Surly Smoke Lager

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

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

A - Pours a dark black-brown color with a big finger of brown-tan head. The head fades slowly down to a thick ring around the glass leaving behind some nice lacing on the glass. S - Aroma is bursting with smoke and oak aromas. There is a touch of chocolate and even some smoked meats in there as well. T - Starts off with a nice smooth hit of smoke and oak flavors with some nice vanilla flavor. Touch of chocolate flavor mixed in as well. Through the middle, some more roasted flavor and a bit of coffee comes though. The finish is a mix of oak and smoke with a bit of chocolate that lingers really nicely. M - Medium bodied with moderate-low carbonation. The beer is smooth and just a bit creamy. The smoke flavor really coats the mouth and provides some warming at the finish. D - Fairly drinkable, especially considering how bold the flavors are, but that is just how smooth it is. The smoke flavor is really strong and fits right in with the beer.

Bottle shared by Dak so I didn’t have to open mine...gracias!!! Hazy mahogany pour with crimson edges and a khaki head that left a spot or two of acing. Aroma of smoked pork, roasted nuts, cocoa, coffee, and oak. Flavor is heavy char, ash, and toast accompanied by dark Godiva chocolate, molasses, and marshmallow. Definitely reminiscent of a campfire and S’Mores. Yum.

Bomber shared in line waiting for GTMW tickets, pours a murky brown with a thin head, aroma is of smoked bacon with a hint of chocolate mixed in as well, the flavor his smooth with a great smokey finish, very enjoyable.

4/19/11. Bomber courtesy mlunger12! Black pour with red edges and a small tan head that fades to nothing fast. Chocolate aroma upfront with a hint of sour and a subtle but definite smoke presence. Nice chocolate flavor with definite roasted malts of coffee and bitter roast with lingering vanilla and definite, but again subtle, smoke presence.

75cl Bottle at Dutch RB Meeting. Deep dark brown to black colour, off white to beige head. Aroma of bacon, light salty, smoke, hard roasted malts, tobacco. Flavour is very sweet, rye, pipe tobacco, chocolate, hard roasted malts, light plastic, sweet smoky and light salty finish. Medium bodied, creamy. Too sweet imo.

Waxed 750ml bottle from Mattyb. Thanks dude. Pours very dark brown with beautiful three finger tan head. Aromas of roast, chocolate, smoke, and some sweetness. Flavors of some roast, bitter dark chocolate, good amount of smoke, some light hop bitterness, some coffee, and a little bit of wood. Bitterness and smoke lingers on the tongue as you can sense some alcohol warmth. Smoked is not my favorite style, but when it is well done especially a darker style like imp porter or stout it can be truly divine. I don’t know if this on the level of Beer Brunch Bacon or the Weyerbacher Anniversary brew, but it is a very good smoked beer.

750 ml brown bottle thanks to CLevar. Pours a virtually black in the glass with a nice looking head. The aroma is smokey but really is more meaty than smokey which is nice. Sausage, dark fruits, liquid salami. Damn I think I’m a sucker for smoked beers. The taste again is very meaty, smokey, more dark fruits, figs, maybe even some chocolate. This is liquid meat in a glass.

Bottle @ meeting. Aroma is deep smoky roasty, spices, some liquorice, Flavour is smoky tobacco, spicy, roasty malt, caramel, some wood. Wow, very interesting.