Saranac High Peaks Lemon Ginger Saison

I picked up a bottle of Saranac High Peaks Lemon Ginger Saison from Discount Wines and Liquors in Boonton, NJ. The beer pours a golden color with a lofty and frothy white colored head that leaves a lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of lemon, ginger, wheat, pepper, and grass. The taste bites the tongue at first with some strong ginger and lemon flavors. That subsides and leads to pepper, wheat, grass, and caramel flavors. The alcohol content is 8.5% ABV.This was a good saison, especially considering the cheap price, and had plenty of tasty flavors, especially the added ginger flavor.

Saranac High Peaks Chocolate Orange

I picked up a bottle of Saranac High Peaks Chocolate Orange while in Ithaca, NY. The beer pours a black color with a frothy tan head. The aroma consists of dark chocolate, alcohol, and orange. While other flavors were present, it was amazing to see how prevalent the alcohol actually was on the tongue. The taste overall was dark and dry with plenty of chocolate. Obviously some hints of orange and orange peel came out, providing a nice accent to the beer. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. I like the flavor of this beer, but I did think that the alcohol was a little too present in the beer and knocked it a little off balance.

Saranac High Peaks Imperial IPA

I picked up a bottle of Saranac High Peaks Imperial IPA from a bottle shop in Ithaca following the LeBleu release. The beer pours a copper color with an extremely lofty and frothy off-white colored head. The aroma consists of caramel, orange, tangerine, lemon, and pepper, but definitely errs on the sweet side of those aromas rather than the bitter side. The taste is more bitter than the aroma suggests, but not overly so. There is orange, tangerine, and a hint of grapefruit. The base is built upon caramel and toffee, with a pine and pepper finish. The alcohol content is 8.5% ABV. So, this beer was not the most bitter Imperial IPA or most complex, but for $2 per bottle that I paid, it was a good deal. Saranac usually doesn’t blow me away, but makes an affordable and drinkable beer. This beer is right down that alley, but it does come through with some bitterness on the finish.