Winter is waning here in Atlanta, as the
weather slowly starts to warm up, even on days when the sun may still be
hiding behind a host of clouds. That doesn't mean, though, that one must
cease partaking of the wonderful array of winter beers still on store
shelves (or maybe in your refrigerator if you're like me). On the contrary,
many of these beers are as welcome on a spring day as they are on a winter's
eve, and these days there are so many of them it generally takes me well
into summer to finish mine off anyway.
Such is the case with Magic Hat Roxy Rolles, a delightful and refreshing
winter ale that I'm sipping as I type. This one is actually my last one, and
I'm savoring the spicy hop aroma as I sip and type. Actually, this is a beer
that one could easily enjoy year round, since it's more akin to an American
pale ale than a Christmas brew-but then, a brewer has a right to make
anything he wants for the holidays, doesn't he?
Vermont's Magic Hat cites Crystal, Pale, and Caramunich malts as well as
Brewer's Gold and Simcoe hops as ingredients. The latter is a Cascade
variant, which accounts for the juicy, fruity flavor. Though it packs a more
bitter punch, too. Magic Hat calls Roxy Rolles a "Hoppy Amber Ale", and who
am I to argue? It certainly has the hops down pat. At 5.1% alcohol by
volume, it's a beer you can drink a few of, too, without too much ill
effect.
Magic Hat Roxy Rolles pours to a hazy reddish-orange color with a
light creamy head formation and a decidedly bright and spicy citric hop
nose. Even before I take a sip, I'm really liking this one a lot. It just
exudes delicious fruitiness in the aroma (apple and pear?), and so I can't
resist any longer: I take a gentle pull that quickly becomes a long,
delicious draught. The body is firm, a little chewy, and I'm getting some
tasty caramel at the base.
But then the hops hit you in all their citrusy glory. They suggest
alternately fresh oranges, tart grapefruit, and juicy fruit gum. They're
also gently resiny and a little grassy, too, more so in the finish I think,
where they finally become bitter and linger on the tongue in a long, dry
way. But really, this beer isn't all that bitter, not really, at
least not compared to some of the other real hop monsters out there. Maybe
just bitter enough?
Not a lot of Ringwoodiness here (MH uses Ringwood yeast, on their website
they say they use English Ale yeast, but then Ringwood is an English Ale
yeast). A faint hint of butter was about as Ringwoody as I got, and that was
more prominent in the later bottles than the earlier ones I drank over the
winter.
Dynamite stuff, and a new favorite chez Bruguru.
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.