Surly Bender

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

Serve in Dimpled mug

Pours a dark brown. Aroma of light coffee, toffee, caramel and some light chocolate. Taste much the same. Not a big brown ale fan, but this is good.

UPDATED: MAR 21, 2006 On tap at the Blue Nile. Got to meet Pigfoot, who works there. This is my first from this new brewer, and this one did not disappoint. Bready flavor, with roasted nut and coffee overtones. Head was light brown, mostly diminishing. A clear body. Hard to categorize the style, but nonetheless, it was enjoyable. I can’t wait to try the furious; I’ve heard it’s pretty good from others.

UPDATED: AUG 24, 2007 12 oz can via skyview (thanks for the bonus!). Pours a near black with ruby red highlights and a chunky tan head that leaves mass amounts of spider lace webing on my mug. Nose is all about the malts with some subtle chocolate and berries. Tastes like it smells with a watery mouthfeel and a thin body. I assume this is filtered and a porter? Whatever it is, it is a bit boring, bland and thin, but otherwise is great!!..or not LOL.....

On tap at Jerry’s. Red-brown with good, foamy tan head / Toasty, winey, molasses nose / Medium body, a little thin and fizzy, with balance of malts and hops, and good, creamy hop finish / Flavors of roast malts, oatmeal, sherry, nuts, and cocoa / Very nice - a few tweaks and it’s excellent.

Pours a deep crimson with mahogany clouds with a mid-sized, slowly receding beige head. The nose is very fresh and has alot going on. Notes of caramel malts, brown sugar, oranges, grapes, grapefruit pith and nuts. Lesser scents of roasted grain, cocoa powder and very mild coffee with sugar round out the aroma. Alcohol is not detected. The flavor expands a touch on the roast and coffee notes, still fruity and mildly hoppy. Sweetness is medium to medium-high, acidity is medium, bitterness mlid to medium. The mouthfeel is fantastically creamy, medium bodied, with high carbonation and a smooth and rich texture. Finishes dry, lightly to moderately bitter, roasted coffee and sugars lingering for a short while, caramel lingering on. Very good and though it’s not that exciting, it is incredibly easy to enjoy.

#978, From Growler at the Champaign-Urbana private tasting held at Radio Maria. Clear brown, no real head. Nose is sweet, sugary. Taste is rather salty.

[Can] Pours reddish brown with a huge light tan head. A lot going on in the aroma--malty, fruity, slightly hoppy, hard to place everything. Taste is very nice--light bitterness up front, followed by roasted malt, hints of chocolate. Ultra smooth with a very long finish...dangerously drinkable. I had been really disappointed with SurlyFest, but they hit a homerun with this one!

16oz can from maximum12 (BA site). Pours black with a thin tan head which dissipated quickly. Nose was of smoke and roast malt with coffee. Taste is roast malt, coffee and nutty. Mouthfeel was thin and watery but still clean and flavorful.