Big Moose Winter Ale
Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery

Big Moose Winter AleBig Moose Winter Ale
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From:
Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery
 
New York, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
5.7%
Score:
79
Avg:
3.49 | pDev: 15.19%
Reviews:
222
Ratings:
503
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 09, 2021
Added:
Oct 07, 2009
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  53
An American pale ale with fresh floral and citrus hop characters to keep the season bright. We’ve improved upon the 2012 recipe to fit with the palates of today.

Food Pairings: Grilled lamb, pork tenderloin, spiced foods
Cheese Pairings: Cheddar or Gorgonzola
Malts: 2-Row Pale, UK Pale, Carapils, Caramel Malt
Original Gravity:
Hops: Centennial, Citra, Amarillo
IBU: 45
ABV: 5.7%"
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Mardukk:
Photo of Mardukk
Reviewed by Mardukk from Ohio

3.32/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Pours an amber color with some lacing.

A piney/citrus hop smell dominates.

Very carbonated with extremely lively citrus hops and little to no malt flavor. While I like hops this seems almost too light without a malt backbone..carbonated hop water.
Medium carbonation and light bodied.

I tend to enjoy beers with a bit more malt flavor. This is a somewhat unique beer as I've not had anything quite like this, hoppy and somewhat light. While this is not bad....I would not want to drink more than a couple.
Dec 29, 2009
More User Ratings:
Photo of JohnniEMc
Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
The 12 oz. brown bottle has been emptied into a clear glass Imperial pint mug. It's pretty, the color of a light copper. Not dense at all, there's some translucence. There's a modest white head and nice glass lacing. The aroma is of a good ale, with malt and hops showing. The taste also includes both, but unbalanced in the hop direction. This is not necessarily a bad thing. What is less than optimal is the thinness on the tongue, probably because of the skimpy malt. This is an OK, somewhat hoppy ale. It brings a nicely clean bitter hoppiness, but not much more.
Apr 09, 2021
Photo of Peach63
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York

3.92/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours light amber with a 1/2 inch cream-colored head. Moderate lacing to the end.

Aroma is spicy, citrus, spruce.

Taste is spruce, spice, caramel, citrus.

Medium bodied, lively carbonation. Dry finish.

One of the best winter beers from Saranac.
Feb 28, 2021
Photo of frankdatank1337
Rated by frankdatank1337 from California

2.83/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
This winter ale is simple and light. Its a bit too tart with minimal flavor though, hence the lower rating.
Jan 24, 2021
Photo of HoppingMadMonk
Reviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey

3.54/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Around a medium body with about the same for carbonation.
Aroma wasn't overpowering but there was citrus, grain, malt, sour grainy bread, earthy and floral.
Taste for the most part followed the aroma. Grain,citrus,malt,grain, sour grainy bread.
Overall a safe beer in that it doesn't stray into anything extreme but still a pleasant tasting beer.
Dec 20, 2020
 
Rated: 3.57 by Hockey_Fan from Maryland

Dec 13, 2020
Photo of maddogruss
Reviewed by maddogruss from New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Had this from a bottle.
A: pours an orange amber body with small white head with nice retention and lacing
S: sweet, grapefruit rind and toasted biscuit and toffee notes
T: a sweet, lemony, citrus taste; subtle biscuity notes; could be a bit more malty to balance, but still good
M: medium bodied and smooth; solid overall
D: nice mouthfeel and taste combo; solid beer; tastes like what Saranac pale ale used to taste like
Nov 21, 2020
Photo of moodenba
Reviewed by moodenba from New York

3.55/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Big Moose Winter Ale bottle at refrigerator temperature poured into a simple glass. Moderate head falls fairly quickly. Body is healthy amber and slightly cloudy. Taste is solid. There is a small malt body with a good bitter hit. The aftertaste is more balanced, with the malt more evident. This is a good drinkable beer from Matt.
Update Nov. 2020: This bottle of Big Moose was poured at about 50F. The head was long lasting and left considerable lacing. This time, the initial flavor is lively and well balanced. It has a quenching hop flavor with a pleasant aftertaste. I think this is an excellent brew. Earlier rating 3/3/3.5/3.25/3.5 raised to 3.75/3/3.75/3.5/3.75. The difference might be a change in formula, earlier review being of stale beer, or a combination of those.
Jun 08, 2019
 
Rated: 3.63 by danzorb from Pennsylvania

Mar 05, 2019
Photo of z_21
Reviewed by z_21 from Pennsylvania

3.57/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
L: Pours a cloudy amber to rusty orange, poor head retention. Retains lacing

S: Citrusy with some floral notes and pine

T: Taste follows the nose, citrus flavor is bold, then pine and spice.

F: Medium body with moderate carbonation. Finishes dry with some lingering bitterness

O: A solid, straightforward ale
Feb 02, 2019
 
Rated: 2.25 by NeckBootHeadAss from Virginia

Jan 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.81 by ALLMUCH from Pennsylvania

Jan 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.37 by RT-Kris from New York

Jan 04, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Jan 02, 2019
 
Rated: 3.59 by kell50 from North Carolina

Dec 28, 2018
Photo of hman43
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Look: It pours golden and clear with a white head. Head retention is moderately low.

Smell: It has aromas of stone fruit with some grainy sweetness. There are also some floral notes.

Taste: There are apricot flavors with grainy sweetness. It has a bit of spice in it with some cherry notes.

Feel: It has a moderate body with mild bitterness.

Overall, it is a easy drinking beer with some good flavors.
Dec 23, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by Jjmj51 from Rhode Island

Dec 16, 2018
Photo of Chickenhawk9932
Reviewed by Chickenhawk9932 from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours amber with an off white head that leaves a trail of lace down the glass

Smells of citrus, orange, floral, and earthy tones.

A nice bright hop flavor citrus, pine, and a decent malt backbone.
Dec 15, 2018
Photo of drtth
Reviewed by drtth from Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
The clear dark amber colored beer pours out into a shaker pint glass with a 1/2” white head that recedes visibly to a thin cap of foam and a ring of foam, while leaving little or no lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping creates some temporary patches of lacing that soon slide back down to the liquid.

While the aromas are not strong there’s some resin and lots of citrus. In the background there’s a touch of floral character and a bit of caramel malt.

The flavors are much as expected from the nose, some moderately strong citrus and some pine and just a bit of floral character. The light sweetness of the caramel malt backbone remain tucked away in the background and allowing some moderate bitterness to be up front.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and lightly crisp with the moderate carbonation. The moderately long finish begins as the other flavors fade away to leave some citric bitterness to slowly fade to a dry ending in the back of the palate.

Overall an easy drinking beer that is neither outstanding nor poorly made. A reasonable choice when out with friends or for dinner. This workmanlike beer won’t break any records but it’s fine for every day drinking.
Dec 14, 2018
 
Rated: 3.56 by MJSFS from Florida

Dec 13, 2018
Big Moose Winter Ale from Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery
Beer rating: 79 out of 100 with 503 ratings