Beer Review: Saranac Caramel Porter

Saranac Caramel Porter

This is a rising star in the Saranac lineup. The popularity has caused this brew to become a seasonal release as well as a member of the 12 beers of winter. This porter pours a dark caramel color with some light coming through around the edges. Aroma is mainly of coffee with some chocolate cake thrown in. The head also wants to hang around after hours, no early night for the bubbles. Carbonation is a little too much but not too much to overshadow the dominate flavors.

Caramel is appropriately the most powerful flavor present in this brew. Coffee also lingers around to participate. The hopping is just right for a porter. Not too much but enough to keep things from being too sweet. This really does taste like they added a jug of caramel to the barrel, its almost overwhelming at times. I look at it as a good and bad thing. It provides a strong contrast to other traditional porters while potentially alienating porterheads.

Overall, I really like this beer. I have a hard time calling it a porter because the roasted flavor has been largely overpowered by the caramel flavor. I would strongly recommend this to people who like caramel but anyone who is looking for a classic porter should seek it elsewhere.

Final Score: 81% (Not as true to the style but stands on its own)