Surly Coffee Bender

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

16 oz can brought back from Minnesota by my dear friend Kathy. Consumed tonight in honor of Ted Kennedy, a surly man who enjoyed going on a bender...zing! Poured cola brown with a moderate tan head that faded quickly. Aroma is pretty much all coffee with a light bit of chocolate involved. Flavor is basically just cold coffee with some metallic notes and a light bit of chocolate as it warms. Definitely more flavorful the warmer it gets though.

16oz can thanks to photomike. Dark brown with a small, creamy head. The aroma is a pleasant mix of chocolate-toasty grain and plenty of smoothly roasted coffee. The flavor is pretty much iced coffee with a hint of acidity and medium bitterness balanced by some sweet toasty and chocolatey malt, all finishing with a light herbal hop bite. The body is on the light side, which I was a little let down with at first, but came to enhance the whole coffee presentation in the end. I really think that this is coffee done right in a beer, without to much sweet and roasted malt to get in the way and clash with it. Cheers to Surly for not just throwing coffee into another stout.

Can courtesy photomike. Pours a clear ruby brownish copper with a nice light tan head. Not exactly a ’brown’ brown ale. Aroma is straight up coffee grounds. I wish I could say more but that’s pretty much it. Flavor is iced coffee with half and half. Slightly green coffee beans with light acidity and moderate astringency. Body and mouthfeel are otherwise fine, and if you like coffee beer, this is pretty much the definition of it.

Pours a very murky red/brown with a nice crown. Excellent lace. Smells of fresh coffee beans, like opening a new bag. No alcohol or hop presence, this is straight coffee, but unlike most roasted malts, this is more fresh bean. Tastes..excellent. I can’t say I’ve ever had a beer like this. Iced coffee. I can’t believe this is a beer, and its so damn good! Mouth is medium in body and carbonation. This is an incredible beer, period.

Thanks baggio for charing the bottle. I don’t drink coffee and don’t like the taste of it, unless it is well combined with a big stoute or porter. This beer is not any of those, it is a brown ale that is totaly over powered by the coffee. It could bee that I’m sensetive to the coffee and don’t find any malt or hops. For coffee lovers this must bee a much better beer than for me.

Can, a gift from WeeHeavySD, thank you! Pours a deep dark brown with a small off-white head. Big coffee aroma, a bit creamy, with malt and dark chocolate. Taste is quite bitter, lots of coffee, baker’s chocolate, and malt. Lingering coffee bitterness that has a watery underside. Quite nice.

Can sample at Noogfest High 5. Poured a clear brown color with an average frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate roasted malt and coffee aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and soft carbonation. Solid roasted sweet flavor with a medium to heavy sweet finish of moderate duration. Good complex brew.

Can sample at Noogfest High 5 thanks to heemer77. Poured a light brown with a thin off-white head. Sweet aromas of roast malt and coffee. The flavor found caramel and coffee. Light body.