Saranac Belgian Ale

Brewed by Matt Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Ale
Utica, New York USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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UPDATED: SEP 30, 2012 A mistake brewers seem to make is creating gimmicky, overly-sweetened beers that are essentially wine coolers or malt beverages. But Saranac gets a fruity beer right with their Belgian Ale by loading it with lots of spice not unlike an authentic Trappist brew (in fact, the description even says it’s "brewed in the Trappist style"). It’s a full-bodied, robust beer that’s sweet and spicy.

POUR, COLOR AND AROMA

Belgian Ale poured extremely smooth and formed a white, foamy head which dissipated mostly, but not entirely. It left some lacing on the glass as well. The complexion was a beautiful dark copper/reddish-orange hazy body with some carbonation noticeable. The aroma gave off some fruity notes along the lines of a cranberry scent with clove also being prominent.

TASTE

As soon as I took my first taste of Belgian Ale I wondered when I had drank this beer before, and then it hit me: Saranac Pomegranate Wheat. This beer has a similar taste in that it’s obviously fruity, but with a deep, rich layer of sweetness rather than a tart or citrus-like taste.

Basically, this tastes like a summer-style fruity beer with additional spice for the winter season. Clove is a noticeable, with possibly some vanilla, as well as cherry, plum and raisin.

FINISH

Spicy beers tend to be difficult to drink since their contents have a tendency to dance on your palate. Belgian Ale, while being quite spicy, doesn’t assault the palate and goes down extremely smooth.

BODY

Really the only thing I can criticize Belgian Ale for is its seemingly heavy body. At 5.9% ABV it’s quite a hefty beer. I definitely noticed the alcohol after just one bottle and the weight was noticeable as well, but nothing I nor the average beer drinker, can’t handle.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While I wouldn’t consider Saranac Belgian Ale to be a masterpiece, I do have to commend it for being such a high-quality beer because it’s able to convey a fruity theme while still having a truly complex, robust, non-gimmicky taste. This is a good stepping stone for Joe and Jane Six Pack towards authentic Belgian beers, namely - Chimay Red.

NOTE: watch the video version of this review at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcHpWQdtnCg (original)

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpX9pPdlDHk (re-review)

Bright reddish orange color. Lots of tiny bubbles of carbonation. Healthy finger of foamy head. Lots of light passes through a slight haze. Thick coating of lace. Nice fruity spice aroma. Belgiany orange smell, with a roasted malt undercurrent; a smooth brown ale base. Sweet and spicy. Spicy and fruity taste. Has an orange peel spicyness. There is a darker toasted sweetness, like a sweet brown ale. Minor hop bitterness. Dark berry sweetness. Nice mix of sweeter flavors of varying types. Minor smoky, steamed taste. Feels fizzy on the tongue, but creamy at the swallow. Has a thin, smooth coating. A very nice brew. Spicy, sweet, roasted; overall nicely balanced. Repeats A-OK.

I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t expecting much from a Belgian Trappist Ale made by Saranac, a relatively large US microbrewery. The initial pour seemed to confirm my expectations. Characteristic big, white head, but thin coloring. I also didn’t get much from the aroma. This is a good beer though. I love Belgian ales and this is actually a well spiced and flavorful take on the style. All the flavors other users have indicated are there, along with some banana. Finishes smooth. Good beer. Nice in the winter.

Pours a cloudy yellowish red. Off white head. Good aroma with hints of fruitiness. Has a sweet bitter flavor which I find a great mix. Slightly chalky finish. A very tasty beverage.

It has a thin off white head over an amber color brew that looks to have to have been filtered. The aroma has a definite Belgian malt and yeast character that I like. Its flavor is very malty and sweet with some classic Belgian yeast and fair amount of hops that give it some bitter citrus notes. The palate is medium bodied with a nice texture and carbonation. Overall it’s not as complex as other Belgians but it is still a decent brew.

7th from the Saranac Winter Pack. Certainly the best offering so far: aroma is very spicy, yeasty, wheaty even. Flavor carries through strongly, with nice spicing and a pretty genuine belgium taste. Quite nice.

smells kinda like a belgian white beer. the color is a nice copper color with a white bubbly head. the fruity taste is a nice touch. so far the best seasonal brew for me yeat.

bottle. pours deep orange with thin white head. nice light aroma of yeast and citrus. tastes brings in some spice, with notes of orange and dark fruit. crisp palate. has flavorings that lean toward a tripel but without the syrupy sweetness. it doesn’t have the palate of higher ranked belgians, but i was pleasantly surprised at saranac’s take. a nice addition to the winter pack.

12oz bottle. Pours a clear light gold with abundant carbonation. Quite a nice aroma - a bit spicy - smells like a wheat beer. In fact, it tastes quite a bit like a wheat beer as well, with a bit of extra spice. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! This is actually a rather nice beer - and I’m surprised to find myself saying that about Saranac.

This is my favorite of the Saranac line so far. It’s got everything I want in a belgian, good aroma, great fruity taste, and thick mouthfeel. Def worth a try.