On tap, mildly medicinal, murkily clouded, unfiltered dark wheat ale brings bittersweet prune-fig propensity to tropical citric rush, faint banana-clove souring, and cocoa-hazelnut dash. Woody cherry-smoked dryness and charred tobacco hint add further eccentricities. In bottle, depleting ashy coarseness saps fruity subtleties.
MAGIC HAT ROXY ROLLES
Enormously piney-hopped coppery amber ale needs floral red-orange-fruited nosing to be more pronounced in the mouth since modest flavor profile lowers overall appeal. Taunting toasted rye base picks up astringent buttery pecan nuance to resinous black molasses finish. Distant cannabis, pekoe tea, and peanut oil hints detected.
MAGIC HAT RAVELL
Resilient sienna maroon-hued ruby-highlighted vanilla porter brings Tootsie Roll-like milk chocolate sweetness to sour burnt coffee froth. Bourbon and port notes surface, complementing tart red grape, black cherry, fig, and hazelnut undertones. Espresso finish deepens inspiring vanilla latte resolve, creamy lactose urging, and teensy cinnamon swirl. A sheer joy.
MAGIC HAT PARTICIPATION BROWN ALE
Got free glass with this creamy burgundy-port-like suffrage tributary featuring mahogany-marooned hue rising above ravishing ruby-garnet sash. Dried fig, raisin, date and bruised black cherry linger atop vanilla-chocolate souring, infiltrating earthen peat bottom and impending tobacco chew, hazelnut and walnut mirage, finishing with molasses-like Scotch malt twist.
MAGIC HAT ODD NOTION HONEY ALE
Enigmatic winter-seasoned braggot-mead combination pairs enticing honeyed heather-jasmine sweetness with less expressive orange-peeled peach-tangerine tang. Temporal herbal-spiced chamomile tea bitterness and withered grassy bark-twig dryness counter maple-sapped malted wheat spine. Off-putting vegetal acridity and dank metallic sear nearly ruin lemony white wine bid.
MAGIC HAT ‘9’ NOT QUITE PALE ALE
Swanky Sangria fruitiness awakens nose as up-front sweet-tart raspberry essence and cereal-grained cherry-apricot follow-through given easygoing orange rind bittering to dry-hopped wheat spine. Creamy caramel malt sweetness and juicy berry illusions join forces for perfect summer brew or light dessert fodder. On tap, floral peach distinction ups it another notch.
MAGIC HAT MOTHER LAGER
Musty-scented russet-cleared lager pits sour malt pungency, musty tangerine tang, bitter lemon rind niche and peppery herbal spicing against modest grassy hop dryness. Second passing finds cracked wheat and honeyed oats advancing.
MAGIC HAT LUCKY KAT
Initial woodsy spruce-pine mouthfeel and spice-hopped luxuriance of hazy russet IPA overcome alcohol-burned grapefruit peel bittering countering tangy orange-apricot-berry sweetness. Latent metallic astringency depletes herbal respite.
MAGIC HAT KEROUAC
On tap at Poughkeepsie hotspot, Half Time, bland pink magenta fruit ale does disservice to Beat poet Jack Kerouac’s legend. Narrow sugar ‘beet’ tweak settles under completely subdued cherry-cranberry tartness and prickly hop-fizzed nothingness. Wispy watermelon sweetness barely detected above bread-y bottom.
MAGIC HAT JINX
Ironic ‘Jinx’ moniker puts whammy on elusive ’02-introduced light-bodied peat-smoked autumnal ale inspired by ‘doctrines of medieval chemists.’ Acidic sour orange esters haunt muted wheat-grass trifle, vacant raisin triviality, benign hickory smoked sweetness and abbreviated earthen wood tones, nearly putting potion in dire straits. Originally mistook surreptitious pecan-cocoa sway and dried fig dash embellishing resinous hop scourge for metallic astringency.
MAGIC HAT HUMBLE PATIENCE RED ALE
Peat-y mahogany-hazed Irish-styled red ale with unique peppercorn bittering, roasted coffee siding, black cherry tang, and dry plum finish better defined as a stylish brown ale (or nutty Copper Ale). Dewy molasses creeps through sedately spice-hopped wood bleaching and tertiary orange peel nuance.
MAGIC HAT HOCUS POCUS ALE
Dank sour citrus aroma, bland watery texture, unspecific fruity tartness, and sharp hop coarseness make up the mainstream appeal of this not so ‘tricky’ tonic.