Batch 376
Magic Hat Brewing Company

Batch 376Batch 376
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From:
Magic Hat Brewing Company
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Schwarzbier
ABV:
5%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.72 | pDev: 9.68%
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
45
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 18, 2013
Added:
Oct 21, 2006
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by scarletfire79:
Photo of scarletfire79
Reviewed by scarletfire79 from New Hampshire

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
love the style, love the beer. you get the best of both worlds. rich smokey malt taste but with the texture of a beer much lighter in color. notes of coffee and chocolate. extremely well balanced beer. another kick ass offering from magic hat. good job boys.
Dec 10, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by BillRoth from Maryland

Dec 18, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by brheuer from New Jersey

Mar 17, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Jason from Massachusetts

Jan 12, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by bonbini26 from New Jersey

Jan 11, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by rab53 from Washington

Dec 02, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by brandoman63 from Illinois

Nov 22, 2011
Photo of arejohnston
Reviewed by arejohnston from Massachusetts

4.57/5  rDev +22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
I bootlegged this beer into Charleston before Magic Hat was distributed in South Carolina. To date, Batch 376 has had the biggest effect on me. It made me instantly happy from the very first sip. It was a deep beer with a wonderful complexity - the kind of beer that made you happy to be alive.
Sep 05, 2009
Photo of BeerAdvocate
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland

3.53/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Review is from the February 2007 issue of Beeradvocate Magazine.

Part of the Mystery Beer series, with hopes of being brewed again. Dubbed a Black Lager. Underside of the cap reads "Tag! You're it." Great, we're it again.

Two shades from pitch-black, pours out with a healthy tan froth that has no problem sticking around. Smells of dark chocolate and freshly ground espresso beans, with a very clean nose. Very crisp and smooth, in a medium body. Clean, malty palate. Mild, dark malt character throughout; suggestions of mild roasted coffee, faint milk chocolate, light charcoal and burnt sugar. Peppery, herbal, hop flavor in the back--with a marked bitterness that shows balance--couples with some of the burnt malt fl avors and cleans house towards the semi-dry finish.

Spot-on for style, and more proof that dark beers can be just as drinkable as anything else out there. Who knew that this brewery, which primarily pumps out ales, can brew good lagers as well. An obvious pairing is with chocolate, but this one went really well with grilled chicken slathered with mole sauce.
Jul 24, 2008
Photo of PEBKAC
Reviewed by PEBKAC from North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
BB:M07
Sampled: Today

Ok, I didn't buy this beer, it was a gift. I got a bucket of beers from all over as a birthday gift. I appreciated the sentiment greatly; countries from all over. I didn't even think Nicaragua made their own beer. Mmm... rebel beer. Maybe the next review. :)

This Batch pours out dark & sulking. It's not in the mood to play. Just a little lace around the edges & then it just sits & mopes.

Bitter-sweet malts, smoky sandalwood, & cheap Hersey's Kisses float to the top.

Nice, clean mouthfeel, with beautiful carbonation to boot. Every little flavor comes off easier to taste, with the addition of a little pecan, it's very much the same as my nose interpreted. It is a tad more sugary then hoppy, but neither crosses the finish line first. The bitterness rides along with the sweet. A touch of something roasted way in the back, but it doesn't come into play till the end. The very finish is a light as air mousse, minus any of the extra sucrose that was evident before.

Nothing extreme here. Just a beautiful beer. :)
Jun 07, 2007
Photo of MEANxOLDxTOM
Reviewed by MEANxOLDxTOM from New York

4.07/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
From notes:
A- black, but translucent in the light around the edge of the glass. Ruby red and pink hues, and about 1/3 inch head that disappeared fast.
S- Roasted toasted malts. Chocolate and coffee notes....slight sweetness, and a christmas cookie like spice(cinnamon and nutmeg).
T/M/D- Roasty malts, dark chocolate, coffee and lots of nutty flavors. Long and smooth slight hop spiciness that again reminds me of a toned down spiced winter warmer...all from the hops and malts nothing added. Thick, but medium bodied, light carbonation, great for chilly weather session. I hope they bring this one back and rumor is that it will be their organic labels winter seasonal.
May 30, 2007
Photo of CharlieMopps
Reviewed by CharlieMopps from Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Maintained a rich black color, letting barely any light in at all. Produced a one and a half finger head with decent retention.

S: Roasted/burnt malt scent heavy in the nose. Undercurrents of dark fruit, but mostly a sense of the toasted flavors. Whiffs of chocolate and coffee notes are also present.

T: An almost puzzling beer, powerful roasted malt and coffee-like intro, which quickly fades to a washed out aftertaste, leaving only the slightest trace of the original maltiness behind. Toward the finish, a hoppy bitterness was sensed as it faded, somewhat dry at the end.

M: Carbonation pretty well matched, smooth transition, albeit quick. Fairly solid body for this beer.

D: Very drinkable beer, in my opinion. The lack of one sticking characteristic aids this, I feel, and overall a pretty good drink. This won't blow your mind, but it'll at least give you something to think about.
May 23, 2007
Photo of flexabull
Reviewed by flexabull from California

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a clear brown color with a decent white foamy head.

Aromas are dusty, caramel like, and of sweet cereal grains.

Taste is sweet up front, and with an overall creamy character from the malts. Carbonation is noted on the mouthfeel, and the finish is crisp and a bit smokey.

Mouthfeel is pretty good. Carbonation is about right, and quite lively.

Drinkability is very good. This is an easy drinking, enjoyable, and tasty Schwarzbier.

Thanks for the bottle Metallitone1!
Apr 25, 2007
Photo of stevehagy
Reviewed by stevehagy from New York

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is the best Magic Hat beer I have had to date. At first look it is extremely dark and black. As you get closer the aromas of the lager are filled with coffee and chocolate, as with the taste. Even though it looks extremely dark and thick it proves to be very drinkable and is quite enjoyable in any amounts. Upon finishing the first you will want a second.
Apr 12, 2007
Photo of hunteraw
Reviewed by hunteraw from China

3.8/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Received from mymrnngjckt in my Secret Bunny package - thanks! Only the second schwarzbier I've had.

Appearance: Very dark, almost black but revealing tawny & garnet tints when held up to a light. Initially a large tan head, but fades rather quickly to bare whisps. Good lacing.

Smell: Roasty, almost like a well-made porter. Some coffee and chocolate, none of the ale fruitiness - as expected, in this lager.

Taste: Roast, coffee... decent amount of hops bitterness. Very little diacetyl butteriness! A first for me among Magic Hat's beers - typically I find it very distracting in their beers.

Mouthfeel: Thinner in body than you'd expect from looking at it, but remember this isn't a porter or a stout - it's a schwarzbier and they "tend to lean towards light"

Drinkability: Good - most drinkable Magic Hat beer that I've had.
Apr 10, 2007
Photo of auxiliary
Reviewed by auxiliary from Rhode Island

3.28/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
appearance - Poured a black color. Decent head on it when poured then disolved to a ring and some of it keeping a float. Some lace but nothing sticking to the side.

smell - Roasted malt and dark coffee smell here. Not very strong.

taste - Roasted and a burnt taste, not too burnt though. Some hops at the end but just a ting of it.

mouthfeel - Kinda on the light side, not much carbination here.

drinkability - Nice balance. I don't like beer that has a heavy burnt or roasted taste to it. I enjoyed this one, this was like a STEP 1 of tasting a roasted beer taste. It was not over powering. I could see myself drinking this again.
Apr 06, 2007
Photo of sabrills70
Reviewed by sabrills70 from North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz brown bottle with a best before date of 3/07. Pours a very dark brown with some ruby highlites, a one finger head and decent lace. Smells of lite roasted malts with some coffee and chocolate as well. Tastes of a lightly roasted malt with all of the roasted malt characteristics. Slightly smokey Not as roasty as a porter or stout, more thirst quenching. Hops are more present that a porter or staout as well - although malt still predominates. A decent beer.
Mar 31, 2007
Photo of aaronh
Reviewed by aaronh from Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Dark chestnut body topped by an ecru head. Head fades fairly quickly. Aroma has a hint of sweet malt, but nothing else. Really clean, though. Flavor has a hint of solvent up front and in the finish. Some slightly burnt, roasted notes also come through. Also a decent bit of bitterness in there too. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, and the carbonation is aggressive. Drinkability is OK. Never know what you're going to get from Magic Hat. This one was a disappointment.
Feb 27, 2007
Photo of TheManiacalOne
Reviewed by TheManiacalOne from Rhode Island

4.1/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep black color with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of chocolate, coffee, smoky malts and a little bit of hops.

T: The flavors of chocolate, espresso, and roasted malt are what dominate the taste. There’s a little bit of hops in there. The after-taste is chocolaty and faintly sweet. It tastes remarkably similar to their Batch #373, hmmm?

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Very tasty, goes down very easily, only slightly filling, I’ve gotten the feeling that the “mystery beer” offerings from Magic Hat have been attempts to experiment with different in hopes that they get a beer that will get over well enough for them to produce on a regular basis. I’ve had several beers from Magic Hat and my 3 favorites have been Batch #375, Batch #373 and now Batch #376, everything else has been mediocre at best.
Feb 11, 2007
Photo of UnionMade
Reviewed by UnionMade from New York

3.42/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark brown in color, good clarity, with a scant, off white head. The head dies out very quickly, leaving only a thin collar clinging to the glass. No lacing. Pleasant and inoffensive toffee malt aroma. Noticable butter and vague plum esters. Not the cleanest, and more like a mellow porter or dark brown ale than a schwarzbier. Still pretty nice, though. The flavor starts off with sweet toffee, and more toffee. Very soft and mellow on the palate, with gentler carbonation and a fairly light body. Nice and smooth, which makes for good drinkability. Not a whole lot going on with the flavor, just simplistic toffee roastiness with a touch of plum fruit and a lightly hopped, herbal finish. Some buttery notes, but they stay within reason. Bittersweet finish and aftertaste, coffee notes lingering on the tastebuds for a while. I always make an effort to try to Magic Hat "batches", and I've found myself buying the mix packs, pawning off the #9 and Circus Boy to guests, just to try the batch beers. They've been really good recently, but I feel like this one falls a little short of the bar they've set with the Big Red, porter and double IPA. I can appreciate the effort to be adventurous, though.
Feb 08, 2007
Batch 376 from Magic Hat Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 45 ratings