Saranac Belgian Pale Ale

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

NICE GOLDEN COLOR WITH FLAVOR OF SWEET MALT AND JUST A FLEETING BIT OF BELGIAN BEER SPICE. CREAMY MOUTHFEEL WITH SOME FRESH WHITE PEPPER IN THE FINISH. AN OVERALL BELGIANED OUT CREAMY PILSENER, SOMETHING NEW AND A WINNER.

Bottle. Nice mild aroma. Very light color. Mild on the palate. Mild overall flavor. Solid, easy drinking pale ale.

Saranac is a brand that’s known for the accessibility and if they can introduce more pedestrian beer drinkers to more niche styles via good beer I’m all for it. I was pleasantly surprised by their new Belgian Pale Ale - which is essentially an American Pale Ale with Belgian yeast, but a good beer nevertheless.

I poured a 12oz bottle into an official Saranac shaker pint glass.

Appearance: Bright amber color; crystal clear with plenty of visible carbonation. Forms an average sized, eggshell hued, foamy head which retains and laces quite well.

Smell: Strong banana scent akin to a German hefeweizen, but with more lemony notes and no spice.

Taste: While I wouldn’t say there’s anything particularly authentically "Belgian" to Saranac Belgian Pale Ale, I will say it’s a nice departure from the brewery’s usual safe bets. Their flagship beer is an English-style pale ale, so they know the general genre pretty well I’d say. Plenty of hop character in this one with a strong lemony character. It’s reminiscent of a witbier but without the spices of orangepeel or coriander. Instead, the Belgian yeast imparts a distinct banana aroma and gentle sweetness to make the palate on the lighter, more refreshing side.

Plenty of lighter malts throughout the body with subtle honey notes. A quick, but mild, hop bite through the middle and on the end that imparts a bit of dryness and crispiness. It’s also remarkably refreshing making this an ideal summer brew (why it’s in their winter mix pack I haven’t the foggiest).

Drinkability: With a thinner, crisper mouthfeel and drinker-friendly palate, Saranac Belgian Pale Ale is a great introductory craft beer. The Belgian yeast makes itself known as the carbonation is fine and continually effervescent, but the body is light enough to lend to easy drinking. The aftertaste is almost completely clean and there’s a definite sense of refreshment here. At 5.4% ABV it’s dangerously drinkable and I could see myself killing an entire six pack on a hot summer’s day.

It’s a Single not a Pale. Light and clean, golden colored, light froth of white foam. Hints of lightly yeasty lemon and spice. More light flavors follow - tart, juicy fruit and subtle spice. A small suggestion of hop flavor and then a lightly dry and mineral finish. No flaws, lightly appealing. Did I mention this beer is kind of light? Too light for a lawnmowing beer, maybe a good rehydrator after a 20+ mile bike ride. Just worth it at $10/12 pack.

12 oz bottle. Pours a clear deep gold with a frothy white head. Some spotty lace. Belgian yeast aroma on the sweet side. Light Belgian flavor with a mild hop profile. Easy to drink. Light palate with active carbonation.

Clear yellow pour with small white head. Nose and flavor is very reminiscent of a bluemoon. Orange zest and coriander, but flavor also has a slight citrus hop bite. Very small though. This was my favorite of the pack.

12oz bottle into a pint glass. Pours a clear light gold with a one finger white head. The abundant carbonation gives the head excellent staying power and there are nice globs of lacing clinging to the sides of the glass. The aroma is, unfortunately, quite metallic but there is some clove and bubblegum poking through it all. Not enough to overcome the metal, though. Thankfully the flavor is quite nice and really suprised me in a pleasant way. Lots of clove and bubblegum esters that I love in a BPA along with a nice dose of bready malt. There is a little bit of pepper towards the finish which is pleasantly dry with just a little bit of stickyness left on the lips. Overall, I was suprised by this as the other offerings I have had from Saranac have been less than impressive. While not on the same level of a beer like Ommegang, a good value and one i wouldn’t hesatate to pick up again.

It pours a bright clear golden color leaving a very clear body and a half inch white foamy head in my chalice. Small inner valleys appear within the head and light rapidly moving carbonation is seen rising. The smell was the banana and clove up front with light fruitiness in the background. The taste was sweet and kinda grainy with the fruitiness coming back more so in a citrusy sort of way. It leaves a dry aftertaste and a sticky finish. The palate is light with nothing harsh on the tongue, a really nice smoothness is felt all around, kinda creamy. Overall, this is adequate for me and for the style.

12oz into a pint. Pours a straw yellow, golden sunshine highlights. Taste is fruity, grainy, a bit of corn, some pilsner simalarities no doubt. The fruit spice is enjoyable, orange, nutmeg, some xmas flare to it is nice this time. This would go well with some future holiday gatherings coming up. I dont really see much of a dff between this and their other belgian. The pale ale aspect of it is minimal at best. But the overal begian status is acceptable. Nice.

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle. It pours medium to golden amber with a clinging off-white head that lingers. Good carbonation. The aroma highlights the Belgian yeast strain, sweet pale malts, pear and a musky cellar. The body is lighter but creamy. The taste brings out the essence of a good Belgian pale ale with its warm sweetness and slightly lingering finish. All in all a drinkable beer.