Saranac Single Malt - Matt Brewing Company

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.23/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle from the What Ale's You mix 12pack. Pours a translucent orange with virtually no head. Some lacing. Aromas of malts, caramel, grains, and maybe a tiny bit floral. Taste is light with caramel malts and breadiness. A bit earthy with some floral hop notes near the end. A small amount of alcohol flavor i didnt expect too much since the ABV is low. Nothing special and not worth having outside of the mix pack.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 03:43:40 | More by PicoPapa

acurtis

New Jersey

2.75/5  rDev -14.3%

03-03-2013 20:37:57 | More by acurtis

Huffs

New York

2.8/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured to a reddish straw hue with a light, white head that faded quickly. Aroma was predictably malty with a sour note. Taste was dominated by toffee, caramel notes with hints of malt. Mouth feel was a bit light, not a lot there. Have always been impressed by Saranac's products, this is not one of their better ones. I do like the plaid in the label.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 03:54:39 | More by Huffs

generallee

New York

3.5/5  rDev +9%

08-29-2012 11:26:41 | More by generallee

thain709

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours with a clear, copper body and one finger of white head...the creamy head receded to a full cap and left behind some decent lacing

S - Roasted and toasted malts dominate the nose with notes of caramel and toffee...some floral hops linger

T - Again, this one is very malt forward but it cuts down on the sweetness suggested by the nose...there is a fruitiness in the middle that I was not expecting...hints of caramel and toffee are around...earthy hops come in at the end

M - Light bodied...needs a lot more, earthy hops and malt

O - This was my least favorite out of the mixed pack...there just wasn't anything exciting coming out of this one

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 11:11:16 | More by thain709

Dizzy242

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev +1.2%

08-05-2012 20:02:15 | More by Dizzy242

cyclonece09

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Pours a copper color with a white fluffy head that dissipates fairly quickly. Smells of malt, but cannot pinpoint that exactly, as well as it being a little weak. Tastes of a malty beer, very nice. This medium bodied beer seems a little overcarbonated but still goes down alright. Overall, an average beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 03:07:15 | More by cyclonece09

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Poured a clear orange / amber color with a medium head. Nice carbonation.
S - The aroma some malts and grassy tones
T - The flavor was mostly sweet malt that developed into a fruit sensation on the tongue. This was medium bodied and smooth in the mouthfeel. The smoke from the Scottish malt was kind of distracting giving it a weird peat taste which I hate.

Overall one of the worst Saranac beers I ever had.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 05:51:07 | More by DrDemento456

chinchill

South Carolina

3.59/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

BB date of 6/30/12 on bottle. Served in a snifter. Tad of sediment at the bottom of the bottle added mid-tasting.

A: Clear; slightly dark amber; one finger of bone head; a good bit of splotchy lacing is left on the glass.

S: Light-medium roasted malt with hints of caramel and toffee. Pleasant, but mild and relatively simple.

T: There may be only one variety of malt in this, but there's ample quantity to produce a solid malt flavor, and a good one at that. Hints of caramel, toffee, floral hops and, in the finish, smoke. 3.75

M: Medium bodied: medium+ carbonation, lending some crispness. Semi-dry finish. 3.75

O: Although made with Scottish malt, this is not a Scottish ale. It is distinctive rather than run-of-the-mill, and does well representing the English brown style, especially as a lower cost version here in the U.S. 3.75

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 22:58:55 | More by chinchill

odualum13

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -14.3%

05-31-2012 19:15:47 | More by odualum13

Mart1

4/5  rDev +24.6%

04-24-2012 19:48:22 | More by Mart1

Amalak

New York

3/5  rDev -6.5%

04-21-2012 21:40:32 | More by Amalak

rlee1390

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Clear amber, some carbonation, one finger head

S-Malt, caramel, toffee, not much else, the nose is kinda reminiscent of an Irish Red

T-Caramel, toffee, malt heavy, some peat like notes as it warms but not much.

M-Medium bodied with some carbonation

O-For a scottish ale there needed to be more peat flavors in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 02:58:29 | More by rlee1390

teyuders

Ohio

2/5  rDev -37.7%

04-02-2012 20:36:11 | More by teyuders

Jim_DemonDeacon

2.75/5  rDev -14.3%

03-31-2012 22:38:47 | More by Jim_DemonDeacon

Gregwa

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +24.6%

03-31-2012 15:51:42 | More by Gregwa

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

My local trade partner (everybody should have at least one), Tone77, brought over a whole buncha new stuff last week and this is my first opportunity to sit down and crack one open.

From the bottle: "To brew Saranac Single Malt we use 100% Scottish Maris Otter Malt, traditionally used in the distilling industry. The combination of the Scottish malts and slow aging process produces a unique brew distinctive as single malt whiskey with a subtly different flavor than any other beer. Look for a sweet malty taste with a background of floral notes from English Fuggle hops. Enjoy!"

My pour netted me two-plus fingers of thick, tawny head with great retention. Nose was malty-sweet, but it reminded me more of caramel or toffee than of whiskey. Color was a deep amber with NE-quality clarity. Mouthfeel was thin-to-medium and the taste was initially malty on the tongue, but then I got a tanginess on the finish that was kind of unexpected. Altogether, it was not bad but nor was it all that great, either. This probably came out of one of their famous mixed 12-packs and if this were the only reason that you were buying such a mixed-12, save your money.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 00:48:40 | More by woodychandler

cavedave

New York

3.98/5  rDev +24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Well, this ain't no brown, English or otherwise, and it sure ain't getting reviewed as a brown.

Clear dark amber, not all that thick looking, with some quick to go off white suds, that leave a bare inner glass.

Smell is med. strength, full of tart and fruity yeast, some floral hop, caramel sweet, some thin, neutral sweet, and hints of bitter hops.

Nice taste, it starts with sweet and tart, neither strongly, gets a rounded yeasty sort of biscuit flavor going, and some soft notes of grain husk and, ...well, fruitiness, but not reminding of any particular fruit. It ends with a sort of herbal thing going on, not bitter, or medicinal, just a bit of herbal root to it.

Very light in mouth, even for an amber, highly carb.'ed but not outrageously, decent juicy finish.

How this beer can get so raped is beyond me. Quite a refreshing and tasty brew. Nothing earth shattering, but another pretty good offering from a brewery that really has improved.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 23:12:15 | More by cavedave

BigPlay1824

New York

2.28/5  rDev -29%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Enjoyed in a pint glass

A: pours a light brown color that is entirely clear with a decent amount of carbonation bubbles, pours with a finger of fine slightly creamy off white head that lingers for a bit before leaving a nice amount of lacing
S: well, the scent is kind of odd on this one, smells like an adjunct, just kinda has that sweet slightly off scent, eh
T: welp, the taste isnt much, slight dark fruits which come in in the middle and linger on the palate afterwards, begins slightly sweet, perhaps im putting it up against too much but it just doesnt have the complexity or the depth of the other brown ales that ive fallen so in love with
M: slightly strong carbonation, smooth, leaves the mouth just slightly dry
O: a drinkable brown ale that doesnt really have much complexity or depth, id drink it if it was put in front of me but im not gonna seek this one out

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 23:35:39 | More by BigPlay1824

marlinsfan4

Maryland

2.68/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Part of the "cure for what ales you" mixed 12 pack. Didn't have much for expectations going into this, and needless to say.. it performed pretty much as I expected. Pours a light brown color, not much head to it. Faint maco swill type aroma. Taste is light bodied, some nuttiness but very much like a watered down brown ale. To be honest, I think Newcastle has more taste and mouthfeel to this beer. Easily drinkable, but not really a good beer by any means. Meh.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 04:19:17 | More by marlinsfan4

Fallingonwater10

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +16.8%

03-15-2012 02:22:16 | More by Fallingonwater10

bootsandbeer

Maryland

3/5  rDev -6.5%

03-08-2012 23:20:43 | More by bootsandbeer

JedediahK

New York

2/5  rDev -37.7%

03-04-2012 04:42:10 | More by JedediahK

Arithmeticus

Maryland

2.28/5  rDev -29%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured chilled in ale glass.

A: thin head; very carbonated; copper, clear color
S: malty; thin
T: astringent; thin flavored; what flavor there is falls on the hops and grain, but not much on the malt

Nope. Needs, for my palate, more body and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 22:36:02 | More by Arithmeticus

beerme626

Kentucky

2.55/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A: Dark reddish amber with minimal head that basically never existed. Few bubbles at all make it look dead.
S: Very very malty, almost syrupy
T: Not impressed. A very malty taste, obviously, but not much taste there. Tastes a little sour.
M: Flat, dead. If you hold it on the tongue, it spices it up a little, but it's pretty dead.
O: Not impressed. Saranac has some good beers. Stick with the pale ale, the IPA, the Black Forest, and especially the White IPA. I would not recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 23:31:57 | More by beerme626