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Thirsty Thursday

Limited-edition Saranac Disruption Nitro brown ale contains rich and bold flavors

Lukas Halloran | Staff Photographer

Saranac Disruption Nitro contains coffee and chocolate flavors.

As I was scanning the numerous shelves of six-packs at Tops this past week trying to find a beer to try, my eyes were drawn to a strange silver box that seemed almost out of place. This small, silver box of beer was situated among the various six-packs from Saranac, and upon closer inspection turned out to be Saranac Disruption Nitro.

A menacing black bear and the word “Nitro,” stamped in red as if to signify danger, were all that graced the packaging. Needless to say my interest was piqued, and I promptly purchased the beer.

Because I was unfamiliar with this beer from Saranac, I decided to do some research on the brewery’s website. Here I discovered that the Disruption Nitro had one batch brewed and the brewery had no intention of brewing it again.

The Disruption Nitro is a brown ale infused with nitrogen, which creates smaller carbonation bubbles, leading to a smoother, creamier beer drinking experience. The box instructed me to pour the beer straight down the center of the glass and “gaze at the beautiful nitro rise to the beer’s surface.” The beer came out of the can a muddy brown color, but quickly faded to black as the nitrogen bubbles rose to the surface.

The beer smelled of chocolate and coffee, and a thick and foamy head topped the opaque liquid. True to the description, the Disruption Nitro had an incredibly smooth texture that was more like chocolate milk than beer. The earthy, rich beer was packed with flavors of chocolate, caramel, coffee and cocoa, and left an enjoyable, sweet aftertaste. The added nitrogen not only made for a creamier finish, but also accentuated the sweet malty character of the grains for a greater depth in the bouquet of flavors.



With an ABV of 7 percent, and cans holding 15.4 ounces of beer rather than the traditional 12, the Disruption Nitro certainly packs a punch. As Saranac puts it, “this is wild trapped in a can.” If you’re looking for a tasty and hearty beer drinking experience, go out and grab yourself a pack of the Disruption Nitro while you still have time.





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