Review Date 12/18/2009
Try?
Re-buy?
Every year at Christmas time, Utica, New York's Saranac Brewery releases a 12-pack sampler of holiday brews called The 12 Beers of Winter. Some of them are old favorites making a return appearance (like the delightful Maple Porter this year), while others are new brews being rolled out for the first time. Like clockwork, I head to the liquor store in search of their sampler each year. To me, it's one of the highlights of the holiday season, and a lot like Saranac's Christmas gift to beer lovers.
This year, Saranac does it again, giving beer enthusiasts two bottles each of six different brews for a paltry $13.89 (or so I paid at Sherlock's in Kennesaw, Georgia). The sampler usually makes it's appearance late October to Early November and is sold until they're all gone. One of the new releases for 2009 is Saranac Winter Lager, a "rich, malty German style lager made with traditional German malts and hops" as the brewery describes it.
Winter Lager, of course, is a generic term. Samuel Adams has had a Winter Lager for quite some time, which began life as a wheat bock of sorts and later found new flavor when spices were added. Saranac doesn't say what style their Winter Lager is (though when you take a sip, the beer will say it for them).
The beer is brewed with Pilsener and Kiln Coffee Malt and hopped with Perles and Hallertaus. Alcohol is slightly higher than average at 5.9% by volume, just enough to ward off the cold on a frigid winter night.
Saranac Winter Lager pours to a rich copper color with a medium-sized creamy head formation and a sinfully nutty malt nose. The color, and then the nutty malty nose will tell you what this one is right away: Vienna Lager/Marzenbier. The beer is clean of fruity esters but delightfully redolent of toasted nuts with just a hint of chocolate. This is a highly malt accented brew, as a Vienna Lager should be. The finish is nicely balanced, with the malty sweetness attenuated by the dry, slightly grassy Hallertau hops.
I'm very impressed with this beer. Kudos to Saranac for choosing a hearty, rich lager like this to include in their 12 Beers of Winter collection (which, by the way, makes a superb gift for the beer drinker on your list) . I find it to be a very good example of its style, and wish I could buy it year round. And if you're listening, Saranac, that was a hint.
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.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler
