Review of Magic Hat #9
Posted By Ken Sunday, 19 April 2009 12:46
Out in Broad Ripple with a couple friends for National Record Store Day, we stopped in a bar that offered $10 microbrew pitchers, and one of my friends and I split one of the Magic Hat #9. I had heard good things, but had to that point never tried anything from Magic Hat. Read on and see how my first experience with this brewer went.
Ken's Review
Taste: A- Magic Hat #9 is a fruity beer, but toned down to a point where you get a mild taste of almost apricot-like flavor. After swallowing you get some of that fruitiness left on your tongue, but it is a very clean aftertaste. I was shocked how smooth this stuff went down and how you didn't get a lot of strong remnants left in your mouth. It was hard to not keep downing this stuff it was so good.
Packaging: B+ The packaging is dominated by a giant 9 on the label, with kind of swirly maze-like design surrounding it. One feature I like is that in the top left part of the label it reads "Not Quite Pale Ale". This is pretty true, and adds a little something to a packaging that otherwise doesn't really have many components to it.
Value: B+ I did have this stuff on draft in the aforementioned $10 pitcher, but a sixer of this stuff runs between the $8-$10 range. A little pricey given the alcohol content, and especially for those who do not like a little fruit to their beer. For the price of this stuff, it kind of depends on the scenario in which you will be drinking it whether it is worth throwing a little extra coin towards this beer.
Drunkeness: C+ Magic Hat #9 comes in at a pretty low 4.6%, which is not really surprising when you drink it and do not have that background taste of alcohol. Given that this is a fruitier beer, I don't know anyone that would want to get plowed on this stuff, especially given the price. This would be a great beer to have to take the edge off, or enjoy a few at a cookout or something. But definitely not one that you want to get into a stupor with.
Overall: A- Despite the other ratings, I'm going with this overall rating because I thought it was a dynamite beer. I don't know that I would personally throw $8 down on a sixer, but will definitely enjoy this again at some point, more like in a bar setting again. Especially if it is on tap as a drink special, this is one I will pretty easily navigate to. If you have the chance to try this stuff out, do it! I will be looking forward to trying and reviewing some other selections from these guys.