Magic Hat +/-
Not only does Magic Hat’s +/- (pronouced “plus minus”) have one of the more unique names in the beery world, it was also my favorite of the bunch that the brewery was kind enough to send my way. Don’t get me wrong, both Vinyl and Demo were tasty in their own right, but there’s just something about a decent, small beer with plenty of flavor.
Brewed with a combination of seven malts and Northern Brewer hops, +/- is an English Mild that weighs in at 4.2% ABV. That means that not only is this beer considered a Session Ale, but it’s also packed full of malty goodness — and won’t hurt too badly if you get to sessioning a little longer than planned with this seasonal release.
Appearance
Pouring a dark brown in color, +/- sits with a light tan head that fell slowly to a thin cap of foam.
Aroma
Lightly roasted malt, a decent bit of caramel, bread and a subtle grassy hop character all come together in a rather subdued nose.
Taste
The taste is right along with the nose as a pile of nutty, malt sweetness greets the tongue first with a light roast, toasted bread and caramel. The beer then fades into a surprising, yet not totally unwelcome hop bitterness. It’s not like sucking down an IPA mind you, but for the style it’s got a decent bit of hop bite that lingers shortly in the finish, helping to balance out the moderate sweetness. The beer is a little thin on the palate, but doesn’t detract too much from the overal experience.
Overall
I don’t drink them often enough, but I do like sitting down with a traditional mild ale or bitter. Magic Hat’s +/- isn’t truly traditional as it’s got a bit of a higher level of hops within it’s realms, but it’s a solid effort. The brew is well balanced and has a welcoming flavor profile that makes for an easy drinking, sessionable beer.
Rating: 3.75/5
This is a review of a promotional sample received from the brewery.