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

TAP at Darkness Day 10/22/2011. Pours jet black with a tan head. Aroma is rich, roasty, chocolate, dark fruits, hops, caramel. Lots of character. 2011 A good yet slightly bitter hop profile and smooth chocolate are the major notes.

2010 version Deep black body with a lightly brown head. Aroma of grapes, chocolate, coffee, malts. Very intense flavour and extremely well balanced: moderately sweet, lightly bitter of chocolate and caramel.

Vintage 2010 bottle thanks to Klaas @ RBBWG. Black coloured imperial stout with a very small and diminishing off white to brown head. Somewhat alcoholic slightly roasted malty hinted aroma. Full palate. Finish is strong alcoholic and roasted malty. Very good.

Sample at Vermont BA Winter Gathering - Samples included both "Vampire" and "Zombie"... rating is for 2011 (Zombie). Served at room temp. Poured a very dark black in color with a small dark tan head. Aroma was strong of dark roasted malts, chocolate, a bit of coffee, dark fruits and molasses. Flavor is surprisingly fruity... dark fruits (prune, date, raisin) mostly. Lots of chocolate/mocha and slightly bitter, Finish is lingering bitterness and chocolate... slightly sweet at the very end. Really good!

2010 Version - I have a love hate relationship with this beer. Ok I really never hate this beer but for some reason the last two version of Darkness never really match up to the greatness that I thought the 2008 version was. One of my favorite beers of all time. 2009 was more like a Black IPA to me. 2010 was closer but the mouthfeel and complexity just didn’t match what 08 was. It wasn’t as thick and smooth as I would of hoped. But more of the usual suspects that you would think a great RIS would have come out. Nice bit of roastiness, dark fruits, toffee, and chocolate. Hops toned down from the 09 version. Still just not as complex as 08 was. I’d kill for another bottle of 08.

"Had this at a local BA’s house. Very kind of him to open this up. Served just below room temp into a Riedel Snifter: A - No head, brown bubbles lingered around the edge of the glass. The beer was black as hell. No brown or amber hints at all. S - The smell is DFH’s World Wide Stout and Brew Dog’s Tokyo hooked up and made whoopie. Lots of figs, vanilla, raisin and cupcakes. T - Lots of malt, some toffee and sugar. I’m getting a a ton of burnt on the finish with some hints of banana. M - Huge carbonation and lots of lingering. It’s quite the heavy beer. O - This beer is still too sweet. Maybe lay it down for a while and wait. I bet this would be a great beer 2 years out."

2010 Vintage (vampire edition) 750 ml. bottle sampled @ RBWG 2012 – thx to Klaas – pitch black with a mocha head, smells of roasted malts, dark fruits, mocha, slight molasses & chocolate plus cocoa, taste is bitter followed by a nice sweetness afterwards, similar to smell, roasted malts, dark fruits, mocha, only this time around lots of chocolate here, solid but thick with dark fruits, mocha & touch of hops in the finish, sludgy coffee, soft carb. yummy stuff

Vampire, 2010
Jet black beer, disappearing tan head. Aroma of burned malts, mocha, chocolate and vanilla. Rather sweet flavour, chocolate, malts, light bitter coffee. Thick oily texture, finish rather sweet, with roasted malts and some wood tones. Nice!
(From 75cL bottle @ RBBWG 2012, Antwerpen. Thanks for sharing, Klaas!)