Saranac Shandy - Matt Brewing Company

Brushkanna

New Jersey

3.14/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Appearance - fizzy lemon yellow
Small - I don't get much of anything
Taste - lemonade with a splash of beer
Mouth - fizzy lemonade like I get for my kids on holidays
Overall - I was prepared to hate it, I don't. I will not need another one but like another reviewer said your wife may like one if she doesn't like beer. I drank the whole thing.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 00:58:28 | More by Brushkanna

jwc215

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours straw yellow with a head that disappears almost immediately, leaving no lacing.

The smell is clean - not much... lemonade with some malt.

The taste is of lemonade with a malty undertone. Dryness comes from the lemonade.

It is crisp and pretty refreshing. Not too spritzy.

Reviewed for what it is, it's not bad. Nothing really offensive. It's a lighter brew with lemonade, malt and modest alcohol. It's more "beer-like" than a malt beverage with lemon flavor, so I scored it a bit higher. It's not bad for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 15:59:46 | More by jwc215

zeff80

Missouri

3.03/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Poured out a clear, pale golden color with a small, white head that quickly receded. Little to no lacing to speak of.

S - It smelled of fresh squeezed lemons. Not many beer-like qualities.

T - It tasted a bit like lemonade with a crisp grain presence. No bitterness, just a touch of tart.

M - Crisp, sharp and highly carbonated. A light bodied beer with a clean finish.

O - This is an okay shandy. It just doesn't deliver like Stiegl's radlers.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 01:28:44 | More by zeff80

jdhilt

New Hampshire

2.88/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours a one finger white head that vanishes instantly leaving no lace. Crystal clear straw color. Light carbonation and light bodied. Lemonade nose and flavor is sweet lemonade barely mellowed by the lager, works as a lawnmower beer and not much else. $1.50 for a 12oz bottle from Beverage Warehouse Winooski, VT.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 22:42:05 | More by jdhilt

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

2.58/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Well it looks like a lager, maybe slightly more yellow since the lemonade and a 1/4 inch of head that seems to fizz out rather quickly.

S - Doesn't actually smell too bad. Kind of artificial without being too tart but the lager aspect smells fairly good.

T - Uh it's downhill from here. Powdered lemonade all the way in fact over sugared powdered lemonade. The only good aspect is the lager part which kind of balances this but it only makes it kind of drinkable.

M - Light to medium a regular sugar bomb.

Overall I am not one to complain about sweet beers but this one I couldn't see having more than one. Would rather have a big glass of water than have this again.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 04:54:11 | More by DrDemento456

theBubba

New York

1.83/5  rDev -38%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Imagine a crappy adjunct lager laced with powdered lemonade. And maybe an extra pinch of sugar to cover any foul (or non) taste. Bottled in an amber tall neck so it looks like beer. And of course with a high key summery label. Got the picture?

Well this is a Saranac Shandy. My advice? Stay away. Although yer date or wife or little sister might like one.

If you have to have a "big beer" shandy, go with a Shock Top. Not great but light years ahead of the Saranac.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 02:21:42 | More by theBubba

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

2.48/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

12oz bottle served in a standard pint glass.

L - clear yellow color with a white head that eventually just fizzled out.

S - white grape juice and lemon heads candy.

T - sweet white grape and lemon, maybe a little too sweet.

F - light bodied with mild carbonation.

O - not all that good, I wan't impressed.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 20:14:35 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

atr2605

New York

2.05/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A-pours a clear yellow straw color with a white head with average retention
S- seven up and pledge. Not great
T-same profile in the flavor. It's like seven up mixed with chemical artificial lemon flavoring
M-light bodied
O-not a great beer and def not the representation of a shandy. Way too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 03:54:26 | More by atr2605

merc7186

New York

2.75/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had this beer poured from a 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Clear Golden Straw Hue, Passes All Light, Extremely Thin White Head Ring, No Lacing

S: Ginger, Artificial Sweet Lemon

T: Artificial Sweet Lemon, Mild Ginger

M: Mediocre Carbonation, Light Bodied, Sweet

Overall, I took into consideration that it was a shandy but it is way too sweet and artificial tasting.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 18:51:38 | More by merc7186

WVbeergeek

Ohio

2.9/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I was scared to try this beer, I should have listened to my senses...wtf? As pale golden as any fizzy yellow American beer with a bright white head, looks like some Genny beer. Aroma has hints of lemon peel wedges and sugary lemonade with a note of fizzy yellow beer coming through. Flavor has a super lemonade spiked with mike's hard lemonade and peel bitterness with sugary notes coating the sides of my tongue wow, what a beer to sip on. More lemon peel and sugar then anything that tastes like lemonade or beer, it's pretty fucked up that every bigger beer company wants to make this style this summer. Mouthfeel is carbonated fizzy tastes more like cola with extra syrupy layers. Overall a style of beer I can go without what's going on?

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 17:03:19 | More by WVbeergeek

Brad007

Vermont

3.25/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I'm not sure if shandy counts as a beer in itself but nevertheless, there's a first time for everything.

Pours a lemony gold with very little head into my glass. Hmm. Looks rather boring.

Sweet malt with very little lemon essence. Where's the lemonade part?

Interesting. The lemonade offers a contrast to the bland malt. Sweet, but with the right hint of tartness. Reminds me more of Mike's Hard Lemonade than an authentic German shandy.

Let's just say that I burped and it was more lemonade than cheap lager. That's your mouthfeel.

Not bad but I'll stick to my saisons.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 15:48:51 | More by Brad007

Sternfels

4.05/5  rDev +37.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bought this at Wegmans in Bridgewater NJ. Place has a great beer guys there.

A: lagerish golden color slight white head. Looks drinkable.

S: Lager nose with lemonade. Lemongrass.

T: Great mix of a lager with a lemon sweetness of a lemonade strong flavor of lemonade but light enough to be refreshing. semisweet delicious

M: Light bodied. Not a wheatstyle so to me it mixes great. Even tho im a wheat guy. Slight carbonation

O: Overall this is extremely drinkable and for the style id have to say its done perfect. Better then most. During hot summer day this would be amazing ice cold. First to review but im positive not the last. This stuff is food.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 00:00:23 | More by Sternfels