Cacao Bender - Surly Brewing Company

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Groveland Tap in St. Paul, MN. Served in a 10 oz. tulip glass.

Appearance: Color is a very deep and dark brown that is somewhat hazy. Lots of bubbles and a solid three fingers of light tan head with good retention. Has some pretty good lacing on the glass.

Smell: Big aroma of sweet chocolate dominates. Smells a lot like chocolate milk. Dark roasted malts with big hints of cocoa chocolate and coffee. Also some hints of vanilla, nuts, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, and syrup. Some earthy hops linger around in the background. A very good aroma here. Sweet but not overly cloying.

Taste: Like the smell previews, a big taste of sweet milk chocolate. Dark roasted malts with a big taste of the cocoa, chocolate, lactose, coffee beans, and vanilla. Also notes of nuts, burnt caramel, and toffee. A sizable amount of brown sugar and syrup is tasted. Behind the dark sweetness is a nice presence of earthy hops that provide some bitterness towards the finish. Really solid taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Very creamy, smooth, and somewhat syrupy. Starts out pretty sweet but has a drying finish.

Overall: A pretty good chocolate beer. Has the big cocoa taste you would get from a big chocolate stout with a smaller body and lower abv. A good session chocolate brew.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2012 05:35:02 | More by MattyG85

tewaris

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled at ABR after waiting in a moderately long queue.

Looks like your typical porter/brown ale, not that I expected it to look any different. Now I really liked the aroma on this beer, insanely chocolate milkshake like; but the taste was a relative let down. Also, having had Bender way too many times, I can tell that there is some added astringency to this version which in my opinion is a downgrade from the regular Bender.

3.5/5

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2012 16:21:35 | More by tewaris

NWer

Washington

4.6/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Surlyfest mug at Surlyfest '12.
This was my first taste - not really a 'taste' at all but a full 16 oz pour - at Surlyfest and the best.
Full bodied dark chocolate in appearance. One finger head that retained well.
Chocolate, cocoa beans, coffee.
At 5.10% very sessionable. Not big on the alcohol which allows me to enjoy the festival and not get wasted.
Smooth aftertaste. No cloy whatsoever.
It sure would be nice to see them can this one not that it would do me any good. I don't get to Minnesota very often.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2012 11:51:57 | More by NWer

Florida9

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ever so slightly hazy chestnut brown. Served with a moderate sized light tan head. Copious lacing. Aroma is predominantly lightly roasted coffee with notes of toasty cocoa, chocolate and roasted peanuts. There is a hint of vanilla as well. Flavor is a bit thinner than the aroma. Dry cocoa, peanuts, slightly bitter coffee and a tiny bit of sourness. Medium mouthfeel, a bit thin for the style. Moderate bitterness.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2012 18:25:19 | More by Florida9