Anyone had the Magic Hat #9? We just got it Austin and a old friend who owns a pub here introduced me to it. I am not nomally a fan of beer with fruit but damn that thing was pretty tasty.
The newness wore off pretty quick for me. Couple of years ago a buddy got me drinkin the #9...but after a couple of weeks....Couldn't drink it anymore....Oh well...an aquired taste I quess.
I like it fine. Did you know that if you call the posted phone number for the brewery, a person answers the phone? I thought that was delightful. Vermont is also a few hours away from me, maybe that helps?
Maybe it's called a pale ale, but it definitely has some sort of fruit-like thing going on. I could see someone being handed a glass of this and thinking, "oh, an apricot beer."
From Magic hat site: "A sort of dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. #9 is really impossible to describe because there's never been anything else quite like it. Our secret ingredient introduces a most unusual aroma which is balanced with residual sweetness." (emphasis are mine)
No. 9 is definelty an apricot flavored ale, IMO not their best offering at all. Try their Lucky Kat for a more well balanced pale ale (they call it an IPA). The current spring seasonal HIPA (an IPA) is ok, it could use more malt presence.
I will say their winter seasonal Roxy Rolles is absolutely amazing, its an American Amber, lots of up front hop aroma and flavor with a strong malt backbone. I look forward to this every year and it goes away too soon.
I got there 12 pack with the 4 different beers in it a while back. The Roxey Rolles was awesome but the other 3 were god awful including the Hefe and I love hefe's. As far as the #9 goes it has apricot flavoring in it and I have to rank that right up there with Sam Adams cherry Wheat and Cranberry Lambic as the worst beers I have ever drank.