Saranac Rye IPA - Matt Brewing Company

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Best by September 2012:

Into a nonic pint glass:

A: golden yellow body gave a one finger white head appeared for about twenty seconds and immediately died to nothing. No carbonation was seen rising and no lacing was left.

S: some nice spicy hops that dominated over the hops, malts once it warmed

T: basically the same

M: medium, pretty creamy, sessionable and the carbonation is felt

O: this beer warmed well as the malts came out, I did like this offering and would have it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 00:18:01 | More by kangarooAdam59

CloudStrife

New York

3.58/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Giving it a lively pour there is a full 2+ finger thick white head on top of a clear golden body. Not really any visible carbonation. Head leaves a sticky lacing as it fizzles down.

S: Certainly has that nice spicy hop that you would expect in a rye. The sweet malt is noticeable.

T: Hoppy from the start. A nice spicy hop and malt round it out.

M: Actually a real creamy and more carbonated than I expected. Pretty easy drinking.

Overall a decent beer in the Saranac lineup. I'm a big Rye.P.A. fan so I'm sure that helps. Worth a try by anyone who likes hops.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 02:01:01 | More by CloudStrife

Lordquackingstic

New York

3.38/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottled poured into a goblet.

A: Crystal copper clear with a weak head and lots of visible carbonation. Lacing is pretty decent.

S: Spicy and sweet malt aromas. Kind of weak.

T: Better than the smell. Spicy and slightly bitter with a caramel malt background. Oranges also play a backup role in the flavor here. Nice, but only a slight notch above average.

M: Medium carbonation with a spicy finish. I get a long lingering flavor which is nice. Although Saranac doesn't put out amazing beers, a good deal of them have a well pronounced and lingering aftertaste that I greatly respect.

O: A refreshing and easy drinking summer IPA. Nothing phenomenal, but worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 04:54:12 | More by Lordquackingstic

corby112

Pennsylvania

2.05/5  rDev -40.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a clear golden orange color with tangerine edges and a one finger white foam head that quickly settles into a lasting ring. Sporadic spots of lacing left behind.

Slightly earthy aroma that's kind of lacking in hops for an ipa. Subtle grassy character with a subtle grainy adjunct quality and sweet malt notes. Caramel, toffee, toast and nut but I'm not picking up much rye spiciness.

Medium bodied with a very dry, earthy/soily quality that provides a lot of unpleasant bitterness that lingers over the sicy rye and sweet malts into an overwhelming bone dry finish. Hop profile is one dimensional and rye is spicy without providing any interesting flavor. Underneath there's some sweeter malt notes with hints of caramel, toffee and hazelnut but these are overpowered by dirty hops, grainy adjuncts and astringent alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 09:39:21 | More by corby112

brystmar

New York

1.8/5  rDev -47.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Afksports deserves another high five for this tick. I think?

Another nice pour with head and lace earns this brew some arbitrary beer geek points. Too bad everything else is absolutely awful. Aroma is relatively non-existant, though not offensively bad. Taste is, however. Skunky hops and malt remind me of a macro brewery, and I wish I hadn't taken a sip. This is a special kind of bad; my very first batch of homebrew was considerably better. What the fuck...

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2012 03:07:00 | More by brystmar

Sharkophile

New York

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

A: Pours a amber-golden color with a healthy white head with excellent retention. Drops alot of lacing.

S: Smells a little sweet with some malt and a spicy, earthy hop aroma.

T: Flavor is similar with some light sweetness and some spiciness (from the rye?) before the hops come along with a moderate earthy and herbal flavor. A little bitterness and a bit dry with some lingering spicy grain.

M: Light to medium body. Not watery, and good lively carbonation.

O: A solid IPA. Nothing spectacular, but good nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 02:46:55 | More by Sharkophile

BucannonXC5

California

4/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. About a finger of head. Color was golden pale urine. Light layer of frothy white lacing that lasted for about 75 percent of the pour. Decent amount of soaky, suddy film on the sides.

Smelled of sharp spicy bitter hops up front. Then got lemon, lime and pine hops. Kind of digging the smell, but I have a bad feeling this isn’t going to end well. It reminded me slightly of a Double Take IPA.

The taste surprisingly held up better than I thought it would. Got lemon, lime and pine hops, with a semi-healthy dose of rye hops as well. Reminded me of iced tea as all rye hops do to me. Much more smooth than the smell to start, which gives way to a slightly bitter, but balanced finish.

Medium body. Oily texture, but seemed to have be watery as well. Average carbonation. Clean, crisp finish with some slight bitterness.

A pretty good beer, really perfect for June or July. I was pleasantly surprised at its drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 04:38:03 | More by BucannonXC5

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.4/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Nail Creek in Utica. Pours a very carbonated golden color with very thick foamy head into pint glass. No real outstanding smell other than some malts. Taste is of malty bitter hops and you deff taste the bitter rye. Its very drinkable and mild rye. Overall a slightly above average brew and worth a try if you are a saranac fan like myself.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2012 22:25:30 | More by DrinkSlurm

Brad007

Vermont

3.48/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very nice golden color with a huge head into my glass. Honestly, there's nothing odd about it as IPAs tend to be different shades of gold/copper/amber.

Where's the rye? I had to sniff pretty hard just to find it. Ditto for the presence of hops.

The rye is all in the flavor! Spicy, chewy rye mingles with grassy, slightly-citrus hops. Is it just me or does rye resemble sorghum?

The rye spiciness is welcome at the back of the throat. It adds texture to what would otherwise be a bland finish. Good hop bite too!

I've learned by now that if I want a rye IPA, I can travel to get Bear Republic. But, since Bear Republic is not available around here, this will do. I still want a rye IPA that is full-flavored.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 17:33:35 | More by Brad007

StonedTrippin

Colorado

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

in the summer box for the first time that i know of. smells like a standard ipa, with a mix of lemongrass and pine tree for hop profile. very little, if any rye malts in the nose. flavor features a bit more of that, but its not spicey or even grainy like some can be, its just sort of an additional layer of malt complexity, still quite well hidden behind the fresh feeling hops. the mouthfeel is not amazing here, its kind of filling like some of the saranac ipa incarnations have been, but i would still have no problem drinking all of them in the box in one go. in general, i think it could have been a bit stronger on the rye malts, but thats just me. crisp and clean in the finish, a worthy summer brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 01:41:08 | More by StonedTrippin

tdm168

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - dark gold; a lot of carbonation rising to the top; a quarter of an inch of loose, soap-like, foamy head; decent retention

S - a bit grainy, herbal, grassy

T - grainy; very faint, peppery rye; herbal; piny; mildly spicy hops; smooth, bitter finish

M - smooth, well carbonated, medium bodied

The label advertises an "aggressively hopped brew" but the hop character is pretty average for an IPA. The rye is noticeable, but it's very faint. With a more forward, fuller flavor this would be a much better beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 22:18:32 | More by tdm168

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

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

12oz bottle from the 12 Beers of Summer 2012 mix pack served in a Saranac pint glass.

L - clear golden color with a white head that thinned to a light layer leaving thin trails of lacing.

S - floral and grassy hops with a hint of rye malt.

T - this beer has a spicy kick of grassy hops blending well with the rye flavor.

F - medium bodied with a crisp feel.

O - an overall good beer that I'd have again.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 20:30:45 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.8/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark golden color with abundant thick and creamy white head. Smells of spicy hops and slight citrus.

Taste- The rye malt suprisingly compliments the hops very well. The bready malty taste enters on the front with bitterness of the hops lingering on the back end. This is very well paired, nothing overpowers. Mouthfell is solid as well.

I'm usually not an IPA fan but the rye malts gives this a smooth balance, even for those who aren't big fans of lots of hops! I would drink this one again!

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 22:50:01 | More by Treyliff

chodinheaven

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pale yellow or straw in color with a decent little white head. Lacing on the glass. The smell is of some hops and an odd malt smell that I can't put my finger on. The rye malt possibly?

Spicy hop profile that is bitter on the back end of it. An impressive and unique malt backbone that adds to the spice. Very crisp and clean in the feel, very dry in the finish, making the overall feel of this beer refreshing and easy to drink despite a somewhat odd aftertaste. The rye malt is robust enough to stand out nicely among spicy hops that kind of back off to let the malts through. But make no mistake, this is an IPA. Unique beer, definitely wouldn't say no to this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 00:15:16 | More by chodinheaven

Sensaray

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear deep golden color with a fluffy white head

Smells of a slight hoppiness, I assume the maltiness i smell is rye

Ok ok, this is an american ipa. Nice spiciness rides its way throughout then closes at the finish. Bitter dry hops in the finish too. Sweetens up slightly.

The spiciness provides a nice bite, medium to light moutfeel with easy to drink medium carbonation. Its a crisp finish for an ipa.

Not surprisingly I like this. Good drinkin rye ipa definitely.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 06:00:06 | More by Sensaray

Kooz

New York

1.43/5  rDev -58.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Bottle with no glass available. Looks okay from the outside. Brown bottle, some head.

Smells boozy, not pleasant. Hints of hops.

Tastes bad. Burnt, too bitter, no real flavor, no depth.

Mouthfeel is what I've come to expect from Saranac--disappointing. Too much bite, no depth, just unpleasant.

Overall, this is not a good beer. I've grown tired of Saranac products. they all seem to be flat and one dimensional, ranging from "eh" to "ugh"--I won't venture down the Saranac path again unless I get them free, and then I'll only drink them to review them, until I find a good one.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 00:13:53 | More by Kooz

zeff80

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - It poured out a clear, orange/gold color with a one-finger, off-white head of bubbly foam. It left minimal lacing.

S - It smelled of pine, citrus and floral notes. Good IPA aroma.

T - It tasted of bitter piney hops with some nice rye notes and sweet caramel.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A light to medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This is a nice rye IPA. I've really been impressed with some of the new releases from Saranac.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2011 21:45:54 | More by zeff80

armock

New York

3.35/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Wegmans in Newwark NY

A - Poured a golden color with a white head that leaves lacing behind

S - The rye is the strongest scent with a hint of hops

T - Like the nose the rye really comes out and dominates the flavor with some bitter hops in the finish

M - This beer has a Medium body with medium carbonation to it

O - This isn't really a mind blowing beer like most of the Saranac line up but like the rest of their beers this is a well made easy drinking beer thats worth a try sometime

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 22:33:37 | More by armock

TheGarvenator

Maryland

2.75/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - pours a light golden color with a head only around the brim of glass

S - smells like malt and hops

T - very bitter taste...leaves an aftertaste just as bitter....this is mostly dominated by hops creating that crisp bitter taste

M - medium bodied, its still carbonated and not really impressive...

This is probably the lightest tasting IPA I've ever had and its not really impressing me as much as i thought it would...the hops seem to overtake the malt in taste and stings the mouth...its not terrible but its not fantastic

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 00:33:19 | More by TheGarvenator

cooch69

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a medium yellow almost like a fuller colored standard lager with a nice one inch head. It is pretty clear.

Nose of crisp malts, and grassy hops.

Taste is of a very brisk maltiness with grassy and evergreen hopiness. It is pretty dry and has a fair amount of pinpoint sized carbonation.

Pretty good drink considering I'm not into IPA's that much, although I've been enjoying them a bit more lately.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 04:42:23 | More by cooch69

Dmoore07

Illinois

2.28/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Pours a deep copper color. Aroma was dominated by citrus with just a hint of malt. I didn't get much of the rye flavor in the beer. The hops were not quite right. The malt and hops were not well balanced and seemed to work against each other instead of playing off of one another. The mouthfeel was ok, nothing terrific. Overall, this beer didn't do it for me. Something was just a little bit off.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2011 05:48:57 | More by Dmoore07

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a slightly lighter than your typical IPA golden, with a long lasting white head, with some lacing.
S- Smell is nondescript spicyness with bready and faint citrus notes.
T- A bit sweet and bready. Spicy rye and spicy hops in the finish. The rye notes were underwhelming, but the choice of hops was satisfactory.
M- A bit thin for an IPA. Rather dry in the finish. Rather smooth carbonation.
D- Decently drinkable and refreshing enough, but nothing real special. I was disappointed by the lack of execution on the rye though.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 22:51:28 | More by jsprain1

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

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

A: The beer is a light amber color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains caramelized rye malts, grassy hops and a little citrus.

T: The taste starts out with a strong but not over-powering hops bitterness. Then some mildly sweet flavors of caramel, citrus and spice come in along with a hearty but not too heavy rye malt character creating a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly bitter.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, although there are better beers of this kind out there, this is still a decent beer worth drinking for a while.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2011 03:55:45 | More by TheManiacalOne

philbe311

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A - Two fingers worth of perfectly uniform mildly rich off-white froth... Decent retention... A vibrant orangish amber color... Light to moderate medium paced carbonation rise throughout... Not a bad looking brew...

S - Rather subdued... Some toasted malts... Caramel... A modicum of sweet orange... Cooked pizza dough... The rye component is limited to hint here and there...

T - Malty to start with notes of toasted malts and crust... Some graininess... Some floral notes... Perhaps just a tinge of hop presence... The potent spiciness of the rye which begins to assert itself midway through sits on the tongue and lingers well after the finish...

M - Starts a bit on the lush side and turns decidedly dry in an instant... Medium bodied... Dense... Prickly carbonation...

D - An average at best offering from Saranac... Not terrible, but not too many redeeming qualities either... Not one I would recommend or seek out again in the futuer...

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2011 02:30:27 | More by philbe311

BuxMontBeerLover

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer was part of Saranac Variety case. Thanks T.J. for the free beers!

Poured and enjoyed in a DFH Pint Glass.

A - Pours with a massive 2-3 finger frothy white head. The beer is a honey colored and very clear. A decent amount of lacing is left on the glass while drinking.

S - Not the intense IPA smell I'm used to. A slightly citrusy, spicy smell.

T - Not a bad taste but not a great IPA. A faint citrusy taste with a bit of a spicy background. More malty in taste than hoppy.

M - Lots of carbonation. I rather thin tasting beer...actually pretty watery.

D - It's a beer that is OK but wouldn't be my first choice by far for an IPA. It goes down rather easily and is light enough, in my opinion, to be a session beer for those that enjoy it.

Overall - Just OK. Was is good? Yes but there are many, many other IPA's that I'd purchase before I bought this. For free it was fine but I wouldn't go out and buy on my own.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2011 19:10:55 | More by BuxMontBeerLover