Surly Bender

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

Can via trade. One guy says they have this on tap at the Minny airport. Really? Why don’t I move to Minnesota again? Oh yeah, it’s cold, flat, and boring. Sort of like your sist-...ok, I won’t go there. Just kidding. Now about the beer. Aroma of sweet malt, nuts, and coffee. Flavor is caramel malt, coffee, nuts, and chocolate. Well-balanced and tasty with a medium palate and smooth mouthfeel. I’d go on a Bender bender any day.

On tap at some place at M/SP airport. Had just enough time to go in either the place with the Surly tap or the place with the Bell’s tap and went with Surly. Pours brown with a nice tan head. Aroma is nutty and malty, with oatmeal, chocolate, and a slight floral presence. This floral thing comes through more in the taste- like tea and lemongrass. A little thin, but the finish is not bad, with citrus and roast.

draught at hopleaf. nose of chcolate covered espresso beans. not as ’crunchy’ as that note can sometimes be, a bit softer and more rounded. comes across as a well balanced porter -- good bitterness despite strong roasted notes. amazing a beer can be this complex at only 5%.

Love most every Surly, but this one not so much. Just seems like a non-descript, brown ale to me. OK malt, some nuts, some coffee, a bit thin if creamy, not much of an aftertaste. Easy to drink, but just leaves me wanting. I should have not had the Furious first, which was outstanding.

Can. I’ve had this more times than I can remember, and I finally get around to rating today! Dark brown pour, a little carbonation and a roasty caramel aroma. Flavor is malt, caramel and some chocolate on finish. Solid beer, but I like the coffee version better.

Pours very dark brown with a long lasting foamy tan head. Strong aroma of dark malt, hops, vanilla and a little nuttiness. After the first sip, the first thing that I notice is the outstanding creaminess. Extremely smooth texture which makes it very drinkable. Taste is awesome...nutty, creamy, hint of coffee & chocolate and balanced with the perfect amount of hops. Texture of this is what set’s it apart most. Best brown ale I’ve ever tasted!

2009 Can - Thanks skinnyguy! - Pours dk brown with a large tan head...aroma is malted grains and hops, bit of sweetness...flavour is similar, grainy, caramel, burnt wood bitterness...nice brew...

16oz can via trade at DLD poured into a tulip. pours a dark, chestnut brown with a thick, fluffy vanilla head and great lacing. aroma is very nice with fresh, roasted pistachios, coffee, malted chocolate, and a hint of sugary, citrus hops. flavor was delicious and hoppy up front with notes of citrus, grass, and earth with big roasted, nutty malts following with hints of cinnamon and coffee. mouthfeel was medium bodied, very drinkable if not a bit thin, with solid carbonation. overall, a very solid brown ale.