Thumbsucker
Magic Hat Brewing Company

ThumbsuckerThumbsucker
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From:
Magic Hat Brewing Company
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
ABV:
7.8%
Score:
93
Avg:
4.18 | pDev: 11.96%
Reviews:
75
Ratings:
88
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 03, 2020
Added:
Mar 14, 2003
Wants:
  55
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of brewandbbq
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire

3.91/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
750ml bottle from 2005.

Pours almost opaque dark brown with some large, brown bubbles with a stretch pour. Zero retention or lacing. Shades of Kahlua, tootsie roll, and chocolate syrup in the nose. Medium bodied with a slick, oily mouthfeel. Chocolate with hints of espresso and char on the palate. Finishes with lingering chocolate and a mild boozy undertone.
Jan 03, 2020
 
Rated: 3.22 by emerge077 from Illinois

Aug 27, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by jaxon53 from Connecticut

Nov 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by spycow from Illinois

Oct 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by greg4579 from Pennsylvania

Sep 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by orangesol from Pennsylvania

Aug 17, 2014
 
Rated: 2.25 by chippo33 from Vermont

Mar 13, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by ChrisPro from Illinois

Jan 16, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by whartontallboy from New York

Jun 24, 2012
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

3.8/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle purchased at Max's and shared with Thorpe429. A bourbon barrel-aged RIS from Magic Hat, - intriguing. Bartender said this was from 2004.

A - Pretty nice looking beer, and still adequately carbonated after over seven years in the cellar. A finger of tan foam settles to a collar, some wisps, and a few specks of lace. Solid, opaque black body that might be brownish in better lighting conditions.

S - Plenty of roasted malts, vanilla, oak, fudge, and chocolate. I didn't confirm this was barrel-aged until I looked up additional info on the beer, but I surmised as much from the heavy oak presence. Not much overt bourbon or alcohol at this stage, and a hint of vinous port-like oxidation. Still - pretty enjoyable stuff.

T - The taste isn't quite as good, as it's more faded and understated, with perhaps a hint of minerality and astringent oak in the finish. Still, plenty of vanilla, oak, roasted, and chocolate flavors even after extended aging. Probably more of a 3.75 at this stage.

M - Medium body, with more the sufficient heft for the listed 7.8%. Dry, roasty, oak, and tannic, pleasant lower carbonation, and a sticky persistent finish. A hint of warming alcohol actually shows up to remind you this was bourbon barrel-aged.

D - Considering the lower ABV and age this is still a pretty good beer. However, it's probably approaching novelty status, and I'd be wary of pre-2004 vintages and bottles of uncertain provenance. Still, we managed to put down most of the bottle between the two of us.
Apr 06, 2012
Photo of Thorpe429
Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois

3.72/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottle from Max's in Baltimore. Shared with Masterski.

Pours near-black with a thin head of tan-ish bubbles that doesn't hang around for too long. Perhaps a thin collar for at least a bit.

The nose is really nice, bringing some oak and vanilla along with some roasted malt. Some chocolate in the background as well. Really nice and integrated, though no real bourbon character; instead, just the oak.

The flavor adds in a good bit of booze. There's roast and chocolate there as well. The oak and vanilla aren't as prevalent as in the nose. The heat certainly takes it down a notch from where the nose was, which is surprising given the age and the fact that this is fairly-low in alcohol.

Body is medium with light carbonation and a bit of booze through the finish.

Overall, pretty good and I'm very glad I finally got to try this one.
Apr 03, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by chrispoint from Connecticut

Feb 20, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by jfcaa193 from Canada (QC)

Feb 18, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by yourefragile from District of Columbia

Jan 14, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by ottodyer from Minnesota

Dec 31, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by JAHMUR from Connecticut

Nov 27, 2011
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle courtesy of Lubiere: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a small dark brown foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of fruit cake with light port notes. Taste has probably lost some of the characteristics related to an imperial stout due to aging which have been replaced with nice notes of port and fruit cake with light dry roasted malt notes still perceptible. Description mentions bourbon aging though I can’t say that I could taste any notes of bourbon. Body is about average with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Still good after all those years but I have to wonder what I fresh version would taste like.
Oct 31, 2011
Photo of woosterbill
Reviewed by woosterbill from Kentucky

3.78/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
04 bottle into a Weyerbacher tulip. Big thanks to Tony for sharing this antique oddity.

A: Black body with a quarter inch of frothy short-lived tan head. Ok.

S: Weird, musty, organic basement. Vegetal funk, yeasty spice. Lichen. What?

T: Opens with bizarrely spicy, musty vegetal funk, and then closes with clean chocolatey booze. Strangely clean finish. I actually kind of like this. Is this wrong of me? Do I need help?

M: Slick medium body with light carbonation. Not bad.

D: Unceasingly interesting, and very clean despite its weirdness.

Notes: I've certainly never had anything quite like this, and it was fascinating. Bizarre is the surely the best word to describe it, but that doesn't even begin to convey the sheer wackiness of the flavors contained in this one.

Cheers!
Mar 08, 2011
Photo of srandycarter
Reviewed by srandycarter from California

3.71/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - No pop out of the bottle. Dark flat beer. No head, no lacing, no nada.

S - Wonderful rich boozy malt.

T - Boozed malt starts, finished by sour off 'corked' flavor.

M - Sux. Flat.

D - Sux. Flat.

It's really hard to appreciate a beer when it is meant to be carbonated and it is flat as a pancake.

Bummer.
Mar 22, 2009
Photo of DaPeculierDane
Reviewed by DaPeculierDane from Wisconsin

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Cute mini-growler care of Jamie2Dope. Many thanks.

Appearance: Intitially pours with a gorgious dark brown head but that quickly disappears. Next thing to notice is the viscosity. Color is opaque dark brown with a very minimal brown skim. Very attractive oily qualities come into play each time this beer is swirled.

Aroma: Boozey. Is there bourbon in this? Wood, generic fruitiness that is hard to place. Some coffee. No chocolate that I can detect.

Flavor: Bourbony and woody notes come out first followed by small touches of coffee grounds. Roasted malt and a tangy strawberry flavor that is really more of a generic fruit than strawberry. Very boozey. Liquorish. Finish is decently hopped, mostly piney.

Mouthfeel: Twangy and tangy (along with that generic fruitiness I spoke of). Oily. Not that heavy despite the noticable booze in the flavor. Syrupy too. Definately high in sugar but not too unbalance.

Drinkability: This growler went down without a hickup... I really like the twang.
Feb 10, 2008
Thumbsucker from Magic Hat Brewing Company
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 88 ratings