Surly Darkness

Brewed by Surly Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Brooklyn Center, Minnesota USA

Serve in Snifter

RBAG 2012. Thanks Savvy. Poured a dark black color with brown edges and an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of strong pine, chocolate, smoke, and some dark fruits. Taste is similar with a huge chocolate silkiness. Ultra full-bodied with a mouthfeel resembling a fusion of mineral oil and heavy cream. Subtle carbonation. Lengthy, lightly sweet, burnt, medium bitter finish. Pretty damn good

Reviewing the 2010 vintage Pours a nice 1 finger milk chocolate head, body is pitch black. Head retention was good and lacing was very good. Smell is of rich chocolate cake batter, roasted coffee, charred oak, and slight alcohol. As soon as I opened bottle, aromas went directly in my nose. There is also some oxidation, prunes, but no hops. Taste is charred oak, burnt chocolate malt, slightly bitter coffee, and chalky bakers chocolate. There is slight soy sauce/oxidation and prunes but chocolaty sweetness helps hide it. Hops really arent detected here. Alcohol is slightly present but for 10 percent, its very smooth Mouthfeel is nice and rich, almost chewy. Carbonation is on the higher side but it helps to keep the body from becoming too syrupy. Small head of foam adds some nice texture to the beer. Overall this beer was pretty good. Been waiting acouple years to try this beer and glad I finally got my hands on it. As a big vampire fan was really stoked to get this vintage but at around 18 bucks a bottle, dont know if I’d trade for it again. Tasty stout though, glad I received it in a BIF

2010 bottle...pours pitch black with ruby hues and a medium mocha head...great lacing and retention. Aroma is roasty with dark fruit, molasses, and dark chocolate. Flavor has a sweet roastiness...dark fruit, dark chocolate, coffee, and molasses...very tasty. Mouthfeel is full and creamy with a roasty lingering finish...great beer!

RBAG 2012 2011 version. More hugeness. Chocolate, roasty stuff, raisins, tobacco a bit.... the sweetness from it, light smoke, ack.. running out of things to say about big ass stouts today. Good smooth taste with a bit of mid to late swing of spice and alcohol. woody goodness, big fucking roast, raisin, tobacco things, cherry. Long bitter roasty and sweet finish.

750ml bottle ’09 Vintage 1/16/12 (Courtesy of ncmussell) 42° in Snifter-Pours a pitch black with a small tan head. Aroma of hops, chocolate, coffee, and malt. Taste of the same with a bit more hops. This full bodied brew is full of hops for an RIS but still is very tasty and goes down smooth. Nice brew.

14/I/2012 1Pt. 9.4Fl. Oz. bottle 2010 vintage @ RBBWG 2012 - BB: n/a (2012-44) Thanks to Klaas for bringing the bottle!

Darkbrown to black beer, no noticeable head. aroma: sweet bourbon, caramel, dried fruits, mocha, brown sugar. MF: soft to no carbon, full body. Taste: caramel, sugar coated and roasted nuts, some chocolate, bourbon, fruity. Aftertaste: a little dry, mocha, some coffee, vanilla, bitter hoppy ending with some alcohol noticeable.

Vampire 2010 Good dark amberish, rust-coloured head, fast gone over jet-black beer. Faintly leafy-bitterish (like acorns, actually), and quite roasted, deliciously moccha, with a surprising hint at sorrel. Seems neutral at first, then bitterish, roasted, coffeeish, sweetish, alcoholic and even hoppy. Fusels & esters galore. Another superbly balanced beer: nothing clashing, all in harmony and layered. Rich doesn’t convey the depth. This is beyond comparison. I sometimes tend to dislike beers because of the hype surrounding them. I must confess this one deserves all praise heaped on it.

UPDATED: JAN 26, 2012 2011 bottle - Pour is pitch black (darkness doesn’t lie) with an extremely thin creamy tan head. Aroma is very sweet - malted barley, caramel, dark chocolate, and roasted coffee. The flavor is somewhat cloying with hints of over ripe fruit, candied sugar, and chocolate. Probably much better with age.