Sawtooth Ale
Bitter Root Brewing

Sawtooth AleSawtooth Ale
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From:
Bitter Root Brewing
 
Montana, United States
Style:
American Blonde Ale
Ranked #236
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
82
Ranked #24,862
Avg:
3.56 | pDev: 11.8%
Reviews:
23
Ratings:
40
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 16, 2023
Added:
May 06, 2004
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  3
Lewis and Clark's 1805-1806 expedition took them past the many creeks that flow into the Bitterroot River each spring, among them Sawtooth Creek. Bitter Root Brewing's blonde ale is made from the finest pale malt and hops available. The addition of malted rye and wheat give this beer a crisp, dry flavor. It's a national medal winner, and a year round favorite.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by archyquaffer:
Photo of archyquaffer
Reviewed by archyquaffer from Montana

3.44/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bomber into a Pilsener style sampler. For some reason, the labels on the bottles from this brewery are always crinkly, like they've gotten wet. The blurb mentions the use of rye and wheat, and states that the beer is a "national medal winner". Does this medal have a name?

A moderate pour produces about 1/2 inch of frothy head that reduces to about 1/8 inch and sticks to the glass pretty well. The color is a hazy, pale yellowish golden with fairly high carbonation.

The aroma seems sort of adjuncty from the wheat and rye with very light grassy hops. Very clean, light taste, slightly lemony, with a crisp, tingly and clean finish. A pretty distinct yeasty tang is also quite apparent here and there. It's pleasantly burpy, with light lemony and grassy notes lingering in the aftertaste.

This beer could use some more hop flavors (and I'm no hop head) but is refreshing and makes a good warm weather beer, and when you want something more flavorful than a PBR or Coors Banquet. I'd be more likely to buy this in the can for camping and rafting than to buy another bomber.
Jun 13, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.25/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Cam from MarCellars. Golden pour with towering fluffy head. And that was the best part... Sweet, grainy aroma. Even more sweetness in the taste, lemons, honey. Dies after that, but feels somewhat creamy.
Nov 16, 2023
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
an interesting beer, especially in this blonde ale style. listed as a pale ale at the place i had it on tap, so i was really thrown off when it came out quite a bit different than i have come to expect out of an american pale these days, but a nice beer, especially this time of year. it comes out nice and yellow colored, not quite all the way clear, and with a decent little white head on it with some lace left behind after each sip. the aroma is curiously hefeweizen-like to me, with some pleasing yeasty esters of banana and white pepper. i know there is some rye in the mash here, but its minimal and couldnt possibly account for these characteristics. this ends up drinking more like a blonde ale and hefe hybrid, as this german yeast element is present in the flavor too. is it just me, or did others notice this as well? maybe the bar had a hefe on before this and didnt clean the line well, not sure, but i really kind of like it. it makes the beer way more interesting than a simple blonde would be on its own, yet it doesnt make the beer to flavorful or weird to be poundable. it would be easy to say this was just fermented too warm, but i like whats happening here with the fermentation profile, intentional or not. not a ton of hops here, certainly less than a pale ale should have, but a little bit of an herbal bitter note at the end, and a flash of fresh citrus as well. i think they have done a nice job building nuance and flavor into this, with the multigrain base, the curious yeast aspect, and the upbeat hops at the end, but its also a total summer crusher. enjoyable beer, especially with some fiery chicken wings! this is better than its ratings, even if its unexpectedly different or even weird for a blonde...

edit: i believe the correct name for this is sawtooth ridge now, at least that what the cans say compared with the bottles pictured. real fun take on a blonde with the rye in it, cleaner to me the second time i had it, gluten reduced too, has that always been the case? more flavor than most of these easy drinking blonde types. underrated...
Aug 11, 2019
 
Rated: 3.46 by CisPiece88 from Nebraska

Feb 13, 2019
Photo of Libeertarian
Reviewed by Libeertarian from Montana

3.29/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
From notes taken 06/27/16:

Pure, clear, rich golden ale. Fine, even, one finger off-white head of moderate retention. Grainy, grassy smell, not harsh. Grain (apparently malt, wheat, and barley), bread, honey, light fruit, fairly clean hops, dryer finish with hint of crackers. Medium-bodied, smooth (rye and wheat help), soft but plenteous carbonation.

Jul 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Irrationalist from California

May 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.97 by sporklift87 from Colorado

Aug 21, 2015
Photo of Bunman3
Reviewed by Bunman3 from Canada (AB)

3.44/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This is a crushable blonde ale, nothing more, nothing less. I certainly enjoyed it on a screaming hot summer day, but it's not something I would go out of my way to find again.
Jul 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by hozersr from Pennsylvania

Jun 22, 2015
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance - The beer is served a deep golden color with a one finger head of white foam. The head fades rather rapidly leaving just a trace of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma of the beer is mostly grainy and bready in nature with some hints of a lighter fruit smell mixed within. Along with these aromas comes some light notes of yeast and a hint of grassy hop as well.

Taste – The taste begins with a rather bready flavor mixed with a little bit of caramel and some harvest fruit tastes of apple and pear. Along with these flavors comes some lighter notes of a grape and lemon flavor, which remain in the background throughout. The bready flavors bring with them some flavors of yeast. The bready soon transitions as the taste advances taking on a more grainy flavor. All while this occurs, some yeast and a bit of a herbal and floral flavor come to the tongue, leaving one with a slightly grainy and somewhat sweet flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel- The body of the beer is on the average side in terms of thickness with a carbonation level that is rather average as well. The feel and carbonation are great for the style and make for a more refreshing and easy drinking beer.

Overall – A fairly tasty brew overall, with a bit of a more refreshing style overall. One to try if you get a chance.
Mar 21, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by a77cj7 from South Dakota

Nov 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by beer_nibbler from Montana

Oct 06, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by elglueckert from Montana

Sep 10, 2014
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

3.56/5  rDev 0%
Pours a hazy medium straw amber with golden notes. One finger white head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of wheat, light bready malt, lemon citrus and a bit of tart rye. Flavor is wheat, light lemon, hint of rye, surprisingly tart; finishes with tart citrus wheat and light grassy hop bitterness. Light to medium bodied. Unusual for a blonde ale, this seems dominated by the wheat and rye, I'd have guessed it was a wheat ale. Oddly tart for the style. As a citrusy wheat ale, it's nice and refreshing, but its not what I expected from a blonde. Pleasant, but not to style and bit too tart for my taste.
Aug 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by thebigredone from Wisconsin

May 24, 2014
Photo of mrjshock
Reviewed by mrjshock from Montana

3.36/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours into glass with a thick white head that holds well. Pale yellow or straw like color. appears very bubbly with a slight cloudiness. attractive glass of beer.

Smells of banana and pale malt.

Wheat flavor comes through. Slightly sweet. Mild to light hop bitterness.

tingly to the tip of the tongue with a watery finish.

A pleasant very drinkable beer that goes down easy and leaves me wanting more. Would be a great summertime lawn mowing beer.
Dec 19, 2013
Photo of MrBoz21
Reviewed by MrBoz21 from Colorado

2.89/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Pours straw yellow with thick 1/2 inch white head. Very bubbly. Foam does not really lace and color has a slight bit of haze.

Aroma: Pale malt and slight banana. Sort of musty.

Taste: Moderately dry with a bit of tanginess. Wheat sweetness, lemon and mild hop bitterness in the finish. Tastes and finishes watery.

Mouthfeel: Bubbly (but not tingly) and watery.

Overall: Quaffable, probably a good summertime yardwork ale. However, non-descript and lacking of any real character. Watery.
Dec 19, 2013
 
Rated: 5 by trytoketchup from Colorado

Dec 06, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by Jameswoody from Montana

Oct 28, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by elektronen from Montana

Sep 06, 2013
Sawtooth Ale from Bitter Root Brewing
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 40 ratings