Magic Hat Brewing Company has been around since 1994 and was formed in Burlington, Vt. It moved to South Burlington in 1997 and has grown with the craft beer market exponentially. They have several year-round offerings including Circus Boy The Hefeweizen.
Circus Boy pours a slightly hazy straw gold with a foamy white head that reached about one finger at its height. The aroma is one of citrus, some hops, grains, hay, and grass. There is also a note of artificial lemon to it. There is moderate carbonation with bubbles rising to the surface. The head slowly dissipated to form a ring around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing.
The first sip had a lot going on. This isn’t your typical hefeweizen. Hefeweizen’s are usually heavy on the yeast and, in the United States, often served with a lemon wedge or orange slice to cut the yeast. This has the lemon flavor added already and the yeast taste is very subdued.
The first sip is one of citrus, slight yeast, with grassy notes, and slight hops. The beer feels medium-bodied with a dry finish and a little crispness at the end. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t feeling this beer at first. However, as the beer drank it actually got better. The lemon notes definitely stood out throughout but the earthiness became more subtle. The yeast notes also became a little more prominent as the beer drank.
Overall this is an all right beer. It isn’t your typical hefeweizen by a long shot. I don’t know if I would even classify it as such but it is still decent. It only clocks in at 4.5% ABV so this is something you can make a session beer if you desire. It’s a decent brew but not as good as other Magic Hat offerings.