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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5/10
No thanks.
Tried from Can on 21 Sep 2017 at 18:32

7.4/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
12 ounce bottle into weizen glass, bottled on 2/3/2017. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy pale golden/yellow color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of lemon, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, biscuit, white bread dough, herbal, and grass; with lighter notes of banana, bubblegum, pepper, clove, and yeast earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and solid complexity of fruity/light spicy yeast, lemongrass, and pale malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of lemon, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, biscuit, white bread dough, herbal, and grass; with lighter notes of banana, bubblegum, pepper, clove, and yeast earthiness. Light herbal/grassy bitterness, yeast spiciness, and wheat tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of lemon, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, biscuit, white bread dough, herbal, grass, light banana/pepper/clove, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Nice robustness, balance, and solid complexity of fruity/light spicy yeast, lemongrass, and pale malt flavors; with a nice malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from bitter/spiciness and carbonation. Clean finishing. Medium-high carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, fairly crisp, and slightly sticky/tangy mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4.5%. Overall this is a nice American wheat/Hefeweizen hybrid style. All around nice robustness, balance, and solid complexity of fruity/light spicy yeast, lemongrass, and pale malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the mildly bitter/spicy finish. Feels like a mix of American/German wheat yeasts, which have nice fruity character presence and solid complexity. Not overdone on the Lemongrass spice, and nice malt presence/balance for the low ABV. A nicely enjoyable offering, and pretty unique brew.
Tried from Bottle on 11 Sep 2017 at 19:44

7.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8.5
Clear deep copper color with a small khaki head and fair retention. Minimal lacing. A good blend of caramel malt and smoke flavors. Not as ashy as other smoke beers I've tried, and that's a good thing. 6.9 ABV is well hidden. Enjoyed during Hurricane Irma.
Tried from Can on 10 Sep 2017 at 16:19

6.8/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Bottle. Pours clear golden with foamy white head, faint malt aroma, high carbonation, mild malty taste, smooth body, dry finish. Quite nice.
Tried from Bottle on 04 Sep 2017 at 16:01

3/10 — Appearance 4 Aroma 5 Flavor 2 Texture 2 Overall 2
Tap bowsers. Somewhat lighter hop nose and its pale and clear. Yes, at first it comes across a little fruity then the bitter astringent sneaks in and thats all you get thru the rest of the session. Big bitter astringent hops. Long bitter astringent finish, not impressed. Rather rude actually, for a lager lover.
Tried from Draft on 03 Sep 2017 at 13:37

7.8/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
12 ounce bottle into weizen glass, bottled on 2/9/2017. Pours fairly hazy/cloudy pale golden/yellow color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big lightly tart lemon, banana, bubblegum, clove, pepper, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, lemongrass, bready malt, and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big lightly tart lemon, banana, bubblegum, clove, pepper, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Light herbal/grassy bitterness, yeast spiciness, and tart/tangy wheat on the finish. Lingering notes of tart lemon, banana, bubblegum, clove, pepper, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, lemongrass, bready malt, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from bitter/spiciness and carbonation. Medium-high carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp, bready/grainy, and lightly sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4.5%. Overall this is a delicious hefeweizen. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, lemongrass, bready malt, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; very smooth, crisp, and refreshing to drink. Very flavorsful for the low ABV. Really nice well rounded and prominent German yeast complexity, with great malt balance; and doesn't overdo the lemongrass flavors. A very enjoyable offering.
Tried from Bottle on 02 Sep 2017 at 16:45

6.5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6
Bottle from New Beer Distributors, New York. Pours amber with a short lasting off-white head. Aroma of apricot, grain, yeast, light caramel, fruit and veg. Medium sweetness, moderate bitterness. Light to medium body, slight oily texture, soft carbonation. Finish is slightly dry.
Tried from Bottle on 31 Aug 2017 at 11:00

5.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 4 Overall 6
12oz bottle picked up at the state store
Pours clear dark amber with a small beige head, some lacing. Malty, caramel, fruity and bready, rye spices
Decent, too malty for me
Tried from Bottle on 23 Aug 2017 at 23:01

6.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Bottle from the mix a six at Hannaford. Deep amber light copper in color with a good sized long lasting frothy off white head. Malty bready caramel on the nose with bits of earth and spice. Fruity earthy bready caramel malty flavor. Not much spice or hops in the flavor. Middle of the road at best like just about everything else from this brewery.
Tried from Bottle on 17 Aug 2017 at 20:54

7.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
12 ounce bottle thanks to hershiser the 2nd. Hazy golden, thin creamy white head, good retention. Aroma of grassy, noble hops and pale bready malt. The taste is pale bready malt, spicy, grassy, noble hop. Medium bodied, crisp. Nice.
Tried from Bottle on 16 Aug 2017 at 22:17