Surly Coffee Bender

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

Can courtesy of theisti. Thanks Tim. It pours deep clear brown, almost mahogany, with a large, creamy, beige head that laces nicely. The nose is initially all about the coffee, then your brain toggles back and forth trying to hone-in on just what it’s smelling...hops, coffee, perhaps chicory coffee...something is just a bit "off". You circle around it never settling on one definitive aroma. I guess the best way to describe it would be to say that it smells like an iced coffee with "something" else added to it. That something is earthy and herbal but I can’t lock down a specific descriptor. The mouthfeel is fairly light-bodied yet creamy and slick with a punch of hop bitterness coming at the end. (It is a Surly beer...) The flavor is of coffee over a round malty body, concluding with a nice hoppy bitterness. Notes of coffee and hops linger long after the swallow. Overall...this is an odd bird. It’s more-or-less all over the place, and although I really like certain qualities it possesses (the mouthfeel and nice bitterness), it lacks the continuity to make me want more. A benchmark American brown, I find the "regular" Bender more enjoyable than this version.

Clear brown color, ring of white head. Aroma of wet coffee grounds, slight earthy hop background notes. Mild bitter coffee taste, lighter hop finish. A nice coffee brew.

Pours a reddish brown with a beige head. Aroma is overwhelmingly coffee-y to the point where you can’t notice anything else! All brown ale qualities are masked pretty much. Tastes of coffee (duh), huge roast, burnt caramel. Extremely single minded, but in a night with at least 4 coffee beers, this was by far the most coffee-y and also least complex. I like the way Speedway and Darklord do coffee: subtle! Still, this was enjoyable despite it’s faults.

16 oz. can shared by goldtwins. Pours a clear brown with a moderate off-white head. The aroma is dominated by fresh coffee. Any of the aromatic qualities of Bender have been wiped out by the coffee. Fortunately, I like coffee so this beer works for me. The coffee in the flavor does not come across as fresh as in the aroma, and some of the traits from Bender sneak in such as some chocolate and pine. Bitter coffee finish. Enjoyable.

16oz can acquired in trade with wetherel (thanks!). Poured a deep and dark amber color (almost brown) with a an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of coffee, roasty, pine, earthy/diirt, and nuts. Tastes of coffee, roasty, vanilla, and caramel. Light lacing left on the glass.

Poured a translucent brown color with a small, light tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted malts, caramel, coffee, pine, toast, and some floral hops. Taste of caramel malts, some roasted coffee beans, vanilla, and tobacco, with a dry finish.

Can shared by hopdog. Pours a deeper brown with lots of ruby notes coming through and a medium creamy off white head that laced. Aroma of coffee (duh), vanilla, some hops peaking through, caramel, nuts and toasted malt. Flavor of coffee, toasted malt, nuts, tobacco and light hops.

tasting at the bluebird. just like it says - coffee beer. it tastes like an iced coffee with no creamer. good brew - just what i needed to pick me up.