MAGNOLIA PUB & BREWERY’s “WIT RABBIT”

I fed my head last week with this new beer from San Francisco’s MAGNOLIA PUB & BREWERY called “Wit Rabbit”, named of course after the 60s drug anthem from I forget who. Except the rabbit back then wasn’t being hallucinated due to the effects of a strong but subtle Belgian wit ale, it was from psychedelic mushrooms and LSD, baby! I think this is a brand-new beer; even the all-knowing Beer Advocate doesn’t have anyone reviewing it yet. I found mine when I checked out this brand new bar in San Francisco called ALEMBIC, which is located a few blocks away from Magnolia on Haight Street. It appears to be Magnolia’s attempt to launch a more chi-chi sub-brand, as this place is truly just a fancy restaurant with a large smattering of drinks (not just great beer), including 4-5 Magnolia offerings right there on tap. The “Wit Rabbit” had this intensely rich, floral smell that promised something wonderful, and it poured a nice cloudy yellow/orange. I was sort of taken aback by its acidity straight out of the gate, though, and that made me feel a little double-crossed. Everything pointed toward this smooth & silky drinking beverage, and instead I got a more difficult, experimental beer. Yet as it “warmed” (as we say in the business), I found everything settled down and this one started delivering some real rewards. It’s not what I expected from a Belgian-style wit, but I liked it very much just the same. 7/10.

If you’re in the area, take your lady-friend here & pamper the hell out of her – but only if she’ll let you stumble down the hill afterward for a long nightcap at the Toronado. That sort of opportunistic bargaining is the key to making a relationship work – look it up!