Saranac Adirondack Lager

Welcome back folks, week 3 in our year long adventure brings us another Saranac brew. I know, back to back weeks of the same brewery, but this will also show how diverse Matt Brewing Co is. So here we go, lets grab our beer glass and pour us a nice cold….

Saranac Adirondack Lager  

This beer pours a light amber color with a thin head which quickly dissolves to nothing more than a few white clouds on top of your beer. You will immediately notice the flowery smell from the American staple Cascade hops.

The beer first hits you like any good lager would, nice and crisp; then all of a sudden…bang, you are hit with the power of hops like a good American Pale Ale would do. Wait you say, this is a lager, which is correct, and therein lays the beauty of this brew, it is nice and crisp but with an awesome amount of hops (American Cascade and German Hallertauer) to kick it up a notch, like my brother-in-law George likes to say, the difference between ouh and aah. This beer is a nice gentle step into the world of hoppy beers. So unlike to first two reviews, this beer may not be for the newcomers to craft beer, but is certainly worth a try. So don’t be shy, take a walk on the hoppy side of beer for a change and have a beer for me.

FourBoysBrewPub

Black Forest

WOW! Are we at week two already, seems like just yesterday I was just commenting on a nice craft brew. Oh wait; I was having a nice craft brew so never mind. Ok, so week two brings us…..


Saranac Black Forest by Matt Brewing Co. Utica, NY.

Well it pours a nice color of …Black, hmm; imagine that, guess that’s why it’s called Black Forest.

The head comes out nice and thick but disappears a little too quickly and ends up a thin film on the top of the beer. It does however leave some nice lacing as you drink it down; leaving distinct layers after each mouthful, letting you know if you are a big gulper or a slow sipper.

The first scent you pick up reminds you of a nice warm woodsy night, the earthy tones coming from the abundant malts used in this beer. It’s doesn’t have a complex flavor profile, most of the flavor hits at the end as you are about to swallow but not leaving any after taste. Black Forest is easy to drink, almost too easy, a very good cold weather brew to warm the soul. It’s another good craft beer for the novice beer drinker to try. So don’t be scared to visit the Black Forest, nothing is going to bite you in here.

Cheers! Go have a cold one on me, and let it be something you’ve been itching to try. Yeah, go ahead, its only beer.

FourBoysBrewPub

Red Tale Ale - Mendocino Brewing Co.

First up in what I hope to be a 52 week weekly review is :


Red Tale Ale.

Mendocino Brewing Co.

Color – Dark amber

Style – Ale (Amber)

Head – Thin cream colored with light lacing

As with any good beer, it needs proper pouring to release its full flavor the brewer intended us to experience. Never drink beer from the bottle children, unless it’s PBR and you’re at the local dive catching the next flavor of the week calling themselves a band. So get your nose right in there and take a big whiff and try to imagine what it is he wants you notice. I immediately notice the mixture of pale malts and flowery hops that help create the slight bitterness you taste once the beer has left your tongue. The first taste will provide your tongue with a slight sweet/caramel taste and leaving a crisp finish followed by the bitterness from the hops coming seconds after swallowing. Not staying too long but long enough to enjoy its balance.

Overall I would say this would be a good introductory craft beer for those wanting to branch out and try something other than usual Lite/Bud Light/PBR. It’s bold without being overly in your face over the top bam that may cause one to look like they belong in a Keystone Light commercial.

So, go pour yourself a cold one for me and try something not sold at the Handy Andy will ya!



Four Boys Brew Review #1