The Summer Mystery Beer (Summer Variety Show '07)
Magic Hat Brewing Company

The Summer Mystery Beer (Summer Variety Show '07)The Summer Mystery Beer (Summer Variety Show '07)
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From:
Magic Hat Brewing Company
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.53 | pDev: 11.05%
Reviews:
26
Ratings:
28
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 20, 2013
Added:
May 14, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Slatetank:
Photo of Slatetank
Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

3.62/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I picked this up @ Quick six west, in the out of the cooler section. I realized after purchase it was outdated, but gave it a try regardless. I reviewed based on the taste, not on the IPA description listed here. Poured from the 12 brown bottle dated Sept 07 into my fisherman's wharf wheat glass.

A - Poured vigorously to disturb some yeast which makes for a turbid medium amber w/ a cap of khaki w/ a rocky head. The lace settles as it is drank, but clings in spots.

S - The smell is malt w/ ale esters, like an alt-bier which is very pleasant and fruity w/ jam and notes of noble hops.

M - Bitter, succulent and astringent w/ subtle sweet and creamy textures.

T - A sweet malty cherry tinged fruitiness w/ German hop flavors w/ a crisp, refreshing and gentle woody hoppy flavor.

D - Very tasty w/ plenty of maltiness, yet a balanced ale experience. The taste reminds me slightly of a dopplesticke since it has plenty of german malty flavors and the ale esters related to it with more of a sweet/spicy hop finish. This should be in the repertoire full time - nice when accompanied by a creamy jack cheese.
Mar 10, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by ejimhof from Pennsylvania

Sep 20, 2013
 
Rated: 2.5 by Budinetz from Pennsylvania

Feb 04, 2013
Photo of mattcrill
Reviewed by mattcrill from Ohio

2.88/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Aroma: Heavy crystal sweetness with some piney hop resin base. Mild fruity esters that blend nicely with the crystal and hop aromas.

Appearance: Deep orange color with a thick, sudsy white head. The head collapses and leaves a thin film over the top of the beer.

Flavor: Biscuit and carmel flavors as a base with some mild hop bitterness to balance out. As it warms the hop flavor seems minty and almost tea-like. Seems to be a nice balance of biscuit flavors and American hop flavors. Finish is bitter and dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low carbonation. No astringency or alcohol heat detected.

Overall impression: This was from the summer variety pack and sampled in November. If they used American hops they have definitely died a silent death. Seems more like an English IPA to me. Nothing off but nothing earth shattering. It's hard to like these beers because they do such a bad job at marketing and telling us what the brewers intention was. How do you educate the non-BA by naming a beer "mystery beer"? Most people are intimidated by venturing beyond BMC as it is. Don't give them a reason to be gun shy.
Nov 12, 2007
Photo of kirok1999
Reviewed by kirok1999 from Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Kind of interesting to go into a beer with no preconceptions or expectations. Pours a nice mild gold with a white head. I'm guessing an IPA. Smell is nicely hoppy, sweet malts come through too.
Taste is a mild IPA, nothing aggressive, nothing overpowering. Nice grassy/piney hops, nice malt backbone. Fairly well balanced and mildly carbonated. A nice, mild easy drinker.
Nov 12, 2007
Photo of IntriqKen
Reviewed by IntriqKen from California

4.21/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Thanks to TheManiacalOne for this brew. Magic Hat is something I always want to try but can never find here.

Pours a cloudy pale amber to golden orange with a solid two fingers of white on top that melts slowly to sticky lacing and a solid thick ring around the glass.

Aromas are nicely caramelized amber malts with just barely a hint of hops.

Taste is very unlike aroma...nothing subdued here.
Deliciously sweet, caramel malt gets hit almost immediately with fresh, green hops....lemon peel oils..sweet pink grapefruit peel...then a grapefruit drying and bitterness as you swallow.

Aftertaste is nicely sweet with the leftover hops giving me the same sort of sensation as fresh lemonade gives for an aftertaste.

Beer is as refreshing as fresh lemonade as well and drives you for another sip almost before you've swallowed the first.

This is a remarkably fresh and clean, drinkable IPA.
Sep 15, 2007
Photo of TheManiacalOne
Reviewed by TheManiacalOne from Rhode Island

3.72/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a murky light brown color with a very thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves very little lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of caramelized malts, with some hops and fruit in the background.

T: The taste is decently balanced with a strong hops bite up front and flavors of caramel & citrus. The hops bitterness fades quickly and leaves a lot of malty sweetness. There’s a slight sting of alcohol, which is a little unexpected from a beer with just 7.50% ABV. The malt character is pretty hearty for the style. The after-taste is bready and a little sweet.

M: Smooth with a little crispness, medium body, medium carbonation, clean finish.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent representation of style, not sure how much of a summer beer this one is but it’s a beer worth drinking a few of. However, there are plenty of others that I’d choose first.
Sep 13, 2007
Photo of russpowell
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas

3.78/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Had this at the beach in Mid July, based on notes

Poured a hazed brown with 2 fingers of sandy colored head. Good head retention & lacing

S: Fruitty & toasty malt

T: Roasted malt & some fruittyness up front. Caramel & warming booze in the middle. Finishes with heavily roasted grain & dryness

MF: Medium-bodied with low carbonation & good balance

Drinks okay, seems a little out of whack. Took this as mystery or I'd rated it lower, don't see this an AIPA, by any stretch, was thinking ESB or even Dunkel. Was the best in the mixed 12 IMO
Sep 06, 2007
Photo of irishkyle21
Reviewed by irishkyle21 from Canada (ON)

3.97/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The Magic Hat Mystery Beer. I find this beer to be a cross between a Barley Wine and an IPA but that's just me. It pours with a light brown head, little retention as well as lacing. Has a murky copper color.

Smells of hops, bread, a toasty malt, caramel, and just a hint of fruits.

The taste and mouth feel is where this beer excel's (IMO). Very well balanced. The palate is of, toast, hops, some sweetness, the fruits come in to play as well and a bitter finish. Another Magic Hat beer that does not fit the style guidelines very well (IMO) but I still really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to the other two.
Aug 24, 2007
Photo of AlephNull
Reviewed by AlephNull from Delaware

3.66/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottle 2 from my Magic Hat Summer Variety Pack, it's a mystery, what could it be?

A - Pours a hazy amber color with a chunky, thick white head that leaves a sticky lacing on the glass.

S- Not extremely strong smell -- a little piney/citrusy hops. Creamy carmel malt scents.

T- Well balanced pale ale -- The malts open with a bit of a buttery, caramlel flavor. The hops then take over -- they're not intense, but the dominating flavor. A bit of a grapefruity flavor and a clean pine flavor.

M- A medium heavy creamyness. Not strongly carbonated.. an interesting thickness for the style.

D- Enjoyable. A bit strange with the heavyness for the style, but the flavo is well balanced. I'd drink it again.
Aug 15, 2007
Photo of ghostmech007
Reviewed by ghostmech007 from Virginia

3.95/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into an imperial pint glass.

Pours a darkish brown/amber color. Nice thick head that tastes like chestnuts.

Nose is full of hops but not overpowering. Spice, and yeast notes are very present as well. Malts are also present.

A beautiful mix of hops and malts. Fruits also cut through. Very smooth with some hop oil, but it just doesn't have that IPA punch. But very tasty.

Very good brew. It's not perfect, but very enjoyable I suggest it to anybody.
Aug 14, 2007
Photo of GratefulBeerGuy
Reviewed by GratefulBeerGuy from New Hampshire

4.08/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
This is the beer I purchased the 12-pack for.

AP: a thick, cloudy red-hued amber color, very active carbonation creates a thick and lacy, off-white head that sticks around the glass and dissipates very slowly. The quality is obvious.

Nose: big and aromatic with an acidic smelling pineapple, sweet and tart. buttery malt, herbal, mildly sour yeast is right there with a minty hop scent.

flavor: The flavors are bold, i had guessed this was there version of the DIPA becuase of it's caramalized, buttery malt, english toffee, wheat and grains and a big pleasantly bitter, earthy hop smack to finish.

Feel: medium bodied, with an especially thick and hefty feel, this gives the RIS i just a run for the $$$ when it comes to viscosity. Very smooth and creamy going down.

DA: I was rather impressed and guessed it to be a DIPA.
Aug 06, 2007
Photo of gobias
Reviewed by gobias from Maryland

3.08/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
This beer looks great. A nice amber color with a small head, it looks really pretty. The aroma is nice too. A first taste to me was a bit too flavorful, like they tried to do too much. However by the time I finished the bottle I was enjoying it. The problem was by the end of the second I had enough of it.

So in my opinion if you want a IPA for a drink or two this is not a bad choice, anything more and I don't recommend it.
Aug 04, 2007
Photo of Bierguy5
Reviewed by Bierguy5 from Ohio

3.3/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5
12 oz. bottle. Drink before the end of Oct. 07 the label stated. Cloudy, dark copper color with an off-white head. Decent retention. A few nice patches of lace.

Juicy citrusy aroma, with a whiff of pine in the background. Caramel and slightly grainy aroma as well.

Lots of caramel covered fruit flavor at first, orange and tangerine come to mind. Following that is a rough mineral, metallic taste that seems to linger for a while. Maybe some earthy hops in the end, but that metallic taste lingers. Dry finish.

Adequate body and carbonation. Something just doesn't seem right, and it kills the drinkability for me. It all seemed so promising from the aroma...
Aug 02, 2007
Photo of bigone4
Reviewed by bigone4 from Rhode Island

3.85/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This creation poured from a 12oz bottle with a clearly marked freshness date on the back label. This brew had a deep hazy dark orange color. It was even more orange and hazy when back lit. There was a good carbonation with little bubbles floating up in the glass. The thin white head, that dissipated quite rapidly, left a minor cling of lace down the sides of the glass. The scent of grapefruit and citrus hops jumped at the nose. There was a mix of citrus with some alcohol esters and a hint of some pine. I also detected some slight spiciness hidden in there as well. I could also pick up a sweetness of malt mixed in as the beer warmed to room temperature. The taste was an explosion of hop flavor. The sharp hop bite up front takes your mouth by storm leading to a more mellowing dry hop finish. It certainly has a big citrus hop character and a nice blended hop profile. There is a left over dry bitterness in the back of the mouth. I certainly knew it was an IPA the minute I opened the bottle. This brew has a full hop flavor and it would certainly be any hop heads delight. It is drinkable to a point but it certainly destroys ones pallet. It is a nice summer time offering. I always enjoy a good tasting IPA in the summer sun. It is a tasty brew and I would like to try it again.
Aug 01, 2007
Photo of auxiliary
Reviewed by auxiliary from Rhode Island

3.73/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
appearance - Light golden color with a nice white head and some lacing.

smell - Nice sweet hops smell.

taste - Nice balance of malt and hops here. Has a malt taste that first hits you and then is followed by the bitterness of hops.

mouthfeel - Medium body, with light carbonation, and some bitterness.

drinkability - Not a bad drinking beer for the summer time.
Jul 28, 2007
Photo of DangerVoltage
Reviewed by DangerVoltage from Colorado

3.08/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Pours with a nice deep copper color and an orangey head. A really fine looking brew.Nicely laced.

Quite Flowery and mildly citrus scent. Reminescent of their (in my opinion superior) Hi.P.A.

I like bitter beers, but this one doesn't balance the bitterness with other flavors. And the bitter vibe hangs around from the initial touch of the beer to your pallet until about an hour later. A nice caramelly and sitrus symphony may be playing in the background, but it's getting drowned out.

Nice thick mouth-feel, with an astringent end, perhaps from the high alcohol content.

I can drink one of these. Enjoy it to a large degree, but then I need a day off.
Jul 25, 2007
Photo of sabrills70
Reviewed by sabrills70 from North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
12 brown bottle with a best before date of February 2008. Pours a hazy deep copper with a 2 finger head, good longevity and very good lace.. Nice citrus hop aromas with deep caramel malt smells mixed in. Nice hop flavor and bitterness mixed with a rich caramel malt. Citrus and yeast flavors are present. Not what I would caonsider a "summer" beer as its too rich for the hotter weather. A very nice beer and one that will taste even better on a chilly fall evening.
Jul 14, 2007
Photo of tapman
Reviewed by tapman from Illinois

3.03/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Number 2 in my magic hat tour...

Pours a coppery amber with a very light brown head which carries some consistency/creaminess. Light carbonation.

Caramel malts are sweet and salty. A slight alcohol sting is at the back of the aroma and is not too strong, just present. Hops are tangy and taste like cascade hops with a dull citrus smell.

Caramel and toffee malts with a tangy hop after-taste that makes me almost confident in my guess of cascade hops. Finish is very bitter and lingering.

Mouthfeel is pretty average for the style of the beer and I've had smoother, but its works all right.

This beer is not a bad example of its style, but there are brews with more alcohol that mask it better. The alcohol in the nose and taste of the beer diminishes the score I'm afraid. Still, as it warms the hops and malts get sweeter and blend a little better.
Jun 22, 2007
Photo of Metalmonk
Reviewed by Metalmonk from North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not quite sure why Magic Hat felt the need to brew this, other than to sell more Magic Hat variety packs. They already have a find IPA in their Hi.P.A. But I'm the dummy who pays for them every time I see them, so that's my fault.

For what it is, it's a good beer. Tasty, well-balanced. Magic Hat already has several beers extremely close in style and flavor to this one, so I was a little bummed to pick up another sampler pack only to find the Mystery Beer is nothing revealing or interesting. It's not so much a mystery as it is a repackaging.

For an IPA, it's not on the hop-bomb end of the scale. It's very well balanced in terms of bitter vs. sweet. It has a grassy finish and a slick, creamy mouthfeel. The breadiness offsets the prickly hops nicely, and there's a nice soggy wetness to the body that aids in one's quest for quenching thirst. Certainly a very drinkable beer. But as a "mystery beer", it lacks surprise in comparison to the rest of Magic Hat's line and the broader selection of American IPAs. But I've said that already, in so many words, haven't I? So hey, as long as you don't get your hopes up, hoping for some amazing Mysterious revelation, you'll dig it.

And Magic Hat: PLEASE keep the #9 out of the variety packs. At least give them a rest for a little while?

[under the cap: "From Others' Lips Slip Useful Tips"]
Jun 11, 2007
The Summer Mystery Beer (Summer Variety Show '07) from Magic Hat Brewing Company
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 28 ratings