Looking for a
gift for your favorite beer enthusiast this holiday season? You’re sure to
please him or her with Saranac’s 12 Beers holiday collection. Not
only will they enjoy a wonderful assortment of many different styles of
beer, but they’ll also get a bottle of Saranac Dunkel, a delightful
German style dark lager. In fact, this year’s 12 beers collection features
the first-ever appearance of Saranac Dunkel, along with the following:
New Beers: Saranac Hefeweizen
Saranac Light
Year Round Brews Saranac Pale Ale
Saranac Adirondack Amber
Saranac Pilsner
Saranac Black and Tan
Limited Releases Saranac Chocolate Amber
Saranac Single Malt
Saranac India Pale Ale
Saranac Stout
Saranac Caramel Porter
As you can see, this is a varied and considerable selection. Not only will
your favorite beer enthusiast likely be pleased by your good taste in
choosing such a fine gift, they’ll also surely enjoy the fine taste of each
and every beer in the collection. This also makes a fine gift for the
budding beer lover, who will get a chance to try a multitude of different
styles from a respected brewer. And all this for about $11. Make sure you
pick one up for yourself, as well.
A great example of just what’s in store for you is Saranac Dunkel.
This is a Munich Dunkels in style, a slightly dark Bavarian lager
with a smooth drinkability and a soft malt palate. It’s sort of a big
brother to the Munich Helles style, a light colored lager that is also known
for its soft malt character. In both of these styles, hops should be an
afterthought and malt the star.
Judging from my past experiences with Saranac beers, I knew I would be in
for a real treat here. The neck label reinforced that conviction when I read
it:
The rich malt aroma and glowing reddish-brown color of Saranac Dunkel
comes from German two-row and Munich malt that is melded with Hersbrucker
and Saaz hops. You’ll love the malty sweet taste/
Wow. The two-row malt is just the thing to impart the soft malt character we
want here, but the Munich malt really caught my attention. I knew this was
going to be a good beer.
And good it is. Saranac Dunkel pours to a dark caramel brown color
with a light and fizzy head formation and a sweet malt nose. The palate is
delightfully nutty and toasty with suggestions of chocolate and molasses.
There’s a wonderful soft mouthfeel to this beer that is soothing and
pleasant. The finish starts out slightly sweet but a gentle bitterness
slowly emerges.
The Munich malt is readily apparent here in all its toasty-nutty glory. This
isn’t a hugely bold beer but it is a complex one all the same, and a
strong testament to the skill of the brewers at Saranac. I would love to see
this one sold in six-packs.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For
reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.