True to Magic Hat Brewing Company’s playful comical side, they’ve come out with a “Summer Variety Show” 12-pack, which includes the No. 9, (always a hit), Circus Boy, (a hefeweizen), Hocus Pocus and the Summer Odd Notion. No. 9 and Circus Boy are both year-round beers. The 12-pack is marketed as a magic show not be missed.  True, the two beers I sampled, Hocus Pocus and Notion, made me call for an encore.

First up is Hocus Pocus- a combination of some bitter taste, yet springy and hoppy. It tastes like it has some coriander. It’s crisp but certainly leaves no bad aftertaste. I taste a bit of citrusy lemon towards the middle, and then it’s hoppy at the end. It’s a good summer beer, suitable for a refreshing cool-down on a hot day, or for just chilling out on a lazy afternoon and it’s definitely drinkable. It smells fresh and inviting.

 Delicious!

  Even though it has a bitter aftertaste, it’s not as heavy as I would have expected. It’s a good competitor against Sam Adams’ Summer Ale, also an excellent beer.

 The second beer is Odd Notion.  I’m not a fan of bitter beers, but this one goes down quite easily and isn’t all that bitter.

  Odd Notion has a definite caramel taste through the middle and end, and it stays on the palette. It’s not as dark a beer as I thought it would be (it’s described as an English Dark Mild Ale and has a dark red color). The press release also says it has a brown sugar finish, but I don’t really taste that unless I concentrate really hard. It’s certainly smoother and a lot more mellow than Hocus Pocus, and not as crisp. It stays much longer on the palette. Makes me think of a coffee taste as well.

  It’s a bit more one-dimensional than the Hocus Pocus, but that doesn’t make it bad. I was pleasantly surprised that I like it! I would get it again, as well as the Hocus Pocus. The caramel is what stands out for me. This could work as a light winter ale as well. I’m thinking it could be good with some caramel/chocolate ice cream concoction. Yum!

So check out this 12-pack from Magic Hat, it will be a summer evening of spills and thrills! 

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