Coffee Bender - Surly Brewing Company

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

16 oz. can poured into a shaker pint.

Appearance - A deep brown, maybe a little hazy or murky. Not a lot of light penetrates. Nice khaki head that laces all over the glass.

Smell - I'm surprised the nose isn't as dominated by coffee as the taste. Much more of a brown ale aroma with coffee in the background. Nutty with some vanilla, then coffee.

Taste - Here's where it's all coffee. Tons of coffee with a little bit of hazelnut brown ale and some vanilla. The beer comes through in the form of a bitter finish.

Mouthfeel - Easy drinking. Bitter, maybe too much, but at least it reminds me that I'm drinking beer and not coffee.

Overall - I'm not usually a fan of coffee-dominated beers, but the coffee in here is dominant without being too acidic. It makes for a very pleasant coffee experience.

Serving type: can

09-05-2012 00:41:33 | More by Alieniloquium

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

16oz tall-boy thanks to will1256. Poured into HF tulip.

A- Pours a very dark pretty much opaque brown with about a half finger of mocha brown head that has nice layered lacing. Decent carbonation.

S- Roasted coffee beans, lactose sugars, light roasted malts. Very nice lightly sweet coffee flavor that is well above average aroma strength.

T- Coffee, light cream/lactose sugars, a bit of toffee, light bitter chocolate on the finish followed by a light espresso aftertaste that lingers for awhile.

M- Medium bodied, lightly creamy, decent carbonation, easy to drink.

O- This was a very flavorful beer that had a very nice coffee taste to it. If you like coffee beers I would definitely recommend this beer. The aroma was very nice and the taste was very good but the finish was slightly too bitter. Very easy to drink, tasty, would love to drink this on a regular basis.

Serving type: can

08-31-2012 03:43:14 | More by jaasen64

Powderhornphil

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Looks dark brown. Light brown head and lacing from an aggresive poor.

Smell on this beer is a huge selling point. Some malty sweetness mixed with iced coffee.

Similar to the taste. A must for coffee lovers one of my go-to beers.

Mouthfeel is creamy but light.

great beer. Glad Surly made this a brown instead of a coffee stout.

Serving type: can

08-30-2012 00:22:26 | More by Powderhornphil

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Received as an extra in a trade. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice clearish chestnut pour with a good two finger khaki head that fades to leave a nice thick, creamy blanket.

S - Oh wow. This one really pops with the iced coffee aromas. Really big and bold coffee, nice and still light and creamy though.

T - More of those tasty iced coffee notes. There is some light malty sweetness along with good delicious iced coffee type flavours. Quite good.

M - Mouthfeel is quite nice. Enough carbonation to keep this up and. Stuff is super, super drinkable.

O - Overall this was a very tasty brown ale. The coffee really jumps with this one in the nose and taste. Only complaint would be the coffee overpowers the brown ale aspects of the beer.

Serving type: can

08-26-2012 23:59:34 | More by rudzud

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16 oz tallboy can, canned on 06/06/12, poured into a pint glass.

A- Pours a dark brown color, nearly opaque, dark ruby highlights, produces about a finger of creamy beige head, leaves nice lacing.

S- Big aroma with lots of roasted coffee beans, smells like an iced coffee, also some notes of roasted grain and chocolate.

T- Lots of bitter, roasted coffee flavor, cream, some chocolate and roasted grain.

M- Medium-bodied, smooth, creamy feel.

O- A pretty nice coffee beer, very tasty and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 05:21:26 | More by WillCarrera

LXIXME

New Mexico

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

Medium sized off white to tan head ever so slowly settles into a nice lacing above a clear burnt amber colored beer.

Rich black Folgers coffee aroma, no cream, no sugar, just straight ahead rich morning coffee aroma like your parents had brewing back in the day when you tried to smell the bacon, eggs, and toast but that strong black coffee smell overwhelmed the senses.

Rich coffee taste, not quite as bold as the aroma, but roasted coffee malt tastes above all else.

Almost a full bodied beer, it seems to be lacking some of the body other such beer seem to have, if my memory serves me correctly.

An almost dry aftertaste that brings the roasted coffee notes to a close.

If I was a coffee drinker this would be my beer of choice or at least one of the finalists. Surly seems to be doing some pretty good things up there in Minnesota, can't wait to get back and watch the Twins or Vikings choke while I drink some good beers from Surly, Summit and a host of other pretty good breweries in the area.

Serving type: can

08-05-2012 22:33:45 | More by LXIXME

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a clear very dark brown bordering on black in color with some dark amber highlights when held up to the light and moderate amounts of visible carbonation near the surface at the edges of the glass. The beer has a two finger tall creamy tan head that reduces to a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of freshly roasted coffee beans with some lighter hints of roasted malts.

T: Similar to the smell, the flavor of this beer is dominated by freshly brewed coffee. There is a light amount of sweetness in the taste initially with the bitterness of coffee grounds in the finish (light lingering bitterness).

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation.

O: As an avid coffee drinker (and lover of coffee + coffee flavored things - also, Guatemalan coffee is one of my favorites), I find this beer to be extremely enjoyable. The combination of great flavors along with the lighter body make this beer easy to drink. This beer is definitely sessionable and one that I would thoroughly enjoy drinking many of in a session. Not sure if there is any caffeine in this beer but it almost seems to give a little buzz.

Serving type: can

08-04-2012 18:38:30 | More by dbrauneis

tewaris

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Canned 2 weeks ago. Poured into a Surly pint.

A clear dark brown with a light brown head with good retention and lacing. Aroma is Bender's dark maltiness + coffee, and hard to tell where the beer ends and the coffee starts.

Tastes like carbonated iced coffee, pretty much, minus the acidity; well there is some acidity but not overpowering. Finishes with slight roast and a lingering coffee taste. Mouthfeel is light and carbonation not too high (thankfully!).

Overall? An excellent coffee beer. Don't drink it if you don't like coffee.

Serving type: can

07-27-2012 05:33:53 | More by tewaris

Trystero

Ohio

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

Back-logged circa 12/29/2011

16 ounce can poured into an Imperial Pint

Appearance: Large cream latte head, dark chocolate brown with burnt coffee. Looks strikingly similiar to a freshly brewed french press of medium roasted coffee, frothy.

Smell: Light roasted coffee and bitter dark chocolate, rich chocolate milk, reminiscent of a latte.

Taste: Smooth and rich textured coffee, cold-brewed, with mild dark chocolate notes, sweet roasted barley and darker malts. The coffee dominates the spotlight as it should.

Mouthfeel: Textured, frothy, rich, and balanced carbonation.

Overall: A well designed and executed homage to coffee with a pleasant kick of 5% alcohol.

Serving type: can

07-20-2012 15:44:55 | More by Trystero

pk18

Wisconsin

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

A- Poured a dark brown with about a finger or two of off white head. Great lacing down the glass.

S- A good amount of coffee grounds come through right away. There are some malt notes as well.

T- Coffee up front and fairly dominant to start. Malt characteristics take over in the middle, with some sweetness (toffee). Nice bitter coffee finish.

M- Well carbonated. The finish is dry and sticks around for a while.

O- This is definitely one of my new favorite coffee beers. I think the brown ale pairs well with the coffee. It's a welcome change from the more traditional stout-coffee pairing.

Serving type: can

07-17-2012 01:49:45 | More by pk18

Jsenay

Texas

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

Served from the can into a Russian River goblet

A - Pours a deep and dark brown with a nice head formation that holds in the glass for awhile. Heavy lacing.

S - Smells of deep roasted and caramelized malt and coffee.

T - Nice roasted coffee up front with an almost milk sugar presence that helps cut the harshness of the roasted flavor. I get some subtle bakers chocolate flavor. Tastes excellent. Great balance of flavor going on.

M - Very creamy and effervescent body with the carbonation scrubbing all the way through the taste. Finishes medium dry and with a hint of coffee and cream left on the tongue, just like a cup of coffee would.

O - This is the second beer I have had from Surly and I have definitely been impressed. They did an excellent job balancing the flavors and it tastes damn well close to an iced coffee. I need to try their brown ale now to see what the base beer tastes like before they added the coffee. A great buy.

Serving type: can

07-13-2012 17:39:52 | More by Jsenay

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

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

Deep mahogany body with a thick light tan colored white head. Super lacing as well.

Lots of dry nutty English Nut Brown type smells. Loads of whole coffee beans (slightly hazelnut I do believe). Slightly creamy with strong diacetyl notes as well.

Very bitter coffee up front. All bitter espresso. Not coffee beans, but straight espresso bitterness. Sharp metallic twang cuts off the coffee notes. Following up that, is the base beer. Dry nutty roasty malts dominate, but not too much. Still get a bit of the coffee flavors here as well. Finishes dry and chewy. Very nutty late.

Feels like a malty cup of coffee, honestly. I like it. The only thing you can compare it to is maybe Cubano Espresso Brown from Cigar City. Matter of fact, theyre pretty close (and both tasty as hell).

Serving type: can

07-12-2012 14:06:19 | More by VncentLIFE

Momar42

Maryland

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

Poured from can into standard pint glass

A - medium to dark brown. Not opaque but dark. Fair head of light brown head forms. Faint lacing present.

S - coffee flavor is there but not as strong as many have mentioned. This surely isn't the shot of espresso to get you going but more along the "cup o' joe" variety. Maybe a faint roasted malt, but not certain.

T - coffee flavor dominates upfront. Maybe a 50/50 split with the roasted malt flavor in the middle then back to the favor of coffee as it finishes with a nice coffee aftertaste. Drinks like a light bodied, but tasty coffee porter. Tasty.

M - mouthfeel is light to medium I would say. Carbonation is spot on. Slight creaminess that yields to a smooth easy finish. Well done.

O - I actually prefer coffee beers over actual coffee. If its possible for coffee to be understated it is here. There is just enough to really enjoy but not too much to overpower the exceptional quality brown ale. If you like this style, porters and/or coffee seek this out. Maybe not earth-shattering but a damn drinkable beer. Wish it was easier/cheaper to find. Good beer.

Serving type: can

07-08-2012 23:14:51 | More by Momar42

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

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

canned on 05/10/12.

A: very light brown, almost a deep dark red/amber hue. head is a dark shade of off-white. sticky lacing resides. good retention.

S: besides the coffee and chocolate, there is a decent amount of hops. not espresso/italian/french roast aroma, but more of a breakfast/medium blend. good complexity.

T: the chocolate is light, but battles with the coffee. both combine to provide bitterness to the body that is underlined with sweet, unfermented sugars. vanilla and caramel. a medium roast/coffee flavor works with the medium body and in my opinion could even be stronger. finish is roasty and dry. similar to the nose, good complexity.

M: medium bodied, low/average carbonation.

D: cool to have a "brown" coffee flavored brew. certainly drinkable, more of an early day beer imo. like i said above, could be hit with even more coffee to be the biggest flavor/aroma factor. right now that and chocolate are pretty much even.

Serving type: can

07-02-2012 23:41:42 | More by Jimmys

jeremy13586

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Canned 3/9/2012. Poured in to an imperial pint glass.

Translucent and dark brown color. The beer poured a khaki, dense, two-finger head that protruded above the glass. Left some nice lacing behind.

Nutty roasted malt and some coffee. A little bit of toffee.

Nutty and roasty. The coffee taste is actually quite mellow, but does pop out at times. There is a little bit of toffee and an earthiness at the end. Pretty simple tasting, but all the flavors are well balanced. A bit of a lingering bitterness for the finish, but it doesn't linger for too long.

Very well carbonated and very smooth. Medium bodied.

This brew was incredibly drinkable and didn't sit too heavy. I'm not a huge fan of coffee in general, but I do dig on some coffee beers. Coffee Bender had enough coffee to keep things interesting, but it wasn't overbearing.

Serving type: can

07-02-2012 05:49:41 | More by jeremy13586

jmarsh123

Indiana

2.78/5  rDev -33.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours deep brown with a small tan head.

Smells of coffee obviously and some chocolate. Not bitter roasted coffee like I'm used to, but a smooth general aroma.

Lots of coffee flavors, but again not exactly like fresh roasted. It's kind of weird. A little earthy bitterness on the back end.

A little bit light on the mouthfeel with good carbonation.

Kind of weird and kind of a disappointment. I love Surly and I love coffee beers, but this one isn't for me. A little one note and kind of tastes like cheap coffee as opposed to something gourmet. I'll stick to the regular Bender.

Serving type: can

06-29-2012 19:55:04 | More by jmarsh123

rlee1390

Indiana

4.15/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Clear ruby brown when pouring, black in the glass, two finger off white head that tries to leave behind some lacing.

S-Boat loads of roasted coffee. Smells just like a freshly brewed glass of coffee.

T-Boat loads of coffee, some roasted malt and vanilla. Some bitterness and as it warms some nutty notes.

M-Medium to heavy bodied, well carbonated and smooth.

O-A must have for coffee lovers, a tad too much coffee for me. Still a wonderful beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 17:15:33 | More by rlee1390

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

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

Canned 03/09/12.

Almost three-fingers of head from the pour. Bone in color and straddling the sides of the glass in webs. Looks like insulation foam. Very dark coffee brown body. Looks pretty friggin’ awesome... and check out that lacing!

Nose is very nutty and dry-roasted, almost like bitter almond. Light roast coffee peeks through with herbal/medicinal hops. Okay, this might sound strange... it smells pretty good, but there’s a slight vomit stench in the nose. I can’t describe it. I’m not saying that is smells foul or like stomach acid... okay, maybe it smells like morning coffee breath.

Bitter coffee, roasted peanuts, roasted grains, roasted everything... ok, I’m getting carried away here. This is one fully-kilned brown ale. Super-nutty with a nice fruity coffee note. Even some fruits; crabapple, orange peel, maybe some citrusy hops. One interesting-ass American Brown.

Perfect carbonation. Bolstered medium body. Sessionable as all hell.

This makes for a great ad... “Tired of boring American Brown Ales? Try Surly Coffee Bender. You’ll love it.” Will I? You betcha.

Serving type: can

06-04-2012 03:52:19 | More by thecheapies

Amalak

New York

4.53/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A. Extremely dark brown with only a hint of light showing through. Nice deep tan foamy head that leaves a good deal of lacing. Bubbles on the bottom.

S. Beautiful toffee scent.

T. Not an overpowering coffee ale. Very nice. Mild coffee taste. Some chocolate kick. A vegetable taste.

M. A burnt aftertaste.

O. Well blended and balanced. Very nicely done.

Serving type: can

06-04-2012 00:39:19 | More by Amalak

augustgarage

California

4.4/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Canned on 5/10/2012; Poured from a 16oz can into New Glarus pokal.

Brilliantly clear seal brown liquid shines with maroon and sinopia highlights. A finger of thick creamy buff foam persists for ages and clings to the sides is sticky pearls of lace.

The fresh roast aromatics from coffee are immediately present in the nose, followed with toasted malt, faint cocoa, and brown sugar. Delicate, rich, and inviting.

The coffee contributes immense flavor, though the profile is clean and balanced as you would expect from a great Guatemalan light roast: mild citrus-like tartness backed by hints of vanilla and a lasting earthy/biscotti note. Low bitterness; no astringency; with roast malt just sufficient to re-assert that this is a beer rather than just a cold-brew iced coffee. Finishes just dry enough to draw you back in for another sip.

Light-bodied, creamy, well carbonated mouthfeel.

One of the better coffee beers I've sampled - very aromatic and well balanced with an unexpected delicacy as well. Well worth hunting down.

Serving type: can

05-31-2012 17:34:34 | More by augustgarage

ferrari29

Illinois

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

Beer poured from can into a Nonic shaped pint glass

A - Beer pours with a beautiful dark creme colored head; about one and a half fingers in size; head is bubbly and holds very well; lacing is OK and looks rather sticky; body is very, very dark brown and opaque; not much visible carbonation

S - Light amount of coffee; toffee smells and toasted malt back-end; sweet brown sugar; dark chocolate; dates; nuts

T - Great coffee; sweet brown sugar and rich toffee taste; touch of toasted malt flavoring finishes with a nice ginger zest blast; touch of hop bitterness at the end; dark chocolate; nuts

M - Beer is moderately carbonated; dark coffee and slightly bitter aftertaste; body is medium build

D - Brewers did a really good job of combining coffee and brown ale; perfect blend, not too much coffee and not too much mild brown ale malt taste; good stuff!

Serving type: can

05-26-2012 03:30:14 | More by ferrari29

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Since it was out of my distribution I paid the premium on this "grey market" beer. 6 bucks for the can.

A - Looks pretty sweet for a coffee infused brown ale. The head on this one is a solid inch with acceptable lacing on the glass. Beer itself is a deep amber brown, almost coffee black.

S - Smells has some sweet nuts and brown malts but not too much coffee or at least not as much as I expected.

T - Not that great it starts off nice with a blast of herbal like coffee but then takes the herbal part too far with too much hops in the mid-palate. Brown malts and other nutty flavors do give it a nice finish but the hops distract it from being a malt forward brown ale.

M - Medium and chewy spot on for a coffee beer.

Overall I am kind of glad I didn't love this since I shouldn't get it in the first place. Could have been the sculpin or 120 heightening my hops preception but it wasn't a bad beer overall.

Serving type: can

05-26-2012 02:25:10 | More by DrDemento456

davey101

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 oz can poured into a DFH signature glass. No date stamp on the bottom of the can...

A - Super dark brown body that appears black until its held up to the light. An aggressive pour created a fluffy three finger high light khaki head. Eventually settles down to a thin cap. Decent amount of lacing.

S - Fresh steeped coffee with a bit of chocolate sweetness and roast on the finish. Simple and effective, smells delicious.

T - Watered down coffee. Very tame and approachable. The finish is of lightly bitter roasted malts. Smooth with low carbonation. Super drinkable.

O - Its like a lighter version of Founders breakfast stout. Its pretty one dimensional, but works really well as a coffee infused brown ale. I wish I had another so that I could have drank it out of a mug alongside some bacon and eggs...

Serving type: can

05-24-2012 02:30:56 | More by davey101

Vonerichs

Illinois

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

Slightly hazed chestnut brown with an inch of sandy head.

Coffee dominates the nose, a fresh brewed then iced coffee.

It's pretty one dimensional, but pretty damn good at that one. Sting, fresh coffee.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and a slightly bitter finish.

It's an extremely drinkable beer. It's predictable in being a brown ale with coffee, yet it's put together with perfect harmony.

Serving type: can

05-22-2012 00:41:01 | More by Vonerichs

macrosmatic

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Cyclone8 for this one. Reviewed from notes. Poured from 16 oz. can into pint glass.

A: Pours a nice rich brown color. Not a particular lot of visible carbonation nor does it form a lot of head.

S: Aroma is like a coffee sledgehammer. Awesome.

T: Coffee predominates. There is some earthy, spicy maltiness as well, enough to prevent this beer from being a one-trick pony.

M: Smooth, like a stout but not nearly as thick. The coffee bitterness does hang for a beat or two.

O: Definitely a good beer, and one you can start your morning with.

Serving type: can

05-20-2012 23:08:25 | More by macrosmatic