Saranac Dark-tober(fest)
Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery

 

 

 

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a coppery brown color with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains lager yeast, caramelized malts, honey, some chocolate and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out bready with flavors of lager yeast and a hearty but not too heavy malt character. Then some mildly sweet flavors of chocolate and honey come in. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly bready.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: A little tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style but seems more like a Munich Dunkel, it’s a decent beer if you’re in the mood for a not-too-dark lager.

 

 

 

Enjoyed from the 12 oz bottle in a pint glass. This sessionable brew pours a clear darkish amber with a moderate head of off white foam that subsides to a thick ring, subtle pool, and nice lacing. Nose of light caramel, light chocolate, and grain notes. Flavors follow the nose with roasted caramel malts with a subtle chocolate note and heavy grain notes on the back. More in the dunkle category as noted by others. Medium mouth feel, lightly carbonated, lightly sweet yet grainy aftertaste that finishes subtly dry. A decent session brew, but not up to the snuff of the more recent brews I have had from Matt Brewing.

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

I just keep attacking the backlog of bottles in the hopes of a) getting it eradicated and b) being able to return to The CANQuest (tm). In the interim, my local, in-person trader, tone77, has migrated south for the winter and this is who delivered this bottle, so hope springs eternal. Lead me not into temptation, I know my own way!

From the bottle: "With Muncih malts providing its deep reddish-copper color and bigger, richer character, this is an Octoberfest that truly embraces its dark side."

I Pop!ped off the cap and commenced a slow pour that resulted in two fingers of foamy, deep-tan/light-brown head with decent retention. I may revert to gentle pours for bottled beers and inverted Glugs only for CANs. I seem to be having good success with the bottled beers this way. Color was Brown to Dark brown (SRM = > 22, < 27) with NE-quality clarity. Nose smelled of milk chocolate! Wow. Mouthfeel was thin-to-medium. The taste was lightly chocolaty and a pleasant surprise as well as a nice change of pace. Finish was semi-sweet and very clean, just as a lager should be. I might not have chosen it on my own, but it was a worthy inclusion in our ongoing trade.

 

 

Poured 12oz bottle into snifter glass.

Appearance- Pours a deep dark brown, 2 finger white/tan head that lingers a bit. Opaque.

Smell- Roasted malt, caramel, slight chocolate.

Taste- Rich grainy malt with hints of chocolate mixed with barley. Flavor builds on the roasted malt. Finishes slightly herbal and sweet, but with less taste than earlier in the flavor profile.

Mouthfeel- Medium in body with medium carbonation.

Overall- So-so with the flavors, a bit week in some aspects, especially towards the finish. And this is much unlike an Oktoberfest in appearance and malt character. How about a Dunkel??

 

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a dark brown color with some amber hues and a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of dark breads, malts. Taste is also bready, malts, some rye, hops are present as well. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall, not quite what I expect from this style, but a solid beer nonetheless.