Surly Darkness

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

750 ml bottle 2008 recieved in trade with ATLBeerDog poured a clear dark brown that becomes an opaque black in the glass with a small lingering brown head. Aromas of black malt, prunes, raisins, dark chocolate, licorice, light coffee and light roastiness. Palate was medium to full bodied and smooth. Flavors of Prune, raisin, bitter chocolate, black malt, licorice, light coffee and light vanilla with a smooth lingering bittersweet finish.

2008 Bottle. Black, but not black enough according to Ethan. You learn something new every day. Nose is sweeter than expected, with all the typical players. Flavor is more syrupy than expected and the malts are pretty complex. Big, strong, and burley. Good stuff, but I am quickly tiring of this style.

Bottle shared by Turd. Given the hype, this was actually surprisingly good. Velvety black pour with light brown head. Aromas of chocolate, mild coffee, some hint of fruit, nuts, and roasted malts. Silky, creamy mouthfeel pleases the palate. Sweet fruits come out more in the taste. Hot damn, this is good. Alcohol well hidden as well. Believe the hype.

<b>1/14/2009</b>: Surly Darkness has a nearly black color with red highlights and a dense, tan-colored head. This beer has a seriously rich and caramelized aroma accompanied by welcomed vineous and sweet orangy-citrus hoppiness. The flavor is quite sweet with a predominent orage citrus syrup hop flavor. That runs throughout the flavor and is integrated into the rich, creamy milky chocolate and sweet caramelized maltiness. This beer is full bodied and it is unbelieveably smooth (smoother and creamier than milk) and nothing like I expected. However, if it isn’t anything in your mouth though, it is sticky as crap everywhere else. It isn’t the typical chocolate/coffee/roasty impy stout. This is something more and very difficult to describe. The hop flavors are large, but well-balanced - no well-integrated - into the other underlying flavors. The flavor and texture just hangs there. Wow, very interesting and different and memorable and very different that any other Imperial Stout that I have had.

<i>750 ml black wax-sealed bottom shared by alexsdad06. Wow, thanks a ton Brad. Damn fine brew! Rating #268 for this beer.</i>

Rating #400. Bottle courtesy of Ed at Heritage. Quite possibly the most generous act of beer sharing I have yet to see. Cracked this at the 09er for friends. Pours like motor oil with a pillowy tan head. Smells of charcoal, wood, and hops which carry into the flavor. Very earthy. Tastes of added notes of dark fruit, caramel, bakers cocoa, and faint coffee. Noticeable alcohol on the finish. Dangerously drinkable. RERATED: On tap at Hop Leaf. Pours inky black with a reddish brown head. Aggressive with grapfruity hops, smoked bacon, and soy sauce. Puts a hurt on your palate. Drinking a pint of this felt like an accomplishment.

Dark black pour. Nose of chocolate notes, cocoa, malt, coffee, and alcohol. Was pretty solid, but maybe too hopped for my big-dark stout liking. I like some hop for sure, but it was actually a little harsh. Glad I didn’t overpay for a bottle, but would love to get a sampling of a year old bottle for sure.

Pours midnight black with plenty of brown head. Nose of soy sauce, and all of the hops that I have been told that are in this beer. The flavor is different to say the least. It starts of with some maple, then slips into a big date or fig finish. I get all the hops in the finish as well. Full body but it seems to be easily drinkable. Gosh...believe the hype.

TAP: at Stub & Herb’s in Minneapolis - was lucky enough to get a pint at the 2008 release party. Pours jet black with a tan head. Aroma is rich, roasty, chocolate, dark fruits, hops, and the taste is similar, along with caramel and the higher ABV presence. Tremendous beer with lots of character - quite possibly the best beer I have ever had. Re-Rate: was able to try 2008 (tap) and 2009 (tap) side-by-side (thanks Al!). I get a little more fig/port flavor out of the 2008, and a little more hop out of the 2009. The hop profile may be a function of aging, but it seems as though the flavor is different as well. I prefer the 2008.