Magic Hat Lucky Kat

Brewed by Magic Hat Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
South Burlington, Vermont USA

Very disappointing considering that I normally like Magic Hat brews (like #9). Very little bitterness follows some citrus and malts.

On tap in Hershey. Pours a clear copper color with a white head. Aroma of malts and some hops and citrus. Flavor is more malt than hops and citrus. Some hop bitter end. Sort of missed the point of an IPA.

Bottle. Pours a deep, somewhat cloudy, amber to ruby hue, with a slow to fade tan head. Some lace left behind on the glass. Aroma is highly malty with sticky toffee and a tinge of orange citrus hops, vanilla, and a little bit of an ashy or plastic note as well. Taste is quite grainy and a bit husky, some caramel and bittering hop. Not much of a hop profile, with very little flavor or aroma qualities coming through. Husky, bitter finish. Lively, large and somewhat harsh bubbles. Not that great of a hop profile, which leaves this as a pretty weak IPA.

bottle: weizen: pours an orange amber, high pour bubbles leaving 1 finger of off white head. Mild florals, plenty of bitters on the nose. First taste had some young fruits, maybe citrus... however that disappeared as I drank on. Finish was mostly bitter, dry, slightly metallic... very average brew.

Pretty lousy stuff. Doesn’t taste like micro brew beer. Bud is better. But that’s just me. Note- I don’t use words like citrus, grapefruit, pesto, or any other similar words to describe beer. If my beer tastes like any of those, I’m dumping it!

Bottle. Pours a murky amber color with a small off white head. Mostly citrus in the aroma with some faint hops in the background. Initial flavor is a hoppy bite before fading to a maltier finish. Bitter lingering taste. Soft carbonation with a dry texture. Nothing special.

Color is a hazy dark orange. Big fluffy head. Glows like a Christmas light. Really nice to look at. Smell is a nice woody hop. Has pine notes and a hint of oak. Malt is a little sweet and biscuity. Nicely balanced woody IPA aroma. The hops here have a distinct woody flavor, and tastes as if aged (briefly) in oak. Grassy and outdoorsy. Definite pine-oil taste. Could use a tad more balance, but it’s good. A hint of bubblegum? Feels thick and a little oily. Almost milky. Well-crafted. Smooths out toward the end. It has the taste of an honest-to-goodness Imperial IPA. Stronger than most Magic Hat fare. Woody, milky, and probably their most heavy regional offering.

Bottle sample at the Magic Hat tasting at Blacklick Wine & Spirits on 10/15/09. Cloudy copper pour with a medium off-white head. Faint hop aroma with some caramel malt. Bready malt flavor with a bit of bitter hops.