Once a year, the F. X. Matt Brewing Company (aka Saranac) of Utica, New York, releases a very special collection of beers for the holidays in a convenient twelve-pack carrying box. Known as the Saranac Twelve Beers collection, the assortment is a great way to try a variety of beer styles without shelling out a lot of cash because twelve different beers is exactly what you’ll get. Some of these are year round offerings by Saranac, some returning specialty favorites, and at least two will be brand new treats never before sampled.

This year (2001-2002) is no exception, and by shelling out about $11 you’ll be able to sample the following brews:

Year Round Beers:
Pale Ale
Adirondack Amber
Black and Tan
Black Forest
Traditional Lager
Pilsner

Returning Limited Release Beers
Scotch Ale
Extra Special Bitter
India Pale Ale
Caramel Porter

New Beers
Mocha Porter
Single Malt Ale


An important thing to know about F.X. Matt and Saranac is the fact that the brewery and its beers have been a driving force in the beer renaissance that is sweeping America. They’ve accomplished this not only by brewing an impressive array of beers sold under their own Saranac label, but also by contract brewing a wide array of beers for other companies too. These contract brews range from lesser known brands that appeared at the dawn of the craft brewing movement like Newman’s Albany Amber and Saratoga Dortmunder to the extremely popular Brooklyn line of beers, the Dock Street brands, and now Boston’s Tremont labels.

Matt has now taken contract brewing to the ultimate level with their “My Beer” program. That’s right, you too can now have your own beer bottled with your own personal label. No need to spend hours slaving over an oven home brewing up a batch, just contact Matt for pricing information and shipping costs. Who knows? Maybe you could be the next Jim Koch!

Although they’re currently riding the crest of the craft brewing movement in America, Matt certainly has its feet firmly planted in brewing tradition and history. Founded in 1888 by German immigrant F.X Matt I as the West End Brewing Company, the brewery that would one day become famous for its Saranac beers was only one of a dozen breweries in Utica at the time. Through they years Matt surged ahead of its local competition and survived prohibition.

After repeal, the company gained local fame with its popular Utica Club brands and entertaining commercials which featured Schulz and Dooley, a pair of beer steins come to life for the sole purpose of touting Matt beers. Eventually, with the brewing renaissance in the early eighties came the Saranac line of brews that brought Matt national acclaim. The first beer in the line was the flagship Adirondack Amber, a beer that could be called the father of the Saranac line, which today boasts delicious beers the likes of the Single Malt Ale.

Saranac Single Malt Ale is an aptly named brew, not just because of the fact that it’s made from one variety of malt and one variety only, but also because it conjures forth images of single malt Scotch to which beer is a close relative. Just as one distills wine to make brandy, so too is whiskey made by boiling down unhopped beer.

Saranac Single Malt Ale pours to a golden amber color with an appropriate scotch like hue (perhaps the power of suggestion?). The brew forms a thick and fizzy but short-lived head and has a sweet malty nose. The palate is definitely malt dominated, very biscuity and caramelly, chewy, rich and sweet in the finish. A slight Fuggles hop aroma is present in the beer but the main topic here is malt, malt, and more malt. One hundred percent Scottish Maris Otter malt is used, a variety popular with distillers in the production of fine Scotch.

This is a wonderfully intriguing brew, well worth the full price of the 12-pack alone (but of course you’ll get eleven more delicious brews too). It’s a delight for beer lovers, but Scotch enthusiasts too will enjoy the malt character much akin to a fine single. I would also surmise Saranac Single Malt to be a good tool for budding scotch lovers in their quest to appreciate malt flavors absent complex alcohol notes and warmth.

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