Bender - Surly Brewing Company

sommersb

Tennessee

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 12-13-2011
Freshness: Canned on 11-07-2011
Packaging: 16 oz. can
Glassware: Nonic pint
Purchased: Received in a trade

Nice to see a full 16oz. pint serving in this can!

Pour reveals a clear beer of dark brown color with red tints. Head is creamy and tan, maybe 2 and a half fingers. Good retention and lacing.

Aromas feature malts, with caramel and light bready notes, as well as earth hop oils and maybe some hints of nut.

The taste is more bitter than the aroma led me to expect. Big hoppy bitterness in the beginning - seems quite a bit more bitter than most browns. As the beer warms, the malt flavors come through, making for a more balanced beer. There are also roasted grain flavors like coffee.

Feel is smooth and creamy, I suspect from the oats described on the can. A medium amount of carbonation, with a dry finish with lingering bitterness.

Overall an enjoyable beer - my first from Surly. I prefer brown ales to be more malt-forward than this, however.

Thanks to Crass3000 for this one!

Serving type: can

12-14-2011 04:49:50 | More by sommersb

OUJayhawk1799

Oklahoma

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%

05-24-2013 04:49:38 | More by OUJayhawk1799

mscudder

Georgia

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-23-2013 04:16:43 | More by mscudder

marlinsfan4

Maryland

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-22-2013 01:39:47 | More by marlinsfan4

ADTaber

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-21-2013 00:08:48 | More by ADTaber

e30todamax

Virginia

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-19-2013 16:40:24 | More by e30todamax

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%

05-18-2013 20:47:31 | More by Photekut

chrisp450

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-18-2013 03:57:44 | More by chrisp450

megamass

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

05-18-2013 03:54:50 | More by megamass

iHeartMNBeer

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-16-2013 20:34:14 | More by iHeartMNBeer

Showboat66

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-16-2013 02:02:30 | More by Showboat66

Treebs

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

16 oz. can served in a Surly tulip. Thanks to iadler for the beer! Canned on 4/1/13.

A: Pours an opaque brown color with a khaki color head forming on the pour. It recedes slow to a thin ring that leaves sticky sheets of lace down the glass.

S: Big steel cut oat whiffs right off the bat. Nice light cocoa with a smidgen of bitter bakers chocolate.

T: Just the nose, but with a ton more flavor. Big oat presence with a dash of cocoa powder. Raw green hops pop up slightly in the mid-palate and the finish is a creamy mixture of caramel and sweet malts.

M: Medium to light bodied with a slightly drying finish. Medium carbonation level with a residual sweetness.

O: Great brown ale. I enjoy Coffee Bender a touch more, but this is still top notch.

Serving type: can

05-16-2013 00:19:42 | More by Treebs

gpblackgt

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-13-2013 23:08:28 | More by gpblackgt

BeastLU

Virginia

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-13-2013 21:48:35 | More by BeastLU

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-12-2013 16:51:39 | More by mikeburd1128

davemathews68

Ohio

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-11-2013 11:58:39 | More by davemathews68

jkane101

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -3.4%

05-08-2013 01:58:33 | More by jkane101

markcp

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

05-07-2013 20:57:22 | More by markcp

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

05-05-2013 18:38:50 | More by ZEB89

danfix99

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

05-01-2013 20:04:32 | More by danfix99

will1256

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

04-22-2013 00:40:01 | More by will1256

runwild99

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%

04-21-2013 13:33:31 | More by runwild99

jreindl

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%

04-20-2013 04:24:44 | More by jreindl

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.04/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours a dark chestnut brown with a ruby hue, huge rocky and frothy light-tan head with great retention, leaving solid lacing

S- sweet and slightly nutty malt, grainy oats, a bit of cocao and hop bitterness

T- sweet malty notes with some great bittersweet chocolate flavors, notes of caramel and some herbal earthy notes, the oats add a nice silky grainy flavor, herbal hop bitterness gives a slighty tart, somewhat-dry finish, a touch of coffee on the linger

M- medium body and carbonation, foamy mouthfeel with a silky finish provided from the oats.

O- not your typical brown ale, almost drinks like a porter, nice chocolate flavors with some good herbal hop notes to balance. One of the better I've tried of the style

Serving type: can

04-20-2013 00:55:32 | More by Treyliff

Tjvan2

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%

04-18-2013 03:45:57 | More by Tjvan2