Try?
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.
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.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
