Abrasive Ale - Surly Brewing Company

AwYeh

California

4.28/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

16oz can, bottled on December 20, 2010, poured into a shaker pint. Received via trade with readbaron; thanks Baron!

A: Pours a cloudy, bright, burnt amber-orange with hints of golden in the light. One finger of dense white head with good retention and spotty lacing.

S: Not quite as strong of an aroma as I was expecting, considering how amped up the style typically is. Nonetheless, smell is enjoyable- grapefruit and other varieties of citrus hops are most prevalent, with a sweet caramel malt backbone accented by hints of burnt malts and an almost-honey flavor.

T: Huge punch of bitter citrus hops upfront- grapefruit once again in particular, maybe more than in any other DIPA I've had (in terms of its bitterness and similarity to how the actual fruit tastes). The "abrasive" bitterness really covers up the sweet malts when they start to poke through in the middle of the taste, though a bit of sweetness is evident on the finish. Also notable on the finish are some distinct lemon and orange flavors, which leave a lingering, tangy, citrus bite.

M: Medium-bodied with light-moderate carbonation (though higher carbonation isn't really necessary here, the bitter hops provide enough of a punch to the palate). Sticky, lingering bitter finish.

D: Quite an enjoyable beer, I could easily have a couple of these at a time based on the merits of its top-notch hop flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2011 19:30:17 | More by AwYeh

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