[passlaku]

There are four beers in this pack. It has a dark saison, an IPA, an Amber, and the #9.  There are no beers in this pack to get excited over.  All the beers are slightly below meh. I have even considered pouring a couple down the drain but then I reconsider, thinking that they'll get better if they warm up.   I'll have to remember that Magic Hat is an amazingly mediocre brewery next time their beer is on sale. 

[Stevie]

The lady loves #9. Have not tried the rest of their offerings. Sorry to hear of your displeasure.

[HoosierBrew]

There are no beers in this pack to get excited over.  All the beers are slightly below meh. I have even considered pouring a couple down the drain

My experience with Magic Hat. I'm really surprised they've thrived to the extent they have. There'll come a point that some of these meh breweries will sink.

[bboy9000]

#9 makes me gag just like Fat Tire.  I don't know what it is but they both do it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cornershot]

#9 makes me gag just like Fat Tire.  I don't know what it is but they both do it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have you tried the world famous Yuengling lager?

[HoosierBrew]

#9 makes me gag just like Fat Tire.  I don't know what it is but they both do it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have you tried the world famous Yuengling lager?

     Yep I have.  Oh, the magical power of hype !

[erockrph]

Yeah, its a shame that Magic Hat is one of the more widely distributed New England breweries, because we have so many more breweries that make amazing beer. Still, they have some winners. Heart of Darkness is one of my all time favorite stouts. I'm so glad they brought it back on a seasonal basis.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[HoosierBrew]

Yeah, its a shame that Magic Hat is one of the more widely distributed New England breweries, because we have so many more breweries that make amazing beer. Still, they have some winners. Heart of Darkness is one of my all time favorite stouts. I'm so glad they brought it back on a seasonal basis.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

That one sounds good.  I guess I should have said that their flagships weren't especially impressive. There's a brewery or 2 around here that have flagships that are run of the mill, but make seasonals that are excellent.

[etbrew]

I am consistently disappointed by Magic Hat.  Most of the year round brews are mediocre at best and some are undrinkable.
 

Heart of Darkness is one of my all time favorite stouts. I'm so glad they brought it back on a seasonal basis.

+1 on that.  I do love Heart of Darkness but that shows one of their problems.  When they make a beer that actually is good it for some reason gets discontinued.  Heart of darkness was brewed first around 12+- years ago (I think) and then it disappeared.  I assume it is sales driven because they have also made several really good IPAs over the years that have also disappeared.  I suspect they are shooting for volume and were not able to sell as much as they wanted. 

Even with the popularity of IPAs among craft beer drinkers the mass market beer drinkers prefer something lighter and tasteless like #9 and Circus Boy.  They are now owned by a Macro brewer so it is not surprising that the trend has gotten worse.  Now they rarely do any special brews and when they do, like the recent collaboration with Vt Pub and Brewery on a sour, the beer ends up being lackluster at best.

It is embarrassing to travel and when I tell people I'm from Vermont they say "oh, isn't that where Magic Hat is from, I love #9".  Of course I also get asked by others "can you get me some Heady Topper?" or "Have you been to Hill Farmstead" and then I remember all the great beers being made in Vermont.