The Autumn Mystery Beer (Autumn Variety Show '07)
Magic Hat Brewing Company

The Autumn Mystery Beer (Autumn Variety Show '07)The Autumn Mystery Beer (Autumn Variety Show '07)
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From:
Magic Hat Brewing Company
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Dubbel
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.57 | pDev: 11.48%
Reviews:
38
Ratings:
43
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 14, 2013
Added:
Aug 10, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.75 by jaydoc from Kansas

Dec 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by abcramer from Pennsylvania

Jul 04, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by Budinetz from Pennsylvania

Feb 04, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by cliff1066 from Virginia

Dec 22, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by imperialking from Illinois

Jan 13, 2012
Photo of yesyouam
Reviewed by yesyouam from New York

3.02/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Oct 9, 2007
The Autumn Mystery Beer is a cloudy orange ale with turbulent particles and carbonation. The head is steadily fading and off-white. It leaves good lacing. Banana and clove dominate the aroma. Something like lemon pepper is detected. It's a soft, fruity and fresh aroma. It's light bodied and a bit watery. The mouth feel is metallic. Slightly sweet at the beginning, the banana is strong in the flavor as well. The bitterness has a tannic edge to it, like lemon zinger that brewed too long. The taste ends with peppercorns, alcohol and possibly curacao. It's a bit soapy. This is what I'd think a Dubel would taste like if I never had one before. It's very young and the flavors are unblended... but it doesn't seem to have enough body to lend itself to any extended cellaring.
Jan 03, 2009
Photo of thekevlarkid
Reviewed by thekevlarkid from Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Out of the bottle this beer was a cloudy orange color with very little head. Decent retention and lacing. The nose was candy-sugar sweet with hints of citrus. The flavors were enjoyable but again sweet though not cloying. Lots of fruits, apples, pears and behind that is the coriander. Medium body, medium carbonation and a creamy mouthfeel. Good for a Dubbel in the drinkablity department and a nice beer overall.
Sep 06, 2008
Photo of deepsouth
Reviewed by deepsouth from Mississippi

3.92/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
this beer poured a cloudy brownish orange with a little tan head. not bad, but nothing spectacular.

this beer smells pretty good. i'm picking up raisins and dates and clove.

the taste is a bit sour and bitter. tastes like pitted fruits and a touch of spicyness with a ting of alcohol taste.

the moutfeel is slightly chewey

this is a fairly warming beer for a moderate abv.

i nice offering from magic hat. i haven't drank magic hat since 1996.
Apr 15, 2008
Photo of Floydster
Reviewed by Floydster from California

4.09/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle that was part of a Magic Hat mixed pack I received in a trade about two months ago, split with a friend, poured into a small glass

A-Murky golden yellow color, 3/4 inch white head, did not go away for about three minutes, decent retention, some lacing

S-Sugar, Belgian yeast, orange peel, coriander, sweet malt, caramel, spice, sour apples, variety of berries, and a bit of floral hoppiness

T-Nice and sweet from all the different sugars and fruits, lots of sour apple and blueberry, hint of cherries, tangy and a little tart in the finish but nothing too special there, nicely balanced with a hint of hoppiness and a strong sweet malt backbone, got even more subtle and less aggressively sweet as it warmed

M-Medium body, sweet and creamy mouthfeel, sweet taste lasted a long time, and nice level of carbonation

D-Drinkability is good for a dubbel which are usually very heavy and overly sweet, smooth, alcohol is hidden well, around seven percent alcohol

Second best Magic Hat beer of the night, nice American twist on a Belgian-type beer, light for a dubbel and pretty easy to drink, would not mind trying again some time in the future, recommended for other reasons that wondering what the mystery is inside the bottle
Feb 13, 2008
Photo of jasonjlewis
Reviewed by jasonjlewis from Texas

3.8/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to someone for the sample. I think it was pimpp but I am not sure.

Not a whole lot of initial head. Decent retention but it fades quickly and the glass must be swirled to create and retention. Cloudy orange color.

Smell is of orange peel, coriander, and caramel malts. A little faint on the nose though.

Taste is a little sweet from candy sugar but nicely balanced. The orange peel lends itself perfectly and the coriander provides a nice spice. It's a little unique for the style, but I like it and I think it has nice balance. It is a little sweeet for the style, but it's not cloying.

Light dryness and a very slight creaminess on the palate. carbonation is moderately low. Not bad. A little too dry though.

Not a bad beer. I don't want to compare to other dubbels. This beer by itself is a good beer to session with.
Jan 07, 2008
Photo of DrainBamage
Reviewed by DrainBamage from Michigan

3.82/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
This is a well-balanced beer for its style. Pours a cloudy brown color with a thin lace of head tending to build up on the sides. The smell has sweet fruity and malty aromas. Taste has some spicy and slightly fruity flavors. For 7.5% alcohol you definitely don't notice it. Mouthfeel is smooth with slight hops and some tingly carbonation on the tongue as well. This beer is slightly above average and not bad when you want just sit back a have a few.
Nov 14, 2007
Photo of Kendo
Reviewed by Kendo from New York

3.43/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A: Poured into an Augustijn chalice. Body looks like apple cider -- murky and dark tan, with a small ivory head that dissappeared pretty fast. Zero lacing.

S: Fairly faint smell of spice, with a little bit of fruit there too -- green apples and maybe raisins.

T: Apples again -- is this beer trying to be apple cider? Also sugary candy, fruity berries and a bit of spice at the end; a bite of black pepper too.

M: Pretty creamy in feel, light-to-medium in heft and a good, dry spritzy finish offsets the sweet flavors somewhat.

D: Pretty good.

Notes: certainly not a world-class dubbel, but maybe a little better than I expected from Magic Hat. Worth trying once.
Nov 11, 2007
Photo of msubulldog25
Reviewed by msubulldog25 from Oregon

2.58/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
A 12 oz. bottle (drink by: December), emptied to the Abita pint glass. Once I read on BA that this was classified as a 'dubbel' (Mystery solved?), I repoured to a Chimay goblet. This one sent by the Virginia Beer Strangler, Metalmonk.

Beneath the bottlecap reads: "Take two Lumps when you're in the Dumps"

A: What had been a ho-hum ale, appearance-wise, gained substantially when relocated to the goblet. Big creamy head of tightly-bubbled off-whiteness sits atop a warm amber brew. Not quite 'cloudy', more of a gently silty haze. Remnants of a head form a paper-thin covering and cling in a thin, rim-hugging ring.

S: Lightly spiced, sugar raisins and Belgian yeasts drift from the glass...but for only a little while. Fruity/spiced aromas taper off quickly and become more akin to a 'wit' - coriander and a slightly banana-smelling sugariness. Interesting smells, hard to categorize and, likewise, to score...

T: Ooh, I don't know about that flavor. That tastes like no 'dubbel' I've ever had. Odd chalky 'mineral' quality and a flavor that tastes faintly fishy and metallic; recently I tried a German 'Doppelbock' that struck me in nearly the same way - Weird. After the initial shock subsides, I get a grainy maltiness that holds some slightly syrupy fruit, cocoa powders and a peaty/earthy smokiness. What the heck is this? Now I'm describing a 'wee heavy'...I don't know. What I do know is that these flavors aren't working for me...

M: Medium mouthfeel and reasonably creamy at first, then seems to thin to the point of wateriness. Malts are sticky and residue left on the tongue is a gummy film.

D: This one was hard to finish and did absolutely nothing to bring me back for seconds. Well within it's 'freshness' period, can I speculate that a bad beer is what I had? For me, the only 'mystery' here would be why someone would want another.
Nov 07, 2007
Photo of sabrills70
Reviewed by sabrills70 from North Carolina

2.77/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12 oz brown bottle with a best before date of 1/31/08. Pours a cloudy medium amber with a 1 finger head, poor longevity and lace. Decent wheat and caramel malt aromas mixed with slight dried fruits and sherry smells. Wheat malt again in the flavor mixed with slight dried fruits, yeast, and a decent hop flavor and biterness - for a dubbel that is. To me this one is tasty but lacks the full body and dimentions that a dubbel should have.
Oct 28, 2007
Photo of zerofear13
Reviewed by zerofear13 from New York

3.55/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Out of the Night of the Living Dead mix pack, the Mystery Beer is a bit tough to put your finger on. Smells of coriander and spices. Tastes of coriander, earthy spices, malts, and possibly wheat. Not sure if coriander is what gives it its Hoegaarden-like smell and earthy bite (maybe the yeast), but it is present and probably the most noticeable trait of the beer. Listed as 7.5% but doesn't have a strong alcoholic kick or warmth. Overall, I'd pass on this beer. Magic Hat did a good job of building some anticipation for it, but it's a bit of a let down.
Oct 24, 2007
Photo of animal69
Reviewed by animal69 from Louisiana

2.76/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
another surprise brew from these guys,( thanx to BA i can be 100% sure of what they are now); this one pours a cloudy med-copper color w/ a slight head which dissapates quickly leaving a nominal amount of lacing; well, at this point it's still a mystery, a wheaty-breadlike aroma w/ some strange friuty notes as well, like carrots or something; a sweet, tart yeasty "bile" taste at first, then drifting off to some weird multi-fruit/vegatable/wet-cardboard type taste w/ an exagerated amount of hopping, def. different than any dubbel i've had ( maybe more of a cru, i don't care for them either); not a good balance here either, being both a little thin & too carbonated for this style; i'm gonna have a hard time finishing this one, let alone drinking more (i hope it just was a bad single, cuz i got 3 more to go )...
Oct 22, 2007
Photo of torchedpunk
Reviewed by torchedpunk from New Jersey

3.56/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a Oktoberfest glass.

Appearance- Cloudy, amber with a 2 finger head that laces around the glass.

Smell- Floral notes, with a light scent of alcohol. Medium malts with a hint of caramel. Subtle blend with no single bold scent.

Taste- A very unique taste. A subtle hint of perhaps cinnamon, an earthy malt, with a hint of added fruit flavors. A smooth taste of yeast.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- I didn't know what to expect with this mystery beer, but it is pleasingly different. I don't know how much of this I can drink but I feel that it is a blend of number 9 without the pale aley dryness with a hint of other fruit flavors. I don't know if I'd buy it in a six pack but it is interesting.
Oct 20, 2007
Photo of NEhophead
Reviewed by NEhophead from Massachusetts

3.57/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Served in a goblet.

Glowing, rustic oak with mahogany hues. Minor, creamy white head that quickly falls to patches of film (most likely a result of the growler pour). Faint traces of pin-sized dimpled lace.

Notes of powdery, milk chocolate and toffee. Dark, fruity esters: plum, raisin, fig, date. Sweet, Belgian sugar with a pronounced corriander and pepper spice.

Moderately sweet candied sugar with notes of dark, vinous fruit: fig, raisin, date. Toffee, slight milk chocolate and a finish of nutmeg and brown sugar. The middle is watery with just a slight touch of mustiness.

A light, medium bodied; mostly thin and watery with a slight texture of powder and must.

A pretty decent American-version of the style; ultimately too thin on the palate and too reserved in flavor.
Oct 19, 2007
Photo of Vancer
Reviewed by Vancer from Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
From johnnnniee in the 2007 Secret Halloween, whata guy!

Good looking hazy amber, foamy ivory top residing snugly in the Sammy glass.

Fall spicy aromas, nutty, grassy and malty. And it’s all there in the quaff – and toss in some black pepper and nutmeg. Biting pop of resinous hops finish and round out the goodie from Vermont.

Hops could be mistaken for the plus 7 alcohol, but the booze really doesn’t show itself.
Oct 19, 2007
Photo of ericj551
Reviewed by ericj551 from Canada (AB)

3.77/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Magic Hat Autumn Mystery beer pours a cloudy orange/amber with a thin head that fades quickly. The aroma is sweet orangey malts, with some dry chalky yeast in the background. The flavor is more upfront with the belgian yeast esters and dry chalkiness. There is a malty sweetness that is lighter than I would expect from a double. I think its missing some of the rich dark fruity malts that really make a double a double to me, but otherwise a very solid beer from Magic Hat, I would like to see it replace some of their other regulars.
Oct 18, 2007
The Autumn Mystery Beer (Autumn Variety Show '07) from Magic Hat Brewing Company
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 43 ratings