Magic Hat Chaotic Chemistry

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

Draft sampling at State Line. Pour was murky brown with reddish hues, fairly generous tannish colored head, recarbonated after aging? The aroma was an overpowering strong bourbon/brandy, smelled many feet away from the glass. Drawing the glass close to the nose, really it was hard to detect much else going on underneath, some fruitiness, but that could have just been elements from what I'm calling the brandy/bourbon itself. The flavor was unexciting, unless you wanted a shot of Brandy/Bourbon. I couldn't even tell what the base beer style was (light oak, vanilla, and honey also present), the liquor was so overwhelming. This is one of the finest examples of the overdone aging in liquor/wine barrels. Robert, thanks a bunch for the experience, still a fun tasting and it certainly wasn't a drain pour - just not a beer?

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 8

09.30.05 Muddy brown stands alone. Big vinous nose. Flavor is sugary, leather, salt, lots and lots of old wood. Alcohol is too much. Plum skin astringency sneaks in. Tobacco.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

There's a definite orangey aroma to this. It's a slight bit sour. There's a bit of whiskey there but the orangey, flowery character dominates.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Medium head comes with a vigorous pouring. The body is a lighter amber. Aroma of malt, strawberries, with hints of honey, vanilla and maple. The taste has plenty of alcoholic booze. Also some wheat bread, wood and vanilla cherries. A thin mouthfeel with a dry finish. One of my more disspointing barley wines.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Wow. It was worth every penny. Murky brown in color with a little tan head. Maple syrup, Vanilla like aroma. Sweet and syrupy flavor. Vanilla notes. Smooth. Enjoyable beer.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 4

Slightly cloudy amber body topped by a thick lasting off white head with good lace left behind. Very sour gin like aroma with aprocot and alcohol notes. Sour ginlike flavor with apricot and alcohol notes. Not all that great. Full bodied and warming with a sodalike feel. Cool bottle but the contents need work.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

Aged for 36 wonderful months on cask. This one has been cellared since November of 2002, and sampled on May 29th, 2004. A 2½ year old beer, and it has aged wonderfully. Very sweet smelling, with malt and alcohol in the nose. Tastes great, the malt, hops, and alcohol have all melded together well. The hops have been lost a bit, but it doesn't hurt the beer as a whole. An excellent barleywine, but I can't see myself buying another bottle for $24. Maybe in richer days.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Poured an orange brown color with a creamy off white head and some lacing. Aroma of hops, sweet fruit, caramel malt and some alcohol. Taste of vanilla, caramel malt, hops, oak, and it was nicely carbonated.