Saranac Pale Ale - Matt Brewing Company

Jason

Massachusetts

3.3/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

A well frothed lace leaves a few rings of lace behind, very clear pale copper hue.

Hints of citric hop, fruity and taffy like ester and a lightly sweet caramel and toasted grain aroma.

Smooth mouth feel and a bit crisp as well, bitter bite up front with an oily herbal and earthy hop flavor. Malt has a decent flavor but never really sparks the taste buds to go “Wow!”. I am still trying to find a solid malt flavor and all I get is dry graininess with a taffy, almost bubble gum yeast by-product taste. Finishes dry with a bit of husk on the palate.

Oily hop is the only savior of this brew, other than that there is nothing much to it. Not something I’d never drink, just not a choice pale ale for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2005 18:38:16 | More by Jason

Todd

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12oz brown bottle. No freshness date.

Appearance: A hazy light amber beer with a slightly off-white creamy lace head.

Smell: This beer has an awesome fruity floral hop aroma, with raw hop leaf notes and touch of sweet malt.

Taste: Mouthfeel is silky smooth with a heavenly solid malt sweetness. Big, juicy fruit flavours come forward with floral hop flavours that all meld to take on a near fruit spiked iced-tea-like drink, with a slight hop rawness ... a bit estery too. Some toasted malts and bready flavours follow with some mild soapy flavours. Finishes with some dryness and a hop oil and leaf coating on the palate.

Notes: A very worthy English-style Pale Ale, but in some respects it tastes a bit like a West Coast Pale Ale. No matter, it's still a very tasty brew!

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2001 00:00:01 | More by Todd

dpage27

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%

05-16-2013 18:15:46 | More by dpage27

mralbertson

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +9%

05-16-2013 02:01:57 | More by mralbertson

BigTrubble

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +9%

05-16-2013 00:38:24 | More by BigTrubble

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -12.8%

05-15-2013 15:39:21 | More by twenty5

rderedin

Maine

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%

05-12-2013 16:10:28 | More by rderedin

OldhouseRecs

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%

05-12-2013 01:01:26 | More by OldhouseRecs

ElijahRivera

New York

3.75/5  rDev +9%

05-10-2013 22:57:12 | More by ElijahRivera

Lovely85

Florida

3.75/5  rDev +9%

05-09-2013 23:55:13 | More by Lovely85

Bill235

Ohio

3/5  rDev -12.8%

05-09-2013 17:58:27 | More by Bill235

TeamMathis

West Virginia

3.18/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Yellowish, reddish amber.
Smell: Very light floral and citrus.
Taste: Light floral and citrus.
Mouthfeel: Watery, light carbonation.

This is an enjoyable, refreshing, and drinkable brew. It's just not exciting. There's really nothing to dislike. The smell is a faint hint of the taste, which consists primarily of floral and citrus tones; perhaps a slight bit of honey. I would drink this again, but would only get it if it was in a sampler box with others I wanted to try.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 02:51:14 | More by TeamMathis

JT99125

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +9%

05-07-2013 20:59:57 | More by JT99125

pcsnyder

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +9%

05-06-2013 12:57:48 | More by pcsnyder

Kelp

New Hampshire

3/5  rDev -12.8%

05-04-2013 23:16:09 | More by Kelp

JG-90

New Jersey

2.85/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Bottle poured into glass gives a moderate sized, off-white head. Beer is a clear, bright, light copper/amber. Head settles to a small cap with heavy lacing. Smells of stale bread, light caramel malt, and funky wheat, not much overall aroma.

Taste is very bitter throughout, starting with stale bread and caramel malt, then just a hint of floral, has a stale bread, bitter, crisp, clean finish. Body on the lighter side of medium, with medium/high carbonation. English style PA's are not my favorite but I have had ones I've liked much more than this, in my opinion this beer is nothing special, but nothing bad either.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 17:54:38 | More by JG-90

FrankShirley

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%

05-02-2013 17:20:54 | More by FrankShirley

GMan

Tennessee

2.5/5  rDev -27.3%

04-26-2013 13:43:30 | More by GMan

dcollinsOX

New York

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%

04-26-2013 00:02:35 | More by dcollinsOX

MichaelProcton

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%

04-23-2013 03:49:39 | More by MichaelProcton

Utica_Brew_Review

New York

4.23/5  rDev +23%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Amazing golden, honey, amber appearance. Even balanced aroma, however not that pronounced. Hoppy, citrus, floral aroma. Great taste to start. Floral, citrus, earthy, and hoppy notes take center stage with a caramel depth behind them. Almost a yeasty / bread like base that supports the rest of the flavors.

This is one of (if not our favorite) pale ales.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 03:02:18 | More by Utica_Brew_Review

Mike099

New York

3.25/5  rDev -5.5%

04-19-2013 03:50:36 | More by Mike099

Justin23060

Virginia

3.76/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - Light amber with slightly off white 1 finger head that coated the top the whole time.

S - Blasted with typical English hop profile that quickly faded to a bready malt.

T - Taste strikes a nice balance between English hop and maltiness . Dry from start to finish. I do think it would be better with a bit more linger and a little less dryness. Solid offering for sure.

M - Dryness is approaching puckering and body is on the lighter side of medium

O - Not my favorite Saranac offering, but far from the worst. I'll be getting it again because I'm curious to see which foods pair well.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 03:49:37 | More by Justin23060

BMMillsy

Florida

2.75/5  rDev -20.1%

04-13-2013 03:18:48 | More by BMMillsy

jdibbs

New York

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%

04-08-2013 04:28:56 | More by jdibbs