#9 - Magic Hat Brewing Company

Jason

Massachusetts

2.53/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz brown bottle with a freshness date on the back label. Under the cap reads "Don't Pick Your Nose When It Shows". Meaning go to the bathroom and take care of business so no one has to see you digging for gold.

Solid two fingers of head, slightly hazed golden yellow color. Smells of a apricot hard candy and buttered biscuits. Smoothness and crispness I would expect for an English Pale Ale light to medium body ... lighter than I remember. Fruity with obvious fruit flavorings added, dry maltiness is a bit flat and the hops are very modest. Finishes Semi-dry with a feigned sweetness from the fruit flavoring.

So here we have the infamous #9, a beer that took Boston by storm many years ago. Its simply a plain English Pale Ale with flavorings. It was probably the bomb back in the day but now it just does not cut it for me anymore.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2009 02:38:02 | More by Jason

Todd

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12oz funky swirly shades of orange that maze around and form the number 9. The inside of my crown said, "Beware The Bore Behind The Door." Freshness date clearly marked as well as "Not quite Pale Ale."

Appearance: Relatively clear with some haze and a tawny golden colour. The head is smooth with chunky bubbles and clings.

Smell: Damn this is one "fruity-ass" beer! Smells distinctly like apricot and pears.

Taste: Really nice mouth-feel with a semi-crisp dryness from the wheat and a smooth light malt palate. Fruit flavours (apricot) are everywhere with a very subtle bitterness and ending dry with some grainy notes. Mild hop bitterness. The essences of apricot added to the overall fruitiness of this beer, but, it steers clear of being another typical-sickly-sweet-fruit beer.

Notes: Odd how they managed to get this so damn fruity but also so dry at the end? This is a truly an amazing ale and fun to drink for a fruit beer.

I'm not big on fruit beers (lambics, etc aside) but I thought this to be a pretty damn good beer. Better than most others in its style -- very easy to drink, packed with fruity apricot flavour and has a nice dry crispness about it.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-1998 00:00:01 | More by Todd

MadWolf

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +10%

05-24-2013 20:18:08 | More by MadWolf

mcewesr

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -12%

05-24-2013 17:03:49 | More by mcewesr

sgregory

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +24.6%

05-24-2013 00:13:24 | More by sgregory

gritz147

Louisiana

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%

05-23-2013 23:00:01 | More by gritz147

jeffjeff1

California

3.28/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Appearance- copper color, 1/2 inch head, nice lacing

Smell- malt, hops, for a fruit beer, I didn't smell any fruit at all. I thought it was a pale ale.

Taste- light hops and malt flavor

Mouthfeel- medium bodied

Drinkability- It was ok but it certainly didn't taste like a fruit beer. I thought it was a pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 21:44:13 | More by jeffjeff1

John_Crozier

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%

05-23-2013 19:43:45 | More by John_Crozier

tennisoscar1

Delaware

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%

05-23-2013 05:18:23 | More by tennisoscar1

Twal

Colorado

2.25/5  rDev -34%

05-23-2013 00:58:52 | More by Twal

jbdpsu82

Pennsylvania

1.5/5  rDev -56%

05-22-2013 17:47:01 | More by jbdpsu82

RichGord

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +10%

05-22-2013 13:01:41 | More by RichGord

Bikeboy1

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +2.6%

05-22-2013 12:59:37 | More by Bikeboy1

InfernoBoss

California

2.75/5  rDev -19.4%

05-22-2013 06:08:22 | More by InfernoBoss

backbaybrewer

Massachusetts

1/5  rDev -70.7%

05-22-2013 02:54:22 | More by backbaybrewer

morrowd3

Vermont

3.5/5  rDev +2.6%

05-22-2013 01:30:59 | More by morrowd3

yeahman

Ohio

1.08/5  rDev -68.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Had this from a mixed pack that my wife bought.
Looks hazy.
Smells like a dry apricot.
Flat and uninteresting flavor and mouthfeel.

I thought id give this a try since my wife seems to like it. Maybe her review will balance out my glaringly bad review.

Is the #9 in reference to how many attempts it took for them to get to this flavor profile? Maybe they should have a #10. Just sayin.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 17:54:40 | More by yeahman

DarthBeer

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +2.6%

05-21-2013 15:20:55 | More by DarthBeer

johntfox

Florida

3.5/5  rDev +2.6%

05-21-2013 02:07:54 | More by johntfox

JoyHelfrich

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%

05-21-2013 01:57:08 | More by JoyHelfrich

kingmaker

Louisiana

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%

05-21-2013 00:35:56 | More by kingmaker

Tertullian007

Missouri

3/5  rDev -12%

05-20-2013 23:51:12 | More by Tertullian007

Hermanater

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%

05-19-2013 23:11:07 | More by Hermanater

bcuz7

Florida

3.75/5  rDev +10%

05-19-2013 22:31:32 | More by bcuz7

ClayO

Arizona

4.75/5  rDev +39.3%

05-19-2013 22:05:40 | More by ClayO