Magic Hat #9

First Brewed: 1994
Brewery Location: South Burlington, Vermont, United States
ABV: 5.1%

History & Availability: Magic Hat is the 8th largest craft brewery in America, with the apricot-infused #9 as its most popular beer. One of the more popular brands on the east coast, I've found Magic Hat to be available pretty much everywhere throughout New England, but given that it's a craft beer you may have trouble finding it if you live outside of the northeast.

Appearance: A surprisingly light ale, tending towards a bright amber. I've generally only had this beer out of the bottle before, and I was surprised by the color as I poured, although given the taste it definitely makes sense. #9 is also noticeably cloudy. Leaves a medium head, although once poured there is only moderate carbonation.

Smell: Very fruity. There is a distinct floral scent, but the beer still retains the prominent bitterness of the hops. Definitely a light scent, which furthers the overall goal of the beer to fall on the lighter end of the ale spectrum.

Taste: A floral or fruity taste immediately comes to the forefront as you sip this beer. Sweetness is definitely the most prominent characteristic here, although there is a decent undertone of a hoppy, bitter taste as well, that lurks below the surface until the beer hits the sides of your tongue, where it really comes out. The aftertaste is sweet and definitely has a floral feel to it.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation - just the right amount to agitate the flavors and bring them to all the right corners of the mouth, while still remaining subtle enough to not make holding a sip uncomfortable. Very light for an ale, there is very little weight beyond what you'd expect from a similarly sized sip of water. Feels a little heavier than a pilsner though, as expected. Any residue left behind dissipates almost immediately.

Drinkability: Due to the light color, light smell, and light flavor, #9 is very drinkable for the first 12 ounces. However, around the time you're halfway through your second bottle, there's a noticeable feeling of sweetness overload. You definitely wouldn't want to have more than two of these in a row, not because they're especially filling - which they aren't - but simply because it's a little bit too strong of a taste to handle over several bottles. This will be great if you're out at a restaurant and are only going to have one, worse if you're watching a game or something and want to have a few more.

Overall verdict: B+, a good beer to try if you're just starting out switching over from macrobrews.