Saranac Black Lager
Brewed By: FX Matt Brewing
Brewed In: Utica, NY
ABV: 5.5%
Type: Schwarzbier
What They Say: In the dusk of winter, when you come in from the cold, grab a Saranac Black Lager to warm up by the fire! This black, German style Schwarzbier has a full body and dark chocolaty flavor. Look for hints of coffee and waves of maltiness that will make you warm and “roasty”.
Why I Picked It: The Saranac 12 Beers Of Winter series continues with this, the third of six in this pack and the third of five new reviews.
–
Presentation (5): Saranac forgoes the usual peaceful forest scene and just sticks a big ol’ black bear on the front standing in front of mountains. Oddly, I’m a fan of the black bear mascot. I suggest they use him more. I would have liked a stuffed version of the black bear for my dorm room. 3
Originality (5): As much as I enjoy the flavors of them, a schwarzbier with roasted coffee and chocolate malts isn’t exactly cutting edge. The schwarzbier stye comes from Germany, which probably means it’s something like a thousand years old. Literally. 1
Body (10): A not quite black, cola-esque body with obviously less carbonation. A rapidly-settling head is the prologue to a lightly-carbonated beer. I didn’t get much of an aroma after the pour. Trying really hard I was able to pick up some light malt odor. Considering the very obvious browned chocolate malts, the beer surprisingly not bitter, finishing much crisper than expected of such a dark beer. It’s refreshing as schwarzbiers go without the dryness that usually accompanies the type. Sadly, there’s just not quite enough oomph to get in to it. 6
Taste (10): The dark malts are supposed to be the star here but, as evidenced by the not-quite-potent nose, it’s difficult to find. Nothing very bold as Saranac seems to going for a masses-friendly schwarzbier instead of anything with a lot of substance. It’s perfectly serviceable and completely inoffensive, but nothing to write home about. 6
Efficiency (10): This is a fairly drinkable beer with a moderate ABV and a low-ish cost. However, if you’re going to look for something in the 5.5 range, I’d personally find something with a little more flavor punch. This is very session-able and, were it available by itself, reasonably-priced — but offered in the sampler I just wasn’t feeling it. 5
Versatility (10): True snobs won’t like this because it’s not a bold schwarzbier. The label promises strong flavors that just aren’t there. Non-snobs aren’t going to like it because the flavors something they don’t expect. It falls in to that random gray area of weak session beer for low-level snobs. Not the best category to be placed in, but I sees it how I sees it. 4
The Snob Sez: As the final score indicates, it’s a perfectly average beer. It’s about as generic a beer as the style allows. The taste is fine and I’d absolutely drink it again, but I wouldn’t go out of my for it either.
Final Score: 25 (of 50) – Good beer
Related posts:
- Friday Beer Snob: Saranac 12 Beers Of Winter 2009 – Winter Lager
- Friday Beer Snob: Saranac 12 Beers Of Winter 2009 – Maple Porter
- What You Didn’t Drink This Weekend: Rogue Dirtoir Black Lager
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
[...] (10): Similar to the Black Lager, this beer sits in a strange gray area. It’s going to get crushed by IPA-nuts for not being [...]
[...] Black Lager: True snobs won’t like this because it’s not a bold schwarzbier. The label promises strong flavors that just aren’t there. Non-snobs aren’t going to like it because the flavors something they don’t expect. It falls in to that random gray area of weak session beer for low-level snobs. 25 [...]