Brewery: Matt Brewing Company, Utica, NY

Brewery Description: “A hop lover’s delight. In the India Pale Ale tradition this brew is very hoppy in both aroma and flavor from the generous amounts of cascade hops used in brewing. Look for a medium to full body and golden straw color.”

Brew Style: American India Pale Ale, 5.8% ABV

Recommended Glassware: Shaker, English pint, Tulip

The Ugly Truth: The Saranacs are done…FINALLY.  I have to apologize for dragging my ass on these, I’ve just been out straight lately and haven’t had time for reviews.

Alright, Saranac India Pale Ale.  Not awesome, but not horrible either.  The beer poured a medium gold in color, with a bit of a copper tinge to it.  It sported a persistant head, with a creamy texture to it.  Very clear, with lots of carbonation bubbles rising from the bottom at the start but died down after awhile.  The aroma was probably the best part of the experience.  Very statisfying dry citrus hop profile to it that wasn’t overly strong.  No heavy malt overtones to it.

The flavor was where I found the beer lacking.  There was only a light to medium hops profile at the start, with a touch of malt sweetness to the test.  There is a definite citrus hops flavor that comes forwards and lingers into the aftertaste.  It has almost this grapefruit quality to the citrus, but its thankfully not strong enough to dominate the taste.  The taste isn’t overly harsh, but I found it to have a real mild hops profile for an IPA.  The body was light to medium, which was nice since it made the beer more drinkable.

Overall, it was an alright beer but nothing that blew me away.  Decent hops, but I would have expected more from an IPA than this gave.  If you are just looking for something to drink and want a tiny bit of hops, then try it.  Otherwise, I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.

Verdict:Giving it a 6 out of 10.