RateBeer
   Home Sign Up or Login Advanced Search
   People Ratings Events Places Forums Shop Magazine
      Top By Category  RateBeer Best  Latest Ratings  Top 50    

Surly Bender

Surly Bender - Brown Ale

* picture credits
copyright may apply

 Percentile 
94
overall
A Brown Ale brewed by
Surly Brewing Company

Brooklyn Center, Minnesota USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Regional Distribution
Find this beer

Add Distribution Data
send corrections | shelftag

 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
4313.68/5.03.67/5.05.1%98.6Dimpled mug P  Stats

Commercial Description:
Get Surly! Here’s what happens when substance meets smooth. This oatmeal brown ale defies traditional categories. Bender begins crisp and lightly hoppy, complemented by the velvety sleekness oats deliver. Belgian and British malts usher in cascades of cocoa, coffee, caramel, and hints of vanilla and cream. An easy-drinking ale with many layers of satisfaction.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Bigmmartin (276), Dayton, Ohio, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/517/20
Jul 1, 2009  
Ok, now I know why Daknole sent this one to me. Thanks alot man! This beer kicks ass. I enjoyed every bit of it. Looks great. Dark brown with a thick fluffy beige head that sticks around. Aroma is full and strong with roasted malts and some hops. Flavor is more bitter than you would expect from a brown ale. But that makes it unique and I love it. Sweet malts, caramel, and some coffee combine with hops and oatmeal to make a sweet, bitter, dry finishing beer. No it’s not the strongest, most complex, or extreme beer out there. But the balance is excellent and it’s extremely smooth and drinkable.


 deyholla (185), Chicago, Illinois, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Jun 29, 2009  
Tap. Poured dark brown with a dark creamy head. Aroma consisted of mainly dark hops, hints of coffee, caramel and a sweet cream smell. The flavor began surprisingly bitter, though by no means aggressive. The beer then transitions into a pleasant malty flavor, almost chocolate like.


 bobbypaulson (100), , Minnesota, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/104/514/20
Jun 26, 2009  
in a can. pours a brown color with with a very dense head. Smell is of dried fruit with some chocolate. The taste is of coffe and vanilla and a smooth oatmeal tasting finish.


 LilBeerDoctor (1291), East Setauket, New York, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/515/20
Jun 24, 2009  
Can. Pours a clear brown with a thick light tan head. Aroma of sweet malt and some coffee grounds. Flavor of slightly roasted malt with a touch of creamy smoothness. Thankfully, this is a brown ale that’s not dominated by super sweet malt. Pleasant and easy drinking, certainly one of the best brown ale’s I’ve had. 7/4/7/4/15 (3.7/5)


 fredandboboflo (1168), East Setauket, New York, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/515/20
Jun 24, 2009  
Can, thanks to tytoanderso. Aroma of fig, raisin, raspberry, caramel, subtle earthy hops, subtle coffee, generally malty and toasty actually with sweet fruit notes. Flavor has some very bitter chocolate and almost salty nuts, sort of different in subtleties from the aroma, but still very overall malty and mildly sticky as predicted by the malty fruitiness. Bitter, toasted toffee finish. Medium bodied and very drinkable. Tasty brown.


 phukktifano (159), Richmond, Virginia, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/516/20
Jun 23, 2009  
Can at the 8th Richmond Gathering courtesy of maniac.Dark brown with a thin tan head. Aroma was malt, cocoa and nut. Flavor was the same with a bit of a bitter coffee finish.


 Snojerk321 (1674), San Diego, California, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/103/515/20
Jun 17, 2009  
Can. Pours a deep chocolate brown with a creamy beige head leaving some spotty lacing. Nose of cocoa, coffee, toffee, and a touch of hops. Flavor was very creamy and smooth with some bitter sweet chocolate notes as well as coffee and caramel. Finishing quite smooth with a light hop bitterness. One of the better Brown’s I’ve tried.


 TheBeerGod (3026), Newport News, Virginia, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/514/20
Jun 13, 2009  
Can at the 8th Richmond Gathering courtesy of maniac. Pours opaque dark brown. Nose is roasted malt, nuttiness, light spocy hops, earthy hops, cocoa, and coffee. Taste is coffee, hazelnut, roasted malt, cocoa, and chocolate. Body is medium with a creamy carbonation. Ends with more cocoa, roasted malt, chocolate covered nuts and coffee.



CONSIDER FREE RATEBEER MEMBERSHIP



Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings. Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!

SIGN UP NOW »

View Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

RATE THIS BEER

Aroma

rating assistance

Appearance

rating assistance

Flavor

rating assistance

Palate

rating assistance

Overall impression

rating assistance

TOTAL SCORE

Comments

More Brown Ales

Cigar City Bolita Brown Ale (3.84)

Cigar City Bourbon Barrel Aged Bolita Brown Ale (3.78)

Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar (3.75)

Cigar City Cuban Espresso Maduro (3.74)

Surly Coffee Bender (3.71)

AleSmith Nautical Nut Brown Ale (3.69)

Mikkeller Jackie Brown (3.69)

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale (3.69)

Surly Bender (3.67)

Cigar City Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale- Vanilla Aged (3.66)

Town Hall India Brown Ale (3.6)

Cigar City Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale (3.6)

Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown (3.6)

HopTown Brown Nose Brown Ale (3.59)

Hakusekikan Brown Ale (3.58)

More Minnesota Brewers

Rock Bottom Minneapolis
  Minneapolis
Great Waters Brewing
  St. Paul
Fitgers Brewhouse
  Duluth
Cold Spring Brewery
  Cold Spring
Winehaven Winery and Vineyard
  Chisago City
Brainerd Lakes Brewery
  Brainerd
Vine Park Brewery
  St. Paul
OGaras Bar & Grill
  St. Paul
J. Bird Wines, Inc.
  Stanchfield
All American Grill & Brewhouse
  Waverly

About RateBeer | Add A Beer | Add A Brewer | Edit Personal Info | 100 Beer Club | FAQ | Log out | Feedback? | Copyright 2000-2009, RateBeer LLC