Is Magic Hat's Wacko just wacky enough?

May 27, 10:27 PMFairfield County Craft Beer ExaminerJim Armstrong

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 With Memorial Day in the bag, summer is officially upon us! Summer seasonal brews are typically crisp and refreshing – perfect for taking the edge off a hot day of yard work, enjoying discreetly at the beach, or sharing with friends on a lazy night watching the fireflies. I’ll be reviewing a different summer seasonal each week during the hot months ahead, and I’ll start you off with a curveball: Magic Hat’s Wacko.

Based out of South Burlington, VT, Magic Hat puts out a product line that is anything but ordinary. Bizarre quotes under the bottle caps, psychedelic label designs, and an air of mystery give Magic Hat a hip vibe, which fits in perfectly with their location in artsy Burlington. However, you can’t drink a vibe, so how’s the beer?

It seems many beer enthusiasts love to hate Magic Hat’s offerings. I’ve heard their flagship beer, the apricot-tinged “not-quite-pale-ale” #9, called the most overrated beer in existence. Personally, I love the stuff. In fact, I haven’t had a Magic Hat beer I haven’t liked yet – some are less impressive than others, but all seem to be technically competent and creative brews. It’s obvious that the Magic Hat crew enjoys making beer, and that helps me enjoy drinking it all the more. When I saw the new Wacko in the liquor store, I picked up a six-pack with the giddiness of a kid getting a new toy.

Wacko is described in Magic Hat’s typically flighty style as “…the beer that dances to the beat of summer”. Digging a little further at Magic Hat’s website, you learn the beer weighs in at 4.5% ABV and is made with English Ale yeast, pale malt, Columbus hops, and the secret ingredient – beets.

That’s right, the beer is brewed with beet sugar, and this may or may not be the reason Wacko pours with a red/pinkish hue reminiscent of fruit punch. The head is light pink, fluffy, and hangs around for awhile before settling down. The aroma is a bit hard to pin down. There were slight fruit notes, perhaps even a touch of grapefruit. The grapefruit could be from the hops (I didn’t pick up any other distinct hop aromas) or it could be the color playing tricks on my nose. Wacko definitely had my attention – I don’t see too many pink beers.

The taste is evasive. One bottle I had was crisp and waged a sweet and sour battle in my mouth. Another was on the tart side and reminded me of Smuttynose’s excellent Hanami, a beer made with sour cherries. Wacko number three had a long, lingering bitterness in the aftertaste. At first it was a welcome addition, giving the beer some weight, but it overstayed its welcome.

The mouthfeel was pleasant. The beer is carbonated on the high side, accentuating the tartness and lending to a very crisp and cutting feel, similar to American lagers like Budweiser or Coors. Like those examples, the beer seems a bit thin, at times making me feel like I was drinking a spritzer instead of beer. As I neared the bottom of the glass, the carbonation faded and the beer felt a bit watery.

Overall, Wacko is a mixed bag. I really liked it in the beginning – it has an unusual flavor you can’t pin down, a mix of spice and fruit notes with a hint of vegetal flavor. However, I can’t say I enjoyed the aftertaste as you near the bottom of the glass. What was a gentle hop bitterness when the beer was cold got a bit strong for my liking towards the end of the pint. It reminded me of that bitter taste you get when you eat cheap candy, a rather nasty flavor that sticks around forever. I must note, I did drink the entire six-pack and did not get the aftertaste at all times, so that might have something to do with packaging or treatment of the bottles.

If you are an adventurous beer drinker, go grab a few bottles of Wacko and give it a try. I can assure you it will be a rather unique experience. Personally, it intrigued me enough to give it a closer look – I will be buying another six-pack, while also trying to locate Wacko on draft to see if the experience differs. It may not be the best summer beer on the market, but it is refreshing and at 4.5%, you can enjoy a few without knocking yourself out. At the end of the day, Magic Hat did what they do best – went out on a limb and presented an interesting, unique beer. Even if you hate Wacko, you have to respect that.