Odd Notion - Dark Wheat Ale (Winter 2007)
Magic Hat Brewing Company

Odd Notion - Dark Wheat Ale (Winter 2007)Odd Notion - Dark Wheat Ale (Winter 2007)
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From:
Magic Hat Brewing Company
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
American Dark Wheat Beer
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
81
Avg:
3.55 | pDev: 13.24%
Reviews:
79
Ratings:
87
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 08, 2014
Added:
Oct 11, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by malty:
Photo of malty
Reviewed by malty from Michigan

2.93/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
12 oz. long neck poured into my new Sam Adams curvy scientifically significant glass.

Pours a cloudy mahogany color with a loose blossoming 2" light tan head. Visible sedimentary floaties. OK lacework - spotty.

An interesting yeasty nose with a good dose of malted milk and dark chocolate. After a few brisk swirls of my glass, a leather and slightly smoky scent arose.

Sweet, soda-like flavors start off the chase; grape jelly and graham crackers. The alcohol was detectable and a bit of dryness drove all the sagging flavors home.

Mouthfeel was a bit watery. Very low carbonation and light-medium bodied with a slightly warm and quirky fruity/dry finish.

Drinkablilty was so-so. I wouldn't drink another one of these after I'm done with my glass.

Overall an interesting but unmemorable seasonal offering from a brewery I've heard a lot about, but never got the chance to try them up until now. This beer seemed to be spread way too thin. Meaning the flavors were a bit unorthodox but in a strange way predictable. It seemed after you took the first gulp, nothing else took form or evolved. Not at all my cup of tea (or ale). Thanks though.
Nov 18, 2007
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by jaxon53 from Connecticut

Nov 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Durandal_777 from Pennsylvania

Apr 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Sunrays from Michigan

Jul 15, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by brheuer from New Jersey

Mar 24, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by cliff1066 from Virginia

Dec 22, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by bonbini26 from New Jersey

Jan 11, 2012
 
Rated: 5 by Goldfoot from Michigan

Dec 16, 2011
 
Rated: 3 by waiting4lunch from Massachusetts

Nov 18, 2011
Photo of BeerAdvocate
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland

4/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beer review from BA Mag Nov 2007.

Odd Notion is a dark wheat ale that's tagged as an "English Ale," but brewed with 50 percent malted wheat, pale malts, dark-candy sugar, chocolate and Munich malts, and lightly hopped with Hersbrucker.

Pours a dark brown brew with ruby hues and a thick, creamy, tight off-white lace with good stick and retention. Soft fruity and floral aromas with pear, chocolate, a nutty edge, and subtle drop of toffee. Quite smooth on the palate, creamy, and medium-bodied with a rolling even feel on the palate. Up-front there's a slightly tangy raisin-like flavor that introduces a flash of hop bitterness, leafy tannins, a grassy bite, and floral back. Malt pulls through for some balance with roasted nuts, caramel, and raw cookie dough action, plus lingering chocolate cake character. Alcohol becomes noticeable as things warm up, hiding with some spice in the complexities with a slight sugary candy note giving its presence away. Astringent, husky, and tannic towards the finish, leaving behind a bone-dry and wanting-more palate.

Definitely one of the more interesting, complex, and drinkable experimental brews to come out of Magic Hat. It runs from smooth to coarse, from sweet to dry, from light to heavy with changing flavors in each sip. It's a great ride that leaves pairing with food wide open, for instance goat cheese with chocolate drizzle and dried date accompaniment sounds good right about now--wrap it in bacon and bake it, even better.
Jul 07, 2010
Photo of Amalak
Reviewed by Amalak from New York

4.1/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I love the bottle art of a Rapunzel castle and snow. It was a dark brown/red in color. Only a slight head. Very opaque. It also had a nice, leafy, nut smell to it.

Tastes like a good nut brown ale. To be honest it had a sourish taste in the back of the throat. It also had a good, mild spicyness to it. Very good brew. Glad I had a chance to try it.
Jan 22, 2009
Photo of oriolesfan4
Reviewed by oriolesfan4 from Maryland

4/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bought as part of the Magic Hat Winter Sampler.

As the name states, this was one odd beer. It's a hearty 7.5% ABV and tastes almost like a mixed drink as opposed to a beer to me. The taste is mix of many spices with a nice smooth swallow. I'm not sure what about it made me think liquor instead of a beer, but something about the taste tipped me off. Regardless, this was a very good beer.
Sep 14, 2008
Photo of thekevlarkid
Reviewed by thekevlarkid from Maryland

3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Out of the bottle this beer was a chestnut brown with an ivory head two fingers thick. Mediocre retention and spotty lacing. The aromas was wheat, some spices (nutmeg?) and hints of chocolate. The flavors were quite wintery, bready malt, toasted wheat, spices again that I can't place and chocolate undertones. The mouthfeel is good and the flavors coat the tongue but it was a light/medium bodied beer which seems too light to me for the winter. Otherwise it's a good offering but it lacks depth and gumption.
Sep 05, 2008
Photo of dewalt
Reviewed by dewalt from New York

3.7/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark and cloudy with a thin head and faintly spicy aroma. It's got a smooth taste that reminded me favorably of good fruitcake --roasted malts and flavors of spice, molasses, toffee and nuts. At 7.5% alcohol, it packs a bit of a punch, but it doesn't taste too strong.
Jun 29, 2008
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.87/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours a cloudy chestnut color with a rocky head that is not as buoyant nor prone to lace as I would have expected for a wheat; good persistence, however

Smell: Brown bread, walnuts, holiday spice and banana, but also a touch phenolic and fusel

Taste: Opens slightly sweet, with the milk chocolate, nuts, spice and banana clearly dominant through mid-palate, when it gets a touch resinous; after the swallow, the sweeter flavors persist along with a growing sense of caramel but there is a bit of bitterness that peaks through and the alcohol makes its presence felt, as well

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: An interesting variant for sure, with just a few flaws too many to be in the upper echelon; definitely worth a taste, however

Thanks, TheManiacalOne, for the opportunity
Jun 02, 2008
Photo of hdofu
Reviewed by hdofu from Maryland

3.41/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Not bad. Nice rich brown ale. The smell is faintly of toast. kind of reminds me of Has a fainter then average bittersweet wheat taste with a decent alcohol burn which seems to be masking some nutty and wood tastes. The finish is sort of a seltzer finish kind of like how an Italian soda finishes, weird but not bad. Mouthfeel is a bit thin. At 7.5% ABV and thin in taste It isn't one I'd go out of my way to drink again, but it also isn't one I'd turn down either.
Apr 26, 2008
Photo of msubulldog25
Reviewed by msubulldog25 from Oregon

3.7/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz. bottle poured to a pint glass. This one was sent a couple months back by Metalmonk; back label is notched 'best by end of month' at 'A'(pril), '08'. Just snuck this one in before the deadline - Happy Earth Day!

Beneath the cap: 'The Weird should never be Feared'

A: Pours a rather robust chestnut brown, topped with a creamy ivory head, nearly 2-fingers. Head looks nice, but fades quickly and clings in a wide ring. Almost no lace. Thin streams of rising bubbles are scattered all through the glass. Held to light, this reveals some weakening from age: a light haze of tiny suspended yeast bits.

S: Sweet and spicy wheat aroma, like toast with a hint of cinnamon (or nutmeg?). Faint nuttiness and a dash of cocoa. A little citrus orange.

T: A zesty mouthful of spiced bread. It's toasted grain with some cocoa powder, also hints of mint and even some apples skins. Curious the sub-flavors that I'm picking up... Turns drier and more bitter in the finish.

M: Carbonation is, at best, subtle...but borders on being flat. A fine silty grit coats the mouth and a lasting herbal bitterness holds for many minutes.

D: A pretty tasty brew, one I'd like to have again. The Dark Wheat style is one I have limited experience with, but it's one I've really liked every time. Wished I'd opened this a little sooner, as it's so near the 'freshness' date...thanks again to Jeff for sending.
Apr 23, 2008
Photo of Stinkypuss
Reviewed by Stinkypuss from Pennsylvania

4.92/5  rDev +38.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
I must say this was definately the best brew I've had from Magic Hat.

A. Darker than anticipated with a nice off white head.

S. Toasty and dark.

T. The toastiness gives away to a sweet wheat taste, ended with a chocolate coffee ale aftertaste.

M. Coats the palate and leaves a sweet aftertaste.

D. All day. Oh how I miss these.
Apr 19, 2008
Photo of Deuane
Reviewed by Deuane from Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
A-Hazy cola hue with an initial medium tan head that reduces to a thin ring leaving spotty lacing.

S-Spicey notes with understones of chocolate. A bit of hops.

T-Much like the smell with a decent chocolately flavour. A fairly solid beer but everything is subdued, could be bumped up a bit.

M-Medium-light body with nothing outstanding.

D-Totally unoffensive, decent flavour but nothing really stands out. Certainly not bland but then again it doesnt pop the taste buds either.
Apr 08, 2008
Photo of andrewt960
Reviewed by andrewt960 from New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not bad in color. On the dark brown side, but not really cloudy. Nice off white head, but disappears quickly. As for smell, malty up front, and kinda fruity. Not much hops coming though, but a small amount once tasted. Mouth feel is nice, pretty carbonated, and malt was kinda sweet. Not a bad beer for 7.5%, and it had a pretty nice after taste.Would like to have another.
Mar 28, 2008
Odd Notion - Dark Wheat Ale (Winter 2007) from Magic Hat Brewing Company
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 87 ratings