Saranac Summer Ale - Matt Brewing Company

aranheaney

New York

2.58/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Got in a sampler, poured into a DFH snifter:

A-light straw with a finger of head that is quickly gone and no lacing

S-non-offensive, fruity with some lemon

T-meh, lemon, weak, not so great

M-there's not alot going on here

O-wouldn't recommend, there's just not much positive, it's lightish, has a funky aftertaste and I don't think I'll revisit it again

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 00:53:20 | More by aranheaney

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

2.63/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a weizen glass.

A: The beer is a light gold color with a thin white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of lemon, spices, wheat, light malts and a little bit of hops.

T: Flavors of lemon and caramelized malt start out with light flavors of wheat, spice and hops in the background. However, this one seems a little watered down and lacks the hearty wheat flavor that you typically get in this style. After-taste is fruity and a little sweet.

M: Crisp with a little smoothness, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, clean finish.

D: It goes down easily and isn’t very filling, a little tasty but I would consider it a stretch to call this beer mediocre. There are many others I would choose first in the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2007 02:52:29 | More by TheManiacalOne

guinnessfan

Pennsylvania

2.63/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle from akorsak

A: Pours a golden copper color, with a 1 finger head. Retention and lacing are non-existant.

S: Grain, burnt caramelized malt. Some coriander and lemon.

T: Reminds me of a malty pilsner, not really a wheat taste at all. Not really flavorful. The hops seem to be replaced with lemon zest.

M: Thin and watery. Somewhat crisp and clean, though. Annoyingly sweet aftertaste.

D: It's okay, gets the job done, but I would not choose it if it wasn't in a variety pack.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2007 20:15:05 | More by guinnessfan

Offa

California

2.63/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This is a decent, light but thin, rather sharp, bland beer and overall seems a but crude.

Deep gold, it has a medium off-white head soon thinning and leaving no real lace.

Aroma is light, vaguely caramelly toasty barley apple, hints of metal. It is rather like a lighter American dark lager-type.

Taste is grain, simple but pleasant enough, very faintly caramelly with faint leafy hop and light but sharp pepperiness and light mineral. I note an odd, fleeting hint of cherry right at the finish. Light sweetness is up front before light, brief peppery-bitter finish and then a long, faint, vague caramelly-sweet aftertaste with nothing else.

This is ok, but thin of character, simple, and crude. It offers so little that it quickly becomes tiresome.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 18:22:30 | More by Offa

Gmann

New York

2.65/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clear golden color with a sub-par head, dissipated quickly, no lacing. This offering does actually have a smell to it. It has a kind of funk corriander, orange peel smell, I'm not a big fan of this smell but some may like it. It has a weird corriander lemon flavor that doesn't fit well together. It tastes like funk. Again some may like this but it doesn't sit well with me. Seems to be a cross between a witbier and a traditional summer ale. The feel is fizzy and crisp. This would be a refreshing brew if you like the taste.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2007 23:09:58 | More by Gmann

sleazo

New York

2.68/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Saranac summer ale

A-a dark golden colour with a decent sized head leading to a nice ammount of lace. A steady stream of bubbles replenishes the head. 4

S-very strong wheat aroma. A good deal of citrus and coriander. Too strong with the coriander 2.5

T-coriander, coriander and some more. This one at least tastes a little different from the rest of their offerings. 3

M-light bodied and aggressively carbonated. 3.5

D-too much coriander and citrus. At least they went bold here. 3

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2007 20:51:03 | More by sleazo

mnj21655

Massachusetts

2.68/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a pale golden color with about a half finger of head that quickly dissipates and leaves little lacing. Aroma is predominantly of lemons but more than pine sol than actual lemons with some yeast and other fruity esters. Taste is like the aroma. First there is a nice wheat flavor with lemons in the background. Then the pine sol like lemon flavor rears its head and builds into the finish reaching its zenith at the very end of the finish. Mouthfeel is decent, low-medium body with moderate carbonation. Drinkability is average at best. The somewhat harsh lemon flavor does nothing to make me want another one of these. Aside from that flaw this is a decent beer that I'd be willing to revisit.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2007 22:02:52 | More by mnj21655

Buschyfor3

Kentucky

2.68/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Sam Adams draft glass.

A: Pours a clear, rich golden amber body with a fizzy white head about 1.5 fingers thick that swiftly dissipates. Leaves thin rings of white lacing.

S: First note was a sweet burst of apricot or peach; then I start to get some husky, musty grain notes. Other than that, I really don't detect a lot going on in the nose.

T: A bit of hoppy bitterness peaks up front, followed by a blend of fruit flavors - apricot, orange rinds, a hint of lemon. Mid sip, the malt background steps up with a grainy, wheat-like note followed by the slightest touch of peppery spiciness. Finish is fairly smooth, as the malt flavors overcome the citrus notes and ride out the finish. Reminds me of a very toned-down Sam Adams Summer Ale - the flavors are there, they just aren't as pronounced and they disappear too quickly.

M: Lots of fizzy carbonation. Light bodied, but carbonation keeps the beer from feeling too watery.

D: 4.70% ABV means you could easily drink a couple of these in a night without any problem. However, I think there are better examples of the style that have a more pronounced flavor profile which enhances their drinkability.

Alright, but nothing exceptional. Really, I would prefer a Sam Adams Summer Ale to this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2009 04:02:21 | More by Buschyfor3

bundy462

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Hazy gold with a frothy white head. Thin lace after settling down.

S: Lemon and slight floral hops, but the lemon is dominant.

T: Wheat and lemon, lacking on the hops byte for the style. Lemon is a little much.

M: Medium bodied.

O: It's smooth but the lemon is a little much.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2010 01:00:47 | More by bundy462

DaggerEyes

New York

2.7/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle with now freshness dating

A- Small soapy head, clear golden beer with subtle hints of copper

S-Nose is of berries and perhaps sweet iced tea, with a sweet malt smell as well

T- Monochromatic bitter hops with enough malt to hold it together, crummy aftertaste

M- Decent ammount of cabonation, thin bodied, leaves an awful filmy feeling in the mouth.

D-I'd still rather have this beer than a bud but by no means would I seek it out

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2006 22:32:06 | More by DaggerEyes

sabrills70

North Carolina

2.7/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date. Pours a very slightly hazy medium light copper wit a 2 finger head, OK longevity and just OK lace. Decent wheat malt aroma mixed with some citrus and yeast notes. Not as much malt flavor as the smell would lead you to believe. OK hop flavor mixed with some bitterness although too much for a wheat ale IMHO. Leaves a funny sort of aftertaste - part hop part wheat malt but mixed in a weird unpleasant way. Initially its not a bad beer but then the aftertaste kicks in and ruins it.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2007 16:44:26 | More by sabrills70

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.7/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Well, its Saranac, so expectations are low. Pours a decent enough yellow with a degree of haze. Smells like lemon. More than anything.

Tastes like lemon more than anything. I guess relatively speaking, its a decent Saranac brew, it tastes like something that isn't offensive for once, and its actually assertive. Don't necessarily know that I want the flavor they decide to get assertive with be lemon, but its a start. There really isn't much else to talk about, lemon dominates. Too expensive to be drinkable, too sour and sweet one dimensional lemony as well.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 04:27:16 | More by Beerandraiderfan

muttyd

Massachusetts

2.7/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured aggressively into a pint glass. Near clear yellow body with a soapy white head that fades into a slight ring.

Aroma is filled with iced tea with lemon, honey, and some pale malts. Somewhat musty and grass like in the nose too. Flavor is citrusy sweet up front, follows with a grainy/bready body, and finishes with a slight bitterness. Lemon sticks around after the beer is gone. As the beer warms up, the lemon becomes more reminiscent of drinking an artificially sweetened lemonade. Carbonation is spot on; bubbly on the tongue, light body and drinkable.

Really wanted to like this beer more. The lemon flavor is just too strong. Decent base beer, but wanted more.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 00:40:41 | More by muttyd

KTCamm

New Jersey

2.73/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a clear golden color with moderate foam that recedes very quickly. Beer is cloudy in appearance, mine has very small bits of sediment in it (not sure if that was intended).

Smell is citrusy malt. Tart.

Taste is overwhelmingly citrus - at times too tart, especially as the beer warms. Its backed by wheat, and no discrenable hop presence. Its almost as if I spilled some lemonade into a wheat beer.

If they could reduce the tartness, this would be much more drinkable. Given its current state, I'd hesitate to have too many of these.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 22:37:50 | More by KTCamm

asabreed

New York

2.75/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

As per the possible suggestion, this 12 oz. bottle has been poured into my Aventinus glass.

Appearance: Hazy yellow with some brown tints, decent lacing, and a decent head. Nothing special, but at the moment it works for me.

Smell: Lemon grass, some lemon sugars, OJ or citrus fruit soda, herbal cough drops. Odd, which intrigues me, but it does indeed smell like a wacky Belgian Wit with something wrong with it in the mix.

Taste: Herbal cough drops up front, and yes, not something that's gratifying. Some off balanced citrus zest, watery malts that almost aren't there, and the faintest of hops, maybe.

Mouthfeel: Slick and watery, carbonation almost not present or is very light, which is odd.

Drinkability: I give it a 3 because I could see myself grabbing one of these instead of some light macro out of a cooler with friends grilling burgers and dogs in the July heat. Otherwise, as far as sitting down and reviewing this sucker or partaking in the aforementioned activities (though I don't think any of my friends would randomly have Saranac in a cooler, though that's beside the point), the tasting's not gonna happen again...

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2005 21:51:00 | More by asabreed

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

reviewed on 5/31/11 - from notes:

A: orange/gold hued body. steady carbonation leads to a very fluffy head. reasonable retention.

S: a noticeably tart lemon aroma. orange peel citrus also working its way in there. struggling to find a distinct malt or hop presence in there, however still a unique aroma.

T: pretty thin body. very similar to the nose, tart lemon flesh as well as the citrus of orange peel. a touch of breadiness boasts evidence of malt. 99% sure the citrus is from a citrus source and not hops, but I could be wrong.

M: substantial carbonation doesn’t detract from anything here.

D: a miss for me. the citrus and fruit seems too forced to be enjoyable and I am not finding this a ‘refreshing’ summer beer as I thought I would.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 00:27:27 | More by Jimmys

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

2.78/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a deep gold with a white head and no lacing.

Lemon pledge aroma with a hint of spice and light malt. Not great.

More of the same. Artificial lemon dominant here, with light sweet grain fighting through, but the fight is feeble. A little sour in the finish.

Well carbonated and light bodied.

Overall, not as horrific as it could have been, but not something I'd want again. Too much lemon up front, and not done in a way that is a compliment to the rest of the brew. The true dud in the summer mix pack.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2009 16:43:14 | More by OtherShoe2

yourunclewalt

New York

2.8/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Lacey white head that recedes from a creamy one-finger within a minute. Reddish hue on a very clear straw body, resembles an IPA.

S - As the bottle suggests, there is a lemony aroma, but it reads as more of a cleaning product than an actual zest; lingering quasi-phenolic undertones.

T - Subtle lemon finish that opens to a hoppy aftertaste on top of a subdued pale ale.

M - A light-bodied, dominately carbonated beer.

D - The Summer ale is probably the most drinkable of the "Twelve Beers of Summer" mix-pack that Saranac offers around this time of the year. Unlike the rest of its counterparts, it does have a reasonably individual character that, while slightly phenolic, is at least more interesting than the slightly below to average offerings of various other wheat styles.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2007 02:50:06 | More by yourunclewalt

MTNboy

Missouri

2.8/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance- A golden yellow color a little bit hazy due to carbonation bubbles but still transparent. Both the head and lace go quick.

Smell- There is something a little off in the aroma. There are tones of citrus, floral hops and metal.

Taste- Spiced roasted malt a little bitter but in a good way.

Mouthfeel- Light and soft texture.

Drinkability- Not a bad little summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2008 13:48:41 | More by MTNboy

Halcyondays

California

2.8/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a dark gold with a small white head, good retention.

S: Mild Lemon Pledge, some malt.

T: Light lemon flavour (little artificial), hint of wheat, just very bland though inoffensive, but that's nothing to brag about.

M: Crisp and clean. Light-bodied but has a nice structure.

D: Drinkable, but I'm already bored halfway through. Simply needs more flavour.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2010 00:32:49 | More by Halcyondays

KenC411

New Jersey

2.83/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a clear orange brown with a sickly thin head. Disappears almost instantly, leaving no peaks.

Smell: A sweet citrus

Taste: Citrus, some malt notes with almost no hops. Tastes a strongly carbonated, like seltzer water.

Mouthfeel: The beer is very crisp but watery, and although it tastes gassy is not overly carbonated.

Drinkability: Its sweet but gassy, crisp but watery, strong nose but flavorless. It feels like it is missing something.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2009 23:42:02 | More by KenC411

Duhast500

Massachusetts

2.83/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a pint glass.

The color is a clear gold with about a finger or foamy white head that cleared up quickly. No lacing left at all.

The smell is a little fruity with a hint of orange and other citrus fruits but is well muted.

The taste is just a bit sweet with some malty flavor at first. Some spicy hop flavor hits for a second then is washed away.

This beer is pretty easy going down and is pretty smooth. It does have some carbonation but does not hinder the drink-ability of this beer. A good summer beer but not groundbreaking.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2010 03:12:39 | More by Duhast500

BucannonXC5

California

2.83/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. About a finger of head. Color was honey pale. Minimal lacing on the top that dissipated to nothing at a record pace. No film on the sides.

Smelled honey and lemon mainly, but also some wheat, grass and some skunkiness

Honey dominated the taste, but also some lemon and wheat grass. Nothing crazy.

Light body. Thin texture. Above average-to-heavy carbonation. Abrupt finish.

Just your typical summer beer. You always hope for more, but it never delivers.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 07:08:21 | More by BucannonXC5

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a shaker glass. Appears a crystal clear bright yellow color with a finger of quickly fading bone white foam. Smells and taste is over run with citrus, mainly lemon peel. Tastes a tad artificial to me (pledge-like). Notes of grass, and lightly toasted grains are also present. A bit thin bodied with modest carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2009 18:35:45 | More by ClockworkOrange

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Dark straw/golden, clear, just a few bubbles but a big white head. Barely fair retention, but no real lace.

S: Lemon, faint wheat beer, hint of spicy, herbal hops. Ghost hint of sweetness. Pretty clean and faint actually.

T: Lemon – both zesty from peel and herbal from coriander – a bit too much actually. Some more of the herbal & spice aspect of coriander. Perhaps some other spice. Not really a lemon tartness, but some acidic flavor without much bite. Base beer is rather generic, only slightly bready, American wheat beer with touches of pale crystal and husky grain. A tiny hint of hop bitterness flashes through at the end before the lemon takes over again.

M: A tad thin with firm but appropriate carbonation – expansive, crisp, & quenching. Herbal, lemon drying, but no tartness. Decent mouthfeel, one of the good parts of this brew.

D: American wheat with Wit-esque riffs – but it doesn’t work. Not blended & melded, but rather angular and constructed. Not proportional and balanced. Comes across as overly gimmicky in the lemon direction. Could be improved with more orange citrus, some character and robustness to malts, and less lemon.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 00:54:43 | More by SickGnar