An above-average average beer
Written: Jun 10 '08 (Updated May 26 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Real genuine taste; fairly smooth finish; medium body
Cons: Flavor finishes rather dry; might be too crafty for lightweights
The Bottom Line: It's got the strong taste for the pros, but won't overwhelm the amateurs.
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| Chad9976's Full Review: Saranac Pale Ale |
The pale ale style of beer is not for everyone. These beers have a very bitter flavor and are usually best enjoyed by a discriminating palate. In the case of Saranac Pale Ale I was on the fence trying to decide if I could appreciate this as a craft beer or if I was just a little underwhelmed as a beer drinker.
POUR, COLOR AND AROMA
I like a beer that pours smoothly and Saranac Pale Ale most definitely delivers on that aspect. Maybe I was just having a good pour night, but after two bottles in a row with absolutely not air pocket kick-back, I have to say I was very impressed.
The beer pours to a light red or dark copper, crystal-clear complexion with some carbonation action happening. The head is off-white and mostly foamy, but maybe a little smaller than I was expecting. Fortunately, it does linger for a while and leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.
The aroma is fairly standard for a pale ale which is potent of hops and slightly fruity.
TASTE
Upon my first taste of this beer I was fairly impressed. It had all the makings of a typical pale ale: very bitter, but very complex in flavor. According to the brewery's website (and the bottle label), a variety of hops are used in making this beer and it’s clear from the first tasting because it’s quite overwhelming. Saranac Pale Ale has a strong hop bite reminiscent of high quality lager.
However, I found flavor diminished a little. What had started out as an intense flavor with noticable caramel, finished rather dry and plain. There isn't much about the palate that stands out with this brew.
FINISH
The moutfeel is much like the weight - medium. It's neither soft, nor coarse. I wouldn't say it's difficult to drink, especially for a seasoned beer drinker, but a little smoother would've been nice.
BODY
At 5.5% ABV, Saranac Pale Ale is an ideal session beer. It's the epitome of a medium-bodied beer with more weight than a light, but slimmer than your more high-end craft beers. It will definitely make itself known, but it's nothing even a lightweight couldn't handle.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The only caveat about Saranac Pale Ale is that there's nothing in particular about it that really stands out to me. It's flavorful, drinkable, and proportional but it lacks a hook. Oh well, it's still an enjoyable beer and that's what matters.
NOTE: Watch the video version of this review at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTOGObL26ys
OTHER PALE ALES:
Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55 (4)
Dundee American Pale Ale (4)
Magic Hat #9 (5)
Otter Creek Pale Ale (4)
Samuel Adams Pale Ale (3)
Southern Tier Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale (4)
ALSO BY SARANAC:
Saranac Adirondack Lager (3)
Saranac Belgian Ale (4)
Saranac Belgian White (5)
Saranac Black & Tan (4)
Saranac Black Forest (4)
Saranac Bohemian Pilsener (2)
Saranac Brown Ale (4)
Saranac Extra Special Bitter (4)
Saranac Golden Pilsener (3)
Saranac Hefeweizen (5)
Saranac Imperial IPA (3)
Saranac India Brown Ale (4)
Saranac India Pale Ale (4)
Saranac Kolsch (3)
Saranac Octoberfest (3)
Saranac Pomegranate Wheat (3)
Saranac Pumpkin Ale (4)
Saranac Season's Best (4)
Saranac Summer Ale (3)
Saranac Vanilla Stout (4)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Chad9976
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Chad Polenz
Location: Albany, New York
Reviews written: 686
Trusted by: 153 members
About Me:
Hi, I'm Chad and I like beer.
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