Serrano Pepper Ale | Saugatuck Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Saugatuck Brewing Company
Michigan, United States
saugatuckbrewing.com
Style: Chile Beer
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.70%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by birchstick on 08-19-2012
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 91 | Reviews: 14
3.36/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
OK, my first pepper beer, didn't know what to expect. Poured a rusty orange very little head. Aroma is a bit sweet and malty, very light on the pepper. Taste is same, pleasant sweeter malt with only a hint of the pepper. The pepper shows up as its going down and leaves just a hint of the heat in your mouth. Kind of a nice feeling.
332 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
OK, my first pepper beer, didn't know what to expect. Poured a rusty orange very little head. Aroma is a bit sweet and malty, very light on the pepper. Taste is same, pleasant sweeter malt with only a hint of the pepper. The pepper shows up as its going down and leaves just a hint of the heat in your mouth. Kind of a nice feeling.
332 characters
3.59/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.55/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.31/5 rDev +22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This marks the end of my Saugatuck B.C. excursion as part of the Bottle Backlog divestment here at Chez Woody. I saved this one for last as spiced/Chile beers are a) not my forte and b) if it turns out to be a palate wrecker, I can take a break for restorative purposes.
From the bottle: "Illustrated by Colin Ofloy [-] CrocodilesOutLate.com". The new label (not pictured) is very cool with an outer space cowgirl a ridin' (sidesaddle) & a ropin' a jet-fueled pepper!
I got excited during the Pop!ping of the cap & gave it a heavy-handed pour. I got a beautiful pseudo-cascade that settled into two fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, tawny head with decent retention. I could already smell the pepper! Color was Deep Amber/Light Copper to Copper (SRM = > 13, < 17) with NE-quality clarity. Nose was definitely spicy, but I also felt like I smelled a light smokiness in there. I was suddenly transported to Uncle Billy's Brew & Que in Austin, TX on the occasion of my visit with The Chauffeur. Smoke, light spice & beer! Lifting it to my mouth, I got another whiff of spicy green vegetal matter and a touch of that smokiness. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste was peppery, but not so hot that I could not tolerate it (and I have a low threshold for such things). It had a really freshly-picked, earthiness to it that leant itself to that light smokiness that I noted on the nose. Finish was warm, not hot, peppery, smoky and dry. I envision cooking with this or drinking some while I cook or both. Something beefy in the crock pot on a slow simmer. Happy Thanksgiving as I look forward to turkey!
1,594 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This marks the end of my Saugatuck B.C. excursion as part of the Bottle Backlog divestment here at Chez Woody. I saved this one for last as spiced/Chile beers are a) not my forte and b) if it turns out to be a palate wrecker, I can take a break for restorative purposes.
From the bottle: "Illustrated by Colin Ofloy [-] CrocodilesOutLate.com". The new label (not pictured) is very cool with an outer space cowgirl a ridin' (sidesaddle) & a ropin' a jet-fueled pepper!
I got excited during the Pop!ping of the cap & gave it a heavy-handed pour. I got a beautiful pseudo-cascade that settled into two fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, tawny head with decent retention. I could already smell the pepper! Color was Deep Amber/Light Copper to Copper (SRM = > 13, < 17) with NE-quality clarity. Nose was definitely spicy, but I also felt like I smelled a light smokiness in there. I was suddenly transported to Uncle Billy's Brew & Que in Austin, TX on the occasion of my visit with The Chauffeur. Smoke, light spice & beer! Lifting it to my mouth, I got another whiff of spicy green vegetal matter and a touch of that smokiness. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste was peppery, but not so hot that I could not tolerate it (and I have a low threshold for such things). It had a really freshly-picked, earthiness to it that leant itself to that light smokiness that I noted on the nose. Finish was warm, not hot, peppery, smoky and dry. I envision cooking with this or drinking some while I cook or both. Something beefy in the crock pot on a slow simmer. Happy Thanksgiving as I look forward to turkey!
1,594 characters
4.25/5 rDev +20.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.5/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.33/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.56/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
2.75/5 rDev -22.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Pours a deep mahogany with chestnut head. Looks promising. However it doesn't quite follow through. Sweet, roasty malt notes dominate the nose and flavor. Subtle pepper heat on the back end. Drinks like a strong ale or stout.
Overall, this one was pretty disappointing. In a Chile Beer, I expect the pepper to dominate the overall flavor profile, not the malt. It doesn't really have any redeeming qualities and is pretty hard to drink. OK effort.
449 characters
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Pours a deep mahogany with chestnut head. Looks promising. However it doesn't quite follow through. Sweet, roasty malt notes dominate the nose and flavor. Subtle pepper heat on the back end. Drinks like a strong ale or stout.
Overall, this one was pretty disappointing. In a Chile Beer, I expect the pepper to dominate the overall flavor profile, not the malt. It doesn't really have any redeeming qualities and is pretty hard to drink. OK effort.
449 characters
3.5/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.9/5 rDev +10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.63/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.63/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.56/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.25/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.31/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
A: A deep copper color, little carbonation, poured into a a pint glass, small white head diffused into body of beer.
S: A mild malt smell, no discernible hop aroma, bit of pepper.
T: Malt does not have much body and then a hint of lemon flavor. A distinct pepper character overshadows the malt and the other characteristics of the beer. The spicy, herbal and vegetable flavors are unique but unique in an odd way, and not that pleasing to my pallet.
M: The assault of pepper masks the bread, biscuit and caramel character of the malt.
O: A unique taste profile but not one a gravitate to.
589 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
A: A deep copper color, little carbonation, poured into a a pint glass, small white head diffused into body of beer.
S: A mild malt smell, no discernible hop aroma, bit of pepper.
T: Malt does not have much body and then a hint of lemon flavor. A distinct pepper character overshadows the malt and the other characteristics of the beer. The spicy, herbal and vegetable flavors are unique but unique in an odd way, and not that pleasing to my pallet.
M: The assault of pepper masks the bread, biscuit and caramel character of the malt.
O: A unique taste profile but not one a gravitate to.
589 characters
3.59/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.75/5 rDev +6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.25/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.03/5 rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12 oz. bottle, 130807 printed on the label. Gifted to me from the local bottle shop owner. 'Amber Ale brewed with fresh Serrano peppers'. 6.80% abv listed on the label. 'Brewer's Reserve Series'. Haven't had too much from Saugatuck, so I'm not entirely sure what to expect.
Poured into a clear balloon snifter.
A - It pours a murky cloudy orange body, with about two fingers of airy bubbly off-white head. Head falls away quickly and leaves no lacing.
S - Some pale bready caramel malt content, and subtle fresh vegetal peppers. Not noting any spice or heat character in the aroma, however.
T - Taste follows the nose: bready, malty, lightly fruity / citrusy, with some subtle vegetal peppery heat that builds as it drinks on. A mild fermented apple character
M - Mild pepper heat builds as it drinks on. Medium-low carb, not particularly easy-drinking.
Overall, an uninteresting example of the chile beer style. Perhaps this was an older bottle, and it developed some off flavors, but it's not one I'm particularly interesting in trying again. Forgettable, at best.
Saugatuck Serrano Pepper Ale -----3/5.
1,116 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12 oz. bottle, 130807 printed on the label. Gifted to me from the local bottle shop owner. 'Amber Ale brewed with fresh Serrano peppers'. 6.80% abv listed on the label. 'Brewer's Reserve Series'. Haven't had too much from Saugatuck, so I'm not entirely sure what to expect.
Poured into a clear balloon snifter.
A - It pours a murky cloudy orange body, with about two fingers of airy bubbly off-white head. Head falls away quickly and leaves no lacing.
S - Some pale bready caramel malt content, and subtle fresh vegetal peppers. Not noting any spice or heat character in the aroma, however.
T - Taste follows the nose: bready, malty, lightly fruity / citrusy, with some subtle vegetal peppery heat that builds as it drinks on. A mild fermented apple character
M - Mild pepper heat builds as it drinks on. Medium-low carb, not particularly easy-drinking.
Overall, an uninteresting example of the chile beer style. Perhaps this was an older bottle, and it developed some off flavors, but it's not one I'm particularly interesting in trying again. Forgettable, at best.
Saugatuck Serrano Pepper Ale -----3/5.
1,116 characters
3.33/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Serrano Pepper Ale from Saugatuck Brewing Company
3.53
out of 5
based on 91 ratings.
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5