Brett Liquor - Surly Brewing Company

doucmehu

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

01-10-2013 22:33:31 | More by doucmehu

herman77

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2.4%

04-04-2013 03:06:43 | More by herman77

warmbier804

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2.4%

03-16-2013 21:50:27 | More by warmbier804

tuckerlikesbeer

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2.4%

03-14-2013 02:44:54 | More by tuckerlikesbeer

DaftPatrick

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

02-28-2013 05:32:20 | More by DaftPatrick

Cyclone8

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%

02-27-2013 20:23:41 | More by Cyclone8

sacrelicio

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2.4%

02-26-2013 04:45:56 | More by sacrelicio

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.26/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Here's a new one from Surly, draft only, recently released at Darkness Day, with extra kegs finding their way to bars. Like the one I run. So, I'm sitting down with this enticing brew, takin' notes. First off, the real quick skinny on "Brettliquor". "Belgian style Imperial IPA fermented with Brettanomyces and dry-hopped with Styrian Goldings. 8.3% ABV." That's how they put it, that's how it is.

Let's leap in and look at it. Clear, golden, apricottish appearance, large, looming, well-kept head, whitecaps sit prettily atop for quite some time, leaving abundant attractive lacing.

Aroma: sour, funk, and fruit. I recall that in a sales sheet, Surly calls this a "fruit bomb." I hate that term, any which way it's applied, but it's all up in the nose, that's for sure. Brimming with wild Belgian character, a little sweet, a little bitter, and a whole lot funked up. Love it. So unique, so unusual, so inviting.

Taste: Citrus and tropical fruits up front, followed by hop bitterness, ending dryly. Second sip in, it's very clear we've got a highly hopped-up Imperial IPA of some sort, but the Belgian quality never leaves your mind or your senses. It's a brilliant combination, with a flavor unheard of, reminding me at times of other Belgian IPAs, particularly American-brewed versions, like Flying Dog Raging Bitch or Harriet's West Side. But there's something quite extra at play here, and it's utterly delicious. Fruit continues in the taste, always matched with bitterness, and accompanied by that funkification.

Here's more information from Surly:

Style: Belgian Imperial Brett IPA. (You know, one of those!)
Malt: 2 Row, Aromatic, Crystal
Hops: Styrian Goldings, Chinook, Simcoe
Yeast: Brettanomyces
OG: 17.2% Plato
ABV: 8.3%
Color: 11 SRM.
IBU: 70

This has incredible balance, among such disparate components, and is ridiculously consumable, despite the high alcohol content. Taste-wise, it's genius, and it's definitely one of my favorite Surly beers ever, if not one of the best beers I've ever had. Really. When you get right down to it.

I remember liking this at Darkness Day, in a plastic cup, outside, among a noisy crowd on a cold day.

Right now, I'm practically in love with it.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2013 13:05:03 | More by feloniousmonk

sftravis

South Dakota

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

02-17-2013 18:42:59 | More by sftravis

br3wmeister

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

02-14-2013 21:07:17 | More by br3wmeister

Hopstout

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%

02-03-2013 17:48:55 | More by Hopstout

cofeeguru

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%

01-25-2013 22:10:32 | More by cofeeguru

Hopsiam14

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

01-24-2013 03:36:09 | More by Hopsiam14

josephwa

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

01-08-2013 19:03:46 | More by josephwa

tewaris

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Deep amber with good head, good retention and good lacing. Aroma is phenolic, minty and slightly funky. Very sweet with only a moderate hop character; but the sweetness is not monolithic. However, I am not the biggest fan of brett-ing it: makes the beer smell like armpits if you ask me.

Even so, it's a well made Belgian IPA but lacks the crispness of Belgian ales in general. Interesting beer but not my cup of tea.

3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5, 3.5

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2012 08:21:56 | More by tewaris

eawolff99

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2.4%

12-19-2012 13:26:59 | More by eawolff99

Seefeldt

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

12-18-2012 20:36:31 | More by Seefeldt

zonker17

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.4%

12-18-2012 00:32:45 | More by zonker17

jera1350

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -2.4%

12-16-2012 18:52:20 | More by jera1350

deebo

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at new Republic bar in Uptown in a tulip then a second one in a pint glass.

This brew has an off white head that laces beautifully, after breaking down a quick swirl quickly brings it back to life. Color is an attractive copper with orange highlights. Cloudy.

Aroma has a lot going on. Bready malt, plenty of hops (citrus, earthy, spicy, very aromatic), On top of this estery yeast is also very noticeable and works well here. Just a hint of funk from Brettomyces but it takes a very definite back seat to all the other aromas. Fantastic.

Upfront the taste is bright estery yeast with clean pale and bready malt with plenty of hop bite yet is clean and crisp with minimal lingering aftertaste. The mouthfeel is smooth with a nice juicy hop bite with good body.

Overall this is a very interesting brew that feels like a meshing of many styles and unlike many brews that have tried to do this it totally works. Delicious, made me have to hang around for extra pints because this is such a complex tasty beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2012 02:41:50 | More by deebo

GeezLynn

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

12-14-2012 05:16:29 | More by GeezLynn

UMNbeerhunter

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

12-12-2012 04:14:14 | More by UMNbeerhunter

SweJon

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

12-12-2012 00:02:16 | More by SweJon

scoand

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

12-08-2012 03:13:47 | More by scoand

kojevergas

California

3.6/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on-draught into a generic tulip glass at the Republic bar in Minneapolis (just across from the Town Hall Brewery). Reviewed from notes taken around Thanksgiving 2012.

A: Pours a two finger beige colour head of nice cream and thickness, but average retention (~2 minutes). Body colour is an orange-copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Bretts, bread, cream, and amber malts. An average strength aroma.

T: Bretts yeast, grains, vague bright fruit, pale & biscuit malts, floral hops, and a bit of cream. Well built and balanced. I like it. It's quite flavorful and complex.

Mf: Smooth, wet, and crisp. Carbonation and thickness are good and suit the style.

Dr: Very drinkable and enjoyable for the style. I'd get it again. Surprisingly complex for a brett yeast beer of this type.

B

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2012 18:44:47 | More by kojevergas