MAGIC HAT WINTER '08 (ODD NOTION)

Magic Hat Seasonal Batch Winter '08 "Odd Notion", Magic Hat Brewing Company, South Burlington VT. MagicHat.net

HISTORY: "Braggot is an ancient drik from the depths of tradition and is the perfect holiday treat. A mix of mead and ale, Braggot is filled with the calming flavors of chamomile and honey and soars like a reindeer in flight between clouds of sweet malt and bitter hops."

It's not always easy to smell honey in something that isn't warm, but a good swirl in the glass will open it up nicely and the undertone comes to the foreground just for a moment. The brew is unfiltered, so the pour, including the little bit in the bottom most bottlers suggest not releasing, makes the glassful foggy and quite silty. The little bit of head that it does have merely waves contentedly as it floats away. Another swirl and a light sip give notice to the chamomile quality that slightly harkens one back to a mug of seasonal tea.

A drink, a mix about the mouth, and a swallow really fills the senses with the pure, sweet backdrop of the honey. Though the combined bitterness of the chamomile and the stinging hops could be a bit of a turn off for some, it really does lend itself well to the fullness and richness of flavor that this batch has to offer. Light oaky notes hang on just long enough in the throat to say hi, and then they, too, chase the rest of the flavor down the throat. All that remains is a nice sweetness and residual unfiltered cloying taste. Something I happen to really like. I suppose if I had to call a dislike out, it would actually be the strength of the punch of the chamomile. It's just a little to forward, but not vicious. I could quite easily enjoy this beer with meat, maybe a light, oily pasta, and, heck, a cookie, too. Nice. Oh, and its cap reads:

          "Minds Awaked on Roads Less Taken"

RATING: FOUR STARS. IT WAS A VERY GOOD BEER, BUT I WAS LEFT WITH A REMINDER OF THE CHAMOMILE FOR A GOOD BIT AFTERWARDS.

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