Surly Darkness

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

Huge thanks to Lisalucy for the Chirstmas gift, for which she waited in line for five hours. Ah, I’ve raised her well. A delicious and decadent imperial stout, and yet surprisingly un-complex for the style. Malty, with molasses and chocolate notes. It was utterly lacking in that soy sauce-like quality that can detract from even the best imperial stouts, which made it smooth and drinkable and yet would have to be regarded as a by-product of that lack of complexity. Not the cascade of intensity I associate with the style, but a great beer nonetheless.

rerate 2009 bottle, what a mess. This beer has gone from my original 4.6 to something far worse. What a mess the 2009 version is a black double ipa, tastes nothing like an impy. Thanks for the chance to try this one. Rerate, 2007 bottle, #003. Pours black bubbly with a light brown head. Nose is hoppy and intriguing. Taste is sweet and big and hoppy and nice, very very nice. Beer 5 of Officially the Best Thursday in Beer ever in the existence of my life. Deftim13, Tim you rock I’m so damn happy to finally try this beer, I’ve coveted it for a long time and I am so happy to have the opportunity to drink it. You rock. Pours black with a light brown head. Nose is really damn weird and pretty much everyone I drank with tonight confirmed it, its funky and hoppy and strange, but not bad. Taste is grade a sick. Sweet rich choco coffee. Really rich and huge damn big taste and really pretty nice feeling in the mouth. The hops are there too which is nice and different and damn, good work Surly and Thanks Tim.

Draft. Multiple samples at EBF Session 2 on 2/16/08. Poured pitch black with a huge frothy brown head. Big roasted malt aroma with chocolate, some coffee, and some hop bitterness. Flavor was big in all respects, with intense roasted chocolate and big citric hops the major players, along with coffee and dark fruit. Flavors were intense but struck a good balance. Silky smooth and delicious. World class stout.

EBF in Boston I waited a long time to try this beer and it didn’t drop the ball. Pour dark as night with a very thin brown head. Aroma was not typical for a stout of this size. Hops were more dominant that the usual roasted malts. Nicely balance with wonderful flavors of Chocolate, molasses, and some hints of caramel. Amazing stout.

session 1 at beerfest, I tasted it multiple times. decent smell GREAT taste very dark but light to drink. Chocolate and slight coffee taste. Great beer, blew away other surly tastings.

EBF V Session I. Very strong taste of chocolate and coffee, and an added complexity of an underlying and light sense of hops and fruits. Tasty and highly drinkable. No flavor of smoke noticed.

At the Valley/Beer Geeks Tastings. Up with Kaggen, Abyss, and a few other sort after little numbers. Yeah, better than the Abyss, and yes a great RIS... from memory, coffee, nuts, and some dark fruit. I’d like to try this again, on a fresh palate.

On tap at Chef Paul’s Bavarian Lodge (special tapping). Wonderful roasted coffee aroma with chocolate and slight alcohol. Very smooth finish and very drinkable. Dare I say, better than the Dark Lord?