Surly Bender

Brewed by Surly Brewing Company
Style: Brown Ale
Brooklyn Center, Minnesota USA

Serve in Dimpled mug

A: snifter. pours a nice rich brown, like black coffee. light tan head. great retention rate and wonderful lacing. S: wonderful roasted malts, caramel, toffee, some vanilla, ans sweet wild flowers. T: wow this is really complex. tons of chamomile, tea flavors, oats, light vanilla, coffee, caramel, and tons of oatmeal. light flowery hops. huge vanilla in the finish. M: very chewy. extremely smooth and crisp. perfect carbonation level. buttery. D: what a great brown ale. so unique, great flavors and definitely worth a try. absolutely delicious.

Courtesy of Ryan. Brown, minimal beige head, fades to ring. Huge caramel/crystal aroma up front, faint chocolate, hops seem a little old. Flavor much the same. Huge caramel, nutty character through the middle. Spicy/herbal hops in backend. Creamy/smooth mouthfeel.

Can. Pour is a black-red with a tight frothy head and solid lacing. Aroma is malt coffee and coco. Taste is more malt with faint coffee and coco and burnt malt. Palate is chaulky and finishes dry. This is amazing! I have not had this one since Coffee Bender was released, and I am quite surprised with the similar flavors.

Can. Pours a clear and dark burgundy beer with a beige head. The aroma is malt and caramel. The flavor follows the nose. The palate is sweet. Overall a good beer.

Brown ale, that smells and tastes more like a pale ale. Heavy on hop content, medium on the spices, and a little grassy.

Pours brown with a beige head. Aroma is light roasted malt, nutty and a fruity note. Flavour is light roasted malt, light malt acidic and chocolate.

Dressed in brown, he sports gorgeously deep garnet and ruby hues while a soft khaki head floats in suspended animation. A couple swirls and lace decorates the sides of my glass. Holding my glass to the light, he has an old sheen such as one would expect from wood time-tested and worn yet still full of rich beauty and wisdom. His nose is all about molasses and caramel while in the background pine trees flourish and grapefruit tantalizes. I grew up in the citrus industry, surrounded by the wonderful delights of differing grapefruit varietals so for myself at least, grapefruit is a tasty treat indeed. Vanilla bean and licorice mingle well with his sweet side as brown sugars melt under my adoring gaze. For his nose at least, his malty side impresses first before smoothly stepping aside to allow his hops to shine. My first quaff isn’t the least bit tentative, and I am met by a creamy mouthfeel which coats the lips and pleases the tongue with fresh molasses and caramel. I’m talking natural here, no saccharine artificial sweeteners here; this is the real deal. Weaving in and out of his sweet side are melted brown sugars along with faint esters of vanilla and licorice. Pine needles prickle and grapefruit exudes self-confidence from the middle of his palate all the way through a long finish. Pine resin adds to his sticky mouthfeel while grapefruit sports acidic juices and bitter skins. Furthering our journey down canned beer lane, I detect a quick kiss of cherry tartness in the transition between sweet and hoppy. A few more generous quaffs and both can and glass are empty, a sad occasion one would not guess by the merry smile glued to my face.

16 oz can courtesy of Greg. Pours a dark yet clear coppery maple wood amber with a creamy medium sized beige head. Aroma of nuts, oats, cocoa powder and a hint of light coffee. Taste of faint nuts, cocoa powder, dry tree branches, toffee and cream.