CynicAle - Oak Aged - Surly Brewing Company

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a glass at the Happy Gnome with a couple friends at the bar. The company was good, but I remember this beer more than anything. I'm not typically a big fan of Cynic, but was a very different beer.

The hazy amber ale had a sort of melon-y CO2-like aroma that you get in some cask ales. Mild oxidation maybe? The rest of beer was fantastic, however. There are smooth, rich apricot and orange peel fruits flavors up front and doughy malt with coriander and gentle Belgian spices. This is a great example of how wonderful cask beer can be. If I weren't up against the end of the night, I'd certainly have ordered another.

Serving type: cask

07-25-2010 05:52:18 | More by tempest

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

2.88/5  rDev -28%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Prachna's.

A: marmalade milky
S: slight oak, oxidized?, yeasty, almost soapy in nose
T: very light carbonation, almost nose - very mild taste, nothing unusual, malt and a bit of grapefruit with underlying oak but very mild, nothing out of the ordinary
M & D: decent but uneventful

Almost like a decent British blond cask conditioned ale that is past its prime and going "off"

Serving type: cask

06-27-2010 16:38:26 | More by wisrarebeer

younger35

Minnesota

4.8/5  rDev +20%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Picked up a quick pint of this with the little lady at Stub & Herbs on a Christmas shopping break. I was hoping this would be still be on tap and thank god it was. This one was dry hopped with Slovenian Celeia hops. Drank from a generic pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a neon yellowish orange with a beautifully creamy one finger bright white head and considerably more haze than the original Nice cap and collar remains along with plenty of thick rich lacing.
Smell- Nice and fruity with a soft yeasty spice. Peaches and tangerines are slightly citric and fresh. The spices are soft and nice with a coriander and candied orange peel essence. Not sure about the whole Slovenian Celeia thing but I'm guessing the lightly fruity part of the nose are these new hops.
Taste- Much the same as the nose with a bit more intensity. The spice is kicked up a bit as is the influence of the yeast. Loads of orange peel and lavender add a slightly citric and definite floral aspect to the taste. White pepper and a touch of vanilla with some grainy raw undertones. The alcohol is slightly noticeably but considering the nature of the beer I can't complain.
Mouthfeel- Medium body with that silky smooth creamy feel that I love in my cask goodness.
Drinkability- Regular cynic is pretty tasty but I can't drink the shit out of it like Furious. This on the other hand, I'd be content if this was the only brew I could drink for the rest of my life. So smooth and fruity with a nice ABV and light, beautiful spices. Another grand slam from Surly!

Serving type: cask

12-29-2009 15:09:46 | More by younger35

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.58/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had this at Stubs. This was dry-hopped with Slovenian Celeia.

Poured into a pint glass.

Pours 1 finger of bright white head. Fades to a thin layer. Some thick splattered lace. Color is a hazy murky yellow.

Aroma: pepper, spices, wood/oak, dry grassy hops. Some yeast notes. I absolutely love it.

Taste: Right away I get pepper and spice notes. Then comes some yeast followed by really nice oak flavors. A nice amount of grassy hops balance this out. A very well done saison.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean, and refreshing. A little dry. Light to medium bodied with a decent amount of carbonation. Ends slightly dry with spice notes.

Overall, one of the best saisons I have ever had. The drinkability is incredible. My pint went fast and I went back for more. One of my favorite beers I have ever had I think.

Serving type: cask

12-24-2009 02:33:08 | More by mothman

pwoods

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First beer of the night at Stub and Herb's. Notes from text.

Served in a pint.

Pours much like regular Cynicale. Carbonation isn't much lowered and the head doesn't last very long. More of the big yeast and citrus and apple in the nose. Great apricot. Tastes much the same. Not getting a lot of the oak at all... not much wood at all. Maybe earthy smoothness in the finish and maybe some added sweetness. The apricot is so great in this... you can almost feel the meaty fruit in your mouth. The yeast is still spicy and adds some peppery notes. Body is about medium and carbonation is pretty low.

Serving type: cask

11-21-2008 21:55:35 | More by pwoods

beckje01

Minnesota

2.9/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Yellow and see through, thin white head with a touch of lacing over the top. Still a good look for a cask.

S- Some hops not a ton but they hint at apricot.

T- Watery just the first impression, then some building of fruity flavors but all very light and subtle. The taste is a bit lack luster.

M- Good thickness but no activity.

D- Very drinkable if you like the taste nothing standing in your way.

Serving type: cask

11-06-2008 03:04:13 | More by beckje01

mynie

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

3 bucks for a 12-oz draw into a plastic cup. Cask.

Pours like regular Cynicale, which pours like pretty much every other medium-alcohol attempt at Belgian styles. The honey gold color is there. But the head just ain't Duvel-y enough, if you get my drift. There's none of that champagne sparkliness that you get from the Saisons and Belgian Pales that use the super aggressive yeast. Judged against it's American peers, this is a 4.0. Against its Belgian counterparts, it's a 3.0 So I'll go middle ground.

Smells nice, again like regular Cynicale. The spices are huge--lots of cloves but also some autumny allspice and bread dough. The yeast nodes are mild but pleasant, accounting for the cloves.

Tastes like it smells (that is, like regular Cynicale), only with a distinctly oaken finish. You don't get any of the huge nodes of bourbon or smoke or anything. Don't taste like it was aged too long. But the effect is still positive, adding much to the beer's character.

Wonderful body and drinkability, both due to the cask pour.

Serving type: cask

10-27-2008 01:38:17 | More by mynie

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Alchemy Cafe, Madison, WI during a Great Taste pre party hosted by TheBeerSpot.com Thanks Guys!

A-Slightly hazy yellowish-orange color. Bright white head with good retention leaving decent lace.

S-Much like the non-oaked version with aromas of yeasty bread dough, various spices, apple, citrus and apricot. A bit of an acidic twang tickled the narses.

T-Biscuit malt with a swirl of fruit(apricot, apple and a hint of orange). Spicy notes and the drying, astringent quality from the oak aging. Very well done.

M-Medium-light body. Smooth and creamy with a hint of background bitterness and a building dryness.

D-Nicely done. The oak aging adds a noticable drying quality making it more like a dry white wine. Spice and fruit flavours meld nicely, all well supported by the light bready malt.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2008 08:10:15 | More by Deuane

Atron67

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

So this was just something i felt everyone should be aware that they are offering. i didn't get a great taste of it, being (well relatively) at the beginning of a beerfest, however it was a delicious beer that even if i wasnt giving the greatest review, was at least helping the community by showing its availability.

The fruity character present in the regular cynicAle was even more pronounced in this edition as compared to the regular cans that i have had on a couple of occasions. the peach and apple flavors were more intense and stronger here then in the 'regular' cynicAle. still very delicious, the oak aged version on cask didnt show a pronounced difference other then smoothness and slight more complexity due to the subtlety and the carbonation allowing a greater intensity.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2008 23:23:59 | More by Atron67