They appear year after year, consistent and more than competent, although it's sometimes difficult to distinguish the latest from the previous. They're definitely not my favorite, and they usually aren't my go-to, but they generally are enjoyable when I do pop one open.
And despite all of those disclaimers, they almost always leave me feeling like I'm a little bit high.
Dave Matthews Band CDs.
And/or Saranac beers.
I first tried Saranac brews at last spring's Wild World of Wine and Beer at the Memphis Zoo, enjoying several varieties, especially the Black Forest Ale. I picked up the Saranac "Trail Mix" variety pack soon thereafter, and while that mix was pretty enjoyable, it suffered from a samey-ness (for example, I can't recall how the "Pale Ale" and the "India Pale Ale" actually differed or which one I liked better). I was therefore a little slow to pull the trigger on the "12 Beers of Winter" mixer; but then Schnucks had a sale and I decided, eh, what the heck.
I have yet to try all 6 beers (2 each of 6 = 12). Two that I have tasted--the Big Moose Ale and the India Copper Ale--were both pleasant, the latter especially so. Both fall somewhere under the broad "pale ale" umbrella and have a pleasant, if not overpowering hop aroma and flavor. A third, the Rye IPA, was not so enjoyable to me (honestly, it tasted more like a Budweiser than anything else, and in hindsight I think I would've preferred the Budweiser), so I'm slightly apprehensive though mostly optimistic about the final three: Lake Effect Lager, Bohemian Pilsner, and Vanilla Stout; I'm especially intrigued by the Vanilla Stout, since I tend to prefer sweeter to drier stouts. If that one doesn't wet my whistle, though, it looks like I'll have literally dozens of other variations on the Saranac theme to choose from sooner or later.
