Saranac Rye IPA - Matt Brewing Company

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

lordofthewiens

Maine

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

Part of the winter beer 12 pack.
Copper colored, small white head. Just a little bit of lace.
Aroma of rye bread. Some citrus. A little peppery in my nose.
It tasted like rye bread with some grapefruit.
A little on the sharp side.
Interesting beer. It just missed the mark.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2011 02:20:42 | More by lordofthewiens

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a solid Golden yellow slightly dark with mild head that fourms to a good lace ring

S - From the bottle neck I can detect mild pine hops and spicy rye. Upon second whiff I can detect a calm malt base with a mild caramel sweetness.

T - Not bad. Hops are pretty subdude but there and the rye is not very dry. The malt base it pretty sold concieling a bit of the hop bitterness. Very good.

M - I thought it was pretty medium bodied.

D - I was actually impressed with this offering from Saranac. The hops were average but it drank pretty good for a rye beer. Excellent

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 00:17:41 | More by DrDemento456

edwardhenry

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer looks ok, kind of on the light side. A decent amount of head caused by a goodly amount of carbonation. Smell doesn't give me much, and is more biscuity than expected. But it's clean, and it gives a good preview of the taste. The taste too is biscuit, with the hops fading into the background as they are overpowered by the rye. It's a good taste, but I could use more flavor. Mouthfeel is nice, a little sharp and with some bite, but in many ways similar to drinking a Budweiser with more hops. Drinkability is good for an IPA: I'd be glad to have a few more.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2011 03:23:22 | More by edwardhenry

mjrod2142

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a standard pint glass

This beer has a surprisingly light color and was almost apple juice looking. There was almost no head. The aroma was underwhelming. It smelled like a Budweiser to me.

The taste much better than I expected. It had a nice bitterness bite, but nothing about it really jumped out at me. It did have a nice mouthfeel and a decent aftertaste that lingered.

But really, I can't see myself wanting this beer again. If you're interested in Rye IPAs, go with Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye Ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2011 03:11:21 | More by mjrod2142

airheadmtrcycle

Georgia

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

Poured into a Duvel tulip. At least 2 fingers of foamy, white head over amber/orange opaque beer. Left plenty of lacing.

Nice aroma of rye and hops. The rye flavor is more forward than other rye beers I've had. Of course, that is at the expense of the hops. But if rye is what you're after, this is a good choice.

The mouth feel is a little flatter than I like. It could be a little crisper and more bubbly, but it's still a pretty drinkable and enjoyable ale. It went really well with a black bean and cheese burrito with habanero sauce.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 01:12:39 | More by airheadmtrcycle

JayQue

Virginia

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

Not a bad beer. Not a very good AIPA. Pours a clear dark gold/light coppery color with a nice size white head, better than average retention and good thick rings of lacing

Smell is much too mild for an IPA. Grassy and some slightly citrus hops. Not that impressive.

Tastes ok...not AIPA ok but as an acceptable session beer. Grassy hops and some balancing malt. More like a mild APA or a good Adjunct Lager.

Mouthfeel is crisp but a bit too thin.

Drinkability is ok. A few pitchers of this with wings at a pub would be alright. If you are looking for an IPA, this one don't do it.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 01:05:45 | More by JayQue

ZeroSignal

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle

A - Crystal clear, golden pour with a couple inches off-white head. Good retention and sticky lacing.

S - Nose is on the lighter side of things, but has a nice floral scent...maybe a hint of orange

T&M - Nice crispness right off the bat. Not a ton in the way of hop bitterness, but what is there is slightly spicy and a bit grassy. Malt has a toasted bread or crustiness to it. Finish sees the spicy hops revisit with a bit of alcohol that finishes slightly dry.

D - Not what I'm used to from the world of "American IPA's), but it's very clean, crisp and easy to drink. On the milder side of an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 03:13:14 | More by ZeroSignal

GradyS1

California

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

I grew up drinking Saranac, so its gonna be interesting how i rate them. I loved them all but did not have much to compare to.

A- light yellow, translucent hay color, heavy pour into a pint glass that results in a thick white head
S-a musty hop smell to this one. malts, not much to the smell
T- much better than the smell, there is a earthy floral hops up front that finish with a nice Rye, pepper spice flavor. With a second taste, It is almost a citrus hop up front, malty finish.
M-light bodied and watery, light carbonation.

The look and the taste were a little deceiving to me. I thought this would have very little flavor but, the citrus was complemented nicely by a spice finish, light but there.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 01:51:16 | More by GradyS1

FickleBeast

New Jersey

3.18/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a DFH snifter.

Pours a suprisingly clear dark straw color with minimal head. Smells a bit musty... maybe diacetyl buttery, ringwood yeast?

first sip is... spicy rye, with a strange aftertaste. Not to bitter or much hop flavor for being labeled an IPA.

I think there is almost too much of the spicy rye flavor. it is distinct and spicy (not like belgian yeast) and overpowers any hop flavors and bitterness.

Not my favorite Saranac brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 06:40:33 | More by FickleBeast

ism

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, light copper yellow, topped with a thin, bubbly white head. Thin but consistent lacing. Nose of bread. Sweet malt base with dry rye and a mild pine hop, dry bread finish with grapefruit lingering. Light-medium bodied, just a smidge thicker for the style. Quite easygoing and pleasurable.

Fairly interesting offering for the style, certainly not as hoppy as the big bruisers are, but carefully crafted and worth some quaffing. Paired it with some spicy Sichuan for a nice meal.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 00:40:02 | More by ism