Surly CynicAle

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

Pour is light yellow and orange with a slight haze. Smell is fruity, mainly apricots or peaches. Taste is sweet with a fruity aftertaste. Interesting take on the belgian style ale, the apricot and pepper flavors are prevalent. Sweet yet spicy, a complex beer.

Can. Aroma of semi-resinous peach and apricot hop notes, increasing biscuit malt as it warms. Flavor again hop-forward with the more saison-y biscuit malt sneaking its way in. Odd for a saison would be putting it mildly, I didn’t really get much in the way of the spice aspect that others have, more of a hop-forward Belgian hybrid type deal to me. Still enjoyed it though. 8-4-7-4-15/3.8

Rerate 6/24/09 Can. Very different impression this time. Still got the apricot and peach notes, but the rest of the beer also showed through more with doughy yeast and spicy notes from the yeast as well. Somewhat phenolic, but mild in that area compared to many US saisons. Still, was a different take on a saison for me, and this time the oddness of the mixture was not quite as enjoyable for me. Not bad though certainly.

Can thanks to BDR. Pours a cloudy orange with a small ring of white head. Aroma of Belgian yeast and melon rind. Flavor is rather vegetal initially, with some citrus/apricot in the finish as well as sour peach pit. Some spiciness too. Decent. 7/4/7/4/14 (3.6/5)

Much thanks to hopdog for passing this can onto me. Pours a hazy golden orange with a medium creamy/bubbly white head...exactly what a saison should look like! Aroma of that same great citrusy hops that I have come to expect from a Surly beer. But it’s not a hop bomb...the saison qualities are still there. Fruity (apricot), honey, floral, spicy saison yeast notes, some light peppery and bready malt. Flavor of honey, peppery saison spiciness, floral and citrusy hops, a touch of some hop bitterness, bready dry maltiness. Surly does it again! Now if only they could start shipping those cans to PA.

Hazy deep orange color with a lasting foamy head. Aroma of citrus, yeast, light fruit and spice. Fruit and yeast dominate the flavor as well, with a bit of pepper and spicy hops on the finish. Rather refreshing and enjoyable. Not bad at all!

1 pint can, Fargo, ND, USA. Slightly hazy golden colour, thick frothy head. Visible carbonation. Yeasty aroma, citrus fruit and pepper, quite nice full mouth feel with a proper burn on the first sip. Warming finish, almost strong cider-like in character.

Can from dashirey. Pours murky honey color with white-ish head. Smells like honey, pepper, yeast, apple, spice, and caramel. Weird as hell pouring a saison from a can. Flavor is apple, malt, honey, yeast, and some tart, citrusy hops. Nice saison with yeasty finish.

16 oz. can, thanks Brigadier. Interesting aroma, yeasty with rich orangeish and pepper notesPours orange-amber with a large foamy off white head. Nice lacing. Flavor is complex with some fruity and peppery notes with a grassy hoppy note. Roasted nutty character in the finish. Full creamy feel.