One New York Life

Saranac Brown Ale

Brewed By: Matt Brewing Company
Brewed InUtica, NY
ABV: 6.0%
Type: Brown Ale

What they say: This authentic Brown Ale is brewed with All-American malt, pacific northwest hops, and traditional ale yeast. It’s [sic] smooth malty character is complimented with a touch of chocolate malt and hoppy aroma. Look for a sweet, malty, chocolaty taste with a balanced hop bitterness resulting in a full flavored but smooth drinkable beer.

Why I picked it: The final beer in the Adirondack Trail Mix. The six pack is one of my oldest stand-bys when I’m looking for a variety.

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Presentation (5): Kind of a weird choice as they use the same watercolor as the ESB. I can’t decide if I should give it a 4 because I gave it a 4 before or a 2 for duplication. It seems unfair to give this one the 2 since I’m relatively certain this beer has been around longer. 4

Originality (5): It’s a pretty standard brown. Nothing more, nothing less. 3

Body (10): This seems like the grandfather of the chocolate lager they included in the 12 Beers from a few years ago. This is one of those strange beers that isn’t quite as thick as the chocolate and the malts would make you think. Really, it’s a great thin body with an excellent touch of carbonation with a bit of manliness added by the chocolate malts. 8

Taste (10): The whole idea of “chocolate stouts” are becoming played out, so I’m finding ales and lagers that work with heavy stout/porter flavors to be somewhat fun. The chocolate malt is the most obvious ingredient here. It carries the initial taste and the aftertaste and does it quite well. If I had one complaint — if they wanted to make an ale with a distinctive chocolate taste, they should have just gone for it instead of being subtle. I’d guess that’s what eventually led to Chocolate Lager. 7

Efficiency (10): Most anything I can say about the flavor short of “undrinkable” would be counteracted here by the very efficient 6.0% ABV. It packs quite a punch and the relatively pleasant flavor makes for an efficiency superstar. 9

Versatility (10): Sadly, the flavor is a little too heavy and complex for things other than a sipping beer. It’s not quite so heavy as to kick the versatility in to the tank entirely but it doesn’t get any favors. Also, I’m pretty sure this is only available in the Trail Mix and the new What Ales You? sampler. 6

Final Score: 37 (of 50) – Really good beer

Saranac Adirondack Lager

Brewed By: Matt Brewing Company
Brewed In: Utica, NY
ABV: 5.5%
Type: German Amber Lager

What they say: Saranac Adirondack Lager is craft brewed with pure Adirondack water, bottom fermented and fully lagered to carefully balance the sweetness of two-row malt with the delicate bitterness of American cascade and German hallertauer hops. Look for a golden amber color and medium body. You’ll discover a distinctive flavorful beer that is deliciously enjoyable. Enjoy!

Why I picked it: Number five of six in the Adirondack Trail Mix. This is considered Saranac’s flagship brew. It’s another one of their offereings that’s been around as long as I can remember.

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Presentation (5): It’s really hard for me to be hyper-critical of this presentation. This beer was their first product and they’ve left the bottle the same as it was when they launched it. That includes the wood-paneling motif that’s a throwback to PLR’s first car. It takes some stones to go with a sticker that looks like a wood-paneled stationwagon. 3

Originality (5): Also tough to rate. This was Saranac’s original brew. I want to say the Saranac product line came out of the brewery sometime in the late 80s. I won’t make the joke that they just took Utica Club and put a fancy craft name on it, but it would be funny wouldn’t it? 3

Body (10): This is a very crisp and refreshing beer. I expected a light color on this lager but it was actually even lighter then I imagined. The amber color and tiny head lends itself to the “light beer” family of products. There is barely enough going on here to elevate it above Lawnmower status, but there is enough. I mean, it’s designed to be a simple lager. There isn’t a lot of complexity here — nor should there be. 7

Taste (10): To claim this as a German-styled lager is a bit of a stretch. A rigorously Americanized German-style lager, maybe. I say this because there is a distinct taste that most German beers all share. I’ve always assumed the purity law has a lot to do with it. This beer, on the other hand, probably doesn’t follow the purity law. But I don’t really love that distinctly German flavor, so I like this a lot more. It has that same hoppy finish without that distinct German flavor. For me, that works tremendously well. 8

Efficiency: Very. It’s rare when you get a beer that can be honestly described as “refreshing” when you get to 5.5%. This one manages to pull it off. The somewhat sweet and heavy flavor would regulate the consumption pace, but 5.5% makes up for a lot. 7

Versatility (10): Totally versatile. You could sub this for Budweiser and never look back. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this beer available on draught, in sixers, twelves, and bombers so apparently the brewery realizes they have a versatility star here, too. This beer is just bland enough that even the Lawnmower crowd would like it. 7

Final Score: 35 (of 50) – Good beer

Saranac Black Forest

Brewed By: Matt Brewing Company
Brewed In: Utica, NY
ABV: 5.3%
Type: Bavarian Black Beer

What they say: Saranac Black Forest is a delicious Bavarian Style beer with a caramel malt sweetness, medium body, and our trademark rich creamy head. Look for the delicate brownish-red color. Until recently, Black Forest was served exclusively on draft. Enjoy.

Why I picked it: Beer four in the six-part Adirondack Trail Mix sampler. As I last week, it was either Black Forest or Black & Tan that was my first favorite microbrew.

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Presentation (5): I find it funny that the “Black Forest” beer offers neither a black label nor a particularly dark forest on their watercolor. I mean, if your thing is Adirondack landscapes on the labels, don’t you think you could find one that better represents a “black forest”. 2

Originality (5): This is another tough rate. This beer has been around as long as I can remember. And really, I don’t know what it is. It’s a Bavarian black beer called “Black Forest.” They don’t claim it’s anything, so it’s tough to rate against similar things. On the other hand, shenanigans on their “until recently it was only available on draught” nonsense. Granted, I haven’t spent much drinking time in Saranac’s Central New York wheelhouse, but I’ve never seen it on draught anywhere. Besides the point, I’ve been drinking it out of the bottle for damn near a decade. It might be time to upgrade the bottleneck blurb. 4

Body (10): It takes a little suspension of disbelief to accept the “red” or “rich, creamy head” mentioned on the bottleneck. It is barely red and the head, while creamy, isn’t very persistent. However, the body is surprisingly smooth for the darkness of the beer. It’s a bit out of the ordinary for a beer that blocks light. Not tremendously thick or filling and quite pleasant for the flavor. 8

Taste (10): This brew tastes like it’s nearly all malt with only a pale hint of hops. The caramel flavor mentioned in the blurb is evident and, as per usual, a pretty excellent flavor when combined with heavy malts. The one drawback is it’s right on border of being too sweet. Not a problem in a sampler pack, but maybe a problem in a full sixpack. 7

Efficiency (10): The beer’s malty sweetness is great but, as mentioned, a sweet flavor and a low ABV doesn’t lend itself to efficiency. This beer would be an excellent draught but despite their insistence, I’ve never seen it. The 5.3% doesn’t knock my socks off in efficiency terms, but it doesn’t suck. 6

Versatility (10): Much like the Black & Tan, I don’t know what I’d use it for. The pairing information suggests Mexican food and chicken dishes, but I don’t get that. If there was more than one in the sampler, I might have tried to turn it in to a steak sauce. I don’t want to be down on this beer because I do really like it but I just couldn’t see myself ever getting a sixpack of it. I love one or two, but I couldn’t see myself spending a night with it. 5

Final Score: 32 (of 50) — Good beer.

Saranac Black & Tan

Brewed By: Matt Brewing Company
Brewed In: Utica, NY
ABV: 5.1%
Type: Black & Tan (Stout/Lager)

What They Say: Saranac Black & Tan is a judicious melding of our classic Irish stout with an all-malt German-style amber lager. The result is a brew that is hearty, pleasantly bitter, and full of flavor, yet can be enjoyed bottle after bottle. Our unique black & tan has multiple flavor notes… you may enjoy counting them. Enjoy!

Why I picked it: Beer number three in the Adirondack Trail Mix series. I think Saranac Black & Tan might have been the first bottle of craft beer I ever consumed. It was either the Black & Tan or the Black Forest, which will come next week.

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Presentation (5): Pretty generic bottle, like most of Saranac’s. The lovely watercolor on this bottle doesn’t stand out for any particular reason so just the generic score that all of Saranac’s bottles get. 3

Originality (5): I know the concept of a black & tan has always existed. According to my dad, one of his friends used to order the Guinness/Budweiser Black & Tan at pubs in Saratoga going back to the late 70s. On the other hand, this beer has been around for most of my drinking life. Do I have to give them points for being the first to actually try and bottle a black and tan? I think I do unless I hear otherwise. 5

Body (10): It pours very dark with an extremely thick head. The head dies shortly in to the beer’s life. The body of this beer is extremely confusing because of the style. It’s very rare that a beer can act as its own palette-cleanser, but this one manages. It has all the indications of a thick, dark stout but part of the flavor is the quick hit of German lager. As such, there’s the standard, heavy stout flavor that’s happily wiped away with a hint of citrusy lager. However they pulled this off, it’s very good. 7

Taste (10): I’ve always been a fan of the black & tan concept, even if I’ve never really been impressed with them on draught. I have friends that swear by the Guinness/Harp, others with the Gunness/Bass, some with Guinness/Bud, and even some with Guinness/Cider Jack. The best I remember having is The Big Show’s Young’s Double Chocolate Stout/some other microbrew ale I don’t recall. I digress. I don’t usually like these when they’re bottled up because they usually wind up just tasting like a watery stout. This is a little different. It pours very much like a stout and very much hits the mouth like a stout. But, as it sits on the tongue it honestly separates in to both distinct flavors. Both the heavy bitterness of the stout AND the citrusy, stereotypically German flavor are readily apparent. Both are noticeable. The best way to describe it is like an Oreo. The thick stout flavor wraps around the German lager flavor. Once you bust through the stout, you get a whole new flavor. Whether or not tasting both of those things at the same time is good or bad is left to the reader, but it works very well for me. 8

Efficiency (10): Stouts with low ABVs come in at the low end of the SES (that’s Snob Efficiency Scale). There are two distinct and obvious flavors here. Both the stout bitterness and German tinniness are both consumption regulators. I can’t decide whether the two limitations stack, but either one individually does the job. The low ABV does nothing to counteract this so you’re left with a pretty inefficient beer. 4

Versatility (10): Even with the beer acting as its own palette-cleanser, spending an afternoon with these would be a bit much for anyone to handle. The extra flavor doesn’t counteract the loaf-of-bread feeling that usually accompanies stouts, nor do the lager notes have quite enough carbonation to get you to, uh, make room in the belly. I think one or two of these in a sampler pack would be enough for just about anyone as I can’t imagine sitting around slugging these. 5

Final Grade: 32 out of 50 – Good beer.

India Pale Ale
Brewed By: Saranac Brewery (Matt Brewing Company)
Brewed In: Utica, NY
Type: Belgian Ale
ABV: 5.8%

What They Say: A hop lover’s delight. In the India Pale Ale tradition this brew is very hoppy in both aroma and flavor from the generous amounts of cascade hops used in brewing. Look for a medium to full body and golden straw color.

Why I Picked It: Part two of the six-part Adirondack Trail Mix. To note, this is among the only ways that I’ll put reviews for IPAs on a beer review site.

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Presentation: The green label and red logo on this frames a picture of a mountain waterfall. Surprisingly, not nearly as many pine trees as one would expect for an IPA label. I’d expect a veritable Vermont forest of green including a delicious waterfall of pine sap.3

Originality: As will be the case with a lot of these core beers — it’s an IPA. Every brewery has their own take on this recipe. Also, as mentioned when I reviewed their Belgian Ale — there are a lot of other companies that do this beer and some specialize in it. While I suppose I understand the need to market these and other malt beverages and soft drinks to the non-beer drinkers in the country, others do it better and there’s nothing stand-outish here. 1

Taste: If you’ve tasted an IPA, you’ve tasted an IPA. It hits your tongue with a nice fruity, somewhat citrusy note and finishes with the delicious taste of blended pine cone. I don’t like these beers and I don’t get them. If you’re an IPA snob, I’d kindly suggest going somewhere else for IPA reviews. As IPAs go, I do like this better than most. The pineconey flavor isn’t quite so obnoxious to make it as undrinkable as, say, Hoptimator — but it’s still not something I’d go for every day. Or really ever again. 5

Body: Fine, I guess. It’s a full-bodied beer with a nice golden color. It’s very attractive to look at. The thick, coating mouthfeel with the accompanying tastebud armageddon that is the calling card of the type might be good for some. I generally like to be able to taste something else over the course of the evening than the beer I drank two hours ago. But, by all means, if you’re looking to pair with hop sandwich, have at it. 4

Efficiency: You can’t drink IPAs fast — you just can’t. With that in mind, the ABV has to be really high to be efficient in my book. For me to get drunk off an IPA, the ABV would have to fall somewhere between Bacardi 151 and Grain. Otherwise, I just kind of sip it until it’s blessedly gone. 4

Versatility: This would be great for a lot of things. Watering pine trees, attracting bugs away from your garden, substitution for Pine-Sol. In all seriousness — as IPAs go I do like it. I’d be able to drink this if I absolutely had to drink an IPA for something. The Saranac website suggests pairing it with seafood and, honestly, I do actually think that would be good. It’s just not something I’d ever personally go for. 4

The Snob Says: This isn’t a knock on Saranac. They just happened to include an IPA in a variety pack. The fact that I actually drank it instead of just snarkily writing “0″ should tell you how much I like the brewery.

Final Grade: 21 (of 50) – OK beer.

Pale Ale
Brewed By: Saranac Brewery (Matt Brewing Company)
Brewed In: Utica, NY
Type: Belgian Ale
ABV: 5.5%

What They Say: Saranac Pale Ale is a classic english pale ale brewed with six specialty malts and aggressively-hopped with hand selected english kent goldings & fuggles hops. Look for a rich, fruity hop bouquet, a copper amber color , and a smooth, full-flavored taste with a crisp finish that only comes from a genuine top fermented ale.

Website: As was mentioned, Saranac’s website is very good. All the stuff on their site is easy to locate. If I had one complaint, it’s that I couldn’t find the Adirondack Trail Mix page.

Why I Picked It: Saranac’s Adirondack Trail Mix is their core beer sampler pack. If I had to rate their beers based on popularity, I’d put this particular beer third behind their IPA and their Adirondack Lager. Since I got the 12 Beers of Winter digitized, I wanted to spend six weeks getting the Trail Mix in here, too.

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Presentation: As you might recall, Saranac’s labels are all basically the same. A label of some color combined with a logo of some color with a watercolor painting of some Adirondack scene. This is no different. I’ve been giving them an ongoing 3 because of the relative ease to recognize their product. 3

Originality: There’s not a whole lot here. Every brewery does a pale ale with their own play on the recipe. Saranac’s isn’t much different. 1

Taste: This is a much hoppier version of the ESB reviewed in 12 Beers Of Winter. Other folks have pointed out that the ESB seems like a small tweak to this recipe. I pretty much agree. The base flavor the same with a bolder hop presence. The citrus combined with strong hops just doesn’t work for me. The ESB is a much better version of this recipe. 7

Body: It pours amber with a minimal head. It’s light and crisp and right on the border of being refreshing until the hoppiness descends on the tastebud like a buzzard on a gutwagon. The whole experience is just very bland for me and nothing I’d go out of my to have again. 6

Efficiency: As mentioned, the light and crisp taste and relatively high alcohol content make for a pretty efficient beer. Unfortunately, the heavy flavor and cloying hoppiness just makes it something you can’t drink in volume or with any speed. 5

Versatility: This beer works well if you’re looking to grab a six pack of something different. I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it, but wouldn’t sneer at it either. That said, the pale ale thing has been kind of played out and I’m sure you could find a better introduction to Saranac. 6

The Snob Says: A decent take on the British Pub Ale, but not quite as good as their ESB.

Final Grade: 28 (of 50) – Good beer.