Heart Of Darkness
Magic Hat Brewing Company
- From:
- Magic Hat Brewing Company
- New York, United States
- Style:
- English Stout
Ranked #27 - ABV:
- 5.7%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #19,630 - Avg:
- 3.88 | pDev: 12.37%
- Reviews:
- 345
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 07, 2020
- Added:
- Oct 03, 2001
- Wants:
- 119
- Gots:
- 187
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
Our inky-black stout had a smooth, round palate with a dreamlike undercurrent of bittersweet chocolate. This dense liquid-silk summoned hope from hibernation and balanced winter's endless white snows with a rich swirl of creamy black rapture.
30 IBU
30 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois
3.58/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
good malty stout /not to strong great malt after taste
Jul 26, 2020
Reviewed by jadpsu from Georgia
3.7/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.7/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
LOOK: Pours a near black with a light brown, 2 finger tan head that has less than stellar retention.
AROMA: Heavy roasted malts, chocolate and coffee beans.
TASTE: Toasty malts have more of a burnt malt, burnt chocolate flavor, along with a flavor that is a bit flat and unappealing.
Drying finish. The aroma suggested a better beer than what it was.
Jun 10, 2020AROMA: Heavy roasted malts, chocolate and coffee beans.
TASTE: Toasty malts have more of a burnt malt, burnt chocolate flavor, along with a flavor that is a bit flat and unappealing.
Drying finish. The aroma suggested a better beer than what it was.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.65/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Unknown vintage; drank 10/18/14 @ the Yarchives.
Brown/purple hue.
Dark khaki head; decent lace.
Fresh earth, raspberry & cream nose. Interesting!
Medium thick mouthfeel.
Fresh earth, oatmeal & mild baker's chocolate flavors up front; a cream finish with a hop bite on the lips.
Not as good as the nose promised, but enjoyable.
Apr 01, 2019Brown/purple hue.
Dark khaki head; decent lace.
Fresh earth, raspberry & cream nose. Interesting!
Medium thick mouthfeel.
Fresh earth, oatmeal & mild baker's chocolate flavors up front; a cream finish with a hop bite on the lips.
Not as good as the nose promised, but enjoyable.
Rated by CodyBasden from Texas
3.39/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.39/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Nice and dark, smell wasn't to obvious with the chocolate, good bitter stout at the end with a hint of chocolate notes at times
Jan 16, 2019
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Oklahoma
3.25/5 rDev -16.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.25/5 rDev -16.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
BOTTLE: Brown glass. 12 fl oz. Standard pry-off crown cap. Nabbed as part of the Magic Hat variety 12 pack at Argonaut Liquor in Denver, CO.
5.7% ABV. "Stout."
APPEARANCE: Standard for a stout. Opaque black body. Khaki colour head.
AROMA: Brewer's chocolate/chocolate malts, dark malts.
TASTE: Chocolate malt and dark malt sweetness lend this its malt backbone. Faint roasted barley/carafa imparts subtle bitterness. Malted milk balls.
No overt hoppy or yeasty notes. I'm surprised this isn't a milk stout; usually stouts this sweet have lactose sugar.
TEXTURE: Silky smooth, medium-bodied, well-carbonated, creamy, slightly sticky, a biteen chewy.
I'd like more dryness and coarseness to accentuate the roasted barley flavour, which is too faint in this stout for my tastes.
OVERALL: I confess I didn't expect much from Magic Hat, but this is a solid stout that never strays too far from style conventions. Sweet without needing to be one of those pastry stout monstrosities that plague the marketplace these days. I'd like more roastiness and maybe even some coffee or chicory bitterness to bring it into more careful balance, but it's enjoyable fare overall and will please fans of the style even if it doesn't dazzle.
High C+ / ABOVE AVERAGE
Dec 28, 20185.7% ABV. "Stout."
APPEARANCE: Standard for a stout. Opaque black body. Khaki colour head.
AROMA: Brewer's chocolate/chocolate malts, dark malts.
TASTE: Chocolate malt and dark malt sweetness lend this its malt backbone. Faint roasted barley/carafa imparts subtle bitterness. Malted milk balls.
No overt hoppy or yeasty notes. I'm surprised this isn't a milk stout; usually stouts this sweet have lactose sugar.
TEXTURE: Silky smooth, medium-bodied, well-carbonated, creamy, slightly sticky, a biteen chewy.
I'd like more dryness and coarseness to accentuate the roasted barley flavour, which is too faint in this stout for my tastes.
OVERALL: I confess I didn't expect much from Magic Hat, but this is a solid stout that never strays too far from style conventions. Sweet without needing to be one of those pastry stout monstrosities that plague the marketplace these days. I'd like more roastiness and maybe even some coffee or chicory bitterness to bring it into more careful balance, but it's enjoyable fare overall and will please fans of the style even if it doesn't dazzle.
High C+ / ABOVE AVERAGE
Reviewed by flaskman from New York
3.97/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a 16 ounce tulip glass from a 12 ounce bottle. Looks like it was bottled in June of this year. Came from a 7.99 Halloween 12 pack in the bargain bin. Pours black with a decent brown head that dissipated quickly into an 1/8 inch ring around the glass. Smells roasty and slightly sweet as it should. I find it quite inviting. The first sip is a slightly bitter chocolate roasty taste with a slightly hoppy finish that is sweeter than the taste up front. It is creamy and has a great mouthfeel for a 5.7 abv stout. I am getting little to no lacing. I enjoy my stouts and most of the time am enjoying the big stouts but find this one very enjoyable and well balanced. This is a very good beer. I will enjoy it again if I run into it and the price is right.
Dec 02, 2018
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