Big 100 IPA
Magic Hat Brewing Company

Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Magic Hat Brewing Company
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
ABV:
9%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.86 | pDev: 14.51%
Reviews:
20
Ratings:
24
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 24, 2013
Added:
Dec 31, 2009
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
100 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jlindros:
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Had on tap @ Delaneys.

A: Pasty white fluffy 1 finger head fades slowly over crystal clear orange-ish light pale yellow color.

N: Some interesting hops, lighter nose overall. Some chewy and floral hops, slight fruit almost juicy fruit hops, with a slight malt base.

T: Pretty bitter, slight spicy hop with some pine and slight citrus. The bitterness seems to build and gets pretty heavy. A little malts come through with a touch of sweetness too. It adds some hop oily hop extract like oily flavor and bitterness to it, which becomes pretty astringent too.

M: Medium body with decent carbonation.

F: As it progresses it gets more bitter and really peaks on the finish a few seconds after I swallow. It's somewhat dry with a lingering spicy and earthy hop. It also has more of that weird extract like hop oil almost creamy flavor that lingers. Also adds some fruit, pear actually comes to mind, and a touch of metallic from all the weird astringent hop flavors.
May 13, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.5 by brheuer from New Jersey

Mar 24, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by wertschy from Pennsylvania

Jan 22, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by JAHMUR from Connecticut

Jan 20, 2012
 
Rated: 2 by BrutusOrca from South Carolina

Dec 17, 2011
Photo of Knapp85
Reviewed by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The 100 IBU IPA was on tap at the brewery when I was there a while ago. The brew poured out as a pretty good looking copper color with a decent white head that left a good lacing. The smell of the beer clearly had a hefty amount of hops in it. The taste was hoppy as well, as it should be with a name that is this blatant. The flavors though to me don't seem all that bitter, It is but I am sure I've had much more bitter IPA's out there. The mouthfeel is a little on the thin side, It really should be a bit heavier or thicker. Overall the beer was decent, not my favorite by far but still glad I tried it.
Jul 03, 2011
Photo of donkeyrunner
Reviewed by donkeyrunner from Massachusetts

3.1/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
$4 for a big boy glass at Eli Cannon's Taproom, Middletown CT

Translucent maize with a thin white head. Head quickly disperses and leaves a light lacey dusting.

Aroma is grapefruit, thick and gooey bready malt and Magic Hat buttery yeast. Certainly not 100 IBUs of aroma.

Taste is equally alright but nowhere near worthy of the promised hop onslaught. Grapefruit and agave hops with hearty malt balance. The real ale feel of this beer is enhanced by prickly hop resin.

Never has 100 IBUs seemed so small.
Apr 16, 2011
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.72/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Draft at Delaney's. Cloudy golden with a good white head, lacey. Bitter is OK, its a high IBY and its orange hop. Orange hops in the aroma. OK drinkability. Par DIPA, as 100 IBU for sake of getting to 100 IBU. Lots of malt to keep it not overally bitter. Worth a try though.
Aug 22, 2010
Photo of Durge
Reviewed by Durge from Connecticut

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Found this on tap at Delaney's in New Haven, CT last month although they didn't call it a Big 100 (which BTW doesn't seem to find the light of day on the Magic Hat website for some reason) but this must be it. It's a slightly hazy golden amber color with a decent off-white fuzz on top with good lacing. The aroma brings crisp biscuity citrus/leaf hop with a slight maple sweetness. The flavor jumps out with sharp sweet grapefruit but quickly shows a rhubarb pie and malt biscuit balance. I get apricot highlights, earthy orange and floral hints. Quite nice stuff. The body is medium-full and it has a slightly syrupy feel. Mildly carbonated and easy drinking for the style. Very nice stuff.
May 07, 2010
Photo of Andreji
Reviewed by Andreji from Texas

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
So my first choice at david copperfield's sure sounded like a palate bomber straight up.

But this beer was much better than expected in spite of how harsh it can really be.

The appearance is best, doubtless. nice pale golden hued with intrinsic carbonation. thick creamy white head, something i'd almost missed for months here already! very attractive.

as far as the nose goes...thick and tough to determine. strong hoppy scents confounding among farily perceivable malts. still, intriguing.

The taste is all bitter with the sweet background. sure, malts are there but what's nice is this burnt-caramel-sort-of bitterness that progresses on the palate from the time the sip is taken to the time it's swallowed. it is in itself an experience.

And it's evenly medium bodied so to please one folk too many. nice beer anytime.
Mar 26, 2010
Photo of Gambrinus1184
Reviewed by Gambrinus1184 from Connecticut

4.06/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Served on-tap at Delaney's Tap Room in New Haven, Conn on 3/2/2010.

A: Poured a hazy, golden amber color with a one-finger thick head of creamy white carbonation which left some nice sticky lace on the glass walls. Moderate carbonation accentuated the darker amber center.

S: Smells floral and citrusy with bits of herbal pine and mild, fruity esters.

T: Flavor is smooth and sweet at first sip, with doses of toffee malt supplemented with some sugary caramel flavors. This leads to a fruity ale complex of ripened grapefruit and pineapple while blending with a sturdy, citrusy hop bitterness which lingers quite a bit after the slightly sticky finish.

M: Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied with a good deal of clingy sweetness and bitter hop textures.

D: A big, citrusy, fruity DIPA and at 9% ABV, it's a pretty dangerous sipper as it flows smooth and quickly. It just might be difficult transitioning to another, maltier style or a lesser pale as the fruity bitterness of this ale seems to dominate a bit.

I mistakenly reviewed this brew as Blind Faith, as Delaney's was using an old tap handle in place of the Odd Notion one. Thanks to lauranixon for clearing that up, do try the 100 IBU if you can, and to those waiting with humble patience, the aforementioned classic will be on its way soon.
Mar 23, 2010
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I was thrilled to be able to try this one out. I did not think I would have the chance, but when in Rome. Served in a pint glass.

The pour was fantastic. Nice medium amber in color with a smooth and even head that reached a height of nearly three inches before starting to get rocky and cratered and fade out. Nice side glass lacing then left copious amounts of sticky webbing across the entire glass, really thickening up the look of it and showing that it really had some legs. Aroma was a bit of a let down of me to be honest as I was really hoping for a bit more. Still though nice biting citrus hops, a nice buttery middle but it lacked that huge depth or strong range I really would have liked to see on a big double IPA. But the flavor delivered as That first sip of sharp pineapple like hops wreaked havoc through the taste buds. Rich citrus and sharp hop nose just really coming together well. Warming buttery middle then comes on even stronger, really just pushing the flavor right to the limits. Very dry and warming, but with the ABV so well hidden and the rich creamy body, this one really did a number on me last night.

Overall a really solid and very drinkable DIPA. May not have been he best, most well rounded one I have had, but it was very solid indeed. Would have no issue with trying it again.
Mar 10, 2010
Photo of mostpoetsdo
Reviewed by mostpoetsdo from Rhode Island

4.6/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
A: A nice hazy copper with thin white head, good lacing.

S: Big whiff of citrus and pine hops, combined with a honey sweetness.

T: Big hop punch, but not too bitter. Mellowed out with the honey taste. Goes from pine and citrus then finished with floral. A lot going on here. Faint alcohol present.

M: Nice stickiness to it, medium to full body, but so smooth.

D: It's excellent, considering the description boasted an ABV above 10%.
Mar 05, 2010
Photo of Brad007
Reviewed by Brad007 from Vermont

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a light golden hue with a thin one-finger head into my pint glass.

Aroma is full of citrusy hops with grapefruit standing out the most. It's certainly about the hops here.

Taste is full of grassy, citrusy hops with a noticeable grapefruit kick, descending into a smattering of malt sweetness. Seems rather two-dimensional but there's nothing harsh here.

Mouthfeel full of lingering citrusy hops and malt. Again, nothing harsh. Seems to be easy to drink and all.

Certainly worth a try. Drinkable and it's nice to be able to get a hop fix from Magic Hat of all the places. Pick up a growler for yourself if you're a hophead.
Mar 01, 2010
Photo of McKibben25
Reviewed by McKibben25 from Vermont

4.24/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I had this on tap at the brewery and liked it so much I brought home some growlers. At first look it didn't seem any different than many of there other beers. It smelled nice, but alot of there beers smell good and I have been dissapointed. I'm a huge skeptic of Magic Hat, but this was suggested to me because of my Lucky Kay affinity. I wasn't dissapointed. All the characteristics that a big IPA should be were there. The taste was right up the IIPA alley yet unique in its own way. Definite hints of orange, lemon and some other acidic fruits. But perfectly balanced out by the hops addition. Some IIPA's I drink are way too overpowering and very hard to drink. Not this one. A wonderful concoction that I hope Magic Hat keeps around.
Mar 01, 2010
Photo of 11soccer11
Reviewed by 11soccer11 from New York

4.58/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: This beer pours a to a very clean goldish-copper fresh look with a perfect head. Not a hint of a cloud in the glass when poured.

S: Notes of citrus with a slight floral aroma.

T: I'm a hop-head and love beers such as Hoptimus Prime and Siera Nevada Celebration, etc....but I think this is one of my favorite all-time beers. This is one of the few beers in which you can actually taste the hops that you smell which makes it a very pleasant IPA to drink. Not the Big 100 in the name, but it does have a very, very pleasant taste with a little kick of alcohol.

M: Though very hoppy, not very bitter to the mouth and a nice creamy feel for an IPA.

D: Three glasses of this brew lends to a very relaxing evening. I would highly recommend this beer.
Feb 27, 2010
Photo of far333
Reviewed by far333 from Connecticut

3.92/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On tap at Eli Cannon's, Middletown, CT

Clear pale copper color with a white head that recedes slowly leaving some oily legs of lace reaching up.

Inviting and fresh aroma of citrus, notes of pine, and faint floral notes. Minor honey malt aroma rides along.

Initial flavors of bright hops, full of citrus, grapefruit and orange peel. Morphs to piney, notes of mint and flowers. A honey malt undercurrent rides along, but is a minor player. ABV is well hidden and doesn't detract. Bitterness doesn't feel like 100 IBU's, but it's tasty nonetheless. But it does come off less as a DIPA and more of a hearty and citrusy and hoppy IPA that has been missing from the Magic Hat lineup since their inception.

Mouthfeel is full with moderate carbonation, finishes a bit dry and tingly. No noticeable ABV warmth.

A tasty IPA from a brewery that used to be one of my faves in the early days of craft beer. I hope this one makes it into the regular lineup, but it seems that anything I love from them lately has a short lifespan.
Feb 17, 2010
Photo of mikey711
Reviewed by mikey711 from New Jersey

3.49/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A: Nice copper color, no cloudiness, with a big fluffy white head that leaves good lacing. A touch of sediment is present in it and there is a boatload of carbonation rising from the bottom of the glass

S: Light citrus and lots of floral and bitternotes. Also a pretty heavy biscuit note is present as well.

T: Heavy bitterness and plenty of floral hops. There is also a nice caramel and biscuit note, but then an odd almost rubbery flavor

M: It has a nice lingering bitterness and there is no heat present. It could be a little bit fuller bodied and creamier though

D: A glass or two is plenty. An interesting one to try but not the best IPA out there
Feb 11, 2010
Photo of plaid75
Reviewed by plaid75 from New York

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On draft at The Blind Tiger.

Poured a light copper hue with a two finger foamy white head. There was very good retention and lacing.

The smell featured balmy and citric resinous hops.

The taste consisted of juicy, oily hops and a moderate doughiness. A strong herbalness detected as well.

The mouthfeel was toward the lighter side of the style, with no annoying sweetness or heat.

Overall a very nice in between IPA/DIPA.
Feb 09, 2010
Photo of UA8
Reviewed by UA8 from Washington

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A- Pours a crystal clear golden color with a one finger white head.

S- Light scents of citrus and lightly sweet malts.

T- Leads with light caramel sweetness and juicy tangerine and orange notes. The midpalate is a play for balance between hops and malts. Finishes with more big citrus hops and malt sweetness. This beer may not be as big and brash as some of the more celebrated DIPAs but its citrus forward character is refreshing and tasty.

M- Slick and oily with medium to medium high viscosity and moderate carbonation.

D- A tasty citrus forward DIPA with good refreshing character. Deffinitely one of the best products to come out of the generally lack luster Magic Hat line up.
Feb 04, 2010
Big 100 IPA from Magic Hat Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 24 ratings