Magic Hat Lucky Kat

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

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz. bottle into a pint glass. Appearance: It has a deep amber or copper color with very good clarity. The head builds up tall and fluffy. Its head is just off white in color and leaves cool rings of lacing on the glass. Smell: There is a big fruity hop aroma with some hints of citrus and pine. Taste/Mouth feel: It starts with a doughy, sort of earthy malt with some mild sweetness and light caramel notes. Hop flavor slowly takes over with fruity, citrus and mild pine notes. Its hop flavor is very big and juicy yet bitterness is more modest making it very easy and fun to drink. The finish is semi-dry with a nice bitter fade. Its medium bodied with average carbonation and a slick easy drinking texture. Notes: Wonderful flavor with judicious hoping and balance.

12oz bottle from Tiger Town in Gardiner. Pours a clear amber body with a good inch of off-white head that dissipates slowly leaving plenty of lacing. Smells citrussy, piney, and grassy with undertones of caramel malt. Tastes bitter - citrussy, grassy, and piney first, with a strong malt backbone with a fair bit of caramel malt. Medium-bodied with plenty of carbonation makes this a pretty drinkable IPA. Wow. A perfect example of the style, extremely tasty and drinkable with no flaws. Far and away the best Magic Hat brew I’ve had in quite some time and an all-around great IPA. I’ll definitely be getting this again!

I’ve come to expect mediocre ratings of Magic Hat brews from other folks, for whatever reason. I don’t care; it remains one of my favorite US breweries. Sampled this at the ’08 Brewgrass, early in the day when I was still taking notes. Appearance: The color of straw, reminiscent of a darker Czech pils. Aroma: Faintly sweet and strawy, classic hop profile. Taste: Classic IPA flavor all the way, slightly sweet. Palate: Just enough spritz for interest. Overall: This is a good, sessiony IPA. Not so overbearing or strong that you couldn’t have 2 or 3 -- which I gladly would! Serving type: on-tap

Bottle This might be the best beer in the worst package design I’ve ever seen. The strange graphic design distracts from a solid IPA. Huge lemon nose upfront. Lemon taste blends nicely to a vanilla/cherry finish. Slightly bitter. Fire the graphic designer immediately.

Look - Light amber in color. Small head Smell - Citrusy/Fruity hops. Sweet malty smell. Good overall. Taste - Sweet taste. Very indescribable. Typical Magic Hat. Malty, hoppy. Very wierd hop taste. Fruity/Citrusy type taste. Amazing. Smokey taste. Very original. Overall, I’d get the HIPA version of the IPA over this one. But I do like this one. Just not as much as their other IPA.

Nice bite and very tasty. Reminds of "Fat Angel" alot. One of my fav 6 packs to grab and goto a party with.

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.