Surly Bender

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

Microbrew in a can? Nice. Nice deep dark brownish-amber color. A little lacking in the nose - but nice smooth and malty medium body - with a nice dash of bittering hops to leave the taste to linger in the mouth - chocolate malt, roasted oats, toffee, very nutty. Pretty damn good brown. Would obviously enjoy it more if were bigger.... what’s new?

Can courtesy of Stine: Poured a cloudy dark brown color ale with a nice foamy head with better then average retention. Aroma of caramel malt with light bitter hops. Taste is also dominated by caramel with some light bitter hops. Body is quite full with some great carbonation. Overall, I was a bit disappointed with this one considering the brilliance of the two other offerings I had from this fine brewer.

Can from theisti, via Zinister. Thanks! Pours a velvety mahogany with an off-white head. Aromas of chocolate cherry and chocolate raspberry are dominant in the nose, with a hint of java for good measure. Flavor is smoky strawberry and chocolate coffee; friggin’ awesome. Mouthfeel is only average, but this is the only lowpoint here. This is an AWESOME brew!

can.....aroma: caramel and toasted malt...apearance: more of the caramel brown for this brown ale with medium ivory head....taste: essentially all caramel malt with hints of vanilla. incredibly smooth and very agreeable with the palate. not too much complexity with this one but i still found it to be quite enjoyable.

Draught sample at brewery during the Surly tour, RBSG Minneapolis, June 23 2007. Near-opaque molasses color with a bit of dark tan head receding....nutty, lightly fruity (grapy) and significantly hoppy aroma, much more agressive than most brown ales but still within the style parameters I think; caramel cream shows up with a little bit of time....the body is juicy, vanilla-nutty, earthy with light candied fruits....remarkably luscious, full, velvety mouthfeel. Certainly among the 5 best brown ales I’ve had and I can’t wait to pop the can I brought back for a proper pint of it.

Out of the can. Fluffy brown head. Nose with hints of puffed wheat, cocoa puffs, coffee and a hint of lactose. Burnished mahagony color against the light. More complex than most brewers’ brown ales. Light chocolate, sweetened coffee, puffed wheat, some roast grains and caramel sweetness. There is a hint of some tangy acidity in the background, with an almost sour cherry note. Had this at the brewery back to back with the Coffee Bender, and I preferred the regular. I got more of the hops out of the tap sample than from this can.

(Can 47,3 cl) Courtesy of yespr. Pours a beautiful, clear chestnut brown with a tall and handsome, dense, beige head. Fresh and very fruity nose. Medium body, perhaps a bit flat in carbonation, with fresh accents of nuts and vitamins. The finish is rather bitter. 290607

RBSG 2007 Tour at Surly – Dark brown, creamy off white head. Toasty vanilla aromas sit a top faint caramel and chocolate molasses notes. Flavor is well balanced tones of all the above. A touch of light hoppiness keeps the soft sweet toasty notes in check. Medium bodied with a pillow soft carbonation. An easy drinking brown…