Saranac Variety Pack

This winter is set to be a snowy one here in Iowa. So, what better to do than get your hands on a winter beer variety pack? Nothing beats it. I recently picked up a variety pack from Saranac, or the Matt Brewing Company. Saranac has been a perennial favorite for me because of their willingness to experiment. Also, it's one of the first craft beers I ever picked up. Their IPA and Black & Tan are readily available at most stores in the area and provide a flavorful beer at a reasonable price. Anyway, my sordid affair with Saranac can be left to another day. Today is about their variety pack.

When Saranac labels something "variety," they aren't kidding. This twelve-pack comes with six different types of beer, two of each (sometimes I struggle with math, so bear with me.) There were a few old favorites with their E.S.B. and Belgian Ale, along with their Season's Best. The pack also included three NEW beers. These are the Vanilla Stout, India Brown Ale and Bohemian Pilsener. I had never even had a vanilla stout before and the concept of an India Brown Ale instead of Pale intrigued me. So, I merrily toted this beauty home with me for a nice, relaxing, fireside drink to match the book I'm reading - The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon, an interesting detective story set in an alternate history of the Jewish people.

I'm a sucker for an E.S.B. so that's what I started with. While it doesn't quite come up to the standards of Bluebird E.S.B. or Fuller's version, it comes damned close! As far as American E.S.B.s, this is definitely one of my favorites. You can tell they used Fuggles and Saaz hops for the finish, delicious. The E.S.B. name can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different brewers. So, it's like an extra special beer (which seems like a term that a five-year old would come up with super-extra-special-awesome-beer!!!) This beer has enough of a hoppy flavor to please me without overwhelming your average drinker. It makes a really great session beer due to its crisp, light flavor. I would definitely recommend this beer for holiday gatherings.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Extra Special Bitter
Malt Selections: 2 Row, Biscuit Malt
Hop Selections: Fuggle, Saaz
Color: Amber
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium Full
Alcohol By Volume: 5.3%
Original Gravity: 13.5

Okay, I proceeded on to the IBA... India Brown Ale. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one. Like I said, IPAs are my favorite style of brew, with brown ales a close second. So, combine them and what do you get? Delicious? Confusing? It was really a more malty version of an IPA. It's a very impressive balance between a delicious hoppiness that one would expect from an India ale, while bringing in the aromatics and delightful malt flavor associated with brown ales. It has a very full body and I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is used to lighter, blander beers. This IBA would make a great way to introduce a friend to craft beers. It's very complex but enjoyable at a basic level also. Easily one of my new favorites from Saranac.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Strong Brown Ale
Malt Selections: Marris Otter, Crystal
Hop Selections: Fuggles
Color: Dark Brown
Mouthfeel / Body: Full
Alcohol By Volume: 6.0%
Original Gravity: 14.5

On the subject of introducing people to better beer, Saranac's Bohemian Pilsener would be a great baby-step. This beer is much more flavorful than American pilseners, but not overwhelming like some other craft offerings. Saranac did a beautiful job with this beer. It's light but flavorful, not overly hopped and easily one of their best session beers. This beer would be great for watching the big game with friends or just for relaxing after work. I'm surprised it made it into their winter pack, because it seems like it would be pretty friggin' good in the summer months too.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Bohemian Pilsener
Malt Selections: Pilsener
Hop Selections: Saaz
Color: Straw
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Alcohol By Volume: 4.8%
Original Gravity: 12

I move on now to the Vanilla Stout. Now, I was a bit concerned about this one because I have had some pretty bad luck with beers being overly sweet in the past, and the term "vanilla" scares me. I did try it and I did greatly enjoy it. It had all of the traditional characteristics I associate with a tasty cream stout but none of the overly-sweet that ruins so many otherwise good beers. There was the familiar chocolate, almost coffee, flavor. It was a beautiful dark color. It made my detective novel seem even more dark, dreary and cold. Definitely not a session beer by any means, but if you like stouts and you're adventurous, this beer's for you.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Flavored Sweet Stout
Malt Selections: 2 Row, Chocolate Malt
Hop Selections: Willamette
Color: Black
Mouthfeel / Body: Full Body, Sweet
Alcohol By Volume: 4.8%
Original Gravity: 14

Ok, the pack also included a Belgian-Style Ale. I'm always wary of "Belgian-Style" because sometimes it means the brewer just dumped orange flavor into a light wheat beer. They balanced this beer quite well though and it left me wanting another one. It really epitomizes a Belgian style to me. It has a complexity that you really have to dig for, making it much more tantalizing. There was a hint of something to it that I couldn't quite put my finger on and it kept me thinking for a while. I'm still not sure what that little something is. The best part? This beer is just plain tasty!

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Belgian Style Ale
Malt Selections: 2 Row, Belgian Aromatic Malt
Hop Selections: Hersbrucker & Tettnang Hops
Color: Amber
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium Body, Dry
Alcohol By Volume: 5.9%
Original Gravity: 14.5

Finally, we come to Saranac's Season's Best. This beer is magnificent. It's a Vienna style lager, which normally means the beer will be heavily malted and barely hopped. This beer doesn't disappoint on the malty goodness. It has a very strong, heavy body that wraps itself around your tongue when you drink it. I know, weird analogy, but that's just how it feels. That's not the best part though. They managed to use hops to perfectly compliment the malt. It doesn't override the thick smooth malt flavor, but lends to it ever so slightly that just makes it pop. Really impressive stuff.

Brewer's Description:
Beer Style: Vienna - Style Lager
Malt Selections: Munich & Biscuit Malt
Hop Selections: Tettnang Color: Dark Amber
Mouthfeel / Body: Heavy
Alcohol By Volume: 5.3%
Original Gravity: 14.0

Okay, that does it for their twelve-pack. I've only had one of each so far, and I might decide to update this post. Saranac has reaffirmed my love for them and I imagine I will pick this treat up again. Check out their website for updates and more info.

http://www.saranac.com/home/