Magic Hat Jinx

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

Bottle. Pours a hazy orange copper color with a small off light tan head. Light yeasty spice on the nose. Thick honey feel in the mouth, with very fine carbonation. Light mildly sweet finish. Overall a very nice but almost muted beer. I feel as if there could be a little more boldness here.

Bottle at the Headkeeper (Greensburg). Pours an amber red, beige head. Aroma is a touch of caramel/toffee and malt. Flavor is again carame/toffee and some roasted malt. Nothing to get excited about.

Magic Hat Jinx is a solid winter ale. It pours to a deep brown -- think burnt brown sugar -- with a pretty small head. The aroma gives some hints of tobacco, which is definitely in line with what a beer targeted towards this season (winter) should be. Slight taste of smoke on the palate. Certainly a comforting winter brew. There’s a bit of malty caramel to begin with, continuing through the palate. It’s a clean finish, no lingering spices as are common on many winter beers. Alcohol, at 6.9%, is shockingly masked. I give Magic Hat credit for remaining true to the English Strong Ale style and resisting the urge to do something odd to ruin the beer. It’s eminently drinkable, and, when I’m in VT, it’s an enjoyable wither beer. If this isn’t readily accessible, though, it’s probably not worth seeking out/paying $12-a-six for (this was tasted in bottle).

Bottle. It looks like their effort for an Octoberfest style. It was a little smokey in taste, but all in all average.

I was a little concerned when I bought this beer. No hops? Other beers I’ve had without hops that substituted heather or other mysterious ingredients for hops were challenging and just so....different. And this beer was so...ordinary. It was ordinary, but not in an above average way. Just kind of there. Color was a touch dark. Head appearance was a bit industrial looking, with a fair amount of head comprised of consistently sized bubbles. Aroma was faint to non-existent. Flavor was a touch malty, but again, not much there. Struck me as a very mild amber ale. Nothing special here...IMO, not worth the money or the calories. But at the same time, it is hard for me to say anything to negative about it.

Dark amber to dark brown with a mostly receding wispy tan head. Tastes of dark fruits, some spice, perhaps tending towards smoke but no dominant smokey notes. Medium to full bodied with lush carbonation.

Bottle. Pours clear amber caramel, off white head. Aroma is malty, hoppy, fruity, metallic, smoky (? or is that just the power of suggestion). Flavor is grassy, alky (as cheapdark would say) bitter, and slightly smoky. The body isn’t as robust and complex as I would have figured from the description on the bottle.

I would consider this a very good brown beer. Full malty flavor with a cocoa after taste. Very pleased.