CynicAle - Surly Brewing Company

julian

Washington

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Light copper in color with a white fizzy head that quickly fades. Excellent clarity. Very little haze.

S: Aroma reminiscent of Dupont saison yeast, sweet orange peel, grassy, some mild apple, and hay.

T: Sweet, more tripel like than a Saison, though Dupont and Avec Les Bons Voeux are on the sweeter side too. Definitely thinking they use Saison Dupont yeast in this one. Some fruity earthiness, hay and grassy on the finish.

M: Great mouthfeel. Smooth, great level of carbonation, candy sweetness on the finish.

O: I would drink this again, but it feels and tastes more like a tripel and is on the sweeter side of my personal preferences.

Serving type: can

02-03-2012 08:23:19 | More by julian

litheum94

California

4.47/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16 oz can. Canned 12/5/11.

Pours a brilliant, clear, golden body. Fairly substantial off-white head that fades away to a mere ring, leaving no lacing.

Earthy yeast, lemon, banana and pepper on the nose.

Starts with dry cracker malts that morphs into a creamy, lemony twang midpalate. Tons of spice and earth towards the finish. Very fruity on the finish, with the faintest hint of hop bitterness.

A saison in a can!? And it's awesome. Done to almost near perfection. Don't pass this one up, even though I can see it being overshadowed by their hoppy offerings.

Serving type: can

02-03-2012 05:14:53 | More by litheum94

TomTwanks

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Just recieved this in a trade, thanks jschonert!

P - pours an amber gold with a nice 1 finger white head. Looks like a thirst quencher...

S - Smell isn't too crazy. Smells like a like tripel, definetly smelling some belgium yeasty qualities here. That's see what this is all about..

T - much more in depth than the smell. A slight tart taste, which is enjoyable immediately. This is intertwined with a refreshing but not overpowering hop bitterness. I do see while this is "peppery", but not like black pepper. cooked banana, peaches, mango come out, making this oh so refreshing. Yeasty, sourdough bread"ish", delicous.

M - thin, but just very refreshing. I could drink this all summer, Pleasant aftertaste. I wanna go to a beach with a case of this!

O - This is my first saison/farmhouse ale, and I am really enjoying it. Definetely a style I need to dive heads first in. Hope places around me have similar brews comparable to this. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a refreshing delicous craft brew.

Serving type: can

02-03-2012 00:51:40 | More by TomTwanks

JackieTH

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Old Chicago. Poured honey golden with creamy white foam cap. Nose is fruity and lightly malt as well as yeast. Taste is apples, peaches and peppery with floral notes in a background of biscuit malt. Medium heavy body, holds together well, carbonation imparts a nice crispness. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 05:07:22 | More by JackieTH

BMoney575

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Sampled on 1-25-12
Canned on 12-20-11

Pours a clear, golden color with just a few white bubbles that rise to the surface. Any head quickly fades, leaving a faint film of lacing on the glass.

Smell is subtle, a little beery, with only a hint of farmhouse character. Light fruit aromas are there, more tripel than anything else.

Taste is much more in-depth than the smell, lots of lightly sweet malt with a light Belgian kick. The finish is smooth, with a light, very pleasant aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is good, a nice viscosity goes well with the lightly sweet flavors, and the carbonation is dead-on.

Drinkability is outstanding. The definition of a flavorful session beer.

Overall, a very good beer that would be a staple in my fridge, if I could get it.

Serving type: can

01-26-2012 00:13:33 | More by BMoney575

Scotchboy

Idaho

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes, sampled 1/7/12.

Canned 11/21/11, poured into a Samuel Smith tulip-style nonic. Thanks to Aaron for this one!

A: Pours an attractive pale golden color with a white head that fizzles quickly away to my surprise. A touch of haze but it looks to be chill haze.

S: Very earthy Belgian scents...hints of grass, peppery spices, soft fruit flesh (apricot), and impressions of a sour white wine.

T: Belgian yeast fruitiness, lemongrass, a small dose of honey, and black pepper. Very refreshing.

MF: Light, cool, wet...crisp, with a clean finish.

O: Its nice. Surly didn't stray to far from the mold with this one, but it tastes good, its quaffable, and its offered in a great format (pint can = awesomeness). Tastes like a winner.

Serving type: can

01-09-2012 14:39:31 | More by Scotchboy

pixieskid

France

3.58/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light peach color with a fluffy one finger head.
Nose; very fruity (fresh peaches) and floral. You could smell the fruitiness from across the room, incredibly aromatic.
Taste; the fruitiness comes in strong just as in the aroma. Notes of grain follow with a hint of grassiness and a slight herbal/earthy presence.
Mouthfeel; very creamy, lacking in crispness.

Overall; if the carbonation was tighter and more rabid and there was a touch of tartness, this would be a perfect Saison. But, those two key components were lacking and thus it missed the mark for me...

Serving type: can

01-08-2012 17:33:57 | More by pixieskid

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Tall boy can... gotta love the cans, thanks to GoldenJet.

Pours a nice fluffy 1 finger head that fades at a fairly quick pace, with bits of lacing, over mostly clear dandelion yellow orange nectar colored beer.

Nose has a nice saison farmhouse aroma, light straw, toasty malts, wheat, dry rustic farmhouse yeast aromas, light spices, slightest hint of citrus, semi sweet like malts. Then fruits, light fruits, apple, pear, and other juicy fruits, and then the slightest hint of grassy hops.

Taste starts like a lighter malty saison, a hint of sweetness with some toasty malts, light straw, hint of wheat like flavors, light farmhouse but a bit maltier and juicier than typical farmhouse saisons but mostly typical overall. Hints of spices and citrus, as well as fruits from the yeast, light lemony citrus, faint hints of apple and pear, a little grainy. Some light floral grassy hops start to come out but not a lot, with a slight bitterness. It finishes drier but not as dry as most saisons, lingering toasty malts and farmhouse flavors, light citrus and fruits, and hints of grassy hops, although a little sticky, and gets a decent bitterness on the finish.

Mouth is med to slightly lighter bodied, decent carb although I would expect a little more for the style.

Overall not bad, similar to most saison farmhouse ales, but a little light is a few categories. Tasty and drinkable, nothing really wrong per se, but not the best representation of the style and nothing that really stands out, and I've been drinking lots of saisons this year.

Serving type: can

12-25-2011 02:35:53 | More by jlindros

kojevergas

California

3.38/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on-draught into a pilsner glass in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the 8th street bar and grill. Reviewed from notes. Expectations were high given the brewery.

A: Pours a one finger head of fair cream, decent thickness, and okay retention. Colour is a semitransparent copper.

Sm: Amber hops, light cherry, cream, and full barley.

T: Cinnamon spice - especially on the finish and aftertaste, light cherry tones obscured by light amber hops, and assorted spices. Maybe a touch of Belgian-inspired candied sugar on the climax. Not horribly complex, but pleasant and refreshing for the style.

Mf: Tingly, smooth, and wet, suiting the flavours mildly.

Dr: Very drinkable, but innovative for the style. A unique take on the style that I'd have again. Lovely on draught.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2011 03:46:11 | More by kojevergas

pmarlowe

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

No canned on date. Tulip glass.

A: Pale colored, with about a finger of bright white head which fizzles out after about a minute.

S: Sweet floral honey, some pepper and fruitiness (peach), and bready malt. Really good stuff.

T: Similar as the smell, with a medium length finish.

M: Medium carbonation and body. Nice crispness.

O: Very good drinkability: light, with good flavors. A nice accompaniment to food.

Serving type: can

12-16-2011 05:18:48 | More by pmarlowe

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Ryan! Pours a lightly hazed peach with a small white head. Nose is sweet saison yeast, bubblegum, mango, tropical fruits. Mouth is a soft collage of tropical fruits, a pretty agressive Belgian yeast component a-la DuPont, but with a much softer, fruitier mouth. I'm not really a fan of sweeter saisons, but this has some good fruit expression going on.

Serving type: can

12-15-2011 02:28:14 | More by JAXSON

Khazadum

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great easy head development. Almost two fingers of the crisp wedding lace above the murky yellowed body. Tons of carbonation. Like, deceptively overcarbonation from just a minor glance. But I bet its okay. Sticky lacing, good retention time as well.

Nice light peppery nature, some light belgian candied sugar. Nose has a sharpness to it, almost a fault. Bit simple, bit nice. Floral hops, definitely not grassy, straight herby floral hops finish it out.

Nice, belgian dry grain character. A general low malty sweetness, not like biscuits or anything. What could be peppery bursts in the center but is too hindered to be pepper. Just a very dilute triple. Finishes off with that sweetness lingering, begging you to drink more. Almost cellulosic dropping the score a tad. Its malty, its sweet, its very very drinkable.

Light body, watery, fluid, little bit of cream to the back end. Bashful sticky flavors, good nature. Its got that bam bam bam that I'm thinking should be in it.

What is Ryan smoking... this beer is very nice.

Serving type: can

12-12-2011 01:20:19 | More by Khazadum

Heatwave33

Florida

4.47/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 16oz can to a Cigar City Snifter.

Color: Hazy Gold with a white head.

Smell: Hops, malts, citrus (peach) and honey.

Taste: Malts, hops, citrus (peach), honey and spice.

Mouthfeel: Great carbonation, smooth with a medium dryness.

Overall: Very well balanced. Enjoyed this very much. Loved how I got a little bit of everything in every sip. Cheers!

Serving type: can

12-07-2011 02:40:37 | More by Heatwave33

AgentZero

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Golden colored beer with a nice white head that left behind a decent bit of lace and stick.

S - Some decent pepper with decent spice notes thrown in there. Decent bit of citrus with some floral and spicy hops.

T - Citrus and pepper with the good floral hops. This has a nice bit of spice kick for a saison. Little bit of sweetness.

M - Light, moderate carbonation, fairly good thirst quencher.

O - Nice beer, not a traditional saison, but a great American take on it. Would drink again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2011 05:52:24 | More by AgentZero

dlello2

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - A think yellow/gold. Some cloudiness but mostly clear. Head disappears entirely. Decent amount of lively carbonation.

S - Sweet, floral, belgian, peaches. Tickles the nose.

T - Sweet and spicy come first. Then fruit, earthiness and some yeast. There is less flavor getting to me than I'd have imagined from the smell. Pepper at the end. An interesting but pleasant aftertaste. A good dry hopiness hangs on from the second I sip until I swallow. I think this is getting better for me as I'm drinking more of it.

M - Lots of carbonation. Very thin. Somewhat biting.

O - "Lively Slovenian hops provide the floral, apricot and peach notes." That from the bottle--these all do come through, though not with much sweetness. I thought this beer was ok overall. A little funky for me. I'm on the fence between thinking all the flavors come together quite nicely and thinking it was a mess.

Serving type: can

11-27-2011 04:03:01 | More by dlello2

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on 2011-11-16 in Maple Grove, MN at the 3 Squares restaurant.

A - Mildly-hazy orange with 1.5 finger white head that fades quickly and leaves mild lacing.

S - Belgian yeast, sourdough bread, green apple, citrus.

T - Moderate Belgian yeast/fruit but not over the top. Light peach and lightly roasted grain with some nice citrus bitterness, earthy spice and pepper as it dries.

M - Medium body and high carbonation. Refreshing.

O - I like it pretty well but it's not my favorite saison.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2011 18:05:43 | More by Tucquan

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Brandon for this in the n00b BIF
Canned 10-5-11

A - Crystal clear golden straw body with a sizable white head. Nice

S - yeasty, zesty, vanilla. Nice stuff.

T - Crisp and smooth. Nice slightly dry flavors. Some vanilla, some earth, some citrus tartness. Good flavor.

M - Smooth, dry, medium body.

O - A solid all-around beer. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: can

11-12-2011 19:32:32 | More by ColdPoncho

harrymel

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Canned 06SEP11 A: caramel with three fingers of egg whites whipped atop fall in a few minutes to a solid sheet of the same with cobweb lace. Near excellent clarity. (4) S: grainy yeast and peppercorns with slightly sweet oats. The belgian yeast dominates. (3.5) T: Again, yeasty. Classic saison flavors of lemon, pepper, sharp sour yeast flavors. Lasting finish is reminiscent of a slightly underdeveloped apricot. (3.5) M: medium on full bodied with moderately high carbonation and a dry finish. (3) O: Not a bad example, but far from the upper echelon. Won’t be going out of my way for this one. (3.5)

Serving type: can

11-12-2011 07:02:01 | More by harrymel

AmericanGothic

Iowa

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16 oz can into a Unibroue tulip. Canned on 10/5/11.

A: Pours a clear, golden orange color with 1-1/2 fingers of billowy ecru head. Good retention and lace.

S: Nice Belgian fruity esters, bubble gum, light but piercing pepper aroma.

T: Leads with bubble gum, slowly fades uncovering the light pepper and a little bitter bite on the end. A little heat from the alcohol on the end, noticeable but not obtrusive. The pepper becomes a little more prominent over the course of the glass, but never gets out of hand.

M: Medium mouthfeel, creamy carbonation and slightly astringent.

O: This is a tasty beer, nothing fancy but it does hit all the right notes. One more reason for a road trip north.

Serving type: can

11-07-2011 00:48:51 | More by AmericanGothic

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a 20oz. Stein

Appearance - Slightly Darker Orange with a slight hint of amber around the edges. Pours a nice 2 finger head that leaves behind a small amount of lacing. For a beer that's as dark as this one, it's pretty transparent.

Smell - Rich bread and yeast scents along with a mild spicy aroma. There are some very prominent sweet notes thrown into the flavor as well.

Taste - Very mild black pepper and spicy kick are felt upon first drinking, with that sweet bread/yeast flavor. You can also taste the sweet floral hops used in this beer.

Mouthfeel - It's a pretty easy beer to drink if you can look past the slight spiciness of it all. Body is a bit on the lighter side which is typical. The carbonation starts out moderate and eventually tapers off.

Overall - It's a beer that seems perfect for pretty much any occasion, whether it's sitting down to try it out or just to throwback while watching a football game.
It's a pretty unique beer in it's own right, but in a very good way It's sweet/spiciness flavor will be off-putting to some, but those looking for a slightly different kind of beer should try this out.

Serving type: can

11-05-2011 03:40:35 | More by NuclearDolphin

larryi86

Delaware

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16 oz can dated 9/6/11 poured into a snifter
Thank you hockeyd for this!

A- A slightly hazy golden color with a two finger white head that fades quickly.

S- Belgian yeast, light fruitiness, light floral hops, nice malt backbone. Nice aroma.

T- Follows the nose, hops show up in the finish, a lot of yeast, bready, hint of pepper

M- Crisp, light body.

O- A nice Saison, but doesn't seem to have the high level complexity that I enjoy in other Saisons. I am happy that I still have three cans and probably will hide one away to see how it ages.

Serving type: can

11-05-2011 03:21:10 | More by larryi86

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from can into my Duvel Tulip. Color was a hazy amber with about one finger of white head with very slight lacing.

Funky, fruity farmhouse aroma, a hint of pepper perhaps.

Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, medium bodied with lite carbonation. Very refreshing.

I'm a big fan of farmhouse ales/saisons and I could drink alot of this.

Serving type: can

11-03-2011 16:41:11 | More by InspectorBob

exonthebottle

Minnesota

2.75/5  rDev -31.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

this beer is very aggressive in coriander flavor. I never been a fan of coriander and this feels over the top to me. the beer itself is light and a bit watery. does not taste like a saison. more of an american version. not impressed Surly makes a great IPA so far nothing else

Serving type: can

11-01-2011 04:23:48 | More by exonthebottle

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

If you had asked me what Surly beer I really wanted to try, it would not have been this one; I never even knew it existed it until I got it as an extra in a trade with tripelhops (thanks again, Brian). Well, it’s Surly, so it’s probably gonna rock. Which is a great feeling…I love not having to worry when you get a beer you’ve never heard of, just because the brewery’s so damn good.

A: Rich orange haze in the body, lighter than pumpkin but darker than orange rind. The head’s a good white cream, but with minimum retention. Very light lacing here and there. Interesting look, though not super-appealing…

S: …but it has one hell of a nose! Estery, funky Belgian yeast, incredibly banana-heavy, with a ton of breads. It’s a perfect partner for the creamy malts, which exhibit more than a handful of thick grains and sweet cream. I’m getting some fruity and herbal scents, too: Band-Aid, lemon zest, light apricot, and slight kick of cinnamon-sugar. Excellent! The hops are hidden, but very earthy and European in aroma. I love this nose.

T: Interesting, in a very, very nice way. Bready, funky yeasts are big (love ‘em), with bold banana tastes, as well. The rest of the palate is really just a great mix of sweet/bitter: peppery hops that come off astringent, spicy, and earthy, versus a sweet, pub-style malt. Good amount of depth to the palate: lemon, light caramel/vanilla, cake batter, grapefruit, apricot, and cardamom all come into play. Aftertaste is appropriately funky, played up by a bready astringency (as if you had just bitten into a biscuit and have nothing to drink). Very well-made, very balanced, very tasty.

M: In a European-style beer like this, a certain English-pub-wateriness is appropriate. And that’s exactly what I’m getting – mild-to-medium carbonation, palpable amounts of refreshing water, and a very light creaminess.

O: I’m really starting to get into this funky farmhouse style, and this had just the right sweetness to keep it drinkable for a newbie like me. Like I said, I would never have put this beer on a list of Top Surly Wants; as it stands, though, I love it! I guess that’s the power of trading – thanks again, Brian!

Serving type: can

10-20-2011 23:45:19 | More by BarryMFBurton

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pint can into Hill Farmstead belgian stem.

A - Pours a clear yellow with a copper hue. Nice 1-2 finger white head grows and stays around for ages before turning into a half finger head that never leaves. Lacing is average.

S - Belgian yeast buried in sweetly bready malt. Citrus in the form of light lemon is present. Herbal.

T - Lemony, peppery, and finishing bready. The Belgian yeast flavor adds a little kick. The finish is warmly bready and very pleasant.

M - Light body, but can be slightly cloying. Lingers a bit. Dries after a few moments.

D - Saison in a can! And a damn good one. I'd drink this all the time if I were in Surly territory.

Serving type: can

10-18-2011 21:23:29 | More by greenmonstah