Surly Ashy Cynic

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

On tap tonight at The Blue Nile. Pour was a hazy and frothy orange color with slight citrus aroma. Flavor was of funky farmhouse yeast, honey and finished flowery with a very creamy mouthfeel. Overall very good and I actually preffer over the regular cynic.

Real ale tent at GTMW 09. A hazy gold color with a generous head. Similar to Cynic in aroma but with a distinct woody character. A light woody character in the body that was a pleasant addition. I’d like to see more wood aging like this.

On cask and drawn at Grumpy’s NE bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Pours a hazy light golden orange brew with a thick and creamy white head that stays with the beer and excellent lacing. Aroma of mild banana esters, apricot, pineapple, peach, honey and light golden multi-grain malt. Taste is close to the regular CynicAle with slight dry herb flavor. Finish continues a semi-dry aftertaste with some light lemon zest and wood character. Not as smooth as the oak aged version but still memorable.

Sampled at GTMW 2009 (Madison, WI). Pours a hazy dark gold, a few orange notes, natural small bubbly head. Aromas are Cynic to a T. Beglain yeast light, pear, apple, light with subtle ash notes that dry and add slight spice. Citrus notes come out a bit more in this version, fruit forward.. Maybe the ash killed out the yeasty qualities a bit more? Sessionable, smooth, and well flavored. Finish slight spice, dry, and fruity. Very mild bitterness.

Fobab VI. Called Ashy Cynic, aged on Ash and not oak. Had a much milder wood flavor than oak would generally force out. Distinctly lemony and spicy. I actually prefer this to normal cynic as it is lighter tasting, less yeasty and more lemony and refreshing. Hazy orange colored with a nose of spice and a touch of banana. Not much wood in the nose. Whatever it is, the aging has mellowed this one into a very nice amalgamation of spice, lemon and sweetness. Very nice.

GTMW Madison Murky off orange color w/ a whispy white head. Lots of sweet fruits maybe passion fruit & mango in teh flavor good piece of hops which dominate. Some light char’d wood notes come through in the aftertaste. Palate is well coated and lightly creamy. A very nice beer.

FoBAB 2008. Poured a slightly hazy medium orange color. Smelled of honey touched cereal grain with whiffs of banana and clove. Medium bodied and delicately sweet. I tasted orange, flower blossom, honey, and wood. Good, but I prefer the regular Cynic.

Beer #16 at GTMW ’09, on cask at the Real Ale Tent. Considering how many branches our ash tree is shedding, I may want to know if I can use the wood like this. Cloudy, orangey-brown color, no head at all. The foam went right up my nose when I tried to smell it (occupational hazard). But I mostly get some light, likely American hop. Definitely an good example of a cask beer. Since I’ve not been hit in the mouth with a baseball bat, I can’t quite say what ash tastes like. But there’s a decent wood quality, not as pronounced as oak, but it helps keep me interested.