Maybe it's the inventiveness, the courage they show to be different and stand out from many other craft and microbreweries. Maybe it's the joy that comes across in the descriptions of the brews and the clever off-beat names. Maybe it's that even though their brews don't tend to be at the top of my list, they are consistently on it. I know I'm going to get something that is both intriguing and up to a certain standard. Whatever the reason they keep me coming back.
The latest brews from Magic Hat I've been sampling are from the 12 pack variety pack they call the IPA Playlist Variety Pack. As you may have gathered IPAs are generally my favorite brews, so I was instantly drawn to this when I spotted it in a local package store.
One of the four varieties in that group is called Encore. As the cloudiness may suggest, this is a cross between a wheat beer and an IPA. Besides the cloudiness the other characteristic first noticed was a subtle citrus aroma. Less striking than with a typical IPA, but it was still present.
Then came the taste. The wheat malt was readily apparent. There was however a silky feeling in the mouth when you drank it in, and the silkiness stayed through the swallow. As with the aroma the citrus flavor was muted compared to a more traditional IPA.
As the ale warmed in the glass the wheat malt flavor became even more pronounced. There was the slightly prickly feeling on the tip of the tongue I've often noticed with wheat beers.
At 6.4% ABV Encore is no shrinking violet, still it is not as powerful as a typical IPA or at least an IPA that I would personally rank higher.
The word that kept showing up in my tasting notes was "pleasant". Encore is a very smooth, very pleasant glass of beer. It's not the most memorable IPA, or hybrid IPA, you will ever sample. But it is very good, easy to drink, and it will keep you coming back. Just like Magic Hat.
I'm giving Encore from Magic Hat 6 mugs out of 10.