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+--- Thread: Real Beer (ale) from Saranac (/showthread.php?tid=25165)
Real Beer (ale) from Saranac - jimbrady - 12-31-2006
Not sure if Saranac is widely available outside the Northeast, but this particular variety is worth looking for: http://saranac.com/beers/beerdescription.cfm?id=F2A6A6F2-EF67-E8FB-F3182AB9261325F0
Until now, every one of their offerings (that I've tasted) has been OK to Good, with a bigger plus being its low price (compared with other OK beers like Sam Adams).
This one is in a different class--Imperial IPA with 85 IBU and 8.5% alc. by volume. Pretty impressive. Part of a new "HIGH Peaks Series" that will release a limited "big beer" every month or so.
Re: Real Beer (ale) from Saranac - davemchine - 12-31-2006
Only one rating at http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer/saranac-imperial-ipa/68166/ you should add your impressions. 85 ibu, wow! Interesting that the website says it uses 10 different hops but then only lists Cascade, Columbus, Centennial. I'll bet they only use the three hops but use 10 hop infusions or additions (whatever you want to call it). Thanks for sharing.
Dave
Re: Real Beer (ale) from Saranac - jimbrady - 12-31-2006
I'm not sure if my understanding of IBU is complete--I tend to like beers with higher IBU (to my understanding a measurement of bitterness), but to me, they all seem to have a unique sweetness to them (like this Imperial IPA, or a Barleywine style ale).
Re: Real Beer (ale) from Saranac - davemchine - 12-31-2006
IBU's does indeed refer to bittering units. In a good beer that will be balanced by malt flavors but nontheless you should get a real bite from it.
A higher alcohol beer will have alot of fermentable sugars in it. The amount of those sugars that are converted to alcohol will vary. Some will ferment out fully giving you a "dry" effect while others will stop short of a full ferment and leave some sweetness in the beer.
See these guidelines for more info if you are interested http://www.mv.com/ipusers/slack/bjcp/styleguide07.html .
btw, I am sitting here drinking an ipa that I made myself. 65 ibu's!
Dave
Re: Real Beer (ale) from Saranac - ztirffritz - 12-31-2006
When I was first trying to brew beer I tasted a Saranac beer that I smuggled from somewhere (I was 19 at the time). It tasted really nasty to me. It occurs to me now that back then I really like Rolling Rock and Molson, so perhaps my tastes have changed a bit since then. I just remember that it was powerful stuff
Re: Real Beer (ale) from Saranac - mattkime - 12-31-2006
IPAs are always solid choice.
My recent favorite is Belhaven which isn't common but a nearby pub carries it. Its a nice rich Scottish ale which manages to cross the Atlantic without suffering as much as other ales do.
Traveling through the British countryside transformed my taste for beer after drinking so much of their local "bitters."
Re: Real Beer (ale) from Saranac - mrlynn - 12-31-2006
I've been generally underwhelmed by Saranac beers and ales. Their regular IPA isn't as good as Harpoon IPA, which I generally buy when nothing else is on sale. But maybe this 'Imperial IPA' will be better—though I can't handle too much alcohol these days.
If you can find any of the Shipyard flavors, I recommend them, particularly the Blue Fin Stout. My local beer store had some for a while, but got into some kind of dispute with the distributor.
/Mr Lynn
Re: Real Beer (ale) from Saranac - jimbrady - 12-31-2006
Saranac does make underwhelming beers for the most part--I'd imagine you're talking about the "Pale Ale" (dark green label) which is way more available than their "IPA" (bright green label). The latter is pretty good (IMO) and costs the same as their standard bargain-basement brews. The "Imperial" is 25 or 30% more expensive.
Re: Real Beer (ale) from Saranac - mrlynn - 12-31-2006
[quote jimbrady]Saranac does make underwhelming beers for the most part--I'd imagine you're talking about the "Pale Ale" (dark green label) which is way more available than their "IPA" (bright green label). The latter is pretty good (IMO) and costs the same as their standard bargain-basement brews. The "Imperial" is 25 or 30% more expensive.
I meant their IPA, actually; got both that and the Pale Ale in a variety 12-pack before Christmas (including some fairly yucky flavored beers). I agree that their Pale Ale is more hoppy (IPA-like) than many, and pretty good; the IPA is even better. So I would not be surprised if the 'Imperial' were good.
Some of the micro-breweries are now selling their offerings in larger bottles (24 oz?), too big for a single drink (for me, anyway). I suppose I could put a stopper in, as I used to in the old days of drinking Carling GIQs (Giant Imperial Quarts), but likely they'll go flat.
This is making me thirsty. . .
/Mr Lynn