Jinx (Alcohol Content: 6.9 percent)Magic Hat Brewing Company

Three out of four

Magic Hat Brewery set out to create a beer that people could drink during the late fall and winter around an outdoor fire. What they produced was Jinx. While the brewery may have aimed to produce a nice beer that keeps drinkers warm on the inside, what resulted was a creation that tastes and smells like you are literally standing beside a fire, inhaling a good bit of the smoke wafting your way. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing for hearty strong ale like Jinx.

The brew pours a cloudy, dark burgundy with a quickly dissipating khaki-colored head. Very little lacing remains on the glass as you consume the beer, and a thin film of foam remains atop the liquid for all 12 ounces of delight.

As hinted above, Jinx smells of smoke. Not like the fumes coming from a substance that is literally burning, but rather like the scent that remains on your clothes long after you’ve returned home from a bonfire. The aroma makes sense since Magic Hat’s Web site said that the brewery uses peat-smoked whiskey malt in creating the beer.

Smokey flavor hits the tastes buds at first sip, but a second or two of concentration on the flavor reveals a subtle, sweet graham cracker flavor. The taste evolves into a nutty flavor after the swallow and remains until you grab some other consumable item to wash out your mouth.

Nothing distinct stands out about Jinx’s texture. It was smooth and crisp, with minimal carbonation on the tongue and no residue left behind.

Anchor Steam Beer (Alcohol Content: 4.9 percent)Anchor Brewing Company

Three out of four

A complex, bitter taste of lemon peel lasts in this subtly hoppy brew. Consider it a more glamorous Budweiser.

Wailing Wench (Alcohol Content: 8 percent)Middle Ages Brewery

Two and a half out of four

The Wench offers a fruity bouquet similar to Trix cereal. It starts with a strong, dark fruit flavor but then develops into a sour, veggie taste. A true adventure for your mouth.

Published on December 5, 2007 at 12:00 pm