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Saranac American Pale Ale
Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery
- From:
- Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery
- New York, United States
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
Ranked #1,110 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 78
Ranked #26,847 - Avg:
- 3.43 | pDev: 13.41%
- Reviews:
- 642
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 26, 2023
- Added:
- Jul 08, 2001
- Wants:
- 13
- Gots:
- 175
Officially American: previously an English pale ale, we’ve converted this beer over to an American-style Pale Ale.
We’ve dialed UP the hop profile, adding more focus to American style hops, like Cascade, Chinook, Citra, and Willamette.
Hop Infusion: every drop of beer is exposed to our hop slurry as the beer passes from fermentation to aging, resulting in a more brilliant, cleaner hop character.
Saranac Pale Ale’s foundation was built on the tried and true English varieties, Golding and Fuggles. We brighten Pale Ale with the three “C”s; a strong focus on Citra, complimented by Cascade, and Chinook. We then bridge the old world with the new with the two most distinctive hops Bramling Cross and Jester, both descendants of English and North American varieties.
Malts: Crystal, Two-Row
Hops: Bramling Cross, Jester, Citra, Cascade, Chinook
Original Gravity: 13.5° Plato
IBU: 32
We’ve dialed UP the hop profile, adding more focus to American style hops, like Cascade, Chinook, Citra, and Willamette.
Hop Infusion: every drop of beer is exposed to our hop slurry as the beer passes from fermentation to aging, resulting in a more brilliant, cleaner hop character.
Saranac Pale Ale’s foundation was built on the tried and true English varieties, Golding and Fuggles. We brighten Pale Ale with the three “C”s; a strong focus on Citra, complimented by Cascade, and Chinook. We then bridge the old world with the new with the two most distinctive hops Bramling Cross and Jester, both descendants of English and North American varieties.
Malts: Crystal, Two-Row
Hops: Bramling Cross, Jester, Citra, Cascade, Chinook
Original Gravity: 13.5° Plato
IBU: 32
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by maddamish:
Reviewed by maddamish from Tennessee
1.65/5 rDev -51.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
1.65/5 rDev -51.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
This one was a sink pour. I am sorry but the saranac line is just a watery mess. The black and tan is the best out of a bad bunch.
I don't understand how anyone would take pride in putting these beers out.
This pale ale had really no taste to it whatsoever. It wasn't ice cold as I like to drink my beers around the 45-55 degree level. I just couldn' coax anything out of this one.
Light brown in color. No head or lacing to this at all.
I don't like to slam beers and it isn't in my nature to just dismiss a line of beers. But this is just bad. Unless you are picking up the black and tan, please stay away from this line of beers.
Mar 16, 2006I don't understand how anyone would take pride in putting these beers out.
This pale ale had really no taste to it whatsoever. It wasn't ice cold as I like to drink my beers around the 45-55 degree level. I just couldn' coax anything out of this one.
Light brown in color. No head or lacing to this at all.
I don't like to slam beers and it isn't in my nature to just dismiss a line of beers. But this is just bad. Unless you are picking up the black and tan, please stay away from this line of beers.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by ragged_tweed from New York
4.15/5 rDev +21%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev +21%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This beer deserves way more respect than it is getting on BA. It is as good or better than other well-known green-label American pale ales with way higher scores. I rediscovered this because I needed a break from chewing on “juicy” American IPAs. It is well balanced and subtle. Its roots as an English pale ale are still there even though it is hop forward. Nice job, Saranac.
Jan 26, 2023Reviewed by breaks4beer
4.24/5 rDev +23.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +23.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A solid pale ale that I feel does not always get as much love as it deserves. One of Saranac's best brews over the years, in my opinion.
Poured from a 12oz can into a pint glass. Slight over-carbonation in the can, as there was a slight froth wave upon opening (and I was very careful to not shake or disturb the can prior to opening), but nothing too crazy (froth never crested above the can's rim).
Look: A clear & brilliant copper with small bubbles slowly releasing throughout. One finger head.
Smell: Predominantly citrus with secondary notes of pine and caramel.
Taste: Well balanced and no off flavors. Slight hop presence. While it's not a super boozy beer, it does a good job hiding the 5.5%.
Feel: Slight silky feel but not oily. Nice dry finish.
Overall: A well-crafted American Pale Ale that I feel does not always get as much love as it deserves. One of Saranac's best brews over the years, in my opinion. Refreshing and something that I would always be happy to enjoy!
Mar 14, 2022Poured from a 12oz can into a pint glass. Slight over-carbonation in the can, as there was a slight froth wave upon opening (and I was very careful to not shake or disturb the can prior to opening), but nothing too crazy (froth never crested above the can's rim).
Look: A clear & brilliant copper with small bubbles slowly releasing throughout. One finger head.
Smell: Predominantly citrus with secondary notes of pine and caramel.
Taste: Well balanced and no off flavors. Slight hop presence. While it's not a super boozy beer, it does a good job hiding the 5.5%.
Feel: Slight silky feel but not oily. Nice dry finish.
Overall: A well-crafted American Pale Ale that I feel does not always get as much love as it deserves. One of Saranac's best brews over the years, in my opinion. Refreshing and something that I would always be happy to enjoy!
Reviewed by graysonslamsbrews from Pennsylvania
3.88/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12oz can into a pint glass.
Look: Copper body pours a big, off-white creamy head that dissipates pretty slowly. Brilliantly clear. Tiny bubbles retain throughout show good carbonation.
Smell: Smells bright with a complex cast of citrusy and floral hops. Smells sweet, and really delicious.
Taste: Pleasant and agreeable, bright hops and a bit of citrus. Sweeter roasted malt pushes through a caramel malt profile. (Sweetness pushes through burps; stronger carbonation compliments West Coast hops)
Feel: Slightly creamy, medium body but really easy drinking. Again, more strongly carbonated, so might fill you up after a while. But it sure is refreshing and flavorful throughout the whole beer.
Really great beer. Delicious, not too heavy and consistently flavorful. Masterfully crafted; probably Saranac's best pale ale.
Feb 18, 2020Look: Copper body pours a big, off-white creamy head that dissipates pretty slowly. Brilliantly clear. Tiny bubbles retain throughout show good carbonation.
Smell: Smells bright with a complex cast of citrusy and floral hops. Smells sweet, and really delicious.
Taste: Pleasant and agreeable, bright hops and a bit of citrus. Sweeter roasted malt pushes through a caramel malt profile. (Sweetness pushes through burps; stronger carbonation compliments West Coast hops)
Feel: Slightly creamy, medium body but really easy drinking. Again, more strongly carbonated, so might fill you up after a while. But it sure is refreshing and flavorful throughout the whole beer.
Really great beer. Delicious, not too heavy and consistently flavorful. Masterfully crafted; probably Saranac's best pale ale.
Reviewed by Scrapss from Pennsylvania
3.63/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.63/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Saranac Americanized Pale Ale. Poured from the 233 day of 2019 canning date into a half-litre dimple mug.
A: Clear, very clear Ale. slightly orangey-yellow hue, decent 1 finger head that compacts to a nearly glass-wide 1mm disk with some empty spots. No significant lacing.
S: Light earthy, lemongrassy/lemon-lime and very light crackery malt backbone. Very faint astringency.
T: Gentle hop tropical fruit notes, yielding to a slightly crackery malt, same as in nose, then a light bitter swallow.
M: Light creaminess, full up a little bit, then dry on finish. Did I say gentle earlier. That continues, and it is extremely nice on finish, lightly bitter hangs around for every on drying tongue edges.
O: Nice example of the style, I do think it's a nice, classic example of the style and a good change from all the nuevo-hopped tropical fruit bombs everyone seems to clamor for now.
Dec 20, 2019A: Clear, very clear Ale. slightly orangey-yellow hue, decent 1 finger head that compacts to a nearly glass-wide 1mm disk with some empty spots. No significant lacing.
S: Light earthy, lemongrassy/lemon-lime and very light crackery malt backbone. Very faint astringency.
T: Gentle hop tropical fruit notes, yielding to a slightly crackery malt, same as in nose, then a light bitter swallow.
M: Light creaminess, full up a little bit, then dry on finish. Did I say gentle earlier. That continues, and it is extremely nice on finish, lightly bitter hangs around for every on drying tongue edges.
O: Nice example of the style, I do think it's a nice, classic example of the style and a good change from all the nuevo-hopped tropical fruit bombs everyone seems to clamor for now.
Reviewed by RockHop from Massachusetts
4.13/5 rDev +20.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev +20.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A surprisingly good pale ale. Well-rounded and easy drinking. A good contender for a go-to ale. Copper with slight cloudiness and thick creamy head with good retention. Has a fairly generic, but clean beer aroma. Round flavors of malt, grain, and muted bitterness with a hint of pine and citrus. More earthy and herby than bright.
Aug 14, 2019Reviewed by edward_boumil from New York
3.79/5 rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Feel like this beer is a tad underrated. Perhaps not trendy enough. Worth noting that I prefer from the bottle, has strong hop notes and smoother mouthfeel that way for some reason.
Poured into a glass had a nice head though it settles out to a film, clear copper colored body with light apparent carbonation.
Aroma is nice although it’s subtle. It’s sweet and fruity primarily, get some of those nice fruit, citrus and papaya come to mind. Melon as well. Honey.
Palate is great here. No off flavors, well balanced. Description mentions tweaked recipe, used to be English inspired. I certainly see some remenants of that in the malt profile, sweet molasses, toast, brown sugar, ect. Also a dryness which complements the hop, which certainly have a west coast character. Hop bite is most certainly there but very much so restrained, as per the style.
Mouthfeel is very good. It’s frothy and silky. I’d say my one complaint is it is just a tad astringent. Drinking from the bottle seems to tame it a bit but I’m rating based on a pour as per my norm.
Overall this beer is very well crafted IMO. Serves a niche role: a beer which is very drinkable but highly enjoyable with sparks of complexity, but not challenging nor tiring. Very sessionable, could see it being a great summer beer.
Feb 23, 2019Poured into a glass had a nice head though it settles out to a film, clear copper colored body with light apparent carbonation.
Aroma is nice although it’s subtle. It’s sweet and fruity primarily, get some of those nice fruit, citrus and papaya come to mind. Melon as well. Honey.
Palate is great here. No off flavors, well balanced. Description mentions tweaked recipe, used to be English inspired. I certainly see some remenants of that in the malt profile, sweet molasses, toast, brown sugar, ect. Also a dryness which complements the hop, which certainly have a west coast character. Hop bite is most certainly there but very much so restrained, as per the style.
Mouthfeel is very good. It’s frothy and silky. I’d say my one complaint is it is just a tad astringent. Drinking from the bottle seems to tame it a bit but I’m rating based on a pour as per my norm.
Overall this beer is very well crafted IMO. Serves a niche role: a beer which is very drinkable but highly enjoyable with sparks of complexity, but not challenging nor tiring. Very sessionable, could see it being a great summer beer.
Saranac American Pale Ale from Matt Brewing Company / Saranac Brewery
Beer rating:
78 out of
100 with
1338 ratings
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