Try?
Last year, I made a mistake. I still remember walking by the beer aisle at the local Kroger store and spying a six-pack of Magic Hat Howl in the cooler back in the winter of 2009. Normally, I pounce upon any new brew like a cat on nip. But for some reason, perhaps holiday beer fatigue syndrome (or more likely the fact the Mrs. put me on notice there was already enough beer spilling out of every corner of the house), I passed.
Happily, that was an error I corrected in 2010. It's one I'm certainly glad I did, as Magic Hat Howl turned out to be a darned nice winter beer, and a mighty authentic German-style Schwarzbier (or black lager) at that. Magic Hat has this to say about Howl:
"Born of dark and cold and snow in the marrow of the Northeast's longest night, HOWL comes in on wailing winds with winter-weary eyes burning holes in sunless shadows. In its darkened depths out (sic) inner voids are warmed."
All very nice, though it doesn't really tell me much about the beer.
Anyway.
Magic Hat Howl is made with dark roasted Carafa malt in addition to Pale and Crystal malts. It's hopped with Apollos and Hallertaus for real Teutonic zing, and has an alcohol content of 4.6% by volume. The latter is slightly lower than average, and adds to the drinkability of the brew.
Magic Hat Howl pours to a midnight black color with a thick and creamy tan head formation and a rich coffee-like nose. A thick layer of Brussels lace clings to the sides of my glass as the liquid descends. Taking a sip, the palate is immediately awash in dark roasty espresso notes, a hint of chocolate and beautiful roasted barley notes. The body is just right for the style, I think, enough to let you know it's there without being overly assertive.
In the finish, the coffee notes and roasty bitterness really kick things up a notch in their amazing intensity. There's just an ever so subtle herbal grassy hop aroma and bitterness in the finish, too. All in all, I'm very impressed with this beer. It's a credible Schwarzbier, and even takes the style over the top a bit. If dark and roasty stouts and porters are generally not your cup of tea (or, more correctly, glass of beer), then this one's not for you. Otherwise, it's well worth checking out, and a great cold weather session brew.
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
