Bitter Brewer - Surly Brewing Company

birchstick

Missouri

3.65/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A - pours a golden, bronzed yellow without much of a head

S - smell is of floral, bitter hops with some sweet, grainy malts

T - taste followsthe nose well. A surprisingly bitter, floral, citrus, earthy hop flavor is first on the tongue. Hidden beneath the hops are some grainy, sweet malts. Ends with a watery, earthy and citrus bitterness.

M - mouth is a bit watery with a decent amount of carbonation

D - I fell this is the definition of a session beer. Really nice flavors and complexity, yet clocks in with an abv slightly above 4%.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2011 00:02:23 | More by birchstick

Reaper16

Alabama

3.55/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

served on-tap @ Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis, MN, into a pint glass

Pours an even honeyed amber color. 1.25 fingers or so of off-white head sit on top. Nice lacing, but otherwise nothing special to speak of.

The nose is neither complex or interesting, though it is style-appropriate. English ale yeast aromas shine through; plenty of breadcrust; grassy, herbal European hops. It's clearly quite hoppy relative to the normal English Bitter. That doesn't automatically mean that it is better, though.

Bitter Brewer tastes a great deal better than it smells. The hop complexity really shines on the palate relative to the nose; in addition to the grassiness there is an earthy tea component. That plays very well with the crusty, bready malts and the apple-like ale yeast flavors.

The beer is pretty thin. I would like a touch more carbonation and body (after all, this isn't cask conditioned). Overall, this is a very solid beer that I has multiple nits to pick over. I drank this at Bryant-Lake Bowl's excellent brunch, and it worked very well as a compliment to breakfast foods. I have to imagine that it is better out of the can, though, as this wasn't quite the beer that it was hyped to be.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2011 21:16:19 | More by Reaper16

iadler

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- A golden copper with a one finger head that dissipates quickly with some thin lacing

S- Floral and citrus hops including mandarine, grapefruit and toasted malt

T- Citrus bitterness upfront with a good deal of manderine, lemon peel, grapefruit, as well as some floral and pine notes. Balanced with some toasted malt

M- medium carbonation and mouthfeel. Finishes dry. Very drinkable.

O- a very sessionable beer and perfect for warm weather. Not one of my favorite surly offerings, but still a great brew. Could see myself drinking a few of these on a hot day

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2011 20:11:00 | More by iadler

AgentZero

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Copper colored beer with not much of a head, no real retention on it. Looked a bit watery.

S - Smells like an english, with english malts, caramel and a bit of sugar. Some sort of odd vinegar quality to it.

T - Tastes alright, but there is definately a little bit of vinegarness here. English malts and slightly metalic.

M - Light bodied, moderate carbonation.

D - It's semi-easy to drink, but should be easier at 4%.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2010 19:45:03 | More by AgentZero

jrallen34

Illinois

2.83/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

On tap into 4oz tasting tulip...Poured a light, clear and watery copper with light head that doesn't last...The aroma and taste to me are super generic versions of an English ipa. Sugar and caramel come through mostly with watery metallic hops on the back. The feel is too watery. Surly mostly nails it, but to me this is a macro versions attempt at an esb.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2010 03:12:15 | More by jrallen34

blackie

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a: standard pint, a light copper-amber in color, low head

s: the nose is very much tealike, some light toasty malts metallic hops and some grassy citrus, pretty simple stuff

m: light bodied with a moderate level of carbonation

t: very light toasted malt body with a very prominent tea flavor, metallic hop bitterness really stands out against the low malt back, some citrus

d: a straight session beer, not the most interesting thing out there but it does fit the style

sampled at Stub & Herbs, Minneapolis

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2010 01:07:49 | More by blackie

EwaldEichstaett

Jordan

4.4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at the White Horse in St. Cloud (great bar by the way).

A: Very impressed by the appearance of this beer. It came with a good sized head that lasted. Even at the end of the beer there is some foam remaining in the middle of the glass. As you drink, the sides of the glass remain covered with dried white foamy lacing. The beer has a nice dark golden brown color.

S: Big floral hoppy fruity tones with some malt underneath. The smell of this beer is huge.

T: This beer tastes so cool and fresh. It is a little tangy and spicy at first moving on to a floral and grassy taste and ending with a nice hoppy bitterness. The beer get more of the grassy flavor the warmer it gets. The flavors are very distinct and the beer has an excellent balance.

M: Feels great over the tongue. The alcohol is not perceived at all. Spicy and smooth at the same time, this beer is an excellent thirst quencher.

D: While you could drink this beer all day long. I would prefer to move to a different (stronger) style of beer after one or two. Probably more of a personal preference than a fault with the beer.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2010 18:11:06 | More by EwaldEichstaett

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

3.03/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Prachna's.

A: good light brown color
S: mild to medium, with light roasted malt and some grapefruit
T: good, nice malt with somewhat mild grapefruit finish, a bit unusual after-taste (acrid, almost sour), off-taste?, also a bit watered down
M & D: average

I've had BB recently in a can and it was much better overall. I'm wondering if the barrel was just older.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2010 16:32:42 | More by wisrarebeer

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, IL.

A: Poured a nice copper color with an off-white head and some pretty good lacing.

S: Lots of mild citrus scents melding together atop a nice bready malt base.

T: Slight bitterness and a little bit of malt. Nothing super complex, but blends together nicely.

M: Light-bodied and well-carbonated.

D: Quite drinkable, as is the tradition of the style. Not my favorite of Surly's, but a solid attempt at this style.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2009 16:14:58 | More by Thorpe429

blackearth

Minnesota

3.33/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served on-tap in a pint glass at Stub & Herbs in Minneapolis, MN. Has a bright amber body with a thin white head. Toasted malts dominate the aroma with hops coming in a distant second. Medium bodied with a spicy carb bite, this beer has woody hop flavors up front followed by malt sweetness, then a fairly long hop finish. Drinkability was okay, but half way through I was looking forward to a differnt beer. This is the first Surly offering that I didn't fall immediately in love with.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2009 16:38:02 | More by blackearth

Mistofminn

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Toured the Surly Brewery today, great experience by the way, but I got to try this baby on tap, for free!

Knowing the rules on reviewing from samples, I decided to use 3 of my 5 free drink tickets on some Bitter Brewer. It ended up being more than a normal beer, and a great experience.

Served in a 6 oz (?) tasting glass. Straw in color, with a little bit of amber to it, and a decent off white head. Nice lacing on this one.

This one is very balanced on the nose. Light and clean, I get malts and bitter hops. Also a little bit of citrus.

The taste on this one is great. I'm not familiar with the English Bitter style at all, but sign me up for some more of this! Hop character isn't as strong as I would have hoped, this one is very balanced. It works great and is a very refreshing brew.

Light in body with a lively carbonation. Drinkability is great. The perfect summer brew and the perfect brew to enjoy during a brewery tour in 95 degree weather. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2009 03:40:46 | More by Mistofminn

rtepiak

Poland

4.35/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

had it on tap at rodan.

a copper ale with a moderate head and a fantastic textbook english lemon sweet. bready nose. a nice oak aroma even. but lemon sweet tea nose. palate of mild bitter that has a ash like quality. not necessarily smoky... not necessarily chalky... but somewhere between there in the finish. a balanced sweet of citrus and a body that makes for something wonderfully fruit complex for this abv. absolutely fantastic.

although i have been told that the beer is rather inconsistent. i may have lucked out but it was really worth it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2009 08:20:58 | More by rtepiak

dfillius

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

7 of 7 daily reviewed beers in honor of Craft Beer Week

Served in a pilsener glass at Axel's Bonfire on Grand in St. Paul, MN
A: Little head, hazy golden liquid. More head, less haze please.
S: Grassy hop, urine from a dehydrated person? :-(, but not horrible surprisingly. Not much there when cold, but worlds better upon warming. Slight citrus smell.
T: Mild with a decent Noble hop bitterness. Then the malt comes in later. Hop bitterness does hang on at the very end.
M: Good carbonation. A little green banana starchiness, but not bad - it gives diversity to the mouthfeel.
D: A session beer. I would order another and definitely buy a four pack. Glad I stuck with this one! It got better as I drank it and peaked just before I finished it.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2009 01:38:46 | More by dfillius

younger35

Minnesota

4.55/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I got a four pack of this in a trade at Dark Lord Day but I drank them all so fast (the next day) that I never got a chance to review. So I was happy to see this on tap at the Bavarian Lodge for the release of Surly Three. Drank from a 16oz pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a lightly dark orange with excellent clarity and an even better fluffy white head. A super nice cap and collar remain the entire beer along with rings and rings of lacing.
Smell- Loads and loads of straight up oranges. Amazing how much this smells like the skin of an orange. Slightly doughy malt that is obviously English and sort of earthy and dirty. The smell doesn't say sweet or bitter. It just says this is gonna be tasty. Seriously, I knew this was going to be heaven after smelling it.
Taste- Starts slightly dirty (or yeasty) with a lightly sweet caramel/toffee sweetness that I can't seem to pinpoint. The beer is indeed bitter but nothing crazy. More of that orange that dominated the nose but slightly more bitter than I honestly expected. Finishes with a bit more orange and some toasted goodness.
Mouthfeel- A light body that bugged me at first but it seems to work better as I drink. The carbonation is very light.
Drinkability- Damn good. Nice to actually find a beer with big flavor that has such a low ABV. It has a way more orange/tangerine flavor than a traditional English Bitter but that's what makes it so great. Very good brew that I enjoyed tremendously.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2009 15:15:52 | More by younger35

barnzy78

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On tap at the Bavarian Lodge - Lisle, IL

Poured a pale copper color with a thin white head. Aromas were earthy with hints of caramel and orange rind - some mild floral hops. Mouth-feel was thin and initial tastes were of caramel, toffee and honey - malty sweet - finish was on the bitter side with citric orange and piny hops. Great balance and definitely sessionable. Good representation of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2009 01:27:49 | More by barnzy78

MasterSki

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on-tap at the Binny's SL Tasting Room.

A - Murky, semi-transparent, apricot color with a one-fingered, off-white head. Great lace and decent retention. Some visible carbonation. A little more head volume would have been nice.

S - Centennial hops? Reminiscent of Bell's Two-Hearted at first with the tangerine citrus and pineapple, as well as some of the Surly candy smell. But as it warms up it unleashes some bitter lemon and pine, as well as a stronger English malt character. Really interesting combination of aromas.

T - Dryer than I expected. English ESB taste - bready, with a touch of malt sweetness. I was kind of underwhelmed. Bitter on the top of the palate, and nowhere as sweet as it smells. It gets a little stronger as it warms, but the strongest flavor profile comes when I burp - thankfully it's a good flavor!

M - Tingly carbonation that suits the bitterness. Creamy, smooth, and a little watery, although that's not inappropriate for the style.

D - My only knock is the carbonation - might get bloaty after a few. Low ABV makes it highly sessionable.

Not my favorite Surly, but a solid brew and a nice change of pace.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2009 20:19:16 | More by MasterSki

GbVDave

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a 16oz pint glass at Hopleaf 7/17/08.

A: Served a clear golden color capped with a creamy 1 1/2 finger head that's bright white. Slightly lacy.

S: Aromas of toasted grain, caramel malt, and a bit of citrus hops.

T: See above. Toasted grain and caramel, initially, then a wash of bitter hops.

M: Starts off with some dry toasted grain and sweet caramel and then finishes with a big bitter blast of hops.

D: Completely sessionable. Very clean and refreshing with a low abv...let's drink!

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2008 22:43:45 | More by GbVDave

dbalsock

Vermont

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

App: Medium amber and quite clear with a two finger off-white head that never disappears. It's foamy and thick and brilliant.

Smell: Great floral aroma with a lot of intricacies. The malt background is there too, but not doing much on the nose. The hops really are the thrill for this aroma.

Taste: The malt background is hidden a little too much by the hops, but still makes it out in subtle biscuity nuances. The hops are still floral on the taste, but settle down quite a bit to make beer all about mouthfeel.

Mouthfeel: Bitter and crisp at the same time. Reminded me of orange marmalade, but only after reading that description on the menu. It takes over the palate and is quite refreshing.

Drinkability: One of the best bitters I've ever had, and I would gladly make this a regular if I could get it regularly. Unfortunately I don't think I can.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2008 20:11:51 | More by dbalsock

dirtylou

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

on tap at clark street ale house in chicago, an oasis in the hotel district...visited about a month ago, reviewed from cell phone notes

appearance: served in an imperial pint, strong apricot-amber body with a surly haze about it, creamy beige head

smell: strongly hopped per the surly norm, biscuit malt, grassy hops, tea, citrus fruit

taste: a delightfully enjoyable english bitter that i was excited to see on tap as i dont get many chances to try surly since i dont venture into minnesota very often, if ever...bready malt structure, pungent citrus hops, grassy and herbal tea, creamy and satisfying

mouthfeel: creamy and smooth, refreshing and bold

drinkability: high

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2008 14:15:27 | More by dirtylou

aforbes10

Iowa

3.73/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

on tap at Stub n' Herbs in Minneapolis. Pours straw-red with a shirt creamy head and long, sticky lacing. light, pale malt odor with a dry grainy orange hint. Extremely light orange taste at first, almost ephemeral. Bitterness rises quickly, and seems disembodied from the beer. Its not a hop bitterness, per se, its just bitterness, seemingly unrelated to the soft, light, otherwise easy drinking beer. The only trace of a floral hop is manifested in my after-burps. Light bodied, soft. An easy drinker, with good bitterness. nice.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2008 00:50:38 | More by aforbes10

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at the HopLeaf in Chicago, served in a goblet (odd choice, I expected a pint glass for a bitter). The beer was slightly hazy copper colored, almost no head. The aroma is toasted malts and a little bit of pungent hops. The taste is sharp with hops bitterness at the beginning of each sip, leaving a beautiful biscuity after-taste at the end. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel, very easy to drink. Another winner from Surly in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2008 04:17:39 | More by TurdFurgison

kenito799

New York

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On tap at Sea Salt, Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis.

Medium clear brown, soft tan head, not a lot in the plastic cup, nor can lacing be assessed. Pleasant fresh malty aroma.

This is a delicious balanced bitter...hops quite restrained, malt crisp and dry. They have nailed the style. Low alcohol. perfect session beer, one that you will not tire of, fantastic with food. It's now in cans. Another great effort by these surly guys.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2008 23:05:48 | More by kenito799

leftmindedrighty

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at The Blue Nile in Minneapolis, served into a Surly nonic glass.

Smell, hoppy, and American hoppy. Obvious American hops in this English style beer. Touch of dough as well.

Taste, Wow, I have a new favorite English Bitter. Clean malt taste hits the tongue first, followed by a generous, but not over powering helping of delicious American hop flavor. Some dough flavors from the yeast and a very light husky-ness ride the after taste.

Beautifully balanced, tad out of style, but its Surly. What did you expect? I was bummed to arrive in Minneapolis only to find out the beer hasn't been canned yet. So finding it on tap made my day.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2008 23:22:28 | More by leftmindedrighty

ryantupy

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked this one up at The Happy Gnome.

A- Well it poured a nice slightly hazy golden orange hue. Hard to describe actually. In fact see Feloniusmonks review below for a better description. I just had a hard time putting my finger on it.

S - As expected hops are the first and most present aroma you will get with this beer. Sweet grassy hops backed with hints of fresh citrus and fruit. You can also detect a nice subtle hint of sweet malt.

T - A nice bitter hoppy puch in the mouth. It tastes great though! The hop flavors come through nicely. Citrus, sweet lemon grass, and a tangy hop kick at first. Malt sweetness is there but barely.

Overall - This was a very very enjoyable beer from Surly. It was distinct and stood apart from their other beers. I look forward to trying this beer once again next summer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2007 02:44:40 | More by ryantupy

SurlyDrinkr

Minnesota

4.93/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I had this beer at a beer tasting at Uproots Cafe in Uptown. This beer is nice and smooth, was a cloudy yellowish tan, smelled of a nice citrus. The beer had a nice bitter taste with some citrus aftertones in the flavor. The beer reminded me of summit extra pale but with something else added. I would love it if the canned this beer for a seasonal availability.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2007 18:32:19 | More by SurlyDrinkr