Magic Hat #9

Had this one blind, I guessed it was fruit, and I guessed right. Couldn’t tell WHAT fruit it was, and I’m not sure anyone knows. Fruit punch, maybe? I hate beers like these. Weak, watery, a pale ale mixed with fruit loop water. Booooo!

Golden color. Sweet fruity smells. The flavor starts fairly typically, but the finish is fruity and complex. Very drinkable.

A light-colored pour with a small head. A spicy flavor that reminds one of chewing on rose petals. Refreshing drink.

you might as well call this "the apricot beer". at least that’s what everybody around here calls it. pours hazy apricot color with light fluffy white head. nose of apricot, spice, citrus, fresh strawberry, cantaloupe. flavors of apricot, malt, fruitiness. light bitterness. finish is slightly dry and tart with a lingering apricot with floral notes. pretty carbonated and a little on the thin side. regardless of how much i like it, it’s my wife’s, my stepmother’s, and a boatload of other people’s beer of choice so it’s always in my fridge. not bad for a lighter beer, although i go for stuff WAY stronger....did i mention it tastes like apricot?

12oz bottle. Pours a clear gold with yellow and almost gold highlights and a thick, short-lived, white head. The aroma is very interesting - subtle bready malts, a distinct note of malts, and a great contribution fruity element. The fruit in the aroma is mostly apricot jam with subtle hints of bitter fruit and berries. There is also a subtle spice on top of the fruit - no doubt from the hops. Overall, the aroma is quite intoxicating. I am strongly reminded of Dogfish Head’s ApriHop - but I think Magic Hat #9 did it first (and they did it with more balance: DFH ApriHop is much hoppier). The flavor starts with a soft malt character with a background fruitiness. As the beer nears mid-palate the wonderful combination of fruit and hops strengthens. The finish has a nice mix of earthy and spicy hops along with a great note of apricot and a subtle residual sweetness from the malts. The mouthfeel is this beer’s Achilles Heel - despite the great flavor, the texture of the beer is a bit thin and much more club-soda-like than the flavor would imply. It isn’t bad though - but a little more body and a hint less CO2 would have made this an even greater beer. Overall, a very drinkable and refreshing pale ale. The fruit adds a mesmerizing, refreshing, drinkable crispness to it. Very nicely done.

Delicious, light and fruity. Wonderful and refreshing as I’ve come to enjoy from all Magic Hat brews. Definite apricot/citrus flavor.

Pours a clear light copper with quickly vanishing white head. Aroma is light sour, earthy hops, light dough and, some fruity (apricot). Flavor is sweet apricot and some mild earthy hoppiness. Light bodied, sticky texture. Finishes abruptly and a bit tart.

Bottle. Slight caramel aroma. Really didn’t detect much fruit, more like some roasted caramel note, and just a tad of spice, like cinnamon. A little hops at the finish. Has some subtle complexity, interesting brew.