Magic Hat! You Can Judge a Beer by It's Label!

It's time to review another beer! This brew was discovered in a grocery store, while I was looking for some interesting bottle caps for my previous blog entry on Becher Grids. Since you've been faithfully following my blog, you know what I mean! I chose this beer purely by the look of its cap and label. Just take a look at them!

The beer is Magic Hat #9, and it's labeled a funky "Not Quite Pale Ale." The Magic Hat Brewing Company is a small brewery in South Burlington, Vermont. They opened their doors in 1994, and produce three main beers year round. The #9 Beer being one of them. Since it is a pale ale, it contains malts, hops, and to my surprise a hint of apricot! The beer is a light brown/golden color, and poured into the glass with a little foam. When you first taste it, the beer hits clean with a hint of apricot, but it's not overpowering. Magic Hat #9 has a good mix of malt, hops, and fruitiness. I've had pale ales before and they can be strong, with a strong bitter taste. This beer is clean and crisp. Number Nine follows through with a nice malty/hops balanced flavor, and then leaves the teeth and gums without any strong aftertaste. In some aspects it lives up to its label as being "not quite a pale ale", but it tastes just as good as one!

So, a magically Good Beer! I am 2-4-2...

Just In TIme For October(fest)!

First up, and just in time for October, is Shiner Oktoberfest! Let me start by saying that Autumn is my favorite time of the year. So, it's only natural that beers brewed for Autumn are also, my favorite kinds of beer (except for Pumpkin beer). I like the Oktoberfest style of beers especially, and I make it a point to try different Oktoberfest beers when and while I can. So, this time around it's Shiner's turn...

Shiner Beer is brewed in Shiner, TX. Their most popular beer is Shiner Blonde. I have not seen an Oktoberfest seasonal brew from Shiner, so I was excited about trying it. I was not disappointed. Coloring was an orange-brown, and not too much foam when poured into the glass. It was very smooth and crisp, but yet had the distinct flavor that caramel malt gives to an Oktoberfest-type beer. Also, it was not too heavy. Sometimes the combination of barley, hops, and the caramel malt can be overpowering in some beers, and it can make the beer taste heavy. Shiner Oktoberfest is a good tasting beer, and I recommend it.

So, for Shiner Oktoberfest… Good Beer!