Try?
I really hate
August. It is, without doubt, my least favorite month of the year. I hated
it when I lived in Rhode Island, despising its dreadfully hot and humid days
and muggy, uncomfortable nights. Now that I live in Atlanta, August is even
hotter than ever, though less humid than Rhode Island was. The locals here
seem to think it’s sticky. If they only knew.
Anyway, the relevance here is that one of the few things that make August bearable is a beer like Magic Hat Circus Boy Hefeweizen. Circus Boy is an American-style hefeweizen, or wheat ale, with a difference. The difference is organic lemongrass used as a spice. The lemongrass does not replace hops as an ingredient; instead they supplement them, with very agreeable results.
Burlington, Vermont’s Magic Hat beers were all the rage for quite some time when I had left New England almost seven years ago. They sold well enough there, and always seemed to be the rage among the college set. Now, Magic Hat beers have finally followed me down South-and still seem to be popular amongst twenty-something beer drinkers. If you don’t see their beers near you just yet, don’t fret: the company is in the process of acquiring West Coast-based Pyramid ales, which should extend distribution and reach for both brands.
Magic Hat Circus Boy pours to a pale, slightly hazy golden-yellow color with a thick rocky head and an appetizingly spicy citric nose. The beer is well carbonated, and a stead stream of bubbles rise from the bottom of my glass slowly making their way to the top. The beer is bottle conditioned, too, and I make it a point to rouse the yeast from the bottom of the bottle and pour into my glass.
Magic Hat uses the notorious Ringwood yeast strain, which happens to be a personal favorite. Here, its unique signature is only lightly apparent with a touch of earthiness, but the characteristic buttery notes are not to be found. Instead, there’s refreshingly crisp crackery wheat and, mostly, a whole lot of spice going on. Zesty, citric, and herbal lemongrass really steal the show here. The beer is permeated with them, and the minty grass flavors add a dimension not unlike hops. To be sure, there are hops here too, Amarillos actually, and they add a light balancing bitterness in the finish.
This is simply a wonderful summertime beer, and I just love to sip it on a hot August night. The lemongrass, often an ingredient in Asian cuisine, makes is a natural match for such dishes. Try it with spicy Thai fare for a real treat.
Anyway, the relevance here is that one of the few things that make August bearable is a beer like Magic Hat Circus Boy Hefeweizen. Circus Boy is an American-style hefeweizen, or wheat ale, with a difference. The difference is organic lemongrass used as a spice. The lemongrass does not replace hops as an ingredient; instead they supplement them, with very agreeable results.
Burlington, Vermont’s Magic Hat beers were all the rage for quite some time when I had left New England almost seven years ago. They sold well enough there, and always seemed to be the rage among the college set. Now, Magic Hat beers have finally followed me down South-and still seem to be popular amongst twenty-something beer drinkers. If you don’t see their beers near you just yet, don’t fret: the company is in the process of acquiring West Coast-based Pyramid ales, which should extend distribution and reach for both brands.
Magic Hat Circus Boy pours to a pale, slightly hazy golden-yellow color with a thick rocky head and an appetizingly spicy citric nose. The beer is well carbonated, and a stead stream of bubbles rise from the bottom of my glass slowly making their way to the top. The beer is bottle conditioned, too, and I make it a point to rouse the yeast from the bottom of the bottle and pour into my glass.
Magic Hat uses the notorious Ringwood yeast strain, which happens to be a personal favorite. Here, its unique signature is only lightly apparent with a touch of earthiness, but the characteristic buttery notes are not to be found. Instead, there’s refreshingly crisp crackery wheat and, mostly, a whole lot of spice going on. Zesty, citric, and herbal lemongrass really steal the show here. The beer is permeated with them, and the minty grass flavors add a dimension not unlike hops. To be sure, there are hops here too, Amarillos actually, and they add a light balancing bitterness in the finish.
This is simply a wonderful summertime beer, and I just love to sip it on a hot August night. The lemongrass, often an ingredient in Asian cuisine, makes is a natural match for such dishes. Try it with spicy Thai fare for a real treat.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
