Bender - Surly Brewing Company

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Longfellow Grill in Minneapolis. Enjoyed 27 November 2011, reviewed from notes.

Pours a deep dark warm brown, clear at the edges but too dark to see through. One finger of medium yellowish-tan head that relaxes to a nice cap.

Smell is dominated by lovely oats, backed up by sweet and rich malts. Notes of coffee, too. But the really amazing thing about this beer is how much complexity is built into a fairly small package. I can't put my name on all the things in the smell, but I can feel them all there.

Taste is wonderful. Full, sweet oat goodness, some hops that provide, not really bitterness, but some lightness and balance. Again, there are some hints of coffee from the malts. Some flavors I find hard to pin down, like root beer and maybe dried cherries. Delicious.

Mouthfeel is a fantastic combination of a fairly light body with the fullness and smoothness that oats provide, and ideal carbonation.

I simply love this beer. I feel lucky to have it as one of my local staples. I've savored it many times, and finally getting around to reviewing it. It's a classic example of Surly's take on brewing - combining elements in unusual ways to create unique, style-bending, fantastic beers.

Serving type: can

12-04-2011 06:15:07 | More by zeledonia

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

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%

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

Kelp

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -3.4%

04-16-2013 09:53:58 | More by Kelp

zillo043068

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%

04-15-2013 12:37:00 | More by zillo043068

ystazi

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.4%

04-14-2013 03:46:10 | More by ystazi

frosted33

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -3.4%

04-13-2013 20:28:48 | More by frosted33

yokken

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%

04-12-2013 19:12:01 | More by yokken