. Website lists Hallertau and Apollo hops with an IBU of 17.

It's not wowing me, but I am enjoying it on this hot July day. An easy drinking, pleasant beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 12:11:07 | More by JEdmund

lechroy

California

2.88/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle in Turner, ME. A is a cloudy with a skinny half finger head. S is extremely light and bitter. T is biscuity and thin. Lacking teeth or any memorable flavor. M is ok but very watery feeling. O it leaves a lot to be desired. Decent for hot summer days and has a nice label. Missed me on this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 22:29:50 | More by lechroy

weller1js

West Virginia

3.45/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

appearance: pours a pale, slightly golden yellow, slightly hazy and heavily carbonated with white bubbly foam leaving a slight lacing.

smell: light fruity scent, with an even milder floral aroma, notes of corn as well.

taste: light malts, crisp fruity undertones, finishes with a light hoppy bitterness.

overall: easy to drink with a little bit more character than a typical summer beer and definitely a step or two above a typical adjunct beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 23:50:20 | More by weller1js

DirtyPenny

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours out with one finger of pillowy white head that fades within a minute or so. Light golden in color.

S: Grassy and a little hoppy.

T: Same as nose, with a biscuity grain finish. There's a faint, musty mulch quality to it that seems to be present in all Magic Hat beers, far as I can tell. Think I'm starting to remember why I wasn't a huge fan of theirs years ago.

M: A little too soda-like for my tastes. Light and a bit watery but heavily carbonated.

O: Not a bad pale. Plenty refreshing. Put a bottle in my hand and I'll drink it, but I can't see myself buying one.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2011 01:13:03 | More by DirtyPenny

Jason

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz brown bottle with a freshness date. Clear pale golden color, white head does its job of keeping together or at least as long as it takes to finish this brew. Smells of pears, dusty biscuits and delicate wild flowers. Ample crispness, very smooth with a lighter body. Clean palate, maltiness is a bit watery but with some chalky biscuit graininess. Mild fruitiness meets the modest bitterness from the hops. Dry finish.

Not too bad, easy to drink with a no frills attitude. If you are looking for something with a bit more oomph then this might not be your beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 03:48:45 | More by Jason

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz longneck
A) Pours with a finger thick, white head then settles to a thin lacing on top. Clear golden straw colored body. Active upward carbonation. Semi-sticky lacing on the drink down.
S) Dry grains. A "wet dog" aroma with subtle banana and lemon.
T) Malty sweet - at least as sweet as a light beer might be. Notes of nuts, citrus. Light hop bitterness in the finish.
M) Fizzy. Light body.
O) An alright beer. Not necessarily a stand out. I'd consider have another one.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 22:22:31 | More by u2carew

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.33/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from twelve oz bottle into a pint glass. Purchased as part of the summer mix pack.

Pours light golden with some haze. Minimal foam settles out. Empty smell, getting nothing. Light malt taste with mild hop throughout. Orange in there. Pepper. Kind of a rind taste in there. Citrussy bittering. If nothing else, magic hat delivers another beer with a unique flavor profile and finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 01:05:24 | More by KTCamm

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.45/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a clear straw yellow with almost no head that fades quickly to a very thin layer of bubbles

S: A nice spicy hop aroma with some backing malts. Very simple, but nice

T: Subtle hops with a nice buttery malt background. Again, very simple but APA's should never be overwhelming in the taste/hop department

M: Light bodied with moderate carbonation. Somehow not really watered down thanks to the carbonation

O: This is a very nice summer beer that is very easy to drink and is very refreshing as well. Don't expect an explosion of aroma or flavor, but definitely don't expect a shitty watered-down APA either

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 19:35:46 | More by BEERMILER12

Billolick

New York

2.68/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

32 ounce growler fill.

Pours light straw, hazed , unimpressive lack of a head, just a thin off white collar and no lace left behind. Boo

I cant smell a thing...Boo

Thin flavor, just the faintist hint of hops and malts.

Very unimpressed with this one. Never been a big MH fan, and I never have any sort of expectations for their beers, but this is truly a new low.

Serving type: growler

07-07-2011 04:02:34 | More by Billolick

palffyfan

Massachusetts

2.13/5  rDev -36%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Appearance - Pours golden yellow, well-carbonated, foams easily.

Smell - Grassy and slightly fruity smell that isn't very strong.

Taste - Not much for flavor other than its carbonated with a mildly bitter (hoppy) after taste. Whatever taste is there is not strongly offensive, but boringly annoying.

Drinkability - Flavorless beer with an annoying after taste, would not try another one.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 22:43:49 | More by palffyfan

pburland23

Pennsylvania

2.98/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From the Magic Hat summer variety pack. Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a standard shaker pint glass.

Beer pours a light, straw yellow with a thin, quickly dissipating layer of bright white head. Looks summery and refreshing in the glass.

Smelled to me like one of my early attempts at homebrewing. Cidery and sweet. It smells like it is under attenuated Not a very pleasing smell.

The taste also seemed sugary and under attenuated. Too sweet and no noticeable hops bitterness.

The mouthfeel was light and the carbonation moderate but refreshing.

Overall, this one just didn't do it for me. Maybe I got a bad bottle, but this beer seems like it wasn't ready for bottling or consumption.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 19:58:51 | More by pburland23