Saranac Belgian Ale - Matt Brewing Company

Vendetta

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a deep pumpkin orange with a doughy, fluffy head that leaves a thick, solid lacing down the glass. As with all belgian style beers, this looks especially good. Not sure if those who rated the appearance just got a bad batch, but mine looks particularly good.

Aroma is a sweet, malty, floral yeast. Typical of Belgian styles. Enticing.

Taste is strongly sweet malt, yeast. Floral, lightly present tropical fruit. This is a typical belgian brew. Nothing out of the ordinary, but nothing done poorly. Quality.

Mouth feel is good. Medium bodied, perfect carbonation. Finish is smooth and coating.

This is an average Belgian, which means that it's a good beer. Try it out. There are better out there of this style, but this is a good beer. I'd take an average Belgian pale ale over an exceptional pilsener any day of the week.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 05:51:22 | More by Vendetta

Bill235

Ohio

3/5  rDev -10.2%

05-09-2013 17:54:26 | More by Bill235

Kelp

New Hampshire

3/5  rDev -10.2%

05-04-2013 23:11:54 | More by Kelp

AL89BR

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -10.2%

04-07-2013 03:48:50 | More by AL89BR

ujsplace

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Re-review:

Not as good as back in 2009. Still a good brew.

Poured into a over sized wine glass.

A: Deep copper that borders on brown. Whitish head that is thick and puffy. Lacing is descent.

S: Mild herbal hops, yeast, ripe fruit and malts.

T: Nice hop malt balance with a hint of overripened cherries.

M: Medium/light creamy with good caronation level.

D: A good Belgian ale. Swirl the bottle because there is some yeasty sediment on the bottom of this brew, which was a definite suprise to me. This is unbeatable for the price. I would absolutely pick up a case of this...

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 19:27:00 | More by ujsplace

gregu2

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -2.7%

01-06-2013 22:13:16 | More by gregu2

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -10.2%

01-05-2013 13:57:47 | More by Damian74Shensky

Sipchue

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -10.2%

12-31-2012 00:10:22 | More by Sipchue

kb2250

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +12.3%

12-21-2012 02:51:32 | More by kb2250

cliff1066

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%

12-11-2012 01:59:11 | More by cliff1066

sendbeer

Georgia

2.5/5  rDev -25.1%

12-03-2012 20:01:47 | More by sendbeer

TaylorK

West Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%

10-14-2012 20:41:26 | More by TaylorK

chinchill

South Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle served in a snifter. A bit annoyed at the outset that Saranac simply describes this as a "Belgian style ale" on the label (although there's a more info. in the fine print on the neck label) -- Belgian ales are so varied that this is virtually useless.

A: pours a cloudy orange-amber with a short-lived off-white head. Vestiges of the head remain for a while and some thin lacing is left o n the glass.

The aroma is fruity, bready and appealing, but too faint.
The flavor is fruity, bready and spicy, with what I would describe as a Belgian style spice component. It has a slight earthiness and yeastiness yet is quite drinkable. [3.25]

M: Medium-light body with near medium carbonation. A little watery.

O: well, a decent and economical departure from your typical American beer, but a not a strong rendition of a "Belgian ale"

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 23:51:59 | More by chinchill

Dizzy242

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -2.7%

08-05-2012 20:08:53 | More by Dizzy242

WDJersey

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -10.2%

08-02-2012 04:31:40 | More by WDJersey

mitch3114

New York

2/5  rDev -40.1%

06-21-2012 03:42:36 | More by mitch3114

OriolesFan1008

Maryland

3/5  rDev -10.2%

06-07-2012 15:09:03 | More by OriolesFan1008

pagardner

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%

06-02-2012 00:26:21 | More by pagardner

drtth

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -10.2%

05-01-2012 01:26:34 | More by drtth

avisong

Virginia

2.5/5  rDev -25.1%

04-26-2012 02:55:09 | More by avisong

dgeebs07

New York

3/5  rDev -10.2%

04-14-2012 12:12:18 | More by dgeebs07

Tundruth

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev +4.8%

04-05-2012 00:41:56 | More by Tundruth

TheRuss9585

Vermont

2.75/5  rDev -17.7%

03-28-2012 20:04:54 | More by TheRuss9585

chrispoint

Connecticut

2.5/5  rDev -25.1%

02-18-2012 20:27:20 | More by chrispoint

jharkins07

Ohio

3/5  rDev -10.2%

02-09-2012 19:52:58 | More by jharkins07