Saranac Winter Lager

Brewed by Matt Brewing Company
Style: Amber Lager/Vienna
Utica, New York USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Shaker

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Bottle. Wow. After the maple porter I thought I must have gotten the worst of the winter pack out of the way. Now I’m just terrified to try the rest. Corn. Creamed corn. Corn syrup. Goddamn government subsidies.

Bock like aroma and taste. Sweet and with yeast, but not overly artificial. A distinctive taste and aroma. One of the better brews from them.

Its not impressive but for some reason I like it. Its far from a good Vienna, its dark enough but not much else. The beer has a bit of a skunkiness to it, the malts are very clean but no perception of caramel or light sweetness that I want from my Viennas. There is a bit of the house lager mineral character. Its not the worst beer Saranac ever made.
12oz bottle out of the winter mix pack, small lambic tumbler glass.

Pours a clear burnt amber with very quick fading tan head. Nose is grainy, vaguely vegetal, and a bit bandaid, but not offensive, and with a hint of spice. Flavor is toasty, verging on burnt. Some caramel, but mostly a 7 grain piece of toast. Moderate carbonation and fairly full bodied mouthfeel. Not the best I’ve had from these guys, but not too bad for a vienna. I’d still take a negra modelo over this any day.

From the Winter variety 12 pack: Walnut and sweet roasted malt nose, remiscent of maple syrup, but only a little bit. Clear brown, no head. Soapy mouthfeel. Sweet malt flavor, but not cloying. A little tinny. Uninspired for the most part.

Honey, caramel, a touch of brown sugar in the nose, amber color, very clear, with a faint bubbly head. Sugary sweet palate, some bit o honey, a bit of hops to balance. Very light body, not great but drinkable.

Bottle. Pours a lovely deep amber/copper color with a thin but dense head. Aromas are a mix of grain dust, a bit of apple juice concentrate and caramel. Flavor is pretty grain dominant with a bit of an apple like fruitiness that comes and goes. This is fairly sweet with a fruity finish.

Clear ruby amber, thick foamy beige head. Aroma of bread, caramel, earth and spicey hop. Taste is like an O’fest with some bitter hops and roast balanced by toffee. Medium body, smooth carbonation.

12 oz bottle. Pours a clear orangish body with a small fizzy off-white head. The nose is fairly light with some graininess and a minimal touch of hops. The flavor is overly sweet and pretty boring, even for Saranac. Kinda reminds me of malta a little bit. Well lagered though, there’s no off flavors here, it’s just too sweet and boring. Medium bodied and a little clingy with light fizzy forced carbonation. Not one of my favorites from them.

Nice malty lager with a bockish sweetness, but a rich spicy hop character. Aroma is shows brown sugar, earthy malt and some noble twang. Pours a gorgeous auburn with a thick sticky white head that leaves a lot of lacing. Finish is well balanced with a little brown sugar sweetness showing through receding into a mellow malty lingering. Packs more flavor than most other Viennas I’ve tried. Well done.