Surly Bender

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

Serve in Dimpled mug

Deep brown body, nice tan head. Aroma is a bit of nuttiness, plenty of caramel, some chocolate malt, little bit of mollases. Taste is rich for a brown, nice hazelnut touch, with chocolate, light coffee, and almost a cereal type taste to it.

Can with thanks to Dakzale. Pours the color of darkly stained cherry wood with a cola like head of a finger and aromas of earth and nuts. Flavor is very similar and very good. It is very nutty with a little bit of a woody edge to it. Mouthfeel is OK, but I think I would like it to be a bit thicker. As is, I would definitely take more of this, though.

can from Stine,thanks. Pours a deep brown with a medium, long lasting tan head. Aroma-caramel, nutty malt with touches of chocolate and some floral hop suggestions. Taste is caramel, light chocolate, somewhat nutty, with a moderate amount of oats. Body is creamy and lightly slick. Some floral hops in the background, light bitter finish. Probably the best brown ale I’ve had.

Tap at a few places in Minneapolis. Pours a somewhat clear, brown colored body with a finger-width, creamy, tan head that dissipates slowly and leaves a nice lacing. Aroma is some nice brown maltiness with lots of rich caramels and chocolates, a good amount of earth, and a light roast. Some cocoa powder, a very light coffee, nuts, vanilla, and brown sugar. Flavor is similar. Very nice array of caramels, chocolates, toffees, brown sugar, and roasts. Some more cocoa powder, earth, nuts, oatmeal cookies, and coffee. Ends smooth and dry with a rich and malty, roasty, earthy, somewhat bitter finish that leaves a lengthy aftertaste. Very smooth, medium body and a moderate, creamy carbonation. Overall, a very nice brown ale. Extremely easy drinking and flavorful with a solid balance. A pleasure.

Very dark brown/ruby body, topped by a really nice dense tan head. Looks very nice and appetizing in the glass. The aroma is lightly nutty. The flavor is that of a brown ale, but a wee bit more hops and richness then the typical run-of-the-mill brown ale. The oatmeal really helps bolster the body making for a much more enjoyable experience all around. Good stuff.

UPDATED: FEB 1, 2009 TAP: pours reddish/brown with beige head. Nutty and chocolate on the nose, with flavors of chocolate, caramel, nut. Hop finish. Great beer!

Nice brown color, big head. Lots of lace. Hoppy nose. Lightly roasty/toasty malt flavor. Well balanced w/ interesting interaction between malt and hops. Very highly drinkable and very nicely flavorful. Really good brown ale.

16 oz can shared with toncatcher. Nice chocolate and nutty aromas. Nice head on the brown pour. But the flavor just didn’t do it for me. I am just not a brown ale fan. Probally deserves better rating than this, but I am just not a big fan.