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
Brewed by Surly Brewing Company
Style: Brown Ale

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 
4653.68/5.03.66/5.05.1%98.4Dimpled mug
View Statistics  P 

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?  
 santos999 (318), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
4/104/55/103/514/20
May 9, 2008  
Thanks to dpjuart. Clear brown with a rich, off-white head. Smells overly hoppy with grapefruit, pine and floral hop notes. No malt aroma to speak of. Tastes crazy crazy hoppy with very little malt anywhere. Grapefruit, herbal, and (slight) roasted malts. Meh. Not bad, but it is drinkable.


 Nate (2533), Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA
2.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/55/103/512/20
May 9, 2008  
From can courtesy of dpjuart. Hoppy and metallic nose, grassy. Bit of malty profile but weak; bit of chocolate. Dark dark brown-black clear with thin off-white head. Medium body with light-medium carbonation. Starts with medium malt sweetness and dry nutty bitterness. Bit of chocolate and light coffee. Finishes dry with mild acidity. Decent brown but nothing that grabs me - I’m not a big brown ale fan.


 MatSciGuy (627), Rosemount, Minnesota, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/515/20
May 6, 2008  
[can] Pours deep brown with a moderate off white head. Aroma is strikingly hoppy, which is quickly overtaken to bittersweet chocolate and burnt caramel. Flavor is really rich and nice, and very well balanced. In the end, the bittersweet chocolate takes over most of the flavors and the hops offset the sweetness with a good bitter finish.


 Silphium (2114), Haslett, Michigan, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/515/20
May 5, 2008  
On tap at the Dock Cafe in Stillwater, MN. Unfortunately, I lost my notes (damned text message clean-up...). From what I recall, this was a murky brown ale dominated by toast and chocolate notes, earthy, with a bitter finish and a touch of dark fruitskin. No single element stood out, but the sum was greater than the whole of the parts.


 Acknud (770), Morganfield, Kentucky, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/514/20
Apr 30, 2008  
On draft at Hopleaf. Pours a dark brown with a frothy head. Very roasted aroma with maybe some cocoa. Taste is roasted malt with some chocolate. The hops come through nicely in the finish.


 mattmc1973 (300), Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/516/20
Apr 29, 2008  
On tap at The Happy Gnome in St. Paul, MN. Dark brown with off-white head. Aroma of roast coffee and chocolate, leaves a lot of lacing. Tastes like a combination of a brown ale and a stout, with a strong coffee taste.


 ross (1709), weddington, South Carolina, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/105/514/20
Apr 28, 2008  
Can from Pole Smoke #1 (Sean). Thanks. Another Surly that I have wanted to try for a while, and I have always liked brown ales alot. So I was as anxious to drink this one as the furious. Pours out a dark brown color with a tan head on it. Smell is full of roasted malts and sweet caramel. Taste is smooth and roasted yet somewhat refreshing too. Far too easy to drink, could become dangerous in large quantities. Need to get some more of this. Good stuff for sure.


 MaltOMeal (642), Land of Sugar, Texas, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/103/516/20
Apr 28, 2008  
16oz can from maximum12 (BA site). Pours black with a thin tan head which dissipated quickly. Nose was of smoke and roast malt with coffee. Taste is roast malt, coffee and nutty. Mouthfeel was thin and watery but still clean and flavorful.



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 45 46 47

What's Your Opinion?
Tell us what you think of this beer. Start your free RateBeer account now.
» Click here.

More Brown Ales

Cigar City Mayan Espresso Bolita (3.8)

Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar (3.75)

Cigar City Cuban Espresso Maduro (3.72)

Cigar City Coco Loco (3.71)

Cigar City Mochaccino Bolita (3.7)

Surly Coffee Bender (3.7)

Mikkeller Jackie Brown (3.7)

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale (3.69)

AleSmith Nautical Nut Brown Ale (3.68)

Surly Bender (3.66)

Cigar City Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale- Vanilla Aged (3.62)

Cigar City Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale (3.62)

Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown (3.62)

Town Hall India Brown Ale (3.6)

HopTown Brown Nose Brown Ale (3.59)


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