Saranac Bock - Matt Brewing Company

rohrbachsfan

New York

4.38/5  rDev +27%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Got this in the Saranac 12 Beers of Winter Sampler. So far this is the best of the bunch. I once tasted Wagner’s Sled Dog Dopplebock and really disliked the strong flavor and wasn’t sure how I was going to like this bock beer when I saw the dark color. I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it. It had a creamy mouthfeel, rich malty flavor and smooth finish.This was an excellent tasting lager and was much better tasting than Saranac’s Adirondack Lager. I would like to see Saranac add this one to their regular lineup as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2006 20:14:46 | More by rohrbachsfan

bierman2000

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark lager is the description and yes is a spring bock or doppelbock. It is closer to a doppelbock in color and a spring hybrid bock in flavor. Smooth chocolate overtones, malty nose, full body with very little IBU or hop bitterness. An adventurous enjoyable beer from Saranac.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2006 18:35:18 | More by bierman2000

rhythmguitartz88

New York

3.43/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

The appearance was slightly above average but nothing special. It poured a clear brown with a little red mixed in and the head was rather significant.

The Smell was rather hoppy but had a warming clean smell to it also.

The taste was in a word "good". Sweetness that finished off with a bitter end.

The mouthfeel was crisp-esque but still managed to go down fairly easily.

The drinkability was about average but i would have a few if i felt the need.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2006 02:13:20 | More by rhythmguitartz88

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This brew pours a very light brown color that’s accented with a reddish hue. It’s very clear, with a nice, albeit thin, white head. The aroma is of lightly toasted malt. The beer presents a significant sweet malt smell, but its richness and depth could be a little more intense. The beer is modestly sweet with a clean fresh bread crust flavor. The finish has a slight herbal bitterness. Appropriately, there’s not much hop flavor in the beer. Medium body and fairly medium carbonation. This is a clean and drinkable bock. Although it’s respectable, there are a lot of better bocks out there.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2006 11:19:12 | More by Suds

Phatz

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Allowed to warm. Served in a pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a clear copper color with a thick off-white head that fades to a spotted cap. Then nice moderate lacing Stays just above the level of the beer as it drops.

Smell: Hints of caramel and maybe there is some grain in there. It is really hard to detect unless my nose is broken from all the bleach I was just using to sanitize homebrew bottles. Nope, I can smell the Corsendonk Christmas Ale I just don't get much of anything from Saranac Bock.

Taste: Honey caramel and toffee, with a fruity overtone but all the while thin with too much wateriness and dead space in the mouth. The peppery hop attribute in the aftertaste is surprisingly pleasant. Approachable and friendly- ? - YES. Impressive - ?- NO. Still, it is a suitable transition beer and a quaffable no thinker if that is in order.

Mouthfeel: Not bad. Crisp and yet slick with some juicy malty substance and dry at the back. Better than I expected.

Drinkability: This may be a simple Bock, but it is certainly a sessionable easy drinking beer.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2006 10:49:52 | More by Phatz

BBM

New York

3.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The beer poured a dark orange/brown color with a thin white head. Aroma was of sweet vanilla, some caramel. Not bad.

The taste is very malty, with notes of vanilla and caramel. There is also a hop bitterness to the finish, although it seemed more of a distraction than a compliment. As with many Saranacs, for some reason there is a metallic taste to the beer as well. Mouthfeel was thin and dry. Drinkability is pretty standard; you could drink more, but you'll probably want to move onto something else.

A fairly average Bock.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2006 14:20:14 | More by BBM

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Saranac- Bock

Appearance- light reddish brown with a big thick, heavy lacing head.
Smell- Sweet caramel malt with a light nutty hop smell.
Taste- Sweet vanilla caramel malt. Light hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel- Sweet up front with a slight dry bitterness in the back end. Sight metallic aftertaste.

Overall- The metallic aftertaste brings it down a bit but otherwise not bad!

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2006 21:38:52 | More by NJpadreFan

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appears an amber hue with an off white toffee toned head hue leaves ample lacing all around my glass. Aroma has a nice warming biscuit malt with sweet caramel and evident herbal hops with a touch of metallic character. Flavor has a mild roasty caramel malt with more herbal hop flavors and light alcohol in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with even smooth carbonation I'm diggin their take on the bock not a bad brew. Drinkability is quality with six percent abv it has some flavor with some nice drinkability going on.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2006 22:41:42 | More by WVbeergeek

Hibernator

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Saranac Bock
12 oz brown bottle
Jet ink # on the side of the bottle - 2696 0858
Served in a 20 oz tulip pint glass

Pours a copper light-brown with a thin circular lacing around the glass. Wavy trails of sticky lacings along the side of the pint.

The nose is light, but sweet and malty.

Juicy caramel and toasted malts dominate the sip. Syrupy and sweet with a malty backbone. Smooth and a little creamy with a mini hop presence.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2006 22:16:52 | More by Hibernator

scarletfire79

New Hampshire

3.43/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

pours maple syrup caramel brown. no head at all. you can definitly smell some kind of caramel sweetness. the taste is kind of as expected. very smooth, definitly some caramel notes. lacks a little in the mouthfeel, slightly flat tasting. but overall really good. of the three beers i've tried out of the sampler so far ( black forest, beligian ale, and bock) i would definitly rank this one second. the black forest is awesome. all in all decent, would like to maybe get a sixer of this.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2006 03:50:31 | More by scarletfire79

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a medium copper color with moderate slightly off-white puffy head.
Smell is noticable for sweet caramel malt
Taste brings more of the caramel taste, backed by a firm hop bitterness.
Nice and full in the moth with good taste retention.
A nice middle of the road beer. Easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2006 00:58:36 | More by tgbljb

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

3.08/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

from winter 12 pack

A - pours a maple syrup light brown with a light tan head, with plenty of semi-sluggish carbonation

S - a rich malty aroma htis first, with slight vanilla/floral hints, a nice, but rather subdued aroma

T - bug maltiness up front, then the sweet darkness of a traditional bock kicks in and then at the end a dry bitter finish, doesnt have that dark raisiny, licoricey sweetness from most bock, pretty good though, decent balance

M&D - kind of flat, nice flavor and blend, but not completely satisfying, but not bad by any stretch of the imagination

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2006 17:10:35 | More by sinstaineddemon

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the 2006 Winter Seasonal Case.

A: The bock is a deep amber/copper red, coming close to a brown color. There is no head retention, save for a small white ring.

S: The bock has a grainy malt aroma that is ramped up quite a bit, resulting in a slightly sweet malt smell.

T: Saranac seems to have the malt body component of their beers down pat and this is no exception. The malts are thick and well concentrated, giving the beer a sweeter, bigger malt flavor. Hops are an afterthought but that malts don't make me miss 'em.

M: The malts are big and chewy, finally allowing Saranac to really hit the mark.

D: Very drinkable with a moderate abv, this is a real star from the Winter case.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2006 00:16:34 | More by akorsak

oberon

North Carolina

3.45/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Its nice to see a few new things coming from Matt even if they are not great,poured a medium broze color with a thinner quick to fade head.Muted aromas mainly caramel malt with a light toastiness,pretty thin mouthfeel for even a "smaller" bock like this not quite watery but not where you would want it to be either,somewhat sweet up front flavor wise definent caramel malt flavors a decent peppery hop profile comes thru late.A decent but subtle stab at a bock here its drinkable but lacks alot of character in my mind.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2006 21:15:57 | More by oberon

Frozensoul327

Michigan

3.43/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Hazy excited red color with a small head of tan / white foam. Some lacing in the glass. Medium level of carbonation.

S: Smells of freshly picked hops and cedar chips. Mild malty caramel note is present.

T: Mildly roasted caramel malts. Light hops. Some grain flavors are noted. A touch of sour leafy like quality toward the finish.

M: Lightly sticky and smooth. Goes down well. Little carbonation on the tongue.

D: Not bad. I'm usually not big on bocks, but I could do this again.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2006 01:09:36 | More by Frozensoul327

sacfly

Maryland

3.3/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Part of the winter seasonal pack
Pours a clear amber/orange color with a thick, creamy head of tan bubbles. Light, sweet aroma. Noble hops come out more as it warms. First thing noticed upon sipping was a rather thin body. Flavors were on the light side as well. Biscuits and honey; grainy. Light bitterness in the aftertaste. Boring bock. Nothing offensive, but not up to the standards of others in this category.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2006 17:59:57 | More by sacfly

tugdriver7

Maryland

4.47/5  rDev +29.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A new-found variety to me. Not that I hadn't seen them before, but only recently have I bought (and enjoyed) traditional Bock beers. Most of the others from Germany. I'd tried another rather popular "Bock" style (from a US brewery) and found it drinkable, but nothing to write home (or write BA) about. So this was a pleasant surprise to try a version from one of my favorite breweries. Incredibly rich color and head retention, with a nice malty flavor and richness, augmented by subtle carbonation. Just enough hops (even a bit more than expected) to balance the flavor while not detracting from the malt. My sample bottle came from my 12 Beers of Winter variety pack, but I'd buy this by the 6-er or the case if I could.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2006 20:42:40 | More by tugdriver7

Billolick

New York

3.4/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 ouncer that came in the latest Saranac sampler. No freshness dating on any of 'em. Pours pretty tame almond amber, so much for being a "dark" lager. Dark tan, larger bubble head, that leaves a smidge of lacing. Malty nose as was expected, smooth malty brew, notes of bread, yeast, maple. Drinkable , serviceable little brew. Nothing special, pretty typical, middle of the road Saranac offering

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2006 00:22:00 | More by Billolick

plaid75

New York

4.03/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a medium copper hue with a one and a half finger creamy off white head. There was very good retention and sticky lacing.

The smell featured a sweet husky grain with a solid noble hop presence.

The taste consisted of a lightly sweet biscuity malt with a very good grain bill. There was a very good hop spice as well.

The mouthfeel was full and creamy.

Overall a very solid bock. Very drinkable and sessionable. A very nice offering from Saranac.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2006 01:58:43 | More by plaid75

maddogruss

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured 12oz bottle into a glass mug. Nice, dark lager. Deep amber color, with almost a tannish head. The smell of the malt immediately rises to the top of the glass after the pour with the malt hitting your lips as soon as you taste it. German style beer, with almost a dubbel taste. Nice, thick mouthfeel. Saranac's description of a "rich full-bodied" beer is right on the nose. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2006 04:07:45 | More by maddogruss

Gavage

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours a copper color with a 1" head that slowly falls.

Smell: very mild caramel sweetness is all the nose picks up.

Taste: caramel, mild nuttiness, ripe fruit sweetness, and a nice bitterness. Alcohol is barely noticeable. Overall this was a bit sweeter and milder on the maltiness.

Mouthfeel: crisp start with a smooth finish. The finish was also quite dry. Caramel sweetness lingers long into the aftertaste. Medium bodied.

Drinkability: another decent but not overwhelming beer from Saranac. A bit more maltiness in the flavor would bring it up a notch. Since it is milder this is an easy to drink bock.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2006 23:23:15 | More by Gavage

treehugger02010

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A solid beer. I poured from a 12 ounze bottle into a pint glass, and was suprised at how much less head i got from this than any others from Saranac. The smell was sweet yet not sweet. I know that doesn't make sense, but that's the best I can describe it. The taste was a good bitter taste, but not awful strong. It went down very smooth. Don't drink and review.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2006 01:32:07 | More by treehugger02010

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A pretty decent beer considering Saranac's low price. Looks a touch light for a bock but still managed a pretty amber color with off-white head. I'm never quite sure how to describe bock flavor, but I know it when I taste it or smell it. The sweet, caramel and licorish-like malts are there, although not terrible rich. There's also a bit of a spicey, hot hops element to this brew. It seems Saranac has been uping their hops in a couple brews lately - awesome. Overall, not a bad beer for a the price. Tasty and very drinkable but no award winner.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2006 19:19:50 | More by tempest

rarevos

New York

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into pilsner glass.

A: Dark, coppery-amber with fluffy, pillowy head. Head is a bit off-white. Sticky trails remain as it recedes. Carbonation rises slowly. Pretty good looking beer.

S: Malty and toasty. Slight perfume hint. Really, really mild.

T/M: Toasty malt up front, gives way to a sweeter malt in the middle, like mild caramel and roasted hazelnuts. Finish is nicely bitter with a long bitter tail. Mouthfeel is a little slick.

D: I'm sampling this from their Winter 12-pack, and I'm not sure if that's the only way to purchase it (I believe it is). This was honestly better than I expected. It's still milder than German Bocks, but it's not bad. I'd enjoy this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2006 16:36:39 | More by rarevos

shirfan

New York

3.05/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Another new offering in the winter 12 pack, replaces last year's Roggen Bock.

Clear copper with minimal foam.

Aroma is of mild toastbread, a bit plain and vague.

Taste is caramel and toasty malt with a light bittering and some nutty tones in the finish. Some dextrin chewyness. Not bad as a medium-bodied lager, but it doesn't stand out.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2006 18:28:15 | More by shirfan