Saranac Holiday Haze
Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery

 

 

 

my parents are notorious for buying a variety pack of craft stuff at holiday time, drinking the blondes and lagers, and letting the hoppy ones sit for six months until someone who likes hoppy beer comes over and gets them in whatever condition they are in. dont get me wrong, im into it, would rather have this late than not at all. fortunately for me, this one has actually held up shockingly well since it was undoubtedly part of their holiday box last winter. hazy beer usually doesnt do that, and hoppy beer from saranac especially at anything less than max freshness has historically not been nice, but this one for whatever reason is working for me. its got a little white ipa vibe with some appreciable wheat to it, and the hop profile is cool, wintery and piney and woodsy like i want in a winter ipa, a bit of a bitter bite as well, but its also got a more fruity vibe too, a southern hemisphere juiciness as well that works with the more assertive west coast hop profile, really layered and good. the body is there, oxidation is minimal, and the ferment is cleaner than i generally recall from their other efforts in this vein. the body is soft, the wheat is flavorful, i get a subtle ester in here i cant quite place but like a lot, peppery or something, maybe faintly belgian even, adding to the winter vibes. a little odd to be drinking this six months too late and in high summer, but i have to say i liked it well enough to have two of them, and appreciate some obvious improvement from saranac here. good stuff even now.

 

 

Slight hazy, transparent golden orange. Eggshell white head, good lacing and retention.

Smells like black iced tea and pineapple.

Tastes like iced black tea, and hints of pineapple and citrus peel. Biscuity malt. A slight bitterness.

Medium carbonation, moderate mouthfeel. Crisp and dry.

An okay IPA. Pretty bland and forgettable.