Hi.P.A. - Magic Hat Brewing Company

Neorebel

New Jersey

3.36/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

HiPA is a pale shade of yellow, situated somewhere between straw and honey. Small particles of sediment are observed in the hazy liquid, and a cottony head rests on top after a power pour. This later goes down to about 3/4 of an inch, but still, ample lacing clings to the glass. The scent is not terribly inviting... one can barely detect the grapefruit-like hop aroma underneath an sharp, astringent and medicinal layer, that I perceive as off. This could be due to the fact that this bottle is quite past its prime, being a fall release. After a sip however, I was surprised that it was actually pretty tasty. It's heavy on the pine variety of hop flavor, but it's also got a flowery splash thrown in. Something else reminds me of pollen. The brew feels full-bodied as it coats the mouth and is somewhat warming on the way down. There is a very distinct malt presence that again, could be due to the bottle's age. For this review I find the balance between malt and hops favorable though. Take this review for what it's worth - expect what I have found to apply to presently finding a single bottle of this on the shelf.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 02:01:59 | More by Neorebel

GoldHorde

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Magic Hat Hi.P.A.

A blindfolded taster would instantly and correctly guess this to be an IPA. It is always well done and styled flawlessly when the flavor profile smacks the catcher's mitt in the pitch zone. This brew is banging on the door of an American Double IPA.

A: Hazy pale gold

S: Citrus and evergreen reaching out to tweak your nose with a sharp, playful hop pinch

T: Sharply tart, hop bouquet lingering

M: On the light side

O: A perfectly, nice IPA - I'd have been proud to brew it myself.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 04:19:22 | More by GoldHorde

zeff80

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured a hazy, golden yellow color with a one-finger off-white head of foam. It left thin rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of pine and grapefruit with some toasty notes.

T - It tasted of pine, grapefruit, citrus and some burnt toast maltiness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale.

O - This is a good IPA from Magic Hat. I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 02:12:24 | More by zeff80

TheMarkE

California

3.41/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Another drinkable offering from Magic Hat, this time in IPA form. Full of bitter citrus hops with enough malts to keep it honest. Like most of their brews, it is good but nothing really stands out.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 01:11:27 | More by TheMarkE

Quanz_Kitty

4.55/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer reminds me of 'Heady Topper'. For those living in the Waterbury, VT area know what the hell I am talking about. This is the closest thing to the Alchemist's Head Topper. I absolutely love Columbus hops and how they taste! This is like a light version though. I think the flavor is the biggest asset of this beer! I just wish it was available year round!

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 12:02:22 | More by Quanz_Kitty

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz Bottle from Wegman's Dewitt NY for 2$

Appearance - Hazy gold colour with a large size fizzy white coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for over 5 minutes.

Smell - Hops, malts, grapefruit

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste caramel and malts mixed with hops. There is also some grapefruit/lemons mixed with some grassy notes. It ends with a mild hop bitterness.

Overall – Good not great. You could do far worse but it doesn't come close to stacking up to all the world class IPA's out there. It has a nice taste but lacks that fresh hop aroma and bite.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 00:50:15 | More by spinrsx

drabmuh

Maryland

3.08/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

My objective to drink as many IPAs as possible has brought me here, bottle gifted by a cousin, thanks, a new beer and a new IPA for me, never a bad thing. This one wasn't a very good IPA unfortunately.

Beer is reddish amber and clear with a nice head, moderate to low retention, low carbonation.

Aroma is malt with a hint of hops.

Beer is medium in body and pretty malty sweet with this mild earthy hoppiness to it and a mildly bitter / dry finish. It is a boring ale with not enough hop character, I'm surprised this is an IPA, I would have guessed Amber ale. Not a repeat for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 02:55:09 | More by drabmuh

Mojo

Alabama

4.13/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle -> World Market Tulip glass

This offering pours up a beautiful crystal clear gold with a big 2 finger foamy white head, nice retention, and great lacing. Smell is very earthy, maybe mostly hops that I get. Taste is just about pure hops, and a little bit of malt, but very drinkable at the same time. Mouthfeel is nice with medium carbonation. I know it's the in thing not to give Magic Hat a lot of love, but this is a solid offering.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 04:42:50 | More by Mojo

BOSMECH

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours cloudy dark golden color with white head.
Aroma is citrusy but not so bitter.
Some great hoppiness in this nose.
Medium body, slight dry finish.
Has a nice balance, not overwhelmingly hoppy.
Overall, this is a beer that is drinkable without being weak, but not a lotover powering of hops.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 16:54:36 | More by BOSMECH

poop_brew

Vermont

3.5/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a pint glass. Long lasting two finger head. A foggy and hazy golden-yellow

S: A rich aromatic hop scent subtle citrus tone possible a lemon or orange.

T: A slighty sweet and hoppy start the transitions to finish with a even stronger bitter hop.

M: A sharp mouthfeel with smoothens out towards the middle and a bold alcohol bite at the end.

O: A delicious brew but not the best balance in taste as compared to other IPAs. Definitely a more accessible IPA. Would I drink it again? Yes, if in a 12-pack sampler, but wouldn't outright purchase it.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 00:46:59 | More by poop_brew

Jacobob10

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass, a big, rocky head immediately comes to life. Clear, golden color which is a little light for an IPA, but I don't mind that. Excellent head retention throughout the duration of the beer. A really good looking brew Aroma is good and filled with perfumey hops and freshly cut grass (which I am allergic to, so luckily there is no actual cut grass in the beer). Lots of bready malts to balance the hops in the flavor. A bit resiny but it goes down smooth.

I like this beer a lot. Clean and easy-drinking, it's not an over the top IPA, but I love the way it looks and love the way it tastes. It definitely works for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 01:57:01 | More by Jacobob10

CookstLiquor

British Columbia (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 355ml bottle. Pours a very bright, but cloudy, yellow colour. Lots of enticing tropical fruit and bready malt notes in the nose. Almost like banana bread. On the palate there is a whole lot of strong lingering bitterness that is a nice balance to the ample hops.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 00:00:03 | More by CookstLiquor

Cookeeman

3.28/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bought this at one of my fav beer stores, and it is because they bring in never-before-seen-in-Victoria breweries and beers like this that keep me coming back!

Pours a hazy golden yellow, with a ring of bubbles around the edges. The smell is really hoppy, but right at the end I get a hint of floral soap smell... For such a strong pungent aroma, the flavour is surprisingly mild. It is medium-bodied, a little bready and some caramel. The hop flavour is sort of a mishmash, a little sweet - a little spicy - a little piney - a little citrus. The finish is clean, no lingering hop flavour. Mildly dry finish, evidence of the dry-hopping. Just a touch of booze on the finish, but that's what you get for 6.7%. I guess if I was having this by the pint on-tap I would enjoy it because it is sessionable, but I have to admit I was hoping for something a little raunchier!

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 06:50:42 | More by Cookeeman

nelson4

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Golden almost straw yellow and cloudy. appears to have some sediment in it. Is this bottle conditioned? If so, the sediment was self induced.

Smell - Citrusy but mild, maybe grapefruit. Slightly floral, but overall no one characteristic stands out in the aroma. Not overpowering, but the aroma is very pleasant.

Taste - a slight malty sweetness turns into a very strong bitterness. The bitterness dries out with the noticeable taste of the dry hopping lingering. I personally prefer dry hopped IPA's and enjoyed this very much. Taste is slightly tilted towards the bitterness and lacks balance.

Mouthefeel - Good carbonation with a nice finish. The mouthfeel is a winner in this beer. The beer does not finish sticky, but it does have a lingering pleasant finish.

Overall - The color is too pale and straw for me and the taste a little too one-sided towards the bitterness. I love the dry hopped dryness that comes through, and the mouthfeel improves the overall impression of this beer. This is a beer I would definately order over most options in a bar, but it won't replace any of my normal IPA favorites.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 21:50:04 | More by nelson4

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pretty decent off white head falls into a nice lacing above a clearish honey golden colored beer.

A light sour on a piney and floral aroma with hint of honey.

A light bitterish dry taste with a nice piney hops bite to it.

Dry aftertaste with some of the hops taste sticking around on this medium bodied beer.

A very decent and easily drinkable IPA.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 21:20:13 | More by LXIXME

mynie

Indiana

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

Pours dark and lightly hazy. Smells of medium-strength American hops with strong, pleasant nodes of orange, sugar and grapefruit. Pretty boilerplate, so far as AIPA aromas go, but very solidly done. Nothing off, nothing cloying.

Tastes, thankfully, pretty much as it smells. The hops are straight Columbus and the malt is sweet and biscuity without being too thick or too sweet. The medium-alpha hops take center stage, with a nice firm citrus burst giving way to a milder, lightly spicy middle and finishing on nodes of grapefruit mixed wonderfully with a doughy yeast.

Straightfoward and certainly not bold, but nonetheless tasty and very well brewed.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 00:59:16 | More by mynie

ZAP

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Guessing this has changed since I reviewed nearly 10 years ago....a definite American IPA with a nice dose of piney hop notes on the nose...flavor is hop forward and kind of complex...oily hops evident....good tight bitterness but also a sweeter note from the hops as well....really nice hop burps....body is about right on....slightly dry on the finish....I really like this one....got it for 6.95 a sixer and would gladly buy several more if the store wasn't 100 miles away that I got it at.

7-7-03 (3.58)
I think the current 4.21 rating on this is a tad bit high...this ia decent IPA but nothing earth shattering....in fact, I would wager there are dozens of IPA's of the same caliber all over the U.S.

It looks the part...nice orange....little white lace that rims the glass....nose is a little light...I'd say it has more of a English IPA nose... Herbal, earthy hop notes rather than the citrus hops of the west coast...

The body is pretty light...I'd say on the light side of medium...the first thing I noticed when I drank this was the lighter texture...I thought this was an Imperial IPA but even for a regular IPA the body is very light...

Taste is very balanced for an IPA...there is a good malty, bready base along with the herbal, earthy hops...the hopping is not going t oknock your socks off....it has a nice flavor and adds to the beer but if you're west coast hop head this WILL dissapoint you if you are bying it for a hop charge...

Mouthfeel finishes a bit dry which I like...as I mentioned it is pretty light bodied but balanced....

Overall the drinkability is tough to rate because I think this could be a good session beer and there aren't a lot of IPA's I can say that about...or want to say that about...

I see this as a decent English IPA style beer...the thin body is a big negative to me as is the relatively low hopping...on the positive side it has a nice earthy taste to it and is well balanced and quaffable in large doses...almsot more of an ESB in some respects...

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 04:22:31 | More by ZAP

KajII

North Carolina

3.33/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

[Suggested Glassware: Shaker Glass]

The pour was a hazy golden yellow with an average (1-2 finger) white creamy head that had great retention and excellent sheeting of lacing.

The aroma was of light grain malts, floral hops and a soapy yeast with notes of caramel and citrus (orange).

The taste was bitter from the get go with a mild caramel sweetness slowly creeping in, and then became mostly hoppy with a strong citrus peel bitterness and a slight peppery ending. The flavor lasted quite a while after the swallow with a good bold hoppiness left lying on the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was light in body and dry in texture with a medium carbonation.

Overall a very satisfying IPA with lots of flavor and a damn good hoppy presence...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 15:07:14 | More by KajII

mckenziac

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Samuel Adams Boston Lager glass. Taken from a Magic Hat "Participation" variety pack.

Appearance: Pours a hazy, bright golden color. Has a small, frothy head that dissipates quickly down to a small cap that leaves behind some better-than-expected lacing.

Smell: Earthy, piney hop aromas.

Taste: Earthy bitterness up front. Finishes moderately bitter with a musty, earthy hoppiness. Just enough maltiness that the hops don't overpower.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, with a light body.

Overall: A slightly better-than-average IPA. I feel like this is one of Magic Hat's more solid offerings. It's a well-constructed, if slightly one-note IPA. Nothing really memorable but something I'm glad I had and will probably have again.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 19:25:33 | More by mckenziac

GossageBrewery

Missouri

3.23/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, poured a hazy golden color, produced a white head, nice retention and it left lacing on the glass. The aroma consisted of citric/pine hop aroma. Medium in body, this APA, is all about earthy, piney hop flavor. A base of malted grain, this brew also features some hints of apple juice. This brew has all of the makings of a really good APA but it is somewhat off balance. Dry finish. Overall, this was a decent APA- nice session beer, a little rough around the edges but it will do.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 20:20:02 | More by GossageBrewery

RickS95

Indiana

3.15/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I like the look but it doesn't look like most IPAs. Looks more like a witbier. Pours a cloudy, milky gold color. It's pale-ish in color but mostly opaque due to the hazy look. The head is true IPA. Thick, fluffy, good retention, nice lacing.

I'm a bit torn on the smell. It's got some good and bad. The bad is that it smells like an American macro with a grainy, adjunct-filled, ricey aroma. The good is that it's got a citrusy, grassy smell that gives it the American IPA scent.

The taste follows the smell, a bit of American macro as well as some citrusy, grassiness. Each sip seems to get a bit worse.

The mouthfeel is very bitter. There's slight acidity, but it's got a grainy feel to it.

It's very average. Lots of potential, but reminds me too much of an overproduced American pilsner.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 03:24:05 | More by RickS95

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not sure how this one has evaded my reviewing powers for so long but here we go.

A- Poured into one of those new can-shaped glasses, like a stout pint glass I suppose. Somewhat hazy golden-orange body. A very nice creamy white head forms to about two fingers and retains nicely. Lots of lace creates a webbed pattern around the glass.

S- Hoppy upfront with main notes of pine and citrus zest taking up most of the aromatic powers. Some light bread, caramel and herbal/floral hints in the background.

T- Hops strong again here and the pine seems to be more dominant here than in the nose. Herbal, floral, grapefruit, lemon zest and spicy notes from the hops too. The malt and yeast make their presence known with caramel, bread and light fruit hints.

MF- Creamy light body with smooth moderate carbonation. Bitterness in the finish isn't overpowering but delivers a nice compliment to the flavors.

Solid standard IPA for the price and inclusion in mixed-12 packs.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 02:10:18 | More by cbutova

BlackBearForge

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hi.P.A. pours a surprisingly pale yellow without a hint of amber in the mix, topped however by an impressive amount of bone white suds leaving tons of creamy lacing.

The aroma is faint, mostly a clean slightly sweet smelling citrusy malt.

The flavor is hop forward and pleasingly bitter. The hops are about equal parts citrus and pine resin and have a faint spicy bite in the finish. The finish is bitter and pleasantly lingers. The pale fresh bready malts are sweet but definitely take the back seat to the hops in this beer.

The mouhtfeel is on the light side, with rather sharp carbonation but slick in the end.

I've had a number of beers from Magic Hat and can say I prefer their IPAs. I have also liked other IPAs of theirs better, namely Lucky Kat, than HiPA but this is a pleasantly bitter easy drinking IPA that won't blow you away but won't dissapoint either.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 21:32:56 | More by BlackBearForge

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.28/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks goes out to my doppelganger for sharing this one with while sitting around his house! Served from bottle into a shaker. Poured yellow with a one finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, earth, earth hop, subtle fruit, and pine. The flavor was of sweet malt, earth, earth hop, fruit, and pine. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a fairly decent brew. There was a lot of earthiness going on here with a touch of pine. The touch of fruit going on wasn’t too bad, but I don’t think it was totally necessary in my opinion. Glad I got to tick this one, but that’s about it.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 10:44:16 | More by thagr81us

Willytee3

New York

4.15/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy burnt yellow-orange with many bubbles streaming up from the bottom. nice White head with thin foamy retention and great lacing.
Smells of fresh citrus fill the nose and deliver a nice pine hop depth with sweet toffee malts.

Sips with high carbonation that fades away quickly but delivers a foamy mouthful of bitter pine hops with citrus follow up of grapefruit juice and some mango.

Best by far of the IPA on tour series. I would like to see this brought back to be available year round.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 05:47:43 | More by Willytee3