Saranac, part of the F.X. Matt Brewing Company, has been around for a while now. They expanded under the craft beer explosion. In fact, they helped facilitate it. They have produced a wide variety of beers over the years. Up for review today is their Summer Golden Ale.
Summer Golden Ale pours a clear gold with a white, foamy head that rose to a little over a finger. It quickly settled. There was some moderate carbonation seen rising to the top. The aroma offered hints of cracker and bread and a hint of sweetness.
The first sip offered a bit of cracker, a hint of malt, and a whisper of sweetness that seemed to come from lemon but was so faint it is hard to really put a finger on it. The taste followed the nose which was nice. The beer was medium-bodied with a mouthfeel that was on the light side of moderate. The carbonation level was on par with a golden ale. I didn’t expect much lacing as I drank but I was pleasantly surprised at the moderate level of lacing. There was a small ring around the edge of the glass the whole time I drank the beer.
Overall, this is an easy drinking beer. It doesn’t blow the doors off of other beers but it is good and worth a try, especially if you are looking for something new to have a session with. At 5.0% ABV it very well could become a session beer if you so desired and would also make a good beer on a hot summer day at the beach, lake, ballgame, backyard, or anywhere in between. Saranac has always made decent beers and this is another one to add to the roster.