Ravell - Magic Hat Brewing Company

bobhits

Kentucky

3.55/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

They tell me brewed with vanilla! The nose is of a porter with coffee and chocolate only subdued by perhaps vanilla though that isn't a term I'd have used without the nudge.

Oh out of order but it is a porter that's WELL carbonated and has sticky lacing, but isn't all that thick...it's magic hat and a porter.

The taste is milk/powdered chocolate, coffee (ground) notes, and yes a hint of vanilla that could be mistaken as a part of the chocolate. Very porter like in nature with some toffee and caramel notes tipping their cap perhaps undeservingly so.

Very nice porter that misses the mark on expectational and in some cases given good. There is something about Magic hat that just always leaves their beer short of the goal, I believe this to be the yeast but there is more than even that here. A brewery that just seems blind to the their flaws.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 23:25:57 | More by bobhits

morrowd3

Vermont

3/5  rDev -18.7%

05-22-2013 01:34:47 | More by morrowd3

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

05-15-2013 15:36:16 | More by twenty5

blknikon

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

05-07-2013 22:54:33 | More by blknikon

jd18

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

04-30-2013 02:57:10 | More by jd18

randylangford

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

04-09-2013 00:19:49 | More by randylangford

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

04-04-2013 03:21:24 | More by marlinsfan4

PapiMagnum

New York

4/5  rDev +8.4%

02-13-2013 06:56:06 | More by PapiMagnum

Zaphog

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

02-06-2013 00:48:18 | More by Zaphog

GreyGhost4

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

01-20-2013 08:02:41 | More by GreyGhost4

outoffocus

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

01-13-2013 05:43:51 | More by outoffocus

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.31/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Magic Hat's Ravell is brewed in the style of an American Porter with vanilla. Previously available during the fall/winter season, this beer last appeared in the Winterland 2011 Variety pack. I missed the pack but was fortunate to find a single bottle of this in an Athens Bottle Shop.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a pint glass. Served upwards of 55º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a frothy light creamy brown head. Retention is below average as the head settles out rather quickly to a light surface cover. Body color is a dark brown with deep ruby highlights. Less than pleasing head quality and a lack of lacing doesn't make for an impressive appearance. 3

(Smell) Chocolate cake, very roasty, sweet and robust in delivery. Light icing profile, a touch of cream with faint vanilla bean profile. Touches of alcohol are here and there. Very low hop profile and faint bitterness. Overall, its a simple, chocolate heavy scent but with a warming aroma. Balance is heavily sweet but may tone down by the flavor. 3.75

(Taste) Thinner texture, much less emphasis on chocolate than in the aroma. Tart, mildly bitter black patent malt, dry cocoa powder, and heavily roasted malts with a faint vanilla note in the midsection and increasingly prevalent smoke presence growing on the finish. Sweetness is not as intense as in the nose, but the finish is notably burnt wood and even a touch of cardboard, perhaps a bit strikingly intense. Overall I found that the vanilla didn't have as much of a presence as I had hoped and that the flavor was notably more bitter and even a touch out of balance. The finish, while unique, dominated the majority of this beer and was lasting on the finish. 3.25

(Mouthfeel) Low carbonation presence with a mild creaminess. Finishes dry and chalky. Body is medium amongst porters and heavy amongst all beers. alcohol presence is mild. The creamy carbonation would have better worked with a heavier body and a sweeter flavor. 3

(Overall) I hoped that the beer would have tasted similar to the way it smelled; a chocolate cake with vanilla cream icing would have made for a enjoyable dessert beer. The flavor was significantly different, with possible oxidation, a dry flavor profile and a pretty intense lack of balance, less malt than anticipated. While I don't mind a good puff of smoke on the finish, it seemed overly intense when compared to the pale malt profile of the beer. Vanilla was also faint but added a bit of welcome complexity, complimenting the smoked finish. I'd recommend getting a small quantity of this beer at a younger age, but many of the flavor characteristics, minus some oxidation should still be present. 3.25

Magic Hat Brewing Company's
Ravell
3.31/5.00

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 21:59:46 | More by Jadjunk

iemailjack

Florida

3/5  rDev -18.7%

01-08-2013 04:00:39 | More by iemailjack

TWStandley

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +15.2%

12-30-2012 22:54:24 | More by TWStandley

cliff1066

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

12-22-2012 03:20:42 | More by cliff1066

hackmann

Michigan

3.43/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: black coffee body with a two finger tan head that leaves plenty of lacing on the glass

Aroma: light bouquet; roasted coffee, light chocolate and vanilla

Flavors: uhm … taste like a porter with vanilla; light dark chocolate 50% like; wow … fairly simple; when it warmed up the flavors were more distinct

Mouthfeel: smooth, ultra-light carbonation, builds a creamy feel as it warmed up, linger roasted notes on the palate

To the Point: an okay to good porter, might be a good one for my wife to try … see says she does not like porters or stouts … I think it is a perception thing; anyways with Magic Hat I always remember Wacko, that ale made with beet juice so I always think they will have something crazy in their beer (perception thing). Just a regular Porter here with a nice touch of vanilla. I liked it more as it warmed up. Drink this around 50 degrees F.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 04:35:52 | More by hackmann

buschbeer

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle
Served in a conical pint glass

A - It is very dark brown. Some might even call it ebony. An inch of cocoa head is short-lived.

S - I get a combination of vanilla and chocolate. It is on the sweeter side of smells.

T - The vanilla comes through in the taste and is not overbearing. It blends nicely with the roasted malt.

M - It is very smooth with low carbonation.

O - This is a nice surprise. I was unsure how it would hold up over a year, but it was very good and was an enjoyable beer the drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 04:06:00 | More by buschbeer

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -18.7%

12-01-2012 03:41:20 | More by ejimhof

Proclarush

Rhode Island

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

11-29-2012 22:06:42 | More by Proclarush

TheRuss9585

Vermont

3/5  rDev -18.7%

11-20-2012 01:54:39 | More by TheRuss9585

nyrblue2

New York

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

11-09-2012 00:21:03 | More by nyrblue2

twillingthenoz

New York

2.75/5  rDev -25.5%

10-29-2012 23:47:08 | More by twillingthenoz

HoppyHoward

Florida

4/5  rDev +8.4%

10-23-2012 03:42:14 | More by HoppyHoward

canders0927

Texas

3/5  rDev -18.7%

09-24-2012 00:40:54 | More by canders0927

AntLeatherface

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -18.7%

09-16-2012 00:56:23 | More by AntLeatherface