Surly Darkness

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

Entered to celebrate my 9700th rating with the curently 4th highest rated beer on Ratebeer. Drunk at GABF 2007. A black beer with a thin brown head. The aroma is sweet and very roasted, combined with notes of chocolate and coffee. The flavor is sweet with notes of chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt, as well as a light note of alcohol. The flavor is very balanced. Nice one.

Bottle 75 cl. Courtesy of BrianK. Pours black with a vague reddish hue and a rich light brown head. Aroma of hard roasted malts and a whiff of smoke. Solid body, hard roasted malts, some vanilla. Deeply malt bitter. Not bad, but not exactly Top 50 to me. 220909

From tap, apparently the last keg available, put on at McKenzies Minneapolis. Huge thanks to hellomynameis for letting me know about this being on! Pours black with a brown rim, thick creamy brown head which looks like lovely chocolate cream. Aroma is a complex sweet coffee, chocolate and liqourice blend, slight molasses note. Thick mouthfeel. Flavour is sweet, complex blend of liqourice and chocolate. A distinct fruity note that is non-citric, seems like peach to me. Finish is a long mellow sweet blend of the chocolate and coffee notes hitting a wonderfull bitterness. You keep tasting the chocolate on your lips and the bitterness on you tongue. Very lovely and perfectly balanced.

RBSG Second sample at the brewery didn’t have th peach note and was more hoppy and fresh compared to the McKenzies tapped version.

Bottled, thanks Marsblursi! Very black, rich beige head. Concentrated coffee aroma with some black currant. Hops mixed with brandy and licorice. Vinous and not overly full sized. Very well made in that ther is no stickyness at all. Creates elegance out of a chaotic orchestra of flavours: chocolate. molasses, oat flakes, port and licorice. Finishes salty and very bitter.

Bottle 75cl. @ home.
[ Trade by Bobby91w ]. Clear dark black color with a large, frothy - creamy, excellent lacing, fully lasting, light brown head. Aroma is heavy malty, chocolate, moderate roasted, coffee, vanilla, alcohol, berry sweet - cherry ? Flavor is heavy sweet, light light acidic, and moderate to heavy bitter with a long duration. Body is medium to full, texture is oily - creamy, carbonation is soft, finish feel is light alcoholic. [20090608]

Bottle at Papsø. Pitch black coloured with a medium sized fast disappearing beige head. Roasted aroma of dark chocolate and cocoa powder with notes of smoke and hops. Roasted flavour of dark chocolate, cocoa powder, alcohol and hops. Roasted and hoppy finish.

Date: January 06, 2007
Mode: Hand Bottled
Source: Tasting
Vintage: 2006
Appearance: black, wispy tan head, drops of lace
Aroma: rich sweet chocolate and licorice aroma with a hint of roasted
Flavor: rich sweet flavor, lots of dark chocolate, light bitter finish, just a hint of alcohol in the aroma and flavor

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: ***+/4

Date: June 23, 2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewery
Vintage: 2007
getting lots more dark chocolate in the aroma and flavor and less of the sweetness, the sweetness does come back in the form of some milk chocolate,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: ***+/4

Date: November 01, 2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party
Vintage: 2008
Appearance: black, fine brown head, bits of drippy lace
Aroma: rich roasted malt aroma, lots of dark chocolate, light dark caramel sweetness, touch of piney sweetness
Body: big body
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor, lots of dark caramel sweetness, lots of roasted comes in to leave a long bitter finish, plenty of hops to go along with the bitterness

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 18/20
Rating: 4.1/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***+/4

Pretty close to black. Aroma of milk chocolate, light hazelnut and really smooth espresso (think Epic pulled from a Synesso). Sweet, sugary with a rich Turkish coffee accent. The body is heavy but silky. Nice brew.