Abrasive Ale - Surly Brewing Company

Abrasive AleAbrasive Ale

Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse.
BA SCORE
100
world-class
-
1,731 Ratings
THE BROS
N/A

-
send 'em beer »
rAvg: 4.52
pDev: 8.63%
Reviews: 719
Hads: 1012

Ratings Help


Brewed by:
Surly Brewing Company visit their website
Minnesota, United States

Style | ABV
American Double / Imperial IPA |  9.00% ABV

Availability: Rotating. can (592), on-tap (49), growler (45), bottle (32), cask (1)

Notes:
Was "16 Grit Ale," but now available in cans and renamed "Abrasive Ale".
View:  Beers  (31) |  Events  (0)

Reviews

Sort by:  Latest | High | Low | Top Reviewers  | Show Hads:
« first ‹ prev | 1-25 | 26-50 | 51-75  | next › last »
Photo of Deuane
Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A growler share from dashirey. Big thanks for sharing after my own trade for a growler of this fell through.

A-Slightly hazy orange tinted copper with a thin light tan head that left nice lace.

S-Prominent citrus, orange, and some subtle spicy hop notes. Solid roasted caramel malt supports the rather hefty hop bill. A subtle hint of black pepper and alcohol heat sneaks in upon warming in the finish.

T-BIG citrus and pine hop notes paired with a solid caramel malt body. This is very tasty and I like it but...

M-Medium body with long lasting spicy hop bitterness and a bit of alcohol burn.

D-While I enjoyed this I was left a bit disappointed. I think the hop profile simply didn't work for me in the end as it became to spicy in the end. In fact this was overshadowed during this session by Alpine Pure Hopiness IMHO.

Serving type: growler

04-13-2009 22:47:32 | More by Deuane
Photo of Floydster
Floydster

California

4.15/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

64 ounce growler shared by WeeHeavySD, thanks a lot for bringing this Jon, since Surly stopped doing growlers I was sure I would never get to try this but I was sure wrong, poured into a snifter, consumed 3/28/09, reviewed from notes

A-Golden orange color with some red tint, 1/4 inch creamy white head, some light lacing at the beginning
S-Citrus including grapefruit and oranges mostly, sweet malt, grassy accents, Amarillo and Warrior in here for sure, caramel, and lots of oats
T-Starts off with a big lemon flavor, citrusy hops in the middle too that quickly fade into both toasted and sweet malts, finish is dry with floral and piney accents, caramel and sweetness comes out as it warms and that was expected, nice mixture of buttered bread and bitter hops
M-Dry, bitter, creamy, slightly sweet, and citrusy mouthfeel, thin to medium bodied, lighter side for carbonation but that was expected anyways
D-Alcohol is hidden well in this DIPA, could drink a good amount of it, balanced and not overly sweet or hoppy, smooth stuff that I was in a can, hint hint

Great double IPA and have no idea how it has stayed fresh for this long, did not taste like it had been in the jug for more than a few hours, whoever traded him this please let me in on your secret, my impression was that these were last filled months ago, wow, anyways would like to have again but not likely unless I make it out to Minnesota, recommended

Serving type: growler

04-03-2009 00:44:18 | More by Floydster
Photo of kirok1999
kirok1999

Ohio

4/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a really dark orange/copper, thick and dense as hell with a massive white head that sticks like glue.
Very sweet citrus in the nose. Lots of caramel too.
Taste is very malty, way more than I expected. When cold, it's overly balanced toward malts. Not to say there's not a ton of citrus hops. Pine as well. Gets much better as it warms. The hops make an appearance and it gets a bit spicy as well.
Feels very smooth and creamy. Rich and dense and very easy to sip. Not a hop monster by any means but pretty damn good.

Serving type: growler

03-14-2009 01:20:54 | More by kirok1999
Photo of mcallister
mcallister

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A damn fine looking beer indeed. Deeply opaque, cloudy amber obviously unfiltered amber burnt brick colored.

Thik with bready malts showing both caramel and toffee accents. Hops are resiny in nature with a bit of everything, mostly earth, pine, with some citrus on the end. Nose shows good balance of malt and hop although hop driven.

Very good but the middle is slightly skewed possibly because of temperature. As the beer warms up it rounds out much more and the malt is much enhanced although still lacking in overall hop appeal really. Sweet malt very bready full of toffee with hints of caramel. Not as hoppy and bitter as I had envisioned and lacking an overall balance with the sweetness of the malt although not cloying. Hops are however sticky and condusive but just lacking a big alpha acid kick. Not sure of the hop variety or if this has been in the growler too long? It is reminiscent of a caramel covered hop.

Serving type: growler

03-13-2009 01:14:17 | More by mcallister
Photo of TonyBaloney
TonyBaloney

Minnesota

4.97/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I wasn't sure this was still going to have the goods after 2 months plus in a growler, but man was I wrong - taste after taste I was amazed by the terrific smell and taste of citrussy hops, almost lemon like; beautifully balanced, dangerously drinkable, it's been a long time since I've had a beer that amazed me as this one has. I'm very happy to hear they have since made more of this.

Serving type: growler

03-09-2009 19:05:11 | More by TonyBaloney
Photo of Scoobydank
Scoobydank

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gotta thank my boy Surlyman for this.
L: Thin off white head. Vibrant blood orange. Only a touch of brown. A consistent cloudiness.
S:A bright citrus orange. A sweet floral grassyness comes storming out.
T:A sweet candied blood orange pops out. Slight grapefruit citrus roles in. A caramel bready wheat comes floating through. What really stands out is the blood orange.
M: Nice fat smoothness with a sharp fizz on the back of the tongue.
D: Delicious incredibly balanced beer. The hops still really pop out with being so balanced though. This beer lasted much longer in the growler than I had anticipated. Very good.

Serving type: growler

02-20-2009 04:17:33 | More by Scoobydank
Photo of brewcrew76
brewcrew76

Wisconsin

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

Thanks to faro for sharing this.

A - Hazy amber orange with a thin tan head that quickly turns to a few strings of sicky lacing. Surprisingly dark for the style but a very nice cascading effect that reminded me of nitro pours.

S - Big juicy hop aroma, grapefruit, tropical fruits, freshly squeezed orange juice and a honey like malt sweetness.

T - Huge hop flavor and extremely balanced. There must be a lot of late addition hops to have this much hop flavor without a very noticeable bitterness. Citrus, heavy orange cream, grapefruit, peaches, tangerines mixed with honey, caramel and bready malts. A lingering hoppy sweetness stays on the tongue.

M - Medium body with low, dull carbonation creating a creamy mouthfeel.

D - This almost reminds of an ESB on steroids with american hops. Extremely drinkable and tasty.

Serving type: growler

02-14-2009 00:33:27 | More by brewcrew76
Photo of Overlord
Overlord

California

4.55/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Lots of thanks to Deliriumfest for the trade. It's only now, as I read through the reviews, that I realize that this isn't one of Surly's regular growler offerings.

Pours a surprisingly dark amber/orange. Good to see the growler still has some carbonation left, as a nice two inch thick head greeted me.

One of the most tropical-scented beers I can recall. Crazy orange, tangerine, sweet grapefruit, and guava pop on the tongue. The taste is explosive, really nice. Almost no bitterness, just a light cascade of IBUs that create a slow burn. The heat builds up as you drink it, but it's not going to blow you away. It's really more fruit/tropical than almost any other IPA/DIPA/TIPA I've had. Only Sculpin and aged Stone 10th anniversary come to mind.

Nice sticky, chewy mouthfeel. Unbelievably drinkable.

Serving type: growler

02-07-2009 07:25:07 | More by Overlord
Photo of phattysbox
phattysbox

New York

4.47/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to Beerbeagle once again for an awesome trade opportunity! Cheers Randall!

Growler shared among friends while on a skiing trip in Vermont. Poured into a pint glass and appears as an orange amber brew with a haze (chill haze maybe?) This growler was from the release and after much travel still had a very lively head. Much lacing and stickage down the glass.

Smell is phenomenal. Ripe tropical fruit carrys throught the whole smell. Some citrus, but mostly big fat juicy fruit - very enticing. I can smell this beer all night.

Hop character hits fast and quick but is immediately pulled in check by a huge sweet malt bill. There is some earthy pineness in the taste IMHO takes a back seat to the malts. The malts make this brew wet, chewy, and very drinkable. IMHO I think less sweetness would have showcased the hops more. I think of this brew as a DFH90 amped on steriods! Unfortunately, my taste for a DIPA is more on the dry side (ala Pliny).

An extremely impressive offering by Surly and it needs to be bottled regulary!!

Serving type: growler

02-05-2009 18:05:04 | More by phattysbox
Photo of Georgiabeer
Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.83/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Superb Double IPA! Thanks very much to RustyDiamond for sharing a growler with me and a couple of other Atlanta area BAs. Pours a dark orange/amber with some chill haze with a fairly nice head given the abv and the fact that it was from a shipped growler. Some nice lacing as well. Slightly spicy hops in the nose and with some lovely citrus aromas. The taste is a perfectly balanced blend of firm, slightly sweet malt, pine, and citrus. Wonderfully fresh tasting and scrumptious hops. Just awesome. Incredibly smooth. I don't know what the abv is on this, but I could drink this all day- or until I fell off my stool. Just luscious.

Serving type: growler

02-01-2009 17:18:00 | More by Georgiabeer
Photo of hopdog
hopdog

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled from Growler. I never thought I would get a crack at this one!

Poured a medium and cloudy amber color wtih a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of citrus (oranges and grapefruits), pine, floral, tangerines, and 'sticky'. Tastes of the same citrus, pine, caramel, and the same stickiness. Nice and hoppy with a malt balance in the taste. Alcohol content hidden.

Serving type: growler

02-01-2009 00:44:13 | More by hopdog
Photo of Dubbercody
Dubbercody

Washington

4.33/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler, brought to the Stouts tasting. And I mighty fine IPA it was. Orange/copper with white head. Sweet and awesome hops come out of the glass to start you salivating while you smell the beer. Tasted great, nice and hoppy with an awesome sweetness to really nicely balance this beer. Up there as on of the best IIPA's I've had.

As the story goes this won't be available in Growlers any longer due to Minnesota law changing, sad if it's true and made us toast to one of the last Surly 16 Grit growlers to be consumed.

Serving type: growler

01-30-2009 19:56:29 | More by Dubbercody
Photo of MMAJYK
MMAJYK

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 12-27-08. Consumed 1-25-09

Thanks to PhiDelt for this one!

A. Hazy burnt gold..not much head. Oily, thick, and sticky is the way this one looks.

S. Caramel, oranges, peaches, resiny-sticky hop oils.

T. Very malty and sweet with molasses overtones but well bittered to keep up. Honey malt and light alcohol warming is present. Very sticky and oily hops. Earthy, dirt-y and complex.

M. Thick in the mouth and low carbonation.

D. Nice beer. I wish this one was a regular in their canned lineup. Super drinkable even so sweet and bitter.

Serving type: growler

01-27-2009 21:03:35 | More by MMAJYK
Photo of NuBrewm
NuBrewm

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

My brother in law sat in line to get a growler of this. then brought it to our Christmas celebration. This is an amazing beer, and I wish I would have had the time to get some of this before the deadline.

A: Golden Red color, good lacing
S: Tropical fruits and citrus, caramel notes and just a creamy taste to it.
T - Wonderfly bitter, warming...truely Furious on steriods. But the blend of hops made the taste just flow.
M - full bodied, even carbonation, The carbonation doesnt slow you down though.
D - got a little depressed after the growler was gone. But I hope that Surley will start canning this beer. It is fantastic!

Serving type: growler

01-27-2009 14:21:43 | More by NuBrewm
Photo of ffejherb
ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Via growler pour into shaker pint on 1/23/09. Thanks to dashirey for sharing.

A - Poured a hazy orange/copper-colored body with minimal carbonation and a thin beige head that yielded nice lacing.

S - Fruity hop nose with citrus notes (especially orange) and berry sweetness combined with a burnt caramel malt character. Some piney notes and spicy black pepper also emerge, as well as a mild waft of alcohol.

T - Huge hop explosion with citrus and pine notes paired with an alcohol warmth and caramel malt sweetness. Some floral notes peek through in the backend.

M - Medium bodied with a syrupy texture and pretty soft carbonation. Dry finish with an assertive bitterness on the palate.

D - much like Furious, this is a big, bold DIPA with tons of hops and a noticeable alcohol presence. While it is very good, I still haven't been blown away by anything from Surly yet. This one fell a little short of my expectations, but it was still quite good overall.

Serving type: growler

01-26-2009 17:28:21 | More by ffejherb
Photo of tjthresh
tjthresh

Indiana

4.3/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark hazy copper with a frothy off white head. The aroma has a bit of the onion that you get in Furious. The citrus and pine aromas are well blended. The flavor has plenty of malt and hops, and the balance is pretty amazing. Seems full bodied with a sweetish finish.

Serving type: growler

01-23-2009 19:44:45 | More by tjthresh
Photo of Dusty278
Dusty278

Missouri

4.85/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Wow, just wow....I got this heavenly beer from the guys at Heritage in St Paul, great people, very generous.

A: Golden Red color, good lacing
S: Tropical fruits and citrus, caramel notes
T - Wonderfly bitter, warming...truely Furious on steriods.
M - full bodied, even carbonation, you can't stop drinking this beer (bad, at 10 percent, haha)
D - Can you please please please but this into cans Surly?!

Serving type: growler

01-22-2009 18:25:36 | More by Dusty278
Photo of Jerzdevil1116
Jerzdevil1116

New Jersey

4.78/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Sample poured fromb a growler by Matt at Capone's in Norristown PA. Growler courtesey of another very generous patron.

A: Cloudy orange body with small white head.

S: Smelled very sweet and citrusy. Some faint floral scents as well.

T: Tasted pretty sweet. Caramel maltiness mixed with a big citrusy hoppiness full of orange and grapefruit. Never got really bitter.

M: Very smoothe medium body.

D: Different from any other DIPA I've had. Very fresh citrus fruit profile without being extremely bitter. Drinks very easy. This is one great beer.

Serving type: growler

01-21-2009 18:37:25 | More by Jerzdevil1116
Photo of msubulldog25
msubulldog25

Oregon

4.6/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Who brings a growler of DIPA to a Stout Tasting party? Skourtis, that's who! Big thanks to Theo for sharing his bounty and thanks to the MN trader who sent this along. I tried 16 Grit twice last night and was fortunate enough to get 10-12 oz. more today (benefits of hosting said party). Poured to a pint glass.

A: Pours a warm auburn orange with a sultry haze. Even 24 hours after first opening, I still get a nice 1-finger layer of frothy ivory, impossibly slow to fade. Lace coats in sudsy bands.

S: Delicious-smelling candy-like aroma: syrupy sweet caramel, mild grasses and herbs, fruity notes of tangerine and orange. Rises cautiously from the glass after an initial burst at first pour: any stronger and it gets a '5'.

T: Huge malty mouthful: sweet citrus melds beautifully with grassy/herbal and slightly spicy hops. Toasted bread crust, a little nutty. Wheat bread spicing with a few softer fruit notes (melon and pear). Some in the group we tasted with likened the flavors to the best 'English IPA' any of us had tried.

M: Luscious carbonation, smooth and lightly coating feel. Not too sweet nor too sticky, has a wonderfully balanced blend of sugars and bitterness. Medium body, no notable alcohol but for a slight, cheek-drawing warmth. Mouth-watering for more.

D: As balanced an IPA as I can recall having. Malts and hops blend superbly, alcohol seems non-existent. A beer that nears perfection on many levels, and one I deeply regret I'll probably never get to have again.

Serving type: growler

01-18-2009 23:50:03 | More by msubulldog25
Photo of supercolter
supercolter

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is another fantastic Surly offering. Appearance is very good, a nice orange hazy color with a decent head and lots of oily lacing. Smell was quite good, a nice blast of fresh hops- very complex hop character here. Also a slight bit of spice and grapefruit. My one qualm with the beer is that the taste does not blast me quite as hard as the smell. Mouthfeel is great, oily and moves around well on the palate. Drinkability is fantastic for a DIPA.

Serving type: growler

01-18-2009 07:13:40 | More by supercolter
Photo of prototypic
prototypic

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Many, many thanks to turdfurgison for his generosity in sharing the growler. Very much appreciated.

Appearance: It's a hazy, caramel color with a bit of an orange tint. Very nice looking color. The head appears to be a vanilla color, but carbonation is very light and it barely covers the surface. Needless to say, retention was very short and only a few specks of lace remained behind.

Smell: The nose is very impressive. It's very fruity and sweet smelling. The fruits are ostensibly attributable to the citric hops. I don't know what the hop bill is, but they certainly smell strong, citric, and delicious. Smells like there's a generous amount of malts included. But the hops retain their strong scent. Not sure if that holds true for the flavor profile, but here's hoping it does. Much to my delight, absolutely no alcohol is noted. Impressive for a 9% beer. Very nice smelling beer.

Taste: This is very impressive. Initially, there's a load of citrus grapefruit and pineapple flavor. Very sweet and satisfying. Caramel and pale malts are noted. Caramel tastes like the stronger of the two. Generally, I'm not a big fan in the style, but it works out well here. Hops are primarily citric and provide a really nice bitter flavor. The bitter flavor is not quite as strong as it could be due to the malt presence, but it really does have a nice flavor that doesn't want for much at all. Very satisfying. Alcohol is only faintly noticeable. Another plus. It finishes sweet, bitter, and a little dry.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: It has a nice, medium body that's very lush and smooth. Carbonation is very light. Just enough to keep it above flat. Very reminiscent of a cask ale, indeed. Drinkability is very high despite its 9% abv. It's got such a great flavor. If I had a growler to myself, I'd probably make a valiant effort to tackle the entire thing. It is that good.

16 Grit's one hell of a fine DIPA. I'm certainly grateful for the opportunity to try it. It's a shame Minnesota law will prevent Surly from selling any more growlers. Honestly, this is a beer that's well worth bottling from here on out. It's very impressive. It could use a little more carbonation, but that's about it. It's fantastic in all other respects. Thanks again, Eric. I really appreciate the opportunity to try this beer. The opportunity's probably not likely to ever emerge again.

Serving type: growler

01-18-2009 04:45:05 | More by prototypic
Photo of BuckeyeNation
BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.83/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Terrifically turbid caramel-covered orange with juicy tangerine and mango highlights. The golden sandstone colored head isn't huge, but it oozes quality. The foam is firmly creamy and sticky, leading to both persistence and an extensive array of fine lace. This is a great looking DIPA.

The word 'great' applies to the aroma as well. The tropical fruitiness emanating from the glass tells me that Amarillo is the dominant hop (Warrior and Glacier are also present). An insane amount of hops and double dry-hopping just cannot be beat. Each sniff results in billowing clouds of orange, pink grapefruit and passionfruit. This should be yet another doozy from Surly.

Doozy is right! 16 Grit Ale may not be as abrasively hoppy as the name suggests, but then I've only just begun to gulp. This might be one of those DIPAs that is cumulatively hoppy and starts to strip tooth enamel after 16-20 ounces. 110 IBUs seems a tad high. On the other hand, it tastes and feels like abundant malt sugars are running interference and attempting to keep things balanced.

My preference is for DIPAs to have either no caramel malt or just a little. There's more than a little caramel-toffee flavor, but less than a lot. In the end, it works well in concert with the lusciousness of the hops, without overpowering them. The beer has 9.0% ABV power, even if the alcohol is barely appreciated on the palate. If that makes any sense.

As often happens, the flavor score has earned a bump near the bottom of the first glass. Warming is probably the reason why. The flavors are more intense and fit together even more seamlessly. This stuff is dangerously drinkable, as is most all Surly beer. Talk about liquid crack. Prediction: this will be one my 'top beers of 2009'. Easy call.

As the raging river of melted caramel solidifies the bottom end, an increasingly impressive hoppiness takes flight on the top end. Flavors mirror aromas, with juicy pineapple, orange zest and pink grapefruit being especially prominent. Maybe a little pine sap as well. Lawdy, lawdy, this big ol' hoppy ale is the cat's pajamas. It also comes in the best looking growler that I've ever seen.

The mouthfeel is pretty damn close to sheer perfection. It's lightly chewy, lightly sticky and moderately mouthcoating. I'm also pleased that the carbonation is laid back, yet insistent enough to provide lift and volume. Kudos to both the brewer (Todd) and the sender (Al).

The temperature outside was -16 degrees when I got up this morning. Coincidence? 16 Grit Ale is yet more proof that Surly can stand toe to toe with America's best breweries and not blink. This beer is a remarkable achievement and deserves to released each and every year. A million thanks to the felonious one for coming through again. Your generosity is humbling. Finally... hoppy birthday to me!

Serving type: growler

01-15-2009 15:52:04 | More by BuckeyeNation
Photo of TurdFurgison
TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a growler gifted from JohnBierman as an extra in a trade (!). I'm finishing my second pint, and I'm seriously loving this beer. John told me it was filled from the bright tank, not kegged first. It could be this is the reason it feels like a cask ale, it has an English "real ale" body but with massive American hops flavors. The beer is dark copper colored, clear, with a thin white foam. The smell is wickedly good, way better than Furious which smells a lot more like cat piss (I'm not knocking it, it's just the dominant aroma in Furious). I don't really get the feline urine in 16 Grit, mostly the hops come through as grapefruit and pine sap. The taste is stunning, I really don't know how it could be improved. The hops dominate with citrus flavors but there's a malty sweet counterbalance that keeps things interesting taste-wise. The body is stunning too, very "casky". Probably this is my favorite DIPA at this point, and it's really sad that I'll never see it again after this growler dies.

Serving type: growler

01-15-2009 03:33:31 | More by TurdFurgison
Photo of stj1xx
stj1xx

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow...the other reviewers did a great job with a more technical analysis. All I can say is that this is the best DIPA I've ever had. Big citrusy (orange?) DIPA balancing the malt and bitterness. I swear this beer tastes better because I can't buy another growler.

The only time I got up to the Surly Brewery was to buy this growler and due to archaic law, they are too large to sell growlers (my guess is their sales are less than $2million which is a very small business).

Love the artisan nature of the Surly offerings, the Surly attitude, the Surly nation...this company is a true beer geek haven.

Serving type: growler

01-13-2009 21:43:47 | More by stj1xx
Photo of kenito799
kenito799

New York

4.53/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From tizzod's last growler...quite an honor to consume over an evening. Surly was "selling too much beer" at the brewery according to the Minnesota liquor control board, so its success was rewarded with a ban on free trade...no more growlers at the brewery. How is this American?

Dark amber brew from this aging growler still has fine carbonation, but raises little head. The lacing is intricate and beautiful, however.

Aromas of powerful hop oils dance across the nose; citurs, pine, very fresh, very delicious.

This DIPA does a perfect balancing act betweenteh alcohol, sweet malt and wonderfully aromatic hops, with a lingering and delicious bitterness that never exhausts the palate. I love it, and I am not usually a DIPA lover; hop monster lovers moight find this beer tame, but they will probably admit that this is a wonderful beer.

Serving type: growler

01-13-2009 03:53:18 | More by kenito799
« first ‹ prev | 1-25 | 26-50 | 51-75  | next › last »
Abrasive Ale from Surly Brewing Company
100 out of 100 based on 1,731 user ratings.