Hex - Magic Hat Brewing Company

plaid75

New York

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a murky deep amber hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was decent retention and lacing.

The smell featured a muddled arrangement of molasses, spice and fruit.

The taste was equally confused with an essentially sweet syrupy quality that was on only tempered by a faint roasted malt on the back end.

The mouthfeel was full.

Overall a sub par amber. Too muddled in my opinion.

Serving type: growler

09-20-2011 14:26:24 | More by plaid75

Brad007

Vermont

3.25/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

While some may argue that it seems to be a little too early for this style, I welcome any challenge by Magic Hat to stimulate my taste buds.

Pours a mild amber color with a one-finger head into my glass. Looks about right for the style. No surprises.

Aroma is full of sweet, slightly smoky malt, much like one would expect from the style.

The taste can be described as containing overly sweet malt with just a hint of smokiness to it. It's nearly overwhelmed by this sweetness as such. There's a bit of butteriness/sourness to it as well. Hmm, the latter should not be present.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering sweet, slightly smoky malt. The offending flavors (buttery, sour) follow.

If this is Magic Hat's idea of an oktoberfest, I think I'll check out something else. It's still quite drinkable but they just can't seem to nail down anything past a basic lager (ales they excel at, somewhat). Still more drinkable than Becks version of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 04:37:57 | More by Brad007

mactrail

California

2.84/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Slightly hazy amber in the Duvel tulip. No sediment in the botle. Bought at Texas Wine in Fredericksburg in the 12 oz bottle. Light grainy aroma.

The malty sweetness seems to be cut by a slight sourness. Caramel and fementing apples. A touch of hoppiness at the ending with some bitterness and an earthy aftertaste. Not the most refreshing amber I've had. I am just not a Magic Hat enthusiast. Everything I've tried seems kind of murky and odd, but not an interesting sort of oddness. At least it wasn't reviewed as an Oktoberfest, which it doesn't resemble.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 05:45:45 | More by mactrail

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pretty clear golden amber with a substantial off-white fine-bubbled head. Crisp, malty aroma has a strong fruity-sweet tone, mainly apricot and pear, as well as a hint of powdery lemonade. Flavor is fruity, again mostly apricot and pear, with a malty undertone and a hint of hops. Texture is smooth, fizzy and a little dusty - truly unique, and pleasing.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2010 22:57:48 | More by Cyberkedi

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a hazy amber to copper color with an off white head. In the aroma, a small earthiness. In the taste, a sweet maltiness and a hint of earth. A smooth and medium to small bodied mouthfeel, with a clean, sweet earth in the aftertaste. A bit sweet and small earth, nothing too exciting.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2010 16:08:12 | More by OWSLEY069

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Was surprised to see this beer at my local Jewel grocery store before seeing it at any of my local "beer" stores.

Copper and amber colors come together well for this amber ale Octoberfest brew. The head is quick and scarce, while the bubbling is moderate in visibility.

The aroma is a very simple toasted grain with some caramel notes. The hops add a little balancing Earthy note.

The taste is toasty, and a little earthy. A little caramel with some brown rice flavors. The hops provide a little mint and grass for balance of the sometimes adjuncty sweetness. Simple and toasty, but not worth of any references to Oktoberfest in my opinion.

Certainly not as drinkable as a good Oktoberfest.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 23:31:56 | More by scruffwhor

ZAP

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Brunt orange....light white head...

S-Sweeter malts and a slight spicy dimension as well...

T-Nice malt forward flavor...caramel, toffee, some very faint smokiness...

M-For 5.4% beer this really has a nice firm body...substantial with no watery notes at all...while sweeter it finishes clean without a cloying aspect.

O-This is drinking much better tonight than the first time I had it pouring it into plastic glasses at the hotel I was at. Not a true ofest but a nice tasty malt forward ale with some character...

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 04:11:04 | More by ZAP

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I picked this up at Outlet Liquors in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Poured chilled from the 12oz into a mug.

A clear copper w/ inch of ecru cap and tiny bead, the lace clings well. The smell is malty w/ lightly toasted grain and mild hop aroma w/ slight nutty scent w/ a hint of fruity ester in the yeast aroma. The malt is toasted in the feel and slightly cream w/ moderate carbonation and subtle bitterness, the feel is medium light and the finish is dry.

A flavor which mocks a fest lager well, but hop flavor is slightly higher and malt is toasted tasting and slightly sweet like granola w/ an almond-like taste. There is a subtle marzipan sweet note in its caramel and spice combination, but it doesn't really get to the dessert area. The finish is pretty lasting w/ lots of malt which is tasty. The drinkability -I liked this although I thought I wouldn't, perhaps if it were marketed as an amber/red ale I wouldn't have expected a marzen, but it is pretty good fro the style IMO.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 16:42:06 | More by Slatetank

dirtylou

Washington

2.25/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

12oz single, Why oh why did i purchase thee? Woodmans of course

appearance: served in a great dane nonic pint, clear copper-amber, fluffy white cap with decent retention

smell: sweet and bready, very soapy

taste: soapy water, off bready notes, artificial sweetness, musty, grain. I'll drink half, then down the tubes. Boring, a little offensive, and i didnt need another beer anyway.

mouthfeel: a little unpleasant

drinkability:off

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2010 03:20:55 | More by dirtylou

twiggamortis420

Texas

2.58/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

12 oz bottle with a best by stamp of DEC 31 2010. Pours a mildly hazed, light copper color with an ample cap of beige foam. Average retention and zero lacing. Cool label though, claiming it as "Ourtoberfest".

Nose has an apple pie breadiness with some green grape fruit and floral hops. Malts are faint, but lend a honeyed grain presence at best.

Taste is very Un-oktoberfestbier to say the least. I see this is listed as an ale, but still...heavy on the fruit and even a bit tart. Malts have some caramel and toast undertones, but not even close to the backbone most autumnal releases showcase. Hints of sourness and cantaloupe as it warms. Bad beer, I do not like this one bit, glad I only bought a single.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2010 12:11:33 | More by twiggamortis420

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

im not in love with this one. pours dark amber color with a tall tan head. smells like a ton of german malts, caramel and munich at least. sweet flavor without much hop balance, also not as complex as some of the other octoberfests out there. i like it with a big meal like stew or chilli, but as a standalone its not my favorite, especially when its still real warm out. mouthfeel is too heavy for me, it gets filling after just a few as the body is very big. still its smooth in the mouth and well made. overall i wouldnt select this over many others, but it isnt a bad brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 19:43:42 | More by StonedTrippin

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

2.3/5  rDev -33.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint. 5.4% ABV, Enjoy by Nov. 30 2010.

A - Brilliant clarity allows the golden orange color to shine and show off the nice carbonation. Good low tan head with nice retention but only a little lace.

S - Fall-like crisp caramel malts and light biscuity notes with an inviting aroma. Nutty hints to the grassy and lightly citrus nose are nice. The hops impart those balancing things but in the end it's still a little odd. Metallic notes.

T - The flavor is very metallic with a harsh dry bite on the finish that kills the nice caramel maltiness and grassy hop flavor. This is almost downright undrinkable.

M - Dry metallic tin-like finish with a medium body and a touch of hop bitterness balanced with caramel malt sweetness. Way too metallic though - it ruins it.

D - Nope, drain pour. Each sip is insulting to me. The metallic flavor and feel is so bad. There is lots of hope within this beer. If they work on it, it could be good.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2010 03:44:59 | More by BeerFMAndy

Brent

Kentucky

3.03/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Noted on the bottle as "ourtoberfest," Magic Hat's effort at a unique take on the Oktoberfest/Marzen style falls far short. Caramel color with vague orchard fruit aroma. Insufficient malt with a hint of overripe apple. An odd note to the hops finishes up off kilter.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2010 15:30:15 | More by Brent

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

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

12oz bottle served in a glass beer mug.

L - slightly hazed amber color with an beige head that thinned to a ring and didn't leave more than a speck or two of lacing.
S - pale malt and and underlying earthiness.
T - some sweetness upfront but then that earthy yeasty taste hits with a light sourness although it does finish with a sticky sweet aftertaste.
F - medium bodied with good carbonation.
D - I would drink it again if offered but I wouldn't spend money on it.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2010 19:53:53 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured a nice dark amber with an inch of fluffy white head. Looks pretty decent.

S - You get a nice whiff of amber malt with a slight roasty character, some caramel, and some mild hop tones.

T - Very enjoyable actually. You get some sweet caramel followed by some slight nutty amber and finishes dry with some hop flavor. Very good overall.

M - Light to medium bodied. Drinkable,

D - Overall I enjoyed this more than the Roxy Rolles which for some reason I was comparing it to since I thought they were both Oktoberfest's. I may just pick up the Variety case since all beers are overall enjoyable. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2010 06:14:51 | More by DrDemento456

tdm168

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a pale amber with 1/4" of foamy head. Good retention. Faint caramel malt notes in the nose otherwise the smell is nondescript. Taste is sweet with caramel malt and fruity undertones primarily hints of apple and grapes. There's a faint earthy bitterness to the finish. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied, heavily carbonated, and smooth.

There are far better amber's on the market. This one is too sweet for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 23:31:38 | More by tdm168

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 22 oz. bottle. Has a caramel color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is sweet, malty. Taste is also of malts, a bit sweet with a touch of bitterness. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and has good drinkability. Overall this is a good quality brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 15:18:18 | More by tone77

mynie

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hex falls somewhere in between a marzen and a red. That's not a bad place to be, but I kind of wish they would try to explain as much on their bottles so I don't get my hopes up for a full-blown marzen. I'm weird like that. Marzens excite me.

Anyhow, yeah, the reviewy stuff: it pours dark brown with a nice white head. Smells of sweet bready malt with distinct nodes of Magic Hat's dry, fruity yeast. Tastes much the same. Very sweet bread up front moving into slightly less sweet bread and biscuit in the middle and ending on nodes of differently sweet, yeasty fruit and spice. Very well balanced and competently brewed.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 20:37:33 | More by mynie

Bierman9

New Hampshire

3.58/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a bottle of this during a party with some old high school buds a few weeks ago.

Pours a medium amber color, and it has a bit of haze and murkiness within. Head is quite thin and wispy, the fine, white bubbles mostly clinging to the sides of the glass. Didn't leave much lace at all, though. Aroma has a touch of caramel and light sweetness, though it's mild. Body is just about medium, with a fairly even feel on the tongue.

Flavor is decent, with some light sweetness, a fair amount of caramel and some smidges of toffee. There's a bit of hoppy bitterness present, in an earthy sort of way. Not bad, overall, not bad...

Prosit!

3.65
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 3.5

1281

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 19:39:12 | More by Bierman9

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I thought this was a pretty good beer.
It was an amber color with a very thin tan head.
Caramel aroma, sweet bread.
It had a caramel taste with a whiff of smoke late.
Crisp mouthfeel.
This beer evoked memories of a crisp New England fall day, the leaves have changed, and woodstoves are burning.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2010 00:58:28 | More by lordofthewiens

ngeunit1

California

3.5/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a brown/amber color with a finger of off white head that fades quickly and leaves behind spots of lacing.

S - Sweetness and spices are the most present. There is just a touch of carmel that smooths the aroma a bit.

T - The beer starts of with the sweet malts first. It then transitions to a bit more spicy and eventually the caramel comes through a little bit. The aftertaste is bit of the spiciness and some touches of alcohol taste and a touch of hops.

M - Fairly carbonated and fairly dry. It is about medium bodied and fairly smooth, just a little dry afterwards that keeps it from being really crisp.

D - The dryness and sweetness mix takes a little bit away from the beer, as does the aftertaste. But that being said, it is still a decent beer and fairly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 02:38:55 | More by ngeunit1

Metalmonk

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reddish copper in color with a creamy off-white head. Lots of bubbles briskly rising to the top, in formation.

Nice aroma. Toffee, caramel, mushy overripe red apple, cinnamon and the faintest hint of smoke.

Interesting flavor. A delicate smokiness, a toffee character, some Delicious Red apple (ie. crisp, juicy, lightly sweet, and having that pectin-like thing going on). Even a little bit of a citrus/metallic twang, but with warming this is relegated to the background, letting the nice, autumnal malt flavor come through strongest.

I've found Hex drinks best with just a little bit of chill on it...and that improves the texture too...seems a little sharp when too cold, but with some chill off, it's got a supple, silky smoothness that's quite wonderful.

Love the name and especially the logo/label. Do I love the beer as much? Just about. It took me a few meetings with Hex to really appreciate it and understand it. The real discovery was that drinking it too cold didn't do it justice.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2010 22:19:07 | More by Metalmonk

superspak

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, bottled on 8/23/2012. Pours slightly hazy golden orange color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of caramel, pear, apple, golden raisin, toast, toffee, bread, light grass, and herbal hops. Pretty nice aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of caramel, apple, pear, toast, toffee, nuttiness, bready grain, light grass, floral, and light herbal spiciness. Minimal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, light fruits, toast, toffee, bready grain, nuttiness, and light herbal spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Nice balance and robustness of flavors; with zero cloying sweetness present on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and light slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a good Oktoberfest style. Nicely robust with good balance of flavors; and very smooth to drink. This was a nicely enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 05:33:05 | More by superspak

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz bottle

Appearance - Clear copper colour with an average size fizzy beige coloured head. There isn't a lot of carbonation and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, butterscotch, hay, earthiness

Taste & Mouth - There is an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, butterscotch, and some light hops. There is also a bit of a hay flavour mixed with some raisins and some light chocolate. The beer finishes with a malty earthy aftertaste with a touch of bitterness.

Overall - This is one of the better fall seasonals I've had recently. It has a nice variety of tastes going on that makes it pretty interesting. I won't have a problem drinking the rest of my bottles.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 14:09:04 | More by spinrsx

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.2/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep orange/amber color with a hint of red sitting below a frothy beige head that laces most of the glass. Smells of caramel, smoke, butter and apricots. Taste is malty with a hint of smoke. Some creamy brown sugar mixed with hints of fruit, and a bit of non-descript smoke and hop bite. Medium body and level of carbonation, watery bordering on creamy mouthfeel. I'm not sure what this beer wants to be. If you told me this was an Oktoberfest I would say its not a good one. Sweet, malty, with a tart fruit and hop bite, sounds like most of the beer that Magic hat brews these days. I could drink this, but its nothing I would seek out.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 21:55:21 | More by johnnnniee