Surly Darkness

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

Serve in Snifter

2008 vintage bottle split three ways in tulip glasses. It was nice and viscous coming out of the bottle. A small tan head rose form each pour then settled to a thin lace but a simple swirl of the glass would bring it back. The body of the brew was a midnight black with light maroon highlights. The first aroma I got was a slight oxidation which was to be expected with the age. Then I got some wonderful aromas of molasses, brown sugar and some slight dark fruits. The brew was towards the sweet side again I would expect it was from the age but it really made for an enjoyable sipping experience. Again I got the molasses, a hint of vanilla and dark fruits. I must say the roasted malts were showing up more as sweet chocolate than a roasted coffee note, Which added a bit uniqueness to the flavor. The brew was thick and viscous in your mouth with a slight carbonation for the tongue. Just the way I like a stout. A great stout I would stand in line for it. The glass went down dam easy. I didn’t get any hint of the alcohol seeing it was a 10%brew. I would gladly drink it again. big thanks to Packforever1976 for hooking me up Serving type: bottle

2008 draft poured near black with a huge brown head. Chocolate, coffee, and and anise aromas are heavily present. Taste is chocolate, toffee, raisins, and cherries. Insanely big bodied and it goes down smooth while coating the palate. Amazing Russian Imperial Stout, Darkness is easily one of the best beers I have ever had.

Thick rich viscous our, thick dense off white head. Aroma is awesome. Coffee, rich creamy chocolate, molasses, caramel and sugar. Flavor is sweet, rich, thick, milky, raisins, sugar and molasses. So sticky and sweet just the way I like it. Awesome!

Pours a deep dark blood red burgundy brown that almost black and completely opaque with a thick frothy 2.5 finger dark chocolate coffee colored head that has excellent retention, lasting throughout and leaving large chunks of soapy lacing. Roasted malt aroma with sweet bitter dark chocolate and hints of molasses, honey, burnt toast, caramel, oatmeal, coffee bean, toffee, licorice and sweet alcohol. Possibly the best aroma I’ve experienced yet. Thick chewy viscous mouthfeel with some slight carbonation and a huge roasty malt flavor. Soooo smooth with a full viscous mouthfeel. The ABV is so well masked that it’s almost undetectable. Slightly dry finish with some slight alcohol warmth. Extremely quaffable with awesome raosted malt profile. Lots of sweet bitter dark chocolate, coffee bean, toffee, molasses, honey and caramel sweetness that balances out the deep roasty and burnt toast characteristics. Very subtle hops in the finish as well as some slight alcohol warmth. This is one of the most complex, flavorful and drinkable Imperial Stouts I’ve ever had and possibly one of the best beers I’ve ever had the pleasure of sampling. All I can say is WOW. Highly recommended.

Bottle with a HUGE thanks to MrBunn. Pours black with a quickly forming big ass head. Aroma is of pine resin, chocolate and strange fruit.....maybe cherries. Flavor is just amazing. Mostly of the above notes. I cant say I have ever had an Impy stout that tastes remotely like this.Damn tasty.

Bottle. Pours dark brown with a surprise head that rises up huge after the pour is done. Aromas have a sharp pinyness to them with chocolate and black cherries and currants. Flavor is sweet and fruity. Chocolate, cherries and sugar. Yummmm.

On tap at The Great Taste of the Midwest. Unbelievable can only begin to describe this beer heavenliness. A rich dark pour with an aroma of rich chocolate, dark fruits, roasted malt, and toffee was enough to tell me that this was going to be a really good brew. The thick and rich body, accompanied by the best tasting stout I have ever had, made this the best BEER I have ever had. I would go far out of my way to get more of this for it was made so incredibly well. Wow!

My friend Greg Yoder brought a 2008 bottle to a great bottle share at UJ’s on the Manatawny. Pours a dark black with slight red cast to it. Dark tan head with very little lacing. The nose is strong with coffee and roasted scents. First sip is dark chocolate & raisains with coffe and toffee flavors penetrating quicklt. Nice small hop finish. Realy great stuff.