Surly Bender

Aroma is roasty, milk chocolate, hazelnut. Taste is milk chocolate, pine and citrus. Easy drinking.

Oct. 2007 - I was really liking this one. Dark brown pour, nice head and lacing. Strong aroma of coffee, english malt and roast. As many stated, this defies style, part brown ale, part porter, part oatmeal stout...the best of each part. Caramel malt with roast, chocolate, oatmeal and nutty notes as well. Some sweetness, maybe bubblegum with a bitterness and even a sourness that was strangely pleasant. Wonderfully smooth and thick mouthfeel. Amazingly complex. Really excellent.

Brown in color with a frothy tan head. The nose showed scents of maple syrup oatmeal, chocolate covered toffee and figs. Medium-bodied with fresh carbonation and a tartness running through the midpalate leading to a bitter chocolate ladden finish.

Bright reddish-brown with a bubbly head. The aroma is chocolatey, lightly phenolic. The body is thin and the palate muddled and disjointed with underdeveloped cocoa powder notes, nut shells and a distinct lack of residual sugars.

mild scent with slight hops and coffee bean tones. taste is of vanilla, coffee. smooth finish. a decent beer.

Darker pour with very light vanilla and malt aroma. Taste is light coffee, light vanilla, and light hops. Also has a slight burntness. Not a very dominant brew. Ok but probably wouldn’t buy again.

Creamy mouthfeel is the highlight here. A nicely/slightly bitter brown with toast and bread flavors, backed by milk. Fast filling, so drink slow.

Thanks to Stine for this one. Pours out a nice dark brown with a small off white head. Aroma is of vanilla, bittersweet chocolate and slight caramel. Taste is complex with a nice balance of many different flavors, light coffee, bittersweet chocolate, caramel, and some vanilla notes all come together rather well. As stated nicely balanced.