Surly Bender

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

Pretty damn good for what it is, but it seems like these guys don’t know how to make a beer without a lot of hops.

16 oz. can - thanks to tytoanderso for the trade; thin, light cola brown with foamy tan head; a little sweet with mild astringency; nutty with touch of chocolate on the nose; not that interesting overall; the coffee addition does wonders to this base

On tap at Hop Leaf. This dark brown ale poured with a thin beige head and a chocolate aroma. There is a sour, but pleasant, smooth chocolate and roasted malt flavor and a bit of carbonation.

A flavoursome, superior brown ale. I really like the American take on what’s often a rather dull style. Lovely caramel flavours with mocha notes and hints of vanilla. Medium bodied and soft in mouthfeel. As with everything we tried from Surly, this is really nice work. (Can courtesy of Oslo - thanks buddy - at the Milson Point park session September 09)

Brown color, with a really nice rudy/umber color when held to the light. Tallish, somewhat creamy, aged canvas hued head. Good lace. Toasted malt, light chocolate, dark caramel, and herbal hops in the aroma. Smells like a brown ale, nothing to exciting for me. Thin toasted malt flavors in the start. Gets more bitter and starts to get tinny and thinner the deeper in I get into it. After having the CB yesterday, I can recall the base, and now can taste how much the coffee added. HInts of fruit in the middle. Finish is dry and bitter. Really quite boring without the coffee.

600ml can, courtesy of Oslo, Ratebeer tasting under the Bridge 12/9. Quickly fading frothy tan head on a deep brown body. Mild roasty aroma, maybe some vanilla essence too. Flavour of caramel and oats. More interesting than the average brown ale.

Draught at Ike’s, Minneapolis airport. Dark brown with orange and a fine, tan head. Aroma of dark fruits and chocolate. Flavor of roasted chocolate, caramel, thick malt; fruity too, with a tart touch and a roasty finish, with some bitter hops and a reasonably full mouth. Nice stuff.

16oz can from theisti. Nose is interesting - coffee and hops with a caramel and bready malt backbone. Flavor is also interesting, like no other beer I’ve had - intiially toasty chocolate and malted milk ball flavor that soon mingles with the creamy oatmeal and finishes a dry, bitter hop profile. A little strange, but very well executed. Not my thing entirely, but as with all the other Surly brew I’ve tried, it’s very well cared for. Thanks, Tim.