Sweet, smooth and light-bodied: a perfect combination!
Written: Jun 17 '08 (Updated Sep 25 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sweet-tasting without being too strong; extremely smooth; lighter in body than you'd expect.
Cons: The name could intimidate everyday guzzlers.
The Bottom Line: If the Matt Brewing Company had any sense they'd package this beer as a 12-pack or case. It's THAT good!
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| Chad9976's Full Review: Saranac Belgian White |
American beers with European-sounding names can be off-putting to the average American beer drinker. Brews with such names tend to imply a very dry taste and a heavy, harsh body. However, one needs only take one swig of Saranac Belgian White to realize there’s nothing intimidating about it. It tastes almost like fruit juice, it’s extremely smooth to drink and lighter in body than you might expect – a winning combination I’d say.
POUR, COLOR AND AROMA
Much like a Hefeweizen, this beer has a cloudy appearance of a medium-orange color. It pours to a fairly small head which dissolves quickly but leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.
At least the beer smells as good as it drinks with a distinct citrus aroma, reminiscent of the Mexican beer Corona.
TASTE
“Did someone switch my beer with tropical fruit juice?” That’s what I thought upon my first tasting. However, after drinking two bottles I’m quite certain I was, in fact, drinking beer.
There’s just a great feeling you get when a beer tastes sweet without being gimmicky (i.e. Sam Adams Cherry Wheat). Saranac Belgian White has a very complex palate of malts with fruit spices which add up to a very sweet flavor. Imagine how Corona with a lime tastes – that’s how this beer drinks in a glass, only smoother.
BODY
European-style beers tend to be heavier and more filling than your generic mass-market American lager. Not so with Belgian White, which drinks as smooth as a glass of juice and won’t fill you up easily. This is what a summer ale should taste like. I think it would be extremely popular with large groups because it’s so tasty, smooth and less filling. I’d buy a case of it for my 4th of July party if I could.
FINAL THOUGHTS
My favorite style of beer is still India Pale Ale, but after enjoying Saranac Belgian White I’m looking forward to giving more white ales a try. Hopefully other beers of this style are this flavorful, smooth and low-filling. It’s a win-win-win combination!
OTHER BELGIAN WHITES:
Blue Moon Belgian White (4)
Otter Creek White Sail (3)
OTHER SARANAC BEERS:
Saranac Adirondack Lager (3)
Saranac Black & Tan (4)
Saranac Black Forest (4)
Saranac Brown Ale (4)
Saranac Golden Pilsener (3)
Saranac Hefeweizen (5)
Saranac India Pale Ale (4)
Saranac Kolsch (3)
Saranac Octoberfest (3)
Saranac Pale Ale (3)
Saranac Pomegranate Wheat (3)
Saranac Pumpkin Ale (4)
Saranac Summer Ale (3)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Chad9976
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Member: Chad Polenz
Location: Albany, New York
Reviews written: 656
Trusted by: 147 members
About Me:Check out Chad'z Beer Reviews on YouTube
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