About
The idea of Magic Hat began where so many good ideas before it began: in a bathtub. This bathtub, located on Vermont’s Goddard College campus and devoid of a plaque of recognition, is where Bob Johnson brewed his first batch of beer. After years of honing his craft, Bob was finally ready for the big time. Soon after he realized his readiness, he re-met Alan Newman, a serial entrepreneur with whom Bob had worked in a past life. Bob told Alan of his plans and before a handshake could take place, the two were jet-setting to the West Coast for research.

Upon their return to Burlington, Bob and Alan began their search for a space to call their own. That search landed them in an abandoned factory on Flynn Avenue in Burlington’s South End, where Bob would finally brew Bob’s First, Magic Hat’s debut ale and, soon after, the first batches of #9, Fat Angel and Blind Faith.

Admin Note: In July 2020, Magic Hat sold their production facility and broke ties with the state of Vermont. All beers are brewed at the FIFCO owned Genesee Brewing facility in Rochester, NY.
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6.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Can shared in London - picked up in the US. Pours clear orange with a foamy white head. Rich, semi-ripe citrus fruits, bitter pine and grass, sun-kissed pale malts. Medium to full bodied, oily, with fine carbonation. Warming finish, resinous, bitter. Bit of an oldie but a goodie.
Tried from Can on 27 Sep 2018 at 19:20

7/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
27th September 2018
Level 6 bottleshare. Big thanks to Leighton for the can. Hazy amber gold beer, small pale cream colour head. Smooth palate, slighty dry, reasonable fine carbonation. Malts are smooth and mildly sweet. A fair bit of resinous orange peel, bitter and spicy. Smooth dry finish. Rich and a little bitter. Interesting.
Tried from Bottle on 27 Sep 2018 at 19:19

6.2/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 7
Draft @ 2018 Great Vegas Festival Of Beer. Pours a hazy golden color with a small white head. Has a fruity malty citrus hoppy aroma. Fruity malty citrus hoppy flavor. Has a fruity malty citrus hoppy finish.
Tried from Draft on 18 Sep 2018 at 12:48

6.5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Refrigerated 12 oz. brown bottle poured into a cup. Clear amber with small off-white head. Aroma is pumpkin, medium body, low carbonation, and little lacing. Taste is pumpkin and spice (nutmeg and cinnamon).
Tried from Bottle on 14 Sep 2018 at 00:07

4.5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 3 Texture 4 Overall 4
Tap at bowsers. Sweet hop perfume nose. Cloudy pale. Taste is first bitter, but not as bitter as I was expecting. As an APA, its quite forward on the hops, with a little fruit in the background. In the end it borders on IPA territory, slightly rude.
Tried from Draft on 03 Sep 2018 at 16:10

7.9/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 7/19/2018. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy medium golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, melon, berries, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, cracker, lightly toasted biscuit, light honey/caramel, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and moderate bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, melon, berries, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, cracker, lightly toasted biscuit, light honey/caramel, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, melon, berries, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, cracker, lightly toasted biscuit, light honey/caramel, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and moderate bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and minimal lingering hop astringency after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp, creamy/bready/grainy/sticky, and fairly resinous/rindy balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Minimal warming alcohol for 8.2%. Overall this is a very nice DIPA. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and moderate bready malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, and easy to drink for the ABV with the modestly bitter/resinous/drying finish, not overly aggressive. Nice Cascade, Amarillo, Citra, Falconer's Flight, and Mosaic profile. Very juicy, dank, and earthy balanced hop complexity; nice bready malt backbone, with no residual sweetness from lingering dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and well made style example. They did a nice job for trying to use some new world hops for a change.
Tried from Can on 15 Aug 2018 at 01:34

4/10
Very pilsner feeling and tasting... Needs more yeasty notes. Flat and boring really. Watery meh.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Aug 2018 at 19:53

4.6/10 — Appearance 4 Aroma 5 Flavor 4 Texture 6 Overall 4.5
Can from son in law. Slightly darker than yellow clear beer. Foamy head. Slightly more like a bitter than a pale ale but what the heck. Not as bitter as a pale ale but the hops are there. Hey, I have an inkling for magic hat and this is on par with that feeling. Not bad.
Tried from Can on 27 Jul 2018 at 23:25

7.3/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
Had this as a draft at a local restaurant that typically has a crappy craft selection. Thoroughly enjoyable. Brown ale with English mild. Low hop, brown malts, a little watery but lots of clean earthy malt flavor. Nice to see Magic Hat can still pull one off.
Tried from Draft on 06 Jun 2018 at 20:25

7/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
16 oz can. Pours an opaque root beer color with a tight beige head and good retention. Minimal lacing. Smokey light caramel malt and nutty flavor. Short finish. Light body with semi-flat mouthfeel. Very smooth and clean.
Tried from Can on 27 May 2018 at 21:36