UTICA, NY – Saranac is debuting Immortality, the newest selection in their High Peaks Series. Immortality is a hop forward Imperial Amber Ale made with hops sourced locally, just minutes from the brewery.
Saranac’s creative brewing minds have given new breadth to the flavors and aromas of these unique heirloom hops by using both traditional sensory analysis and gas chromatography to distinguish the prominent characteristics of these hops. Once Saranac understood the character of the hops, they pilot brewed several batches to find the perfect grain complement.
“Our Gas Chromatograph has been incredibly informative in measuring the essential oil concentrations of the heirlooms hops,” said Rich Michaels, Saranac’s Quality and Innovation Manager. “With both the GC and our brewers’ expertise, we’ve achieve a whole new level of hop flavor. The heirlooms have a slightly citrus and herbal hop character with a firm, resinous bitterness that we matched with a body of Vienna and Carastan malt to lock the hop flavor.”
Immortality is part of Saranac’s Hop Harvest collaboration with Wrobel Farms, right outside of Utica, in Bridgewater. Saranac and Wrobel began crafting distinctive fresh beers in 2011, but the relationship with local farmers dates back to 1888 when Saranac’s founder, F.X. Matt, first purchased local hops.
“We’ve maintained relationships with local hop farmers across generations and it gives deeper meaning to use the same hops my great grandfather, F.X. Matt, used in his beers,” said Saranac President Fred Matt. “Our Hop Harvest series with Jim Wrobel and his family has brought me full circle back to my roots.”
About the Beer
Quick snapshot of Immortality Imperial Amber Ale:
- Hops: Heirloom, Cascade, Centennial and Brewers Gold
- Malts: North American Two-Row, Vienna and Carastan
- ABV: 7.5%
- IBUs: 75
Why the name
“Actually, the visual came before the name,” noted Nick Matt, Saranac Brand Manager. “We kept imagining a big amber ale that had hops virtually suspended in it. Almost like a hop that had been immortalized in a piece of amber.”
Saranac will celebrate the hop-pickers who made Immortality possible, this Friday, February 13th, with the official release of the beer at the Saranac 1888 Tavern.
Immortality Imperial Amber Ale is now available in 4-packs of 12 ounce bottles and on draft.
About
F.X. Matt Brewing Company in Utica, N.Y., was founded in 1888. Today, under the leadership of the third and fourth generations of the Matt family, the brewery is celebrating 126 years of brewing. Through a commitment to innovation and brewing excellence, the company has earned a reputation as one of the country’s most respected brewers of craft beers, including the Saranac line. In each bottle of Saranac, you’ll find exceptional quality, distinctive ingredients and a refreshing twist on tradition – the signature of the F.X. Matt Brewing Company.