12 Saranac Beers of Xmas #4 - Caramel Porter
Written: Dec 16 '03 (Updated Jan 03 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Interesting style of porter - sweet but very drinkable.
Cons: Many people may find it too sweet.
The Bottom Line: This beer caught me off-guard - for the better! A unique but delicious beer!
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| martytdx's Full Review: Saranac Caramel Porter |
"On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a sweet treat of caramel in a beer to welcome me."
Some days it doesn't pay to drag your sorry butt out of bed, you know what I mean? I had one of those days going yesterday, and I was hoping against hope for it to end after 13 hours. I raced out the door and toward home to watch Monday Night Football, and found that my wonderful wife was there with a cold glass of Saranac Caramel Porter waiting. Suddenly, my day had turned out alright.
• about SARANAC •
Saranac beers are brewed by the Matt Brewing Company, a brewery located in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in Central New York. Over a century old, the brewery is currently being run by the third and fourth generations of the Matt Family (Nick and Fred, respectively). Today, the company brews a number of different beers (27 different beers in the recent past, including seasonals and limited editions), as well as 5 different soft drinks.
• about CARAMEL PORTER •
Recently, I had purchased the new Saranac 12 Beers offer, since I like to try new beers. In addition to the normal Pale Ale and Lagers, the 12-pack offered up some unique versions such as the Black Forestand Season's Best (Nut Brown Lager). The Caramel Porter was one of the more intriguing flavors included, and I was looking forward to trying it, although I wasn't sure what to expect.
Now, I really enjoy porters - especially Yeungling Porter and my personal favorite, Left Hand Blackjack Porter. But Caramel Porter was quite unlike any that I had seen before.
It pours a deep red with very little head, almost as if it were a fine wine - a start even more intriguing than the name. I took a moment to let it breath and then took a quick sniff - and the wine personality was even more defined. Similar to a fine red, there was a hint of alcohol and a sweetness that I couldn't define at first.
My first sip actually surprised me. The taste is unlike any porter that I have ever had, a sweetness that touched the tongue lightly hinting at many things but settling on definite caramel and slightly spicy tone. A larger sip confirmed the sweetness and fullness of the flavor - no longer like a wine but definitely with a bunch of character. It was hard to classify the taste exactly - schwartzbier came to mind but that wasn't it.
The flavor of the beer was a good, full caramel and possibly molasses, and went down all too easy. By the end, I was finding the sweetness a tad much - I doubt that I would have enjoyed a second one as much as I did the first - but that initial beer was delicious.
The beer has an ABV of 5.5%, which isn't surprising considering the amount of sugar that obviously went into it. The beer is made with Fuggles & East Kent Goldings Hops and dark caramel malt to give it the unique flavor.
• final THOUGHTS •
As a whole, this was a very enjoyable beer - especially after a hard day. Many might find the sweetness of it a put-off, but I liked it for at least one beer. This would be a great beer to go with or in place of desert after dinner.
• random BEER FACT •
According to rumor, the pilgrims made their famous landing at Plymouth Rock, instead of their appointed destination in Virginia, because they were out of beer.
For More Information
www.http://www.saranac.com/
• related SARANAC REVIEWS •
1st Day of Xmas - Saranac Pale Ale
2nd Day of Xmas - Saranac Stout
3rd Day of Xmas - Saranac Black Forest
5th Day of Xmas - Saranac Belgian White
6th Day of Xmas - Saranac Black and Tan
7th Day of Xmas - Saranac Adirondack Amber
8th Day of Xmas - Saranac Indian Pale Ale
9th Day of Xmas - Saranac Golden Pilsener
10th Day of Xmas - Saranac Traditional Lager
11th Day of Xmas - Saranac Single Malt
12th Day of Xmas - Saranac Season's Best
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
martytdx
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 - Top 100 |
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Member: Marty
Location: New Jersey
Reviews written: 478
Trusted by: 177 members
About Me:
Doing what I can to try new places, restaurants, books and beers.
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