SARANAC PALE ALE
Nothing beats the first 70-degree day in Syracuse. Everyone is in a great mood because the ‘big thaw’ has finally ended and we can look forward to ditching our heavy winter coats and rain boots for some shorts and sandals. Keller and I took advantage of this beautiful day in ‘Cuse by cracking open some beers and finally getting the grill back out for the first time in what seemed like forever (if you’ve never lived in central New York, you should know that the cold-weather months truly last for half of the year… and that’s if we’re lucky).
Good beer, good weather, good food cooking — what more could I ask for?
Beer name: Saranac Pale Ale
Brewery, city, and country of origin: Brewed by Saranac Brewing Company in Utica, NY
Year created: The Saranac Pale Ale was one of the OG Saranac beers — originally released in 1994
ABV: 5.5%
Cost: $7.99 for a 6-pack of bottles
Taste: The taste of this beer is very unique, in my opinion — citrus-y, pine-y (I think???), and rather hoppy and bitter. There’s a lot going on, and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it. Not too sweet, not too bitter, not too heavy; overall, not bad! I’m not sure it’s my new favorite beer ever, but it’s definitely tasty.
How Do I Feel? I feel very at ease. Saranac Pale Ale is helping me get into the swing of a good summertime weekend routine of spending time outside with my husband cooking. It’s a pretty great feeling. I really like that this beer isn’t too heavy either — sometimes pale ales tend to make me feel a bit burp-y and bloated, but this beer is definitely not doing that (#bless).
This beer also gets me pumped to be hanging out with Erin in a couple of weeks when she gets in town for a work trip. It crosses my mind that Erin and I have not been to a legit brewery together yet, which is a crime. Maybe visiting the Saranac brewery would be a fun trip…
Poundability factor: I would say you can definitely sip this beer easily and it’s possible to pound… but I don’t know if you’d want to. Since the depth of flavor is pretty intense, it may be a lot of flavor to consume. That being said, if you want to go crazy and do it. I’d say Saranac Pale Ale is a solid 5.5/10
When to drink Saranac Pale Ale: I’d say this beer, along with most of the other Saranac beers, are best enjoyed outside in nice weather. Possibly a setting similar to the picturesque bottle art you get on this particular brew! My family and I have had a large variety of Saranac beers (including the Pale Ale) at family gatherings including board games, at our lake house, or during the holidays. I personally prefer kicking back with a Saranac Pale Ale in the summertime when you’ve got it in a cold glass fresh from the bottle or a keg.
Overall rating: 6.5/10 I enjoy so many of the Saranac brews, but the Pale Ale is not my favorite of their offerings While the taste is very flavorful, it doesn’t always sit right on my palate. I typically drink Saranac Pale Ale when there are not a lot of other options that I enjoy, but I still want something that’ll give me flavor and a nice alcohol buzz.
Get excited, because Erin is going to be in ‘Cuse this upcoming week, and you know what that means — there’s going to be a lot of dope content that gets made over the next couple of weeks.
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Cheers,
Natalie
