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Magic Fish

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Magic Fish is an India pale ale from Laughing Sun in a sessionable style. It packs big grapefruit and tropical flavors and has a light amber hue from Two Track pale malt and Crystal malt. American ale yeast provides a clean background for the Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Galaxy hops to stand out. Laughing Sun brews it in Bismarck, North Dakota, where its taproom sits on East Front Avenue.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden6
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
tropicalcitrusyhoppy
tropical
citrusy
hoppy
clean
juicy
Aroma
The nose leads with bright grapefruit and citrus notes from the Citra and Simcoe hops, layered with tropical stone fruit from Galaxy.
not found:piney,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Magic Fish

◎ Appearance

Magic Fish presents a light amber hue, clean and translucent, with good clarity throughout the glass. A modest white head forms on the pour with fair retention and light lacing on the sides. The carbonation appears lively, appropriate for a sessionable ale.

light amberclearbrightfine carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with bright grapefruit and citrus notes from the Citra and Simcoe hops, layered with tropical stone fruit from Galaxy. Behind the hop aromatics sits a clean, neutral malt base from Two Track pale malt, allowing the Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Galaxy character to occupy the foreground without obstruction.

grapefruittropical fruitcitrus zestclean fermentation

◐ Taste

The palate opens with juicy tropical and citrus flavors that coat the mid-palate with a brisk, refreshing character. Bitterness from the 40 IBU sits in balance—present enough to frame the hops without asserting dominance. The finish dries slightly, with the malt body remaining light and clean throughout.

citrus-forwardtropicaljuicybalanced bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is crisp and relatively short, drying toward the end with lingering citrus notes fading cleanly. No harsh astringency or grain residue remains.

dry finishcleanquick fade
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
80
Appearance
74
Finish
72
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve well-chilled. Session IPAs are at their best cold — the lower ABV means less warmth to balance the hops.

Tulip glass

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

Drink fresh. Session IPAs are brewed to be consumed young — the hops are at their best now.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Magic Fish

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About Session IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Session IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar Session IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same tropical, citrusy, hoppy character as Magic Fish will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Session IPA beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →