Saranac Belgian Pale Ale - Matt Brewing Company

alexgash

Connecticut

3.73/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle from winter sampler pack. Best by March 31, 2013.

Mostly clear golden tangerine body. Nice half inch of thick, whipped, long-lasting head. Nice lacing too. Sweetish wheat malts, banana, clove, a little tropical fruit, and some spicy, peppery hops on the nose.

Toasted grains and nutty-ish malt up front. Estery, fruity flavors follow. Mild sweetness. Banana and a little tropical fruit. Yeasty clove. Dries out toward the finish in the presence of spicy, peppery hop bitterness. Moderate body, with a lively, sparkling feel. An easy drinking BPA, and a tasty one at that.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 02:19:15 | More by alexgash

FrankShirley

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +7.8%

05-02-2013 17:19:15 | More by FrankShirley

beergoot

Colorado

3.28/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Nicely carbonated body with a thick, creamy white head. Wisps of apricot and biscuit in the aroma. Softly bitter, malty flavor with a hint of light fruit flavors. Mouthfeel comes across light bodied, clean and crisp, with a dry finish.

This is a fair little beer. Great appearance with an okay taste. It balances nicely with lightly toasted malt flavors and hop bittering. The fruit-like component isn't overly pronounced, but can definitely be picked in the smell and buried in the flavor. Nothing earth-shattering, but still a good beer overall...

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 22:37:28 | More by beergoot

h4ger

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

04-05-2013 02:34:47 | More by h4ger

drt72

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

03-31-2013 17:31:18 | More by drt72

EricReynolds

West Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

03-20-2013 01:35:04 | More by EricReynolds

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.61/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light clear gold, white foam and some lacing. Aroma of Belgian yeast and flowery hops. In the taste, biscuity pale malt sweetness and a solid presence of somewhat fruity Belgian yeast. Mild bitterness with a light sweet yeasty funk. Medium bodied, smooth and well carbonated. Nice American take on a simple Belgian ale. Easy to drink a few of these in a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 02:13:09 | More by Stinkypuss

stephenjmoore

Maryland

2.83/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.75

A- Very transparent, golden colored body with a frothy white head that leaves a lot of lacing.

S- Really just get some sweet, bready malt, no real sign of a Belgian influence.

T- Maybe a hint of Belgian yeast flavor in an otherwise blonde ale. I find this to be a stretch as a BPA.

M- The feel is not offensive, light-medium bodied, medium carbonation.

O- Pretty embarrassing take on a Belgian Pale Ale. Not a terrible beer, but not good for the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:58:54 | More by stephenjmoore

BrianCuoz

New York

2.5/5  rDev -28.2%

03-13-2013 19:43:44 | More by BrianCuoz

beerthulhu

New Jersey

2.68/5  rDev -23%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

A: Pale orange with a pristine clarity, 1/2 finger chalky white head is creamy and sticks well to the glass walls. Medium carbonation factor rises to the occassion like beads of oil on a string. Decent length of stay retention wise leaving a milky speckled band lacing.

S: Light to medium sense of fruity hops, melon, cantelope, apples and pears.

T: The flavor begins with some fruity hops, again apple, pear, and melon with some fresh greenery, very vine like. Ends with a tart fruit sourness, touch of grassiness and some fruit skin. The finish kind of ruins it for me personally,with some moldy nature.

M: Tingly carbonation, frothy, tart fruitiness ending with some turing of sour fruit. Scratchy texture and moldy hop feel.

O: Overall had some potential in the beginning, fruity, light in character and fresh. Things started going downhill mid-way through the flavor. The sour fruitiness and moldy hop appeal made this a hesitant to finish. pass altogether on this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 23:32:44 | More by beerthulhu

magine

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

03-10-2013 00:37:02 | More by magine

flyers1980

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -13.8%

03-08-2013 18:47:16 | More by flyers1980

rangerred

Tennessee

3.3/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear light gold with a one finger white head. The abundant carbonation gives the head excellent staying power and there are nice globs of lacing clinging to the sides of the glass.

The aroma is, unfortunately, quite metallic but there is some clove and bubblegum poking through it all. Not enough to overcome the metal, though.

Thankfully the flavor is quite nice and really suprised me in a pleasant way. Lots of clove and bubblegum esters that I love in a BPA along with a nice dose of bready malt. There is a little bit of pepper towards the finish which is pleasantly dry with just a little bit of stickyness left on the lips.

Overall, I was suprised by this as the other offerings I have had from Saranac have been less than impressive. While not on the same level of a beer like Ommegang, a good value and one i wouldn't hesatate to pick up again.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 02:54:03 | More by rangerred

tvljr

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

02-24-2013 22:53:05 | More by tvljr

jp312

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%

02-23-2013 02:12:23 | More by jp312

bribo

New York

2.75/5  rDev -21%

02-21-2013 21:19:43 | More by bribo

smakawhat

Maryland

4.01/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass.

A real nice brassy dark gold colored body, with lively carbonation. Head makes a good two to three fingers with a shocking white color and soapy character. Retention is pretty good with a lot of creamy whipped up sense also, and some spider legged up lacing. Pretty decent looking.

Sticky malts, and hints of light candi sugar. Straight forward with hints of peanut butter also. Smells like a straight forward Belgian minus the creamy peanuts. Mild hints of grassy like hops.

Interesting flavor profile. Hints of crisp hop in the palate with a very lager like and malt taste. Belgian sweetness does come but also with a refreshing sense of grass. Chewy with a very bread like sensing malt like an American lager. Seems a good strong emphasis on barley compared to most Belgian pales. Carbonation is lively with a good palate feel. Lots of density here.

Overall it's different, but this is actually quite enjoyable. I'd have this again, pretty good beer for the style and a nice twist.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 20:22:58 | More by smakawhat

sketchyhoodie

New York

1.75/5  rDev -49.7%

02-10-2013 04:38:35 | More by sketchyhoodie

Utica_Brew_Review

New York

3.25/5  rDev -6.6%

02-03-2013 00:23:00 | More by Utica_Brew_Review

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.16/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tall pint.

Appearance: Pours what Saranac describes as a "light amber" color. I'd call it a dark gold. Provides and keeps very little head. It passes.

Smell: Smells lightly of clove. Weaker pale malt scent. Relatively strong overall scent. Kinda sweet smelling.

Taste: This one is easy to drink, but it doesn't taste like much. Little bit of pale malt, generally pretty sweet with a light bitter end. Tiny bit of clove. Overall just absolutely unexciting.

Mouthfeel: Probably the only decent part of this one. It's got a lot of carbonation which mixes with its subdued flavor to make this an effortless drink. Still, that doesn't make the whole beer good, and it kind of just covers up the beer's deficiencies.

Not something I'd buy, but I doubt I'd pass it up. I think.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 23:19:08 | More by ColdWaffles

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.71/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle. Sampled on February 1, 2013.

The color is yellow to golden with a lingering white head and light lacing on the glass. Decent carbonation.

Nice aromas of sweet pale malts, yeast, caramel, pear, and minor hops. There is a kind of musky note on the nose that reminds me of a cellar.

The body is light and smooth.

The taste improves as it warms up with a subtle sweetness up front, biscuit, and low, lingering bitterness. The characteristics of a Belgian Pale Ale are there but all in in all it is more reserved than the one straight out of an Abbey. Still, I found it easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 23:11:14 | More by puboflyons

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.54/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Best by March 31, 2013:

In a chalice:

A: bright clear golden colored body leaving a white foamy head in my chalice. Small inner valleys appear within the head and light rapidly moving carbonation is seen rising.

S: banana and clove up front with light fruitiness in the background.

T: sweet and kinda grainy with the fruitiness coming back more so in a citrusy sort of way. It leaves a dry aftertaste and a sticky finish.

M: light with nothing harsh on the tongue, a really nice smoothness is felt all around, kinda creamy.

O: though I'm not usually into a fair amount of Belgians, this is adequate for me and for the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 19:42:06 | More by kangarooAdam59

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.39/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a bright clear golden-straw color with a small fizzy white head with short retention and no lacing. Not the big rocky head typical with many Belgian pales.

S- fruity yeast with notes of banana and clove, some musty funk, a bit medicinal and some herbal notes.

T- some grainy husk up front with a somewhat thin malt body, transitions into some citrus fruity notes with a bit of clove, the finish is dry with some resinous yeast lingering on the palate

M- light body with assertive carbonation, foamy mouthfeel mid-palate, with a slightly creamy dry finish

O- the think malt body leaves this I've a little too thin and grainy for me. It did however have a nice yeasty finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 05:17:00 | More by Treyliff

Headgoober

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -13.8%

01-27-2013 03:26:58 | More by Headgoober

phishbone23

New York

3.75/5  rDev +7.8%

01-25-2013 14:30:54 | More by phishbone23