Surly SurlyFest

Brewed by Surly Brewing Company
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Brooklyn Center, Minnesota USA

Pours a deep golden color with a fluffy white head that settles into a film with good lacing. Aroma is fairly heavily hopped for the style, but is complemented nicely by some sweet caramel malt notes...very nice! Flavor is, well, damn good! Again, heavy on the hops for the style (they do caveat strongly that this is not a Oktoberfest to style), but there is a very, very strong caramel malt presence, along with some notes of citrus and some light spice and toasted nut flavors. Palate is very clean and refreshing, but there’s some body to this one as well...very good! Surly continues to impress me with some of their interpretations of traditional styles, and this one fit that bill.

This is not like other Oktoberfest beers I have been obliged to drink. This is good, very good. Nice balance of flavors, sweet and nutty, bit of hops in it’s backbone, good mouth-feel. Probably the first Oktoberfest beer I will seek out.

Tap at Kuma’s. I don’t care that this isn’t really a festbier, it’s a damn great beer. Pours a slightly hazy gold, fluffy white head. Nose is strongly of C-hops, or apparently Summit. Whatever, it’s not like an Oktoberfest beer I’ve ever seen or smelled. On taste, it’s a subtle and clean malt body with a nice bit of bitterness and clean, hoppy finish. Damn fine.

Can from mashmaster, thanks! Amber color. Grapefruit, grapes and grassy hops in the aroma. Sharp citric, almost vinous flavor with grassy hops, grapefruit and pineapple. Very a-typical, but likeable festbier.

Can thanks to GMCC2181. Poured a nice amber color with small head. Aroma was nice with a little spice to it, and grassy hops. Taste is well balanced and has a bread taste to it along with spice and hops. Nice texture.

Can from tyler... Amber in color, not much head. Nice malty/hoppy aroma. Taste is the same, malts hops, nice balance. Different from most oktoberfest beer but still good. Texture is average so it the carbonation level. Thanks tyler. Good beer...

clear pale copper color with a large off white head. aroma of hops... lots of juicy hops, skunk, grass, spice and some faint caramel. marzen traits are noticeable in the flavor if only slightly... butterscotch/caramel, crystal-y malt, toasted nuts and loads of hoppiness... pine, grass, spice, orange pith and a dry finish. medium bodied and decently carbonated to leave the palate dry and ready for more...

Pint can from the biggest trade ever from tytoanderso, thanks Tyler. Pours a good looking orange hued brown with a large frothy white head that leaves some nice lace. Very malt forward aroma with notes of bread, dough, spice, slight hoppy citrus, just solid and enjoyable all around. Palate has a medium to slightly thin mouthfeel with average carbonation and a rather dry finish. Flavor isn’t quite as outstanding as the aroma and a little more common with some bread and biscuit. Very solid despite the ugly can.