Twelve Saranac Beers of Xmas #8 - India Pale Ale
Written: Dec 30 '03 (Updated Jan 03 '04)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: very hoppy, pretty direct flavor.
Cons: To hoppy for me, it should suit hopheads, though.
The Bottom Line: Technically and American Pale Ale, Saranac IPA offers a hoppy, strong ale worthy of a six-pack for personal consumption.
|
|
|
| martytdx's Full Review: Saranac I.P.A |
"On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love offered me, a beer full of hops and wonderful memories."
• 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 INDIA PALE ALE •
First of all, I need to know whether this is an India Pale Ale or an American Pale Ale - it says both on the bottle. IPA's were originally developed from the base English Pale Ales, but were given extra hops to increase the acid levels and act as a preservative. This gave them their distinct hoppy flavor. The American version, however, is 'super-hopped': a variant of the IPA which adds even more hops to give it extra flavor, aroma and bitterness. The styles, while similar, are distinct - but Saranac puts both names on the bottle. Confusing...
After having myself a glass, I can distinctly as that this is an American Pale Ale (AIPA). Brewed with Cascade hops, this AIPA offers up a 5.8% ABV to go with the strong hops flavor. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
I poured this into the glass, and found it to a nice, clear amber color with a decent white head. The nose of this beer is extremely strong - almost bitter as you smell it. The first taste has a quick ale taste quickly followed by an intense hoppiness, ended with a bitter finish. Full-bodied for a pale ale, the bitterness sits on your tongue as you continue drinking.
I'm not a huge hops fan, so this beer is only good for one on my menu - but as it goes, I enjoyed it. It's a refreshingly direct taste with a lot of hoppy "oomph". Saranac - like western rival Sierra Nevada - has produced a capable American Pale Ale for hopheads who want a quick six-pack on the way to a party.
• final THOUGHTS •
This is one of the hoppier of the mass-produced micros, although there are definitely others which would far surpass it. As a general AIPA, however, this provides a lot of flavor for the buck.
• random BEER FACT •
Bottle caps, or "crowns," were invented in Baltimore in 1892 by William Painter. Painter proved his invention's worth when he convinced a local brewer to ship a few hundred cases of beer to South America and back and they returned without a leak.
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
4th Day of Xmas - Saranac Caramel Porter
5th Day of Xmas - Saranac Belgian White
6th Day of Xmas - Saranac Black and Tan
7th Day of Xmas - Saranac Adirondack Amber
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
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
martytdx
|
 - Top 100 |
|
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.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2008 Shopping.com, Inc.