Surly Cranberry One

On tap at the Nile. Ruddy brown with no head. Aroma of cranberry and caramel. Interesting balance of tart and sweet.

Tap at the Blue Nile. Reddened hue of oak brown. Roundly similar to the original with innovations present. Aroma of port, caramel malt and cranberry. Immense rich flavor, beginning with molasses and butterscotch which cap a tart, peppery shiraz-like body. Dark crystal sugars. The cranberries lend a quieted but bold acidity to the finish. Smoother and not quite as rich the original, very much a straighter shot at an after dinner drink.

Reading Pigfoot’s posting on ratebeer.com, I had to make a trip to the Blue Nile in Minneapolis and try this before it was all gone. Oooh man, no one wasn’t kidding! Watching the bartender at a close distance, this brew poured like a thick motor oil density. Awesome! This brew appears like a dark cherry cola caramel brown with no head on top. Just a fine white film on top with little carbonation. Aroma is just as intense as Surly One with added scents of molasses, caramel and sweet cherries. Flavor finally revealed the cranberry taste but missing the tartness I am used to from sampling cranberries grown near Three Lakes, Wisconsin for Ocean Spray. But still, this is good! A true sipping style beer that is closer to a dark Belgian ale than an American dark lager. Happy to see Oakes changed this entry from an American dark lager to a Fruit Beer.

On tap at the Blue Nile. Thoroughly darkened appearance, a solid brown, with a sturdy, if slim head of cocoa-tinged foam riding on top. Tart fruit starts the nose, then molasses, sweet caramel malt...the cranberries merge well the other great flavors found in One, and hold ground above. But there is no single dominant factor, instead, a brilliant blending. Taste: Yum. Just yum. Dark, sweet, and lightly tart, the better parts of a rich malty lager given an extra fruity zing. Or zang. Or zabbityzazz. Take your pick. Sip again, and it’s scrumptious once more. Full bodied in the mouth, long, sweet, fruity finish. Terribly smooth, no rough spots here at all. Tastiness all around. an excellent dessert beer, or an exquisite closer on a night’s imbibing. Any way you try it, please do. Another winner from Surly.