Surly Darkness

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

Tap at ACBF 2009: Opaque motor oil pour with a thick brown head that fades to a film. Gigantic chaotic aroma dominated by molasses with notes of coffee, burnt raisin/sugar, and charred black malt. Cloying sticky body- no finesse nor subtlety here. Flavor is dominated by molasses, burnt plummy sugars and nondescript char. A disgusting under attenuated mess lacking finesse. Why all the hype?

Outstanding. Aroma of sweet malt, chocolate side notes. Sweetness smooth in the taste with chocolate (dark and milk) and caramel notes just coming brilliant through. Well balanced and awesome.

1200th rating! Draft at ACBF09 (08 version). Pours black with only a small ring of head. Aroma of sweet malt and some bitter hops as well. Rather indistinct aroma actually. Flavor is very sweet and malty, but not the roasted malt that I’m used to in imperial stouts. It was a very odd experience, and I thought this seemed more like an ASA to me. Overall it was alright, but certainly on the sweet side. I would like to try this again though. 7/4/7/4/15 (3.7/5)

Update 11/28/09: 2009 bottle. Pours black with a thick tan head. Aroma of piney hops, chocolate, roasted malt. Flavor is initially quite sweet with some bitter hops (pine, even some citrus) in the finish. Texture is a bit syrupy. I’m not changing my #s just adding new commentary.

750 ml bottle. Pours a dense deep black with a moderate-large mocha brown head that lasted beyond mid-glass and left a layer of foam with each sip. Very pleasant aroma of chocolate and caramel. The flavor is superb, and I was frankly surprised at how fruity this beer is. Cherry is the predominant fruit flavor, along with some raisins. Chocolate, molasses and caramel are also present. Smooth, dense and silky on the palate, which is truncated by some moderate alcohol heat, which extends beyond the swallow. I prefer sweeter beers, so this one is right up my alley. Very nice.

Thanks for the 2 Brothers Brewery for bringing this one in for their Hop Juice release party. It was my favorite "guest" beer of the day, and a delicious stout. If it were slightly less sweet, I’d say it’s perfect.

22 oz bottle, graciously shared by MrBendo, thanks Todd. Dark brown with a coating tan head. Nose is caramel, molasses, grass and some citrus peel. Medium body with mild carb. Taste is molasses, chocolate chips, dark fruit and citrus with a muted hop bite. Very tasty with lots of sweet notes. Could use a touch more dark roast to balance.

Thanks to tytoanderso for the bottle, about 8 months old. 2008 bottling I believe, with Satan drinking from a skull pictured on the label.
Dark brown pour with a medium foamy head. Aroma of chocolate, some roasted malt and coffee. The hops seem be be totally gone in this. I’m a little surprised at just how absent they were, but not too disappointed because I generally don’t like hoppy stouts. A lot of dark fruit (prunes, dates) in the taste, and I could swear I tasted some wood. Thick texture, rich and complex, but not as much as I would have thought. Definitely not the heaviest stout out there, but it’s probably changed a lot in the 8 months sitting in my cellar. Mellowed, I would think. Good (if not earthshaking) stuff.

750 ml. 2008 vintage. Shared with SpudClampDawg and Pete. Inviting deep brown to black body below a dark brown head that slowly diminishes. Aroma is sweet with notes of chocolate, molasses, roasted grain. Just a hint of resin. The flavor is heavily sweet and lightly bitter. The finish is moderately to heavily sweet and lightly bitter with some light acidity. Full body with a creamy, milkshake like, texture. Lively carbonation. Lacks complexity. The sweetness overwhelms everything else to the point of becoming cloying erasing any chance of depth or complexity. Overall, a bit of a mess. Very disappointing.