Magic Hat Roxy Rolles

Brewed by Magic Hat Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
South Burlington, Vermont USA

Finally. A holiday ale that I really liked. More or less, a hopped up amber. I didn’t get any "spice" from it, which is fine by me since that’s my one big beef about holiday beers. This went down smooth, looked and smelled nice and is something I’d go back for often, if given the opportunity.

12 oz bottle - poured a brown-amber with a off white head. Aroma of citrus, grasses, hops and some malt. Taste is almost a combination or an IPA and (lesser so) an Octoberfest - more citrusy, hoppy and piney than malty like a typical Octoberfest brew. Decent brew - just not sure I would put in a the Octoberfest category (description on this page calls it a Winter Seasonal - I think this beer is having an identity crisis)

The pour is deep red, with a med off white head. The aroma is of sweet hops and citrus. The initial tasting is marred by excessive carbonation. However, after getting past that, the flavor is strong hops, with a good bitter character. The body is lighter than other Christmas/winter ambers I have had. The finish is slow and lingering, leaving an aftertaste much like the regular flavor. And enjoyable brew.

(Bottle) Although there isn’t really a true "style" of Amber ale, this is my favorite beer ever to bear that name. I like the character of the hops, and the malt as well, which is rich and somewhat carmamelly, without being heavy. This was a good beer and I would gladly drink it again. I continue to be consistently impressed with magic hat brews.

bottle from total wine in norfolk. pours a dark, hazy amber with thin vanilla head. aroma is actually very nice with citrus hops dominating and hints of pine, brown sugar, and flowers. flavor is a bit disappointing given the aroma. the hops seem to disappear, giving way to flavors of roasted malt, toast, a touch of sweetness, and very little citrus. mouthfeel is smooth with a short lingering bitterness. overall, a decent amber.

On tap at Coasters. First of all, given my previous experiences with Magic Hat as a mediocre (at best) brewery I would not have tried this had it not been poured for me before I could order. Second, for an amber ale Magic Hat does a really nice job with this one and I was pleasantly surprised. Pours brownish-orange with a thin, off-white head. Big, bright citrus hop aroma. Bitter hop flavor of fresh cut grass and pine balanced with some caramel malt sweetness. This is actually a pretty good beer.

Slighly hoppier version of an amber ale. Better hop flavor in this one compared to some of the other Magic Hat hoppier beers. Nothing too noteworthy - non-offensive, not really memorable. Bring back the Heart of Darkness dammit!!

12 oz bottle pours hazy amber but I’d disagree that this winter hopfest falls into the traditional ’amber ale’ category. Strong but pleasant hoppy and pine aroma gives way to strong hop taste but finishes better than you’d expect. The cover art on the bottle is unattractive but what pours out into the glass will be welcome.