Saranac Imperial Stout

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

bottled, aged 8+ months. Brown head on dark ale. Taste is heat w/ choc. bitterness followed by a hint of roast. Hops linger is nice. I got this cheap (like $15-20 a case!) at Greens a while ago, I wasn’t too impressed when I first hit it up. Time, seems, to have helped this one.

On tap at Capital Ale in Richmond, VA. Immensely black body with a small tan head that faded pretty quickly. Big aroma that you expect to find with an imperial stout. Roasty, chocolately, bitter, and slightly hoppy. Taste wasn’t nearly as powerful as the aroma leads you to believe. Strong aftertaste and a nice hop finish, but it just lacked that "pow" that I expect from an imperial stout. Very good though, I can easily drink this one again.

(Bottle, Stockholm Beer Festival, 27 Sep 2008) Black colour with creamy, pale brown head. Roasted, malty nose with black coffee, dark chocolate and fresh hints of hops. Malty, roasted taste with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, liquorice and a decent cocoa bitternes in the finish. Nicely balanced and tasty. Good beer!

Very nice nose of chocolate, roated coffee, and some alcohol. Very sweet. The appearance is typical to the style, a dark brown/black with a thick tan head. Very attractive. The flavor is mostly roasted malts, cocoa, maybe a slight bit of hoppiness (not much for a beer that’s 50 IBU). Very enjoyable, and the palate leaves a pleasant mix of roastiness and sweetness. Good thick mouthfeel. This is a solid beer. I often say that while Saranac is very brave in trying to brew a wide range of eclectic beers, their execution is often found wanting. This beer however, is a real accomplishment. Not just good for the normally mediocre Saranac, but good period.

Bottle poured into a tulip style glass. Pours a jet black with a 1/2" tan head. Aroma is heavily roasted malt and chocolate. Palate is heavy, rich and full. Low carbonation. Flavors are chocolate, molasses, malt and some dark fruit. Warming finish with an alcohol burn. Ok, so it’s not Expedtion, but it’s a nice competant stout.

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.

Bottle. Appearance: Dark chocolate brown with a thin brown head. Aroma: Bittersweet chocolate, coffee. Palate: Medium/full. Flavor: Roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate and coffee which is nicely complimented by some dark fruity tastes. Overall: Probably one of Saranac’s best.

Jet black pour with 1/4in frothy head. Aroma is hops and malt. Flavors of roasted malt, hops, and some coffee. A little alcohol is present, but its not over the top. Body was a bit thin too. With 50ibu’s, I had to try it and boy was I surprised! Best saranac product i’ve had.