Surly CynicAle

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

Can courtesy of skyview. Aroma of honey and that was about maybe the best about this one for mme. Yellow body with white head. Flavor was a potant bittering pepper and the the honey flavor hard old candy. Too harsh for my palate. Thanks Bob.

Thanks to Dansting for this one. 16oz. can served in a Duvel tulip. Poured a hazy gold. Plenty of carbonation, about two fingers of white head. Lots of citrusy fruit in the aroma and some bready malt. Started off with a lot of orange fruit, then finished with corriander. Light to medium bodied and a light hop flavor. This didn’t really make a big impression on me, not bad though.

16 oz can from iowaherkeye. I feel like a broken record as I type this, but thank you Joey. Poured a slightly hazy medium orange color. Head was tall and sticky, reducing to a tenacious off white film after a few minutes. Some tattered lace was left behind at the end. The aroma was reminiscent of a wit with whiffs of yeasty bread dough, orange cream, and even weak coriander. There were also some piney hops and light peach off in the distance that imparted a little extra personality. Delicately sweet on the tongue up front with a dry and mildly bitter finish. The mouth feel was smooth with less carbonation than I had expected. I tasted spicy Belgian yeast notes, white bread, and orange. There was also some pleasant fresh cereal grain, light chalkiness, and subdued piney hops at the end. Very drinkable beer.

Clear, dark golden ale wearing a fading white head that leaves minimal lacing as it departs. Yeasty and bready nose hints at sugar as well as ginger and coriander. I can’t find much more aromatic depth and out of the 5 elements I named, there’s only one I find desirable in a saison. Further, some alcohol comes through, while esters quickly reminds of banana bubblegum. Minimal floral hops prefer to let the spices outshine them and leave the sweetness run the palate, the ensemble remains ridiculously sweet.

GABF 2007. Mostly transparent, straw gold color with a thin layer of fluffy white head. Peppery nose with hints of herbs and a cooling, milky wheat. Light bodied, crisply carbonated, soft mouthfeel. Some fruity nectarine notes and more milky wheat jump out on the palate right away. A bit malty and fruity sweet up front, but it dries out nicely with the aid of some herbal hops toward the finish. Very spicy, with a distinct black pepper left lingering on the palate.

Sweet looking pour from a can...massive head with small cumulus clouds on top of my beer as it settles. Aroma just screams Belgian Wit, with a heavy coriander accent (which is a good thing). Flavor is very nice...a bit spicy, while dry at the same time. Malt is in the background, and there is definitely some of that black pepper they advertise in the finish. Decent on the palate, but nothing amazing. Super easy to drink, I’m glad those extra 4 ounces come for the party! Another quality brew from the folks at Surly!

Can pours a fizzy light amber color with a large head and lace that lingers. I detect a mild spice in the aroma, quite Belgian smelling, perhaps yeasty, and quite fruity. The flavor is not at all what I expected. It seems quite dry in a way, but with a lingering fruity and spiced finish. I’m at a loss as to what this is supposed to be. I see that it is listed as a Saison, but there is too much hop for the style. But hey, what do I know? The palate is cleansing and dry. Although I’m not seeing Saison, I’m quite certain this would marry well with Thanksgiving dinner.

Can: Dirty golden, sediment, mod to large foamy off-white head, spotty lacing.   Bright floral nose, very musty, horse blanket too.   Doesn’t even smell as if it came from around here.   Also picking up some minor pine notes and powdered sugar, like off of smarties candies.   Lots to smell on this one!   Very barnish malts on the tongue and the floral aspect seems a little astringent.   Hmmm, not as entertaining on the tongue.   Has some of that sugary sweetness but also a dirty malt background.   A little grainy.   Warming for sure, seems as if the ABV could be higher.   Mod body and mouthfel.   Good nose, but rough on the tongue.  Big peppery finish.   A different Saison for sure.   Thanks for sharing Sully!