Coffee Bender - Surly Brewing Company

pheggeseth

California

4.9/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Sampled at the Darkness Release Event

A: Dark, dark, brown, almost totally opaque. There wasn't much head seeing as how it was in a plastic party cup, and the keg was quite cold right after tapping.

S: Smells like a good, rich Sumatra coffee, fresh bready malt, faint hops

T: Tastes like regular Bender, but with a nice coffee glow to it. As it warms, the coffee flavor starts to balance the "Bender" flavor. Just as rich as it smells.

M: Very thick and smooth, the coffee mellows it out, great

D: Wow. This was terrific. Could drink it all day...not just at 10am...

Probably the only chance I'll get at this beauty. Glad to have been given the opportunity.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2007 00:42:07 | More by pheggeseth

zealot

New York

4.13/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This was on tap at the Triple Rock in Minneapolis. One of the Surly folks was playing in a band that night. God Came from Space, I think is the name of the band.

First time Coffee Bender experience. Admittedly, I don't drink a lot of coffee, so I may be the wrong person to review a coffee brew. But I do love beer, so hopefully I can appreciate a good beer on its merits.

I have had the Bender many times - big fan. When this was set in front of me, I was surprised at how different it looked than the regular Bender - much darker & viscous looking, more density, and a frothier head. It looked phenomenal, but with beer, it's usually form following function, so I was hoping this meant I was in for a treat.

The nose was just a little light from what I was expecting. The coffee was certainly there, and the more noticeable of the aromas, but the hops made an appearance. The barley sweetness balanced out the rich coffee fairly well. Since the Bender is a great brew, it held its own against the bullying nature of the coffee bean. I don't know, not as much in the nose as I was expecting, but then again, we're not sitting around sniffing beer - let's give this bad boy a try.

Holy Coffee, Surly! This is a coffee beverage. Coffee is by far the most prominent flavor. Yowza. I have to say, though, that I kept going back to the well. The coffee but me off at first, but like I said, I just don't drink coffee all that often. Once the coffee subsided with each sip, I was better able to discern the blend of the Bender and the coffee. Vanilla, smooth chocolate, and a drying vinous characteristic were what I picked up on, as well as a nice finishing hop that rounded it out really well. After a while, I was surprised at how easily I was able to polish the pint off, although, the second one was a sharer.

The mouthfeel on the CB is incredible. It's like drinking a silked out iced coffee with all the cream you want, but know you shouldn't have.

It's almost as if the coffee they use is too good to be mixed with beer.
Overall, I really liked the beer, but it's certainly not an everyday beer. Tip of the cap to Coffee & Tea Limited, who apparently provide the coffee for the CB. I'm sure you will benefit from this partnership.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2007 19:25:46 | More by zealot

MuenchenerKindl

Germany

4.47/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a growler at DLD 07, This was an awesome sellection, I had to take some notes. The liquid was dark brown chilled just right with a nice toasted caramel head about one fat finger thick. My snifter did some some lace.

The smell was a medium coffee aroma, mixed with chocolate and toasty caramel notes.

The taste followed, this beer was nice, very nice tasting, The rich malt and coffee flavor was mixed very well. I really like a coffee brew that has a good malty primary taste. The coffee was there but did not over power like a cold bitter Cup O'Joe. A great chocolate note as well. The beer seemed to warm great as well but it did not last too long in my glass.

The mouthfeel was good, better then medium body, carbonation worked well also.

The drinkability was very good, this is one fine easy drrinking coffee brew. Prosit, MK

Serving type: growler

05-06-2007 05:47:19 | More by MuenchenerKindl

beckje01

Minnesota

4.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Looks black with a thin head and no activity.

S- Light coffee note but a very enjoyable nose.

T- Good coffee start not over powering, good malt back end. Just wonderful balance.

M- Nice thickness for the flavors and still.

D- Very easy and simple to drink not hard at all as some coffee beers can be.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2007 07:37:14 | More by beckje01

Westsidethreat

California

4.78/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks to JeffKrenner for another great growler.

A: Into the 22oz mug it goes. HUGE frothy head comes forth with medium sized bubbles popping through it, giving it a roasted marshmallow colored swiss cheese look. Body is a clean, dark ruby brown hue. Very much remeniscent of iced coffee.

S: I could smell the coffee when I popped the cap on the growler. Very spry, like fresh grounds were added straight to the brew. Nutty roasted hazelnuts, pumpernickle and Hershey's syrup can be found as well.

T: My god this is like coffee chocolate milk. A faint whisper of coffee cross my palate quickly but my attention goes to the lactose like sweetness that flickers around the tip of my tongue. Very subtle milk chocolate mingles perfectly choreographed with iced coffee and fresh cream. God this is good. Chocolate lingers for a while as fresh coffee gets ready to really shine during the aftertaste. Long after the swallow coffee can be found all over the mouth, beckoning the drinker for just another sip...just another pour from the growler :banned:

M: Medium body with a full, creamy mouthfeel. Kickass.

D: This is the second best coffee beer I've had next to the legendary Speedway stout. But the Speedway didn't "focus" on the coffee like this one does. T-R-E-M-E-N-D-O-U-S. This is so much better than the standard Bender its ridiculous.

Serving type: growler

02-07-2007 05:10:21 | More by Westsidethreat

Tizzod

Minnesota

4.83/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours out of the growler beautifully, very dark with a nice brown head. The smell is one that I will dream of - fresh roasted coffee and malty beer goodness. I couldn't stop smelling the empty growler after the beer was all gone. Really spectacular.
The first sip was an intense coffee flavor mixed beautifully with the beer. Coffee flavor was very predominant but didn't get in the way of the malt taste of the Bender. Beautiful mouthfeel, smooth and creamy.
One of the best beers I've ever had the privilege of drinking. The friends who shared the growler with were also very impressed and the beer went faster than I thought. For such a flavorful beer it was extremely drinkable. In fact I wish I was drinking it right now.

Serving type: growler

02-02-2007 04:04:28 | More by Tizzod

budgood1

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours out of the growler a nearly opaque brown. more garnet and ruby hues. thin head and lace. huge earthy coffee aroma. flavours of fresh pressed java...earthy and spicy...darkly roasted like the espresso varieties i dig in coffee. very well intermingled with the assorted bender malt flavours i was baffled by the other nite. the sweet malts provide such an amazing balance with the bitter and dark roast of the coffee. the hops are lost in the black caverns of coffee house nirvana. have no illusions, the coffee is the star of this brown ale....it certainly could pass as a coffee stout if one had no idea that this is a brown ale recipe spiked with kick ass coffee beans. it's layered and complex. i have a whole growler to myself and i'm gonna be wired after drinking this! the body is full and the mouthfeel is feeling flattish....probably due to the fact that it's almost been two weeks since this growler was purchased and subsequently opened and consumed. drinkability hard to describe...i dig the extreme earthiness and burnt coffee notes on top of a brown ale that i found outstanding. this seems like a totally different brew, though. like steeping bender in coffee beans killed the best attributes of bender in itself.

regardless, if you want a brown ale stewed in a dark and bitter roast of espresso...this is the ticket to iced espresso heaven.

i wonder what this would be like in the morning as a hair of the dog tonic paired with some aspirin and ham and eggs?

a big caffeinated thanks to my sis for procuring a growler of this for me at x-mas.

Serving type: growler

12-30-2006 01:26:12 | More by budgood1

MeLikeBeer

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

If you've had (and enjoyed) Surly's original Bender...(and why wouldn't you???) then you'll freakin' love this...
Comes to me in the glass...dark, rich, almost like a porter or a deep brown ale (like Bender)...but with a frothy tan head that beckons you in.
Make sure you smell this beer! Aromas of roasted coffee, nuts and chocolate. Mmm...
The coffee tastes (as others have reviewed) definitely overpowers the flavors of original Bender...but original Bender this is not.
Rich, delicious flavor...caramels and roasted coffee, sticky malt and a little hop finish.
It would be nice to pour this from the Coffee pot every morning. Great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2006 14:49:51 | More by MeLikeBeer

bignick

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

On tap @ The Linwood. Served in a pint glass.

This beer has a remarkable scent. It smells like Starbucks coffee. I think that it is a bit overcarbonated and that the body is a bit thin, but the smell and taste are absolutely wonderful, and I could drink this all night.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2006 05:16:10 | More by bignick

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at the Blue Nile.

Its a shame this beer is just about out as it should rock the world of any coffee and beer lover. I had 12 oz. pour in a trappist goblet, pitch black with short than head. I'm thinking the coffee oil took a bit out of the head, but it still looks delicious. Aroma is heavy, dark roasted coffee. I think the bartender told me it was Guatemalian, locally roasted and a few other special things. Either way, this is the best coffee beer I've had. Where others hint at coffee, or the coffee taste feels watered down, this one goes all out. Its true that most of the flavors of Bender are no where to be found, but you'll still get some chocolate peeking around the coffee. Smooth but dry mouthfeel. I could definately start out every day with a glass of this.

UPDATE 7/31/09:
Just tried the canned version and this is beer is more balanced, but hardly less tasty. You can still taste the malts and hops here. Delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2006 17:25:38 | More by tempest

TastyTaste

Minnesota

4.68/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Written from notes I took when I got home from the Blue Nile tasting.

Same dark brown as regular bender, identical until the nose. Massive rich, fresh brewed coffee, it’s rare that a coffee beer smell this fresh and deep, I could smell this beer all day, perfect. Taste is much more like the standard bender at first, but with a little more warmth the coffee really stands out and is great with the roasted and hoppy flavors of the Bender. Great, rare, yet worth seeking out. Keep 'em coming Surly

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2006 02:05:46 | More by TastyTaste

dfried

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This is one hell of a beer, not for the faint of heart. Alright, so the regular Bender by Surly is one outstanding beer, it's tough to put your finger on just what it is, porter or brown ale, but there is Belgian malts and its quite hoppy. As Feloniousmonk, the first reviewer of this beer, said Bender's more 'subtle' qualities definitely get wiped out by this coffee infused treat, but who cares?! This beer is awesome! If you didn't tell them, some people might not even know there was booze in this right when you handed it to them. It is dark, rich, and bitter just like espresso. When we finally got to try this at the Blue Nile, we just sat around smelling this beer for probably 5 minutes or so before we even tasted it. It was almost like putting your nose into a bag of fresh ground coffee, delicious. The taste was rich and bitter like espresso, but oh wait, the edge gets taken off because it's actually a beer! A deep creamy beer at that. Perfect combination, thank you Surly. This would be a tough one to have more than two beers of, it’s just too rich and dark, but the two you do are damn good.

Serving type: on-tap

05-31-2006 18:41:02 | More by dfried

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Surly Bender infused with coffee, ...what bean, what blend, what process? Golly, I don't know, but it's great.(an edit to cover my ignorance, info from the brewer: Beans are from the Vinca Vista Hermosa plantation located in Agua Dulce area in Huehuetenango,Guatemala.
Grown by the Martinez family.
Full City roast by Coffee &Tea Ltd.,Linden Hills,Minneapolis. Cold-steeped.)

Solid ebon color, browish at bottom, with a beautifully hued head, a deep cocoa tan looking for all the world like a shot of espresso, with a generous dollop of froth.

Aroma's where it's at, wide open and long-lastin, rich with coffee, with a hint of cream.
Herbal, nutty, chocolatey, brimming with coffee essence. A treat to drink in with the nose.

But now let's let the lips and tongue go to work. More delights. The coffee has overpowered the subtler parts of Bender's character, but there's no sorrow in this, as the coffee flavor that controls it now is an exceptional playmate for the palate. Really sticks to the tongue and lays long in the finish.

Medium to full body, long, coffee-tinged finish, unflinchingly flavorful, and still an easy treat to drink down. This has met with near unanimous praise among those I've witness enjoy it, and I can only hope it's attempted again and again, so that more may discover this jolt of joy for java freaks, and beer geeks alike.

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2006 08:18:11 | More by feloniousmonk