Magic Hat #9

Tasting Notes

The aroma leads with a distinctive apricot note — fruity and slightly candy-like — which comes from natural flavoring rather than hops or yeast alone. On the palate it's light-bodied with a mild malt sweetness and restrained hop bitterness, making it less assertively hoppy than a typical American Pale Ale. The fruit character stays present through the mid-palate before a clean, short finish. It reads more as a fruit-kissed session ale than a straight-ahead APA.

About the Brewery

Magic Hat is based in South Burlington, Vermont, and was founded in 1994. They were one of the early craft breweries to build a strong regional identity in New England, known as much for their psychedelic, carnival-inflected branding as for their beers. #9 became their flagship and remains one of the better-known craft beers in the Northeast. Their lineup leans toward approachable, lower-bitterness ales with quirky names and artwork.

Food Pairings

The apricot sweetness pairs naturally with roasted pork tenderloin, where the fruit note mirrors a stone-fruit glaze without competing. A mild washed-rind cheese like Taleggio works well because the beer's gentle bitterness cuts the fat without overwhelming the cheese's funk. Thai dishes with coconut milk and light heat — a green curry or pad see ew — find common ground with the beer's fruity softness. Sharp cheddar on a charcuterie board also holds up, the cheese's tang providing contrast to the malt sweetness.

Style Guide

American Pale Ale is a hop-forward ale style that grew out of the American craft brewing movement of the 1980s, with Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale often cited as the benchmark. It typically features prominent American hop varieties — citrusy, piney, or floral — over a clean, moderate malt backbone, with ABVs generally running between 4.5% and 6.2%. It sits between a session beer and an IPA in both bitterness and body. #9 sits at the softer, less bitter end of the style, with its added fruit character making it somewhat atypical for the category.