Saranac High Peaks Series Imperial IPA - Matt Brewing Company

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine April 2007.

Looks like Matt Brewing is following the rest by brewing up limited, specialty-release batches that are not a part of their 12-pack mix. A gutsy move for them to start off with an American Double IPA. Welcome to the party guys! You're a bit late, but there's more than enough room for beers of this stature. No holding back here, with 10 different malts, 10 different hops, and 85 IBUs.

Quick to foam, with an off-white head that nearly flows over the glass; head retention is amazing, as it sticks to nearly every inch of the glass. Excellent clarity for such a hoppy brew: the amber color really shines. Soft resin-hop aroma with tones of mint or evergreen, blonde tobacco and blood-orange peel. The hop character wraps around the tongue right from the start. An undertone of toasted malt has a small appearance as the hop bitterness takes over. Leafy, stale-tobacco flavor middle to end, with a dry finish.

A decent stab at the American Double IPA style, and a step above average only because it's a clean version, and that adds to the drinkability. Put this up against a one- or two-year aged Vermont cheddar to see who wins.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 20:43:26 | More by BeerAdvocate

sackboy

New York

3.25/5  rDev -9.2%

05-13-2013 20:16:57 | More by sackboy

JT99125

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +25.7%

05-07-2013 21:01:04 | More by JT99125

lovindahops

New York

3/5  rDev -16.2%

04-06-2013 17:58:43 | More by lovindahops

TeamMathis

West Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: A cloudy amber.
Smell: A bit like strawberry preserves, smoke, and wood.
Taste: Bitter and malty. Aftertaste of cheap vodka.
Mouthfeel: Some thickness and carbonation.

This is definitely an unusual double. The hops are jumbled together with the malt. It doesn't seem to have hints of anything except maltiness, some bitterness, and straight alcoholic aftertaste. Having said that, I really like it. The drink is hardy and full. I probably wouldn't get it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 02:24:50 | More by TeamMathis

Qwest_35

Florida

4/5  rDev +11.7%

03-19-2013 02:32:28 | More by Qwest_35

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

3.2/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Pours amber color with white head in DFH IPA glass.

Smell is heavily malt with some citrus notes.

Taste is malt forward with some caramel and mild citrus. Mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied. Average carbonation.

Overall this was too malt forward and lacking any significant hoppiness.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 23:00:03 | More by TrappistJohnMD

Rheaume17

Vermont

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

03-17-2013 13:52:41 | More by Rheaume17

gnolan

New York

2.3/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I'm a huge fan of Saranac beers but was disappointed in this Imperial IPA. I like a strong hop smell and finish and this had neither. It is very malty and the alcohol is taste is present and leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. Their Session IPA is much better.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 21:25:35 | More by gnolan

kell50

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

03-04-2013 03:31:15 | More by kell50

t0rin0

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

03-02-2013 22:53:19 | More by t0rin0

scantonio

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%

02-28-2013 06:10:06 | More by scantonio

bribo

New York

2.25/5  rDev -37.2%

02-21-2013 21:20:57 | More by bribo

GarretD

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +11.7%

02-20-2013 04:20:14 | More by GarretD

DmanGTR

New York

4/5  rDev +11.7%

01-29-2013 16:40:49 | More by DmanGTR

OGBeach

New Jersey

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%

01-28-2013 23:02:13 | More by OGBeach

chefduff2

New York

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%

01-05-2013 22:42:24 | More by chefduff2

cliff1066

Virginia

4/5  rDev +11.7%

12-11-2012 02:09:42 | More by cliff1066

CloudStrife

New York

3.55/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into it's signature pilsner glass.

A: Pours an deep amber gold with a 1 finger white head. Lots of visible carbonation in the brew.

S: Get some hop notes but also a pretty substantial sweet malt backing.

T: Balanced malt forward approach to an imperial IPA. Would say this leans more toward an English Pale Ale with all of the sweet malts. The aftertaste lingers with sweetness instead of hops.

M: Medium bodied with average carbonation. Real easy drinking for the ABV.

Overall one of the maltier double IPA's I have tasted. Has a flicker of hops but seems to get lost in the 10 different malts.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 00:18:00 | More by CloudStrife

twillingthenoz

New York

3.25/5  rDev -9.2%

10-30-2012 00:07:43 | More by twillingthenoz

bluntedboywonder

New York

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

10-24-2012 02:37:33 | More by bluntedboywonder

thomasarose

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%

10-07-2012 14:49:18 | More by thomasarose

cbord459

New York

4.25/5  rDev +18.7%

09-10-2012 13:28:24 | More by cbord459

jurbanik

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -9.2%

09-07-2012 14:43:08 | More by jurbanik

lvoutlawjlh

Nebraska

3/5  rDev -16.2%

08-13-2012 20:55:19 | More by lvoutlawjlh