Saranac Imperial Stout

Brewed by Matt Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Utica, New York USA

12oz bottle. The color is a glossy black with spotty head of dark tan cream and a smooth tan ring of lace. The aroma is surprisingly nice. Some roast, chocolate, and a hit of something else... maybe candy? The flavor is pretty nice as well. Quite a bit of bitter roast, some chocolate, and that candy-sugary flavor. Maybe like brown sugar. The body is right on for a stout of this size. I’m quite happy with this Saranac beer.

bottle. pours oily black with a one finger brown head. plenty of lace. aroma of licorice and brown sugar. roasted malts and a solid bitter come in on taste. decent thickness. carbonation is a little more active than i’d shoot for but overall a very nice imperial. i like that the roasted flavors are clean - theydon’t have to compete with dark fruits and that its no where near cloying as are many imperials. definitely one of the higher quality beers coming from matt.

Draught at Brazen Head. Dark brown/black with a thin head. Kind of a sappy aroma with an espresso and licorice character. Flavor marked by an earthiness that was almost muddy and barky, which seemed to clash a bit with the base flavors-- sweet chocolate and dark roast coffee malts along with some black licorice. This particular glass seemed uneven and detached. Not up to par with other Impys I’ve tried.

12oz bottle. Saranac put some effort into this one. 11 different malts is pretty impressive. Rich chocolate and roasted malts dominate the flavor, but it still maintains a nice malt essence lacking in most Imperial Stouts. Solid black color with a beige head.

Jan. 15, 2008; 12 oz. bottle. A "parting gift" after a corporate event at the Utica (NY) brewery earlier this evening. Pleasantly surprised to learn that Saranac is continuing with its foray into brewing bigger beers. Didn’t think much of last year’s wildly-unbalanced & harsh IIPA, but this second of the series is a winner. Black pour with enduring thin head and nice lacing. Strong aroma & flavor of dark bitter chocolate and plenty of hops. Lags behind the very best of the style -- but this is, by far, the finest brew Saranac has ever produced. Congratulations!

Great stout. All chocolate and coffee in this one. Slight perhaps a confectioner’s sugar taste to it, though it isn’t particularly sweet. Pours a deep dark brown/black with a beautiful thick dark brown head. A bit of light brown lacing. Very nice beer, surprisingly so.

1.12.07 Lanesville, NY. Not a great imperial stout, but not horrific. Easily the best thing to be graced with the Saranac name. Give it a try if you’re strapped for a new brew.

Pours pretty black, forms a light brown foamy head. Aroma of roasted malts, cocoa powder. Flavour is of chocolate flavoured malts and coffee. Comes across somewhat alcoholicy in the end, a bit unrefined. Hops are present as well. Not too bad, would like to try on tap.