Magic Hat Odd Notion - Chocolate Belgian Stout (Fall 09)

Brewed by Magic Hat Brewing Company
Style: Stout
South Burlington, Vermont USA

Appearance: Empties out of the typical whimsical Magic Hat bottle a black body with a frothy, dark tan-colored head. Smell: Chocolaty, lightly roasty, smoky aroma with round-about notes of cracked cloves, ripe plums, and oven-smoked ’nanas mingled within. Taste: Roasty, toasty, but mainly roasty grains and semi-sweet chocolate with a medium level of sweetness. Midway into the taste, a staunch smokiness washes in. For me, the Columbus hops didn’t add too terribly much character beyond a bitter that pairs with the roasted quality of the grains. Light clove spiciness ushers in a fruity mix of bananas and plums. Choco-roasty finish with a final kiss of smoke. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: Why, that’s not bad at all! And such a sensible percentage of alcohol, too. Usually, I’m left looking like a bored ox on a hill when it comes to Magic Hat’s offerings, but this, I dare say, is one of their better brews as of late.

Name: Odd Notion - Chocolate Belgian Stout
Date: November 21, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party
Appearance: opaque dark brown, wispy beige head, viscious, drippy lace
Aroma: sweet chocolate aroma, dark caramel sweetness, fruity esters, dark chocolate
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor, faint fruity esters, bitter dark chocolate
Overall: flavor does not live up to the promise of the aroma
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.2/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: ** /4

on tap-pours a rich diapering brown head and black color. Aroma is sweet chocolate/molasses-dark malt, hint of hops. Taste is sweet chocolate/molasses-dark malt, secondary citrus/earthy hops. Good carbonation. More porter than a stout.

Espresso brown pour, anemic brown head. Fudgy nose with hints of pear, cherry, marzipan and rubbing alcohol. Malty and unsweetened chocolate flavors, more fruity than roasty with "pink" nuances- strawberry, pomegranate and bubblegum. Burnt cookies. Becomes more estery as it warms. I can taste alcohol throughout. Milky body. Bittersweet finish fades into a somewhat tarry acrid and perfumey aftertaste. Average stout with esters galore... but does that make it "Belgian"?

Aromas of coffee and chocolate. Flavors of coffee and chocolate and belgiun yeast. Very solid effort overall.

12oz Bottle, purchased at Wegman’s Wilkes-Barre. Dark charred rabbit skin and mole sauce aroma. Chocolate comes clean. Pours a syrupy dark black, with a tall inch of quivering espresso foam. Flavor begins stark, dry and bright, segueing to a sultrier, more sugary snappy finish. Bright roasty edges mingle with fruity belgian yeasts. It’s a successful marriage here, considering the lighter heft of this example. I like the drinkability, the extended complexity and the cleanliness. Ends on a nicely juicy classic Belgian yeast note. A surprisingly good effort by a brewer I’ve largely written off.

Pour is a oil looking black with a small tan head. Aroma is of espresso and chocolate. Flavor is some more chocolate with a heavy dose of alcohol. Even with the alcohol this is pretty easy to drink and it does have enough chocolate aspects to carry this one.

Pitch black, tan creamy head. Soft chocolate roasty notes with an undercurrent of raisin and plum throughout. Dark fruit twang with a well layered dry black chocolate and coffee foundation. Light to medium bodied, soft carbonation, bittersweet finish. Not bad at all…