Saranac Decoction Concoction Lager
Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- Lager - American Amber / Red
- ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 80
- Avg:
- 3.52 | pDev: 13.64%
- Reviews:
- 22
- Ratings:
- From:
- Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery
- New York, United States
- Avail:
- Retired (no longer brewed)
- Wants
- 1
- Gots
- 3
SCORE
80
Good
80
Good
Notes:
Reviews: 22
| Ratings: 103
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Reviews by JohnnyK:
More User Reviews:
WVbeergeek from West Virginia
3.58/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A deep amber brown hue in the body big white fluffy head, layered speckled lacing. Aroma pine, citrus, and floral hop notes that minimal bready layers to support the hop pellet like notes. Flavor has upfront bitterness waves of biscuit/bready malts with big notes of bitterness, pine, floral, and mild citrus peel notes. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied slightly slick hop oils resinous upon the palate. Overall not a bad attempt by the Saranac 12 beers of Winter, decent hopped up lager something different.
Nov 28, 2013
3.58/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A deep amber brown hue in the body big white fluffy head, layered speckled lacing. Aroma pine, citrus, and floral hop notes that minimal bready layers to support the hop pellet like notes. Flavor has upfront bitterness waves of biscuit/bready malts with big notes of bitterness, pine, floral, and mild citrus peel notes. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied slightly slick hop oils resinous upon the palate. Overall not a bad attempt by the Saranac 12 beers of Winter, decent hopped up lager something different.
Nov 28, 2013
plaid75 from New York
4.03/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a deep amber hue with a two finger frothy white head. There was very good retention and sticky lacing.
The smell featured a potent herbal hop and earthy malt.
The taste was likewise earthy and herbal with a clean grainy caramel malt.
The mouthfeel was clean with a pleasant carbonation.
Overall a very tasty lager.
Oct 28, 2013
4.03/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a deep amber hue with a two finger frothy white head. There was very good retention and sticky lacing.
The smell featured a potent herbal hop and earthy malt.
The taste was likewise earthy and herbal with a clean grainy caramel malt.
The mouthfeel was clean with a pleasant carbonation.
Overall a very tasty lager.
Oct 28, 2013
Kendo from New York
3.62/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
A: Poured from the bottle into a pilsner glass. Body is surprisingly darkish amber, though clear, with a small ivory head. Leaves some lace behind.
S: At first I get a bit of fruit and think it smells like an ale. But then I get toasted malt, a herbal tea-like smell and forget about that fruitiness.
T: Toasty malt, some cereal grains and a touch of something fruity on the back of the sip. Feels surprisingly warm in the belly; that 6% ABV is a bit high for a lager, I suppose. Finishes with some lingering sweetness after just a smidgeon of bitterness. I still can't help thinking it's quite ale-like in some ways.
M: Light in heft, carbonation is modest.
O: Inoffensive, but not quite "clean" enough for a lager. Still tastes like Saranac.
Nov 23, 2013
3.62/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
A: Poured from the bottle into a pilsner glass. Body is surprisingly darkish amber, though clear, with a small ivory head. Leaves some lace behind.
S: At first I get a bit of fruit and think it smells like an ale. But then I get toasted malt, a herbal tea-like smell and forget about that fruitiness.
T: Toasty malt, some cereal grains and a touch of something fruity on the back of the sip. Feels surprisingly warm in the belly; that 6% ABV is a bit high for a lager, I suppose. Finishes with some lingering sweetness after just a smidgeon of bitterness. I still can't help thinking it's quite ale-like in some ways.
M: Light in heft, carbonation is modest.
O: Inoffensive, but not quite "clean" enough for a lager. Still tastes like Saranac.
Nov 23, 2013
Brad007 from Vermont
3.71/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a dark blonde color with a frothy head into my glass. This is part of the new winter mix pack.
Decent pine hop bite greets the nose followed by a touch of buttery malt underneath. Grainy texture.
Ditto on the flavor. Sweet malt gains that buttery edge from front-to-back of mouth. That grainy texture expands in the mouth, finishing with a clean, creamy bite.
Mouthfeel is highly favorable. Sweet and creamy.
After another bottle, I've changed my outlook on this beer. It is one hell of a tasty decoction lager.
Dec 05, 2013
3.71/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a dark blonde color with a frothy head into my glass. This is part of the new winter mix pack.
Decent pine hop bite greets the nose followed by a touch of buttery malt underneath. Grainy texture.
Ditto on the flavor. Sweet malt gains that buttery edge from front-to-back of mouth. That grainy texture expands in the mouth, finishing with a clean, creamy bite.
Mouthfeel is highly favorable. Sweet and creamy.
After another bottle, I've changed my outlook on this beer. It is one hell of a tasty decoction lager.
Dec 05, 2013
HalfFull from California
3.45/5 rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a capped 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. Pours a clear medium amber in color and sports a thin cap of off white foam. Bit lightly carbonated like all beers from this brewery it seems. Manages to drop off some lace regardless.
Aroma is quite hoppy along with a clean lager sense and some light caramel notes. Piney hops are dominant with some agitation. Taste follows with a bready light caramel start, a flash of smooth and oily lager clarity mid palate and then a finish that is sweet coarse and adds a hint of chocolate. Offers a decent feel, slightly coarse which helps balance the light carbonation to a degree. Good drinkability, nicely hopped and not too much caramel sweetness to be found. Interesting mix of factors going on, touch more caramel fruity with warming and outgassing.
Dec 29, 2013
3.45/5 rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a capped 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. Pours a clear medium amber in color and sports a thin cap of off white foam. Bit lightly carbonated like all beers from this brewery it seems. Manages to drop off some lace regardless.
Aroma is quite hoppy along with a clean lager sense and some light caramel notes. Piney hops are dominant with some agitation. Taste follows with a bready light caramel start, a flash of smooth and oily lager clarity mid palate and then a finish that is sweet coarse and adds a hint of chocolate. Offers a decent feel, slightly coarse which helps balance the light carbonation to a degree. Good drinkability, nicely hopped and not too much caramel sweetness to be found. Interesting mix of factors going on, touch more caramel fruity with warming and outgassing.
Dec 29, 2013
Brenden from Ohio
3.76/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Without much of a description on the label, this beer's interesting name alone rouses curiosity. It's a clear red-orange with an off-white head roughly half a finger tall. Retention is pretty good, as it the spotting/patching mixture of lace thrown down as the beer descends the walls of the glass.
This beer runs the gamut of smells and flavors with a blend of toast, fruits, floral, grains and earth with a mixture of very light sugary sweetness balanced by later notes of raw pine and orange peel.
The mouthfeel is a surprisingly deep and textured one. It's medium in body with moderate carbonation, crisp but quite smooth all the way and ending with more crispness in the finish.
Feb 02, 2014
3.76/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Without much of a description on the label, this beer's interesting name alone rouses curiosity. It's a clear red-orange with an off-white head roughly half a finger tall. Retention is pretty good, as it the spotting/patching mixture of lace thrown down as the beer descends the walls of the glass.
This beer runs the gamut of smells and flavors with a blend of toast, fruits, floral, grains and earth with a mixture of very light sugary sweetness balanced by later notes of raw pine and orange peel.
The mouthfeel is a surprisingly deep and textured one. It's medium in body with moderate carbonation, crisp but quite smooth all the way and ending with more crispness in the finish.
Feb 02, 2014
generallee from Virginia
3.75/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.
Appearance: It has a deep copper amber body with a tall and thick off white head topping it off.
Smell: There are zesty citrusy hop jumping out at me along with bready whole grain malt notes in the background.
Taste / Palate: The flavor matches the aroma and serves it on an easy drinking medium body with balanced carbonation and a slow mellow bitter finish.
May 23, 2014
3.75/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.
Appearance: It has a deep copper amber body with a tall and thick off white head topping it off.
Smell: There are zesty citrusy hop jumping out at me along with bready whole grain malt notes in the background.
Taste / Palate: The flavor matches the aroma and serves it on an easy drinking medium body with balanced carbonation and a slow mellow bitter finish.
May 23, 2014
Stinkypuss from Pennsylvania
3.51/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours a light amber color with a white head and some lace. Aroma of caramel and toasted malts. In the taste, caramel, brown sugar and toffee. Some whole grain bread flavor is there as well. Mild and drinkable, hops are tame and lightly citrusy with a small presence in the finish.
On the light side of medium bodied but decent body to it. Overall, this is a clean American Amber lager that is quite drinkable.
Dec 28, 2013
3.51/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours a light amber color with a white head and some lace. Aroma of caramel and toasted malts. In the taste, caramel, brown sugar and toffee. Some whole grain bread flavor is there as well. Mild and drinkable, hops are tame and lightly citrusy with a small presence in the finish.
On the light side of medium bodied but decent body to it. Overall, this is a clean American Amber lager that is quite drinkable.
Dec 28, 2013
puboflyons from New Hampshire
3.18/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
From the 12 fl. oz. bottle stamped BB Mar312014-2883-0806. Sampled on November 23, 2013.
It begins with a copper-amber pour with a fizzy white head that fades fast.
The aroma is of caramel and toffee malts with a floral hoppiness that is much more akin to grapefruit.
The body is medium with a slight acidity in the texture.
The taste has an obvious caramel and toffee quality at first which is abruptly replaced by the grapefruit bite at the end. In the end it is more hoppy than most pilseners I have had.
Nov 23, 2013
3.18/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
From the 12 fl. oz. bottle stamped BB Mar312014-2883-0806. Sampled on November 23, 2013.
It begins with a copper-amber pour with a fizzy white head that fades fast.
The aroma is of caramel and toffee malts with a floral hoppiness that is much more akin to grapefruit.
The body is medium with a slight acidity in the texture.
The taste has an obvious caramel and toffee quality at first which is abruptly replaced by the grapefruit bite at the end. In the end it is more hoppy than most pilseners I have had.
Nov 23, 2013
CloudStrife from New York
3.62/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Best by March 31 2014.
A: Pours a clear deep amber ruby with a nice dense off white head. Leaves some good lacing on the sides of the glass. Average amount of visible carbonation.
S: Pleasant malty aroma that has both a graininess and a sweetness. Hops are noticeable in the background. This adds an earthiness to beer.
T: Pretty smooth beer that is hoppier than expected. Starts off with a malt sweetness that is overtaken by the bittering hops. Aftertaste is enjoyable and has earthy hop tones.
M: Medium body with somewhat low carbonation. Has a creamy smooth mouthfeel.
Overall its an enjoyable beer and a very nice lager. Wishing there was more than two in the mix pack.
Oct 24, 2013
3.62/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Best by March 31 2014.
A: Pours a clear deep amber ruby with a nice dense off white head. Leaves some good lacing on the sides of the glass. Average amount of visible carbonation.
S: Pleasant malty aroma that has both a graininess and a sweetness. Hops are noticeable in the background. This adds an earthiness to beer.
T: Pretty smooth beer that is hoppier than expected. Starts off with a malt sweetness that is overtaken by the bittering hops. Aftertaste is enjoyable and has earthy hop tones.
M: Medium body with somewhat low carbonation. Has a creamy smooth mouthfeel.
Overall its an enjoyable beer and a very nice lager. Wishing there was more than two in the mix pack.
Oct 24, 2013
devilben02 from North Carolina
3.89/5 rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours from the bottle with a glowing, rich orange-amber color, but a quickly-dissipating off-white head. The aroma is an unexpected combination of herbal, sweet, and slightly sour elements that creates some intrigue. The flavor is likewise interesting, with the dry, earthy, mildly-astringent hops melding with sweet/tart bready malts. It somewhat tastes like the liquid equivalent of dipping a light sourdough bread into a mild herbed vinegar. The good, soft carbonation and medium body provides some weight in the mouth. Overall, the unexpected complexity makes this beer quite interesting and enjoyable.
Jan 05, 2014
3.89/5 rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours from the bottle with a glowing, rich orange-amber color, but a quickly-dissipating off-white head. The aroma is an unexpected combination of herbal, sweet, and slightly sour elements that creates some intrigue. The flavor is likewise interesting, with the dry, earthy, mildly-astringent hops melding with sweet/tart bready malts. It somewhat tastes like the liquid equivalent of dipping a light sourdough bread into a mild herbed vinegar. The good, soft carbonation and medium body provides some weight in the mouth. Overall, the unexpected complexity makes this beer quite interesting and enjoyable.
Jan 05, 2014
Saranac Decoction Concoction Lager from Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery
Beer rating:
80 out of
100 with
103 ratings
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