Surly Bitter Brewer

Brewed by Surly Brewing Company
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Brooklyn Center, Minnesota USA

Can courtesy of theisti. Pours a hazy, pale copper with a pitted off-white head. The nose is fruity and floral with notes of dried apricots, lemon iced tea and grassy wildflowers. Fairly light bodied and slick with a moderately dry and bitter finish. Very quaffable. Light caramel malt sits behind a blend of fruity, floral and herbal hops. This is definitely not your typical ESB, as the hops dominate the flavor profile, but it remains eminently drinkable and pretty darn tasty. Thanks again for the can, Tim!

7-13-08 bottle shared with lb4lb thanks to pepsican
Medium amber orange with a thin white head and some light lacing. Smell is big hops and dough. Flavor is hoppy but not fruity or floral or too terribly refreshing. Medium to high carbonation. Drinkable and hoppy just not very crisp or springy like I hoped. Big honey flavors linger.

16oz can from theisti, thanks! Aroma is fruity as hell, with the peach really sticking out. The aroma also has some nice slighty roasty and toasty malt notes. I also pick up a bit of iced tea. Copper colored with a smallish off white head. The flavor is peach-a-plenty with a little earthiness, faint dark caramel, whole wheat crackers, and some other lighter fruits. This is different than any beer I have ever tried with the unique hop profile and I must say I am digging it. The finish is bitter, but not overly so. The mouthfeel is amazing for such a small beer. I must admit, this is the nice grain bill of a premium bitter, but with a distinctly non-English hop profile, but also not really a typical American hop profile. It is hard to remember that this is a 4.2% beer. Thanks for this Frankenbeer Surly, another winner!

Can in trade from pepsican. Thanks for this cool extra!
Pours a nice mostly clear golden color with a creamy medium lived beige head. Smell is fresh mildly floral hops and oaty, nutty, creamy malt. Taste is hoppier than most of the style, but is pleasantly balanced by honey like, oat cereal like malt and a crisp bitterness with pleasant lightly floral hop flavor. This is very refreshing and sessionable. Really nice overall!

16oz can, what a solid brew out of a can. My 1st go at any of the Surly beers and it did not disapoint. Some metalic "can" flavor hidden in the finish of the brew maybe? Or was I just saying that as I stair at the can? Poured into tulip glass. Some sour / bitter flavors, intense and with terrific mouth feel, almost like it was barrel aged. Cirtrus, hops, balanced flavor. Really enjoyed this, and the price and packaging!

16oz can from Badbeer. Pours amber with a moderate sized, fizzy white head, good lace. Smells very earthy hoppy with some spices like basil and rosemary along with some iced tea. Tastes earthy hoppy and malty bitter, again with the spices and iced tea. Medium body, good carbonation. It’s good, I was expecting something different.

Can from iowaherkeye. Pours a nice orange/gold with a thin dissipating head. Aroma is that of nice floral and piney hops with a touch of citrus and some malty sweetness. Floral and herbal hops hit initially and are backed up by some toasted and lightly fruity malts. Some hops in the finish leave a light bitter effect lingering on the tongue. Seemed pretty light, had nice carbonation, and was a pleasure to drink. It proves that beers don’t have to be aged in a bourbon barrell and be 14% in order to be good. I would drink this everyday.

can from iowaherkeye. thanks joey! I love pouring beer from a can into a pint glass where the beer actually fills to the top of the glass like a real pint. Love these surly cans. Pours a hazy and deep orange golden with a small whispy white lace. Aroma is earthy and slightly sweet, with a strong malt presence and a dash of fruity hops. Flavor begins with nice bready malt and finishes slightly sweet and bitter with notes of the citrus and peach. Nice mouthfeel and a very delicious bitter overall. Love these english style beers that are lower in alcohol but can still pack a mean flavor punch. Could drink pints of this. Well done.