Name: Hex
Brewer: Magic Hat Brewing Company, South Burlington, Vermont
By the numbers: About 165 calories per 12 oz.; 5.4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Like many craft brewers, Magic Hat produces a malty fall beer. Many opt for the traditional Oktoberfest style of Marzen. Some, like Goose Island and Sierra Nevada, go a different route, with an ESB and Brown Ale, respectively. Magic Hat dubs this beer their “Ourtoberfest” and it shares some similarities with the traditional German style, but also differs in significant ways. Among those differences are the inclusion of cherry wood-smoked malt and rye. It pours slightly redder than most Marzens with a decent head. The aroma is rich, with a bit of toffee and something else, probably the smoke. The taste is drier than a sweet Oktoberfest beer and there are some heavier notes, like bitter coffee and a bit of smoke. It’s an interesting spin on the style by an interesting brewer, but it’s really just an OK beer.
Try it with: The last smoking day of the year. As Eric Church sings, “Drink a little drink, smoke a little smoke.” I think Eric’s talking about whiskey and weed, not beer and barbecue, but whatever floats your boat right? I loaded up the smoker for probably the last time this year. A funny moment came when I was scooping out the ashes on a very windy day here in Central Illinois and ended up with a bit of a Lebowski moment. Aw s#!t, sorry Dude.
— Posted by Mike Freimann
