Demo - Magic Hat Brewing Company

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

2.73/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle served in a standard pint glass.

L - dark brown color with a tight beige head that left a decent amount of lacing behind.

S - roasted malt and a hint of cocoa powder, no real aroma of any hops.

T - roasted malt sweetness upfront with the slightest hint of bitterness midway with an odd bitter to sticky sweet finish.

F - medium bodied with a crisp feel.

D - it went down easy.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2011 00:28:42 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

ommegangpbr

New York

3.38/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The most interesting offering in a Magic Hat sampler pack. I can taste that very similar ingredients were used in all the beers,perhaps just used in different amounts. The scent has a nice sharp punch of hops that doesn't last very long in the flavor.
The over all flavor profile/drinking experience is that of a thin porter. Cola-like sweetness along with some bitter coffee edges.
Soapy flavors and textures are there.
Middle of the road type stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 07:53:11 | More by ommegangpbr

mbaldwin22

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +27.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

This is my first Beeradvocate review, I chose to start with this beer because I was absolutely shocked to see the poor reviews it is receiving. Magic Hat's Demo is one of the best new beers I have tasted in a long time.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown/black with a creamy head about one finger width that lasts for the whole beer.

Smell: Smells of hops, chocolate, roasted coffee and roasted malt.

Taste: Excellent. A cross between the smooth richness of a stout with the floral bitterness of an IPA. Strikes an excellent balance between sweet and bitter.

Mouthfeel/drinkability: Highly carbonated, yet smooth. Has a somewhat thin mouthfeel, but the creamy head and rich flavors add a certain depth. Not quite a session beer, but certainly not too heavy to polish off a six-pack.

serving: bottle

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 21:15:28 | More by mbaldwin22

yeahnatenelson

Illinois

2.28/5  rDev -33.7%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Appearance -- Pours a rich dark hue with a fizzy khaki head. LOTS of chocolate brown sediment.

Smell -- Burnt malt, cocoa, brown sugar, and spearmint. Smells very much like a garden variety porter. Not bad, but where is the hop aroma?

Taste -- Burnt malt, coffee grounds, ash, mild molasses sweetness, dry grass, and citrus zest. Lingering flavors of burnt toast and grapefruit pith.

Mouthfeel -- Medium-light in body, ample fizzy carbonation. Not that great.

Drinkability -- IPA must still be on tour. As a general dark beer, it's average, but to claim that this is a Black IPA is a stretch. Beyond not having enough hop assertiveness for an IPA, the malt is so burnt and ashy that it's difficult to finish. Not a fan.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2011 01:59:43 | More by yeahnatenelson

nriech

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I havent particularly a fan of Magic Hat but this one puts me back in the mindset of being willing to try more.

Nice soft brown, hazy color, slight head.

Malty nose, a little floral, a little yeasty.

Good malt backbone for the style, maybe a little lacking in lasting flavor. Good carbonation. Very drinkable. A good gateway beer so being in the mix case is a good idea. It could use a little more hop in the flavor though.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2011 22:30:56 | More by nriech

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

2.63/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This beer pours a dark brown with extremely thin white head that disappears almost immediately

The smell is all roasted malt like its a porter or a stout, there is no evidence of hops in this beer at all.

the taste is pretty close to the smell, all malt and roast malt to the taste there is no bitterness and no hops. Did they forget to add the hops to this beer?

mouthfeel is a little above avergae and drinkability is average. if you are looking for a basic stout or porter by all means pick up a six pack, but if you want a good black ipa go with hoppy feet

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 00:10:07 | More by rowingbrewer

NEhophead

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 fl oz brown bottle, served in a tumbler.

Caramel brown in color beneath a semi-intact, creamy off-white head; average retention that leaves a ring of soft lace.

Mild coffee, soft semi-sweet caramel. Floral hop aromas highlighted with saffron and licorice spice.

Flavors are more of the same from the aromas: milk chocolate, caramel, and coffee up front. Big, floral hop middle with an astringent bite that leaves an herbal, licorice aftertaste.

Medium in body; rough, astringent, and overly carbonated.

The flavor profiles are a little unbalanced and the mouthfeel isn't quite flattering. A decent stab at the style, but not my first choice.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 01:43:18 | More by NEhophead

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this beer is definitely underrated here on BA. pours a heady chocolate syrup color with a lot of carbonation. smells like sweet milk chocolate, lots of hops, and smokey burnt malt. flavor is cocoa on the front end with all the hops and roast on the back end. maybe a hint of rye spice in there as well. its balanced and big, but its smooth and drinkable in feel, with a velvet texture and a medium body. overall an excellent late summer beer when the evenings are chilly and a little more oomph is needed. should have higher scores on here.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2012 13:49:10 | More by StonedTrippin

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Coffee black. Foamy head, eggshell color. Holding okay. 3.5

Baltic porter-like in the nose. Roasty with dusted cocoa and coffee in the nose. Earthy malts and herbal hops. 3.5

Very roasty and showing a lot of booze. Salty mineral notes with obvious coffee and chocolate. Strange wheat cereal in the finish. Sparse berry notes, but an otherwise dry black ale. 3.5

Medium carbonation and a medium body. Drinkable but with a booziness. 3.0

Average black ale. More malt bitterness than hop bitterness and obscured hop flavors. Bit of a misnomer. 3.0

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2012 03:11:17 | More by thecheapies

david18

New York

3.35/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I had a sixteen ounce pour of this at the Amsterdam Ale House in Manhattan's Upper West Side. It was listed as a Black IPA, which I thought was a little bit of an exaggeration. Not quite as hoppy as that.

Color was very dark with a dark head as well. Nice carbonation at first but it dissipated pretty quickly.

Aroma was of light hops and some dark roast. Not bad but i wished I was getting more from it.

Flavor also featured some roast and a little bit of hops. The balance was good but the overall flavor was not among my favorites.

Overall an ok beer. Try it if you see it but didn't blow me away.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2012 19:21:59 | More by david18

57md

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is dark brown with a finger of head that lingered a bit and left some nice lacing behind. The nose is mild hops, but pretty weak. Roasted malt is there, hops are there but overall this offering is pretty thin and pedestrian. As with many Magic Hat offerings, the best part of this beer is the artwork.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2012 06:25:56 | More by 57md

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.25/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a deep amber to brown in color with a tan head. In the aroma, a caramel roast and a bit sweet. In the taste, a small caramel like roast but a bit watery. A smooth and lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a dry small grapefruit and caramel like roast in the aftertaste. Hops came to play in the aftertaste, and the nose is bigger than taste, quite thin and watery.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2012 16:59:12 | More by OWSLEY069

MBrausen

Minnesota

3.23/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A. Pours a brownish black, 2mm thick head, minimum carbonation showing

S. Smells of sweet fruit, barley and mild coco

T. Tastes of strong barley, heavy halt, strong grains.

M. Grainy and coars tastes, medium carbonation feel, medium body.

O. An okay beer. Nothing really popping that will make me remember I had this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2012 20:51:19 | More by MBrausen