Magic Hat Chaotic Chemistry

Formerly brewed at Magic Hat Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
South Burlington, Vermont USA

Serve in Snifter

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Clear pumpkin. Gleaming white foam. Extremely subtle aroma (stylisctically speaking) dominated by herbs and tobacco. Very little malt depth. Undertones of lime, leather, vanilla, chalk, phenol, earth, dessert apple, leafy hop, metal, tea, and only a dash of wood. Thin, soft, fluffy mouthfeel. Bottle conditioned. Lots of Gueuze-like tanginess up front followed by abundant hop leaf notes, earth, lemon zest, and a touch of nutty yeast. Not sure if this acidity was intended, but it works quite nicely with the earthy qualities. Try if you can to detect the faint caramel malt backdrop. This is also much dryer than your usual barleywine. One of the most subtle and unique barleywines I've experienced. Lots of unassertive earthy hops so it's difficult to measure their pungeancy and the age of the beer versus these subtle, yet subtly rich malts. And, surprisingly, this showcases very few whisky flavors/aromas. 36 months of aging overly mellowed this, IMO. For $20 a bottle, I’d only purchase this once.

I agree with Shaftie here, this one was just oxidized and had slipped from its perch. A beer that was bottle in 2002 has no shame in being over-the-hill. It was still interesting to try, the bourbon had certainly left some impression and the nose was still decent. It’s weird to think that once upon a time, Magic Hat was making extremely interesting, creative beers that pushed forward our appreciation of Barrel-Aging. For that reason alone I cannot hate. They were putting Barley Wines in barrels when I wasn’t even Bar Mitzvahed.

Batch #0 (’02) Bottle 8/8. Thanks for the share Ryan. This was just past it’s prime, nothing more to say.

Vanilla, charred wood, caramel aroma. A pond water murky brown, no head and loosing carbonation. This was an older bottle and starting to turn, but still excellent. Sweet vanilla, charred wood, caramel, and walnut with a warming finish. If this bottle was a few years younger it would have been even better. Notes: Bottle was 5-10 yrs old

Batch#3, bottled in 2004, bottle #884. Pours amber with tiny tan head. The aroma is rich barrel notes of bourbon, vanilla and smooth even oak. I also get a thin layer of caramel in the background. The taste is sweet up front with sweet bourbon, vanilla and cameral to start. By midway smooth oak notes enhance the other flavors. Into the finish some dark fruity esters are noticed along with persistent vanilla, caramel, bourbon and smooth oak running deep into the after taste. This beer is a bit out of balance with the barrel notes smothering the beer. It could easily age much longer too. Good stuff.

2004 bottle Sample from a neighbor via another Canadian neighbor. Pours dark brown with off-tan head. Nose is figgy fruit, oaky cognac and bourbon, eartbhy, peaty. with flavor notes of caramel malt, woody, oaky, earthy bourbon, figgy fruit, cognac, and molasses. very complex, and this one has aged damned well!

Bottle 2004. WOW! poured a deep amber-ish brown with little carbonation. Nose was BOOZE. You could hav told me tht this was a bourbon and I would have believed you. Loads of malt sweetness, wood, very warming alcohol, dark fruits. Great barley wine. Thanks for the share IBrew2or3.

2004 Bottle. Big thanks to Ibrew2or3 for the share. Poured a dark reddish brown with a thin brown head. Wow this is a booze bomb! Nose is full of caramel, wood, raisin, and plenty of bourbon. Flavor is extremely boozy almost a straight whiskey feel, big bourbon, a touch of vanilla, and some dark fruit. This one really packs a punch.

bottle courtesy of ibrew2or3 rating# 1300 Dave, you rock when it coems to bringing out the A++ barley wine. This is batch#3, bottled in 2004, bottle #884. Pours deep brown with thin head and thin golden lacing.. Aroma of pure goodness, lots of aged notes, whiskey barrel, wood, malts, caramel. Taste, at 10.8% this one comes off boozy and palate warming. Light notes of dark fruits, caramel elements with plenty of whiskey barrel notes, sweet sugary palate with a finish that had very faint hops elements. Outstanding beer, and these words cannot do it justice.

Rating #1000. 2004 bottle, courtesy Ibrew2or3. Ruddy caramel reddish brown color, with a bubbly head and a small ring of lacing remaining on the glass. Aroma is big, bright caramel and raisins, with some currant, tons of wood, and a healthy, big heat presence throughout. Very smooth flavors; sticky caramel, wood, spicy elements, and dark fruit present big time. Medium-bodied, extremely drinkable, and has held up well, and aged perfectly, after all these years. Would love to crack open a bottle of this every year for the rest of my life.

decaturstevo’s Febmergency Tasting. Sample from a bottle thanks to SpringsLicker. Dated 1/1/04, Batch 2, unreadable bottle number 10?(4?)5 brewer Novoi. Nice ruby red with a thick white head. Aroma is dried fruits, some smokey bourbon. Taste is smooth vanilla, bourbon smoke, a bit thin.