Furious - Surly Brewing Company

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

16 oz. can poured into a nonic pint glass. A hard pour brings about a slightly orange cream colored head; very large with mostly small bubbles, really nice lacing to it. Liquid is darker than I would expect for an IPA, sort of a nice hearty amber color. Still very good clarity to it even though it's a little darker than I expected, a really good looking IPA.

Smell is good, a nice solid malt backbone here. Plenty of toasted caramel malt aromas and a wee bit of toffee. Nice hope presence to (as expected). There's a nice grassy, earthy, piney, and citrusy. Has it all going on for a solid smelling IPA.

Taste is good. Again with a solid malt backbone, initial sweetness followed by the hop bitterness. Not really sure on the hop combination here, but whatever it is, it meshes together very well. Very well balanced flavor. I'd describe it as a nice toasted caramel malt flavor followed by some nice citrus and pine.

Mouthfeel is very good. Well balanced, and smooth, medium body. A slight resiny feel to it. Starts sweet with a clean, dry and bitter finish. The carbonation level is perfect too. Extremely drinkable , slow sipper or one that could be enjoyed quicker if you prefer. All in all a very good IPA, Surly knows what they are doing.

Serving type: can

05-16-2013 01:26:21 | More by AndyAvalanche

hopoilcrazy

Tennessee

4.48/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Been wanting to try this for a very long time.

A - Hazy amber color. Huge, four finger head that is porous and lacy, very delicate. Amazing sticking down to the last sip.

S - Malt wave hits: burnt caramel, peat, vegetal mustiness. A lot of floral, herby hops coming through with mint and rose water-ish notes. Big hit of verjus/grape must.

T - Great example of an American IPA. This is so distinctive that it could be deemed a Mid-Western IPA. Slightly sweet on the palate. Mint jam, clover honey, honeysuckle. Almost a berry-like tang.

M - Mouth-coating without the heavy feel. Medium body with a good hit of booze

This is so good I want it all the time. Might have to move to MN! Especially when they build the Surly biergarden

Serving type: can

05-15-2013 01:51:23 | More by hopoilcrazy

guityler83

Wisconsin

4.7/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Brilliant chrimson red to marroon in color. Hazy apperance but light blurs through. Tan head that recesses fast but clings to the side of the glass for dear life.

S: Thick pine, melon and strawberry like hop aromas pop off the canvis. A hint of smokey carmel that complicates the perception of the malt aroma.

T: Toffee, bread crust and cracker malt profile that is very complex and complimentary to the dank piney bitterness that hits you first. The bitterness feels like it would start fatigueing the palet after a while, but it never does.

M: Resienous with a above average body and moderate carbonation. Crisp and refreshing.

O: There are so many IPAs out there and that fall in with the crowd this one dared to be different and BAM did it exceed. Blood red briliant color with a great aroma and amazing taste.. you can't ask for much more then that.

Serving type: can

05-15-2013 01:35:33 | More by guityler83

JohnnyMc

Ohio

4/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finally getting to try this!!

Pours out a deep amber/copper color with 3 fingers of off-white head.

The aroma is packed with citrus, pine and earthy hop notes. There is a decent malt backbone here with bready, caramel and toffee notes too.

The taste is also hop forward, but very balanced. There are strong amounts of orange, some tangerine and pine hop notes. There is a slight floral character to it as well. This flows into the big malt backbone with tons of caramel, toffee and biscuit notes.

The body is medium and the mouthfeel is crisp. Very easy to drink.

A solid IPA, but nothing that will blow you away. Very easy to drink because of the balance between bitter and sweet. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 21:01:51 | More by JohnnyMc

da_beers

Vermont

4.75/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I had a Surly Abrasive Ale preceding this one, and this still knocked my socks off - What a beer.

A - Pours a hazy, almost crimson amber with a beautiful chunky head.

S - Sweet malty scent, light hops and great caramel notes.

T - Great balance of Scottish malts and hops, caramel comes through, almost a burnt toffee. Something smokey almost.

M - Medium body, great smoothness.

O - So drinkable, I wanted another before I finished my first. This would definitely be a daily drinker if I could get it that easily.

Serving type: can

05-08-2013 01:41:33 | More by da_beers

RaulMondesi

California

4.73/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Can Surly kick it? Yes he can!!!! Raul is almost doggone floored by the almost utter perfection of this beautiful beast. The hops, the malt... like J-Lo and Marc Antony's marriage before pre-thang thang. I mean, Raul could do this, he could do this well all night long.

Serving type: can

05-04-2013 02:26:11 | More by RaulMondesi

WankelEngine

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16oz can into a snifter

A: Pours a hazy orange-copper color with a light tan head that slowly fades, leaving mild lacing.

S: The aroma consists of orange peel and mango, along with some dry grass and a touch of bready caramel.

T: A mild but bitter pine flavor defines the attack, along with touch of mango. Definitely some tropical fruits but not sweet at all, as some citrusy IPAs can be. The bready flavor combines with earthy, herbal pine to create a potent, lingering taste. Alcohol flavor develops a bit near the finish and complements the bitterness.

M: Medium carbonation with sharp bubbles. Medium thickness and slightly oily. Slightly creamy, too, which makes it feel more full bodied.

O: A surprisingly balanced and drinkable beer given how potent it is. I like an IPA with a good malt backbone, not just a hop bomb, and Furious delivers on that. Hops have a very earthy character, with the fruit flavors subdued. Its a little different than many IPAs in a good way.

Serving type: can

05-03-2013 00:55:10 | More by WankelEngine

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.65/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Surly Brewing Company - Furious

Look - Pours a smooth clear dark amber, almost a tinge of red. Good foamy head. Moderate carbonation. Good amount of lacing.

Smell - Deep malts with surly signature hops on top (I say signature because they seem to like to use the same ones in most of their main brews). Mouth-watering hints of caramel.

Taste - Snappy smooth malts with a gentle introduction to the bitter hops.

Mouthfeel - Smooth and at the same time bitter and badass. Quite drinkable.

Overall - Damn Surly, another good one.

Serving type: can

05-01-2013 15:01:46 | More by JMScowcroft

ibbjamin

California

3.94/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

My cousin hooked me up with two 16oz cans of this beer on my last visit to the midwest. I already drank one of them and wasn't overly impressed, but I'll now take a go at a full review. I pour this into a standard pint glass.

Half inch, off white loosely packed head. Copper in color. Good lacing.

Hop forward dank aroma of citrus and pine. Nothing out of the ordinary here, but pleasant on the nose nonetheless.

The taste is much more balanced than my nose predicted. Caramel and biscuits fit the malt profile, while citrus and pine come through on the hop side.

Creamy, clean and medium bodied mouthfeel. The strongest attribute in this beer, making this one very easy to drink.

Overall a solid IPA, and one of the better IPAs east of the Mississippi in my book. To me though, there are so many better west coast IPAs I'd go to before this one.

Serving type: can

04-27-2013 23:08:10 | More by ibbjamin

mindspin315

New Jersey

4.44/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Victory Hop Devil Nonic Pint.

Appearance: Medium sized , off white...borderline tan head. Deep murky hop haze with some carb bubbles streaming up the sides of the glass. Hues of mahogany, orange, and amber.

Smell: Big aromatic floral IPA...and grassy. Light fruit hop notes of orange peel and lemon. Mild spice from the hops and a touch of caramel sweetness from the malts.

Taste/Feel: The floral aspect is very predominant in the flavor. A bit of green tea like earthiness both in the flavor and the dry finish makes me think I'm drinking tea. Sweet toffee malt flavor sticks around on the tongue. Some breadiness, caramel notes, pine, citrus peel/zest (lemon/oranges), and rye spice.

Overall: This beer is totally an East Coast IPA from the Mid-west. Although with the varieties of hoppy beers coming from anywhere nowadays it doesn't seem to matter all that much for the classification. I find this IPA to really integrate hops and malts well. Normally a too malty IPA over takes the hops and steals the show in a bad way...I don't enjoy that style of IPA. Here it is done in harmony...with a great floral, hop spice, and citrus peel aroma/flavor riding right along with the malts. This drinks so well and I could have multiple pints without even realizing it. Surly does hops right!

[94/100]

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 05:26:42 | More by mindspin315

tectactoe

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Huge shoutout to maximum12 for throwing me some of these. He is an amazing trader - absolutely crushed me with extras. Ever since I fell head over heels in love with Abrasive, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this stuff. It pours a brown-tinted copper color, deep and rustic; light ruby hints blanket the edges. The eggshell-colored cap is cloudy and puffy, showing insane retention and leaving some fat, chunky lacing behind.

The best way for me to accurately describe the aroma would be "fresh hops". It doesn't sound like much, but the pureness and unabashed raw power radiating from this brew is simply excellent. It doesn't have as large of a citric quality as Abrasive (and I don't believe it is supposed to), but it makes up for that with some of the freshest hop aromas in the neighborhood. Leaves, grass, and florals, along with a very mild pepper spice. Simply bursting with raw hoppy goodness.

Though the fruity aspect may not be as big as Abrasive, that would be like saying Tiger Woods isn't as good of a golfer as Arnold Palmer. Furious still has a large citrus presence in the background of the aroma - zesty grapefruit peels and juicy citrus quadrants. There's a mild, oily pungency that hits hard in the final moments of the aroma's time inside your nostrils. Furious smells damn good; I imagine it's largely on par with sticking your face into a bucket full of fresh hops and citrus peels. Doesn't get much better.

The flavor profile is build upon a blanket of lightly toasted caramel and toffee flavored malts. It's evident from the appearance of Surly that caramel malts may have been used and the first sip easily confirms that. The malty body couples nicely with the heavy, earthy hop foundation. Peppery, herbal, ashy, and leafy, the hops carry over the same tone of freshness that they had in the aroma onto the palate. The earthy qualities may be a little more pronounced, but it still screams "hops!"

Grapefruit rinds and tangerines peels outline the s edges, providing a slight balance to the hop flavors and the faint sweetness from the malts. Bitterness is pretty relevant throughout the entirety of the glass (or can, I should say), although it's low enough to gulp Furious without hurting your mouth - this stuff goes down way too easy. I couldn't believe when I found out this stuff is 99 IBUs; doesn't taste like it at all. A very nice collaboration of bread, caramel, peppery hops, and grass leaves your palate satisfied after every sip. Medium bodied, crisp from high carbonation, just on the edge of being sticky and coating.

Well, there you have it. This stuff is amazing. So easy to drink and so damn delicious. Reasonably priced for a 4-pack of 16 oz. cans, too. Why in the hell doesn't this stuff leave Minnesota? If I could go to the store and buy this myself, it would easily be a staple in my fridge. Or my life.

Serving type: can

04-19-2013 16:43:28 | More by tectactoe

mechamifune

North Carolina

4.16/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip, it has a nice amber hue and a slight white head. Looks very slick in the glass, good lacing.

Smell is very evident, but not "punch in the face" overwhelming. Lots of pine and then some citrus. The slightest bit of sweetness seems to linger. A nice smelling IPA and a little more nuanced than a lot of the citrus bombs i'm used to.

Taste is in line with smell (i.e. nice pine and citrus notes). Considering the alleged IBU's (99) there is very little bitterness in the finish. Decent sense of hops, but never overwhelming. A nice malt backbone is there throughout and keeps a nice sense of balance.

Mouthfeel is pretty slick, but very easy to drink. Maybe just the slightest bit undercarbonated for my taste.

Overall this is a solid IPA. I don't really enjoy a great many IPA's that aren't more or less citrus bombs, but this is an exception. Still, while it is a nice IPA, i'm a little surprised at how highly this is evidently thought of (given its current ranking on this website). Ranking aside, if you have the opportunity, give this one a try. Just don't go into it expecting a hop bomb or some type of life-altering beer experience.

Serving type: can

04-12-2013 00:49:21 | More by mechamifune

vinny21bal

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Great beer. Wonderful nose, fantastic flavor. I don't worry to much on the mouth feel when it comes to an IPA. But overall one of the better IPA's out there. There is yet to be a Surly beer out there that I think is bad. I don't even really care for Lager and there lager is good. If you see Surly buy it.

Serving type: can

04-06-2013 19:16:49 | More by vinny21bal

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz pour on draft at Keegan's in downtown Mnpls today 3/30/2013.

Aroma: lots of grapefruit, pine and even some grassiness. But mostly grapefruit. Comes off very pungent and strong, makes for a nice sensory appetizer before I actually quaff it. (4)

Color: a very nice, clear bodied beer with a copper, orange colour. Poured with less than 1cm white head that goes away quickly. Really thick, sticky lacing making for a nice visual appearance as I drink it down. (4)

Flavour: Awesome. I get all sorts of hop flavours- primarily grapefruit but also a little bit of piney sap to go along with a bready sweetness hinting of honey and caramel. Really nice hopblast throughout. (5)

Mouthfeel: precisely medium bodied with great carbonation that comes with a strong bitter aftertaste. It's pungent in the mouth- really resinous and coats my tongue. Overall, really nice mouthfeel for a standard IPA. Not very dry tasting at all. (4)

Overall: A great IPA offering by Surly, which is a brewery that already impresses me after having just the Bender and Furious. Looking forward to quaffing the Abrasive that I'm bringing home! (4)

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2013 02:25:03 | More by Stevedore

TheFugititve

Illinois

4.46/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a goblet style glass

A: Furious is darker than your average IPA, almost looks like a DIPA

S: Piney and hoppy with some mild fruit fragrances

T: Pine and hops immediately bombard your taste buds then a nice burst of citrus kicks in. The balance is outstanding

M: Light carbonation with a medium body

O: Furious ranks very high on my list of IPA"s, it's not quite Heady Topper but very close...Highly Recommended

Serving type: can

03-30-2013 05:02:53 | More by TheFugititve

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Furious pours a golden cooper color, with a nice lacing white head. There was a floral aroma. The taste was very hoppy for just an IPA, lots of floral notes and a strong bitterness. Very drinkable, and doesn't have the dryness like other IPAS. Overall a very nice strong IPA, very bold flavors.

Serving type: can

03-30-2013 04:34:49 | More by vette2006c5r

wyatt13

Illinois

4.21/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Another gift from my friend Ethan! Bottled on 1/2/13, so not eminently fresh but not geriatric either. Poured from a tall boy glass into my 7venth Sun tulip.

A - Pours an amber-orange, with two fingers of dirty white head. The foam is really tightly packed & looks like you could make a snowman out of it. Still lots of lively carbonation. Really great parallel circles of lacing as I drink.

S - Still a good amount of hops left on the nose. Fruity & citrusy, with a bit of green floral aromas as well. Not bitingly hoppy, but reined in by some caramel malts. I can only imagine what this would be like fresh.

T - Very interesting fruit profile & I can't exactly put my finger on exactly what is going on before a flood of bready malts take over. Additional sipping confirms that it is more of a sweet tropical fruit, think pineapple upside down cake. A good amount of bitterness that is really tasty without being overpowering.

M - A fuller mouthfeel than I was anticipating & definitely fuller than your typical IPA. This feature makes sense with the malt presence of the taste. Abundant carbonation.

O - Even at almost 3 months old, this is a really good IPA. I definitely want to get my hands on some fresh cans now to compare.

Serving type: can

03-30-2013 01:13:53 | More by wyatt13

xmorgan

California

5/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had on tap at Señor Wong in St Paul.

Appearance: Amber (poor lighting) A small white head and no real lacing

Smell: Nice hoppy aroma comes through with pine

Taste: Nice Hoppy English style IPA, good balance of hop biterness and malt prescence.

Overall: a very good IPA on the English coming from Cali I am a big IPA and hop-head and this beer is very drinkable and satisfying!

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2013 02:58:40 | More by xmorgan

sbxx

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

16oz can
Poured into FFF Teku glass
Canned on 1/10/13

Appearance - Deep, clear, red amber. 3 fingers of foamy, fluffy head. Made me go "Ooh!" Lol. Very nice.

Smell - Grapefruit, tangerine, lemon peel. I like.

Taste - Delicious! Hoppy with some citrus fruit with a nice malt backbone that isn't overbearing.

Mouthfeel - Medium body, medium carbonation, slightly dry finish.

Overall - Awesome, well-balanced IPA. I wish it was sold locally. Will definitely look into trading for more of this.

Serving type: can

03-21-2013 07:43:11 | More by sbxx

merc7186

New York

4.23/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

16oz can into tulip glass.

A: Brownish/Reddish Hue, Passes Mild Light, White Head, Decent Lacing

S: Piney, Citrus, Grainy Malts, Mild Caramel

T: Piney, Grapefruit, Grainy Malts

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Bitter, Mildly Drying

Overall, a solid bitter IPA with a nice flavor meld of hops and malts.

Serving type: can

03-21-2013 00:01:19 | More by merc7186

MNishCT77

District of Columbia

4.79/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

16 oz. can purchased in the greater Washington D.C. area, canned 1/4/13 (check the bottoms!) poured into a 3Fs Teku long-stemmed glass, drank 3/17/13 (definitely not the typical St. Patty's Day offering) over ~one hour.

A: 4.5 - beautiful dark amber-brown coloration, moderate clarity with slight translucence, white-brown frothy one finger head dissipates very quickly into subtle glass lacing, barely perceptible alcohol legs

S: 5 - BOOM! everything I want my American IPA to smell like...dank, piney, resiny, herbaceous...even after over three months in the can...to me, only Abrasive Ale smells better

T: 4.75 - subtle bitterness on the anterior tongue (surprising for a 99 IBU beer...maybe Scottish malts hiding the bitterness)...grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple flavors that resolve into a pleasant hop bitterness, minimal alcohol tones (...don't taste 6.2%), lingering tropical fruit bitterness on the back of the tongue

M: 4.75 - medium body and carbonation, dangerously drinkable and would go fantastic with or without food

O: 4.75 - pretty much everything that I am looking for in an American IPA...full PW (definitely get some Citra and Simcoe) hop aroma and flavor that doesn't overwhelm the taste buds like an imperial IPA; it seems strange to say, but this beer is sessionable (more over Founder's All-Day IPA) and would be the perfect accompaniment for a spicy Indian, Thai or Ethiopian dish; I savor the day that I have the pleasure to have a fresh can (within 1-2 weeks) but I might need to go to the brewery for that ;).

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 00:02:59 | More by MNishCT77

Immortale25

Florida

4.54/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Dogfish Spiegelau glass. Bottom of can says Canned On 12/04/12. Thank you Chazari99 for my first taste of Surly.

A- Pours a copperish amber color with a 3/4 inch light tan head that retains very well before slowly collapsing to an 1/8 inch head. Thick frothy lacing clings to the glass.

S- Fresh citra hops dominate the nose with just enough malt sweetness to nail the IPA aroma. A bit musty.

T- A bright bitterness rushes in and lingers but the firm maltiness plays well off of it to create a unique balance. The hops are the main player here bringing notes of grass, grapefruit and a bit of metallic flavor. High on the drinkability scale.

M- Tight, crisp and drying. Medium body and medium-high carbonation.

O- It's no surprise that this is an awesome beer since this brewery is so talked-up in the forums. The only thing I didn't expect was the hefty malt backbone. If Furious is this good, I can't wait to crack the can of Abrasive I have.

Serving type: can

03-17-2013 23:50:26 | More by Immortale25

MCain04

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Traded for this, only to find out it was almost 5 months old! Fail. I miss my Heady Toppers. 16 oz can, poured into a Bell's tulip glass.

A: Biiiig thick off-white/creamy head. When this settles out, a surprisingly dark amber/ruby clear body emerges. Really nice retention and lacing. If the head wasn't so crazy this would be near-perfect.

S: Grassy, pinecone-forward hop aroma, but a hint of something else making it unique. Maybe some grapefruit? Something spicy, citrusy... can't put my finger on it. Nice though.

T: True to the smell, lots of pine and grass hop flavor. Bitterness throughout. Well-balanced. Not incredibly bitter but definitely nice.

M: Smooth! One of the smoother, easy-drinking IPAs I've ever had. Good level of carbonation. Dry finish. Medium bodied. Highlight of the beer, in my opinion.

O: Even 5 months old, this is a fantastic IPA. I wish I could try this fresh! Incredible drinkability, great taste, if fresh it would probably rival Zombie Dust. Must-try, world class.

Serving type: can

03-17-2013 23:41:58 | More by MCain04

deereless

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Deep copper color, decent head which drops to leave traces of a wispy lace on the glass, miniscule particles visible in the beer – 4.0, S: Wonderful nose and quintessentially IPA, quite pungent and with a sizeable grapefruit and slight pine aroma - 5.0, T: Sharp hop bite that is nicely balanced with a dry malt, strong pine - 4.5, M: Slight grainy texture that hangs on the tongue - 4.0, O: The nose is what really standouts for me, a solid beer all around - 4.0

Serving type: can

03-11-2013 11:29:48 | More by deereless

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.26/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Served from a can into a Bellhaven pint.

Appearance- Clear amber with one finger of head. Good lacing.

Smell- Piney hops, some mild fruity hops, earth. Very herbaceous.

Taste-Piney bitter hops. Nice malt backbone to smooth it out. Not very fruity, much more earthy hops.

Mouthfeel- Light body with smooth carbonation. Very sessionable.

Overall- This is a nice IPA with a very light body.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 17:39:37 | More by Seanniek91