Matt Brewing Co. Saranac American Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5.5% ABV | 32 IBU (C$2.70 at Oak & Vine, 355 ml, bottle date 26-Oct-2016, acquired 1-Apr-2017, reviewed 5-Apr-2017)
Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of fluffy off-white head, moderate retention and lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pithy citrus, crackery malt, pine, earth, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (3/5)
Decent enough, if a little safe. The brewer’s decision to change this to an American Pale from an English Pale using a pretty standard starts-with-C hop selection feels like an attempt to catch up with a bandwagon that’s already fairly out of date. But, it’s fairly hop-forward yet well-balanced, drinks pretty easy, and has a fairly robust lingering bitterness in the finish, so it’ll do. (13/20)
6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
