Magic Hat turning things on their side. Ok, it's summer, well more accurately it promises to be summer here in Chicago. And since my entire life June is when the days so hot I want to shave my head start, it's also summer seasonal beer time. crisp citrusy and hoppy beers beers that taste clean and cool; kolschs, I.P.A.s oddly unbelgian whites, honey wheat, berry beers, and those German rattlers. All very well and good, but they tend to leave me either; A. wondering why my beer needs less flavor in the summer, or B. wondering why my beer has been mango infused and ought have a lime in it. My dad told me when i was a young man lime in your beer is for sissies. I listened pop, (note he said nothing about oranges and probably had no idea what a white beer even was.) Summer beers are supposed to be, cool and refreshing sure I'm for that but it still needs to be a flavorful and complex beer.
I'm ranting, I know trust me I just erased the second half of that you will never be subjected to, I can get a bit judgmental. Now on to the matter at hand. Magic hats Wacko says right on the label "a beer with beet juice color". I didn't get it, I didn't believe I don't know, but when the bright pink beer foamed in my glass I almost dropped it. I still didn't believe the label "a beer with beet juice color", after i saw it i thought oh crap it's gonna be raspberry flavored. But, lo and behold it tastes like beer! A clean beer a crisp beer but beer and not a water tiny beer!! Now i will say it took me the entire first beer to stop expecting it to taste like a raspberry. And most of the second beer to stop calling friends and saying you gotta look at this it's amazing.
Down to the nitty gritty. This beer is absolutely a summer brew, slightly fruity notes but nothing overt, no specific fruit. also there is something almost minty about it that really makes it easy to drink more of, really very clean after taste. There is also something very earthy about this beer that neatly balances that fruitiness. This beer balances high and low notes the way do wop does simple the part harmony clean yet subtle, full of surprises. It could easily be consumed all afternoon long while playing baseball and paying way more attention to the cute girl on third than your beers taste. But, when you are sitting with friends around the fire and have mental space for "how does this beer taste" it will be right there waiting a complex ballad of summertime flavors. Fresh fruit, fresh herbs and fresh beets from the backyard.
Oh yeah and it is bright pink. which to me is a boon all around. First, it reminds me of my pal Jon who has painted the handles of all his tools bright pink. He's a tough guy from the "old neighborhood." When he goes on a job he never worries anyone else is gonna steal his tools, who else is gonna want to be rodding a sink with a bright pink snake. Also, as soon as I sent an old friend of mine a picture of it she said "I want a pink beer." (and trust me guys this lady you'd want to share your beer with) So, ladies if you know where toutyourstout headquarters is ring the bell i have a "beer with beet juice color" waiting for you.
Magic hat is a fine company, I'm glad to see no. nine being so widely available. They have always felt like a local beer to me even though they aren't local to me. I have a toutyourstout on the scenes reporter trying to assess their brewery tour. (as long as she stays sober enough to remember it) I am really happy to see the summer seasonal which can be such a stumbling block for so many good companies pass my test with flying colors.
beer ball sun at 230 whose in?
dan
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