Surly Bender

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

On tap at Taste of Mill Street at the MSP airport
Appearance: Clear dark brown with a small tan head and good lacing
Aroma: Toasted malts, nutty and sweet caramel
Taste: Nutty, yeasty, chocolate, toasted malts with a mild bitterness in the finish
A nice brown ale.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Big thanks to Quake1028 for bringing this cool 16oz can along.

Pours very deep amber with nice tan head. Slightly sweet caramelized malt and slightly nutty aroma. The aroma is a bit on the light side. The flavor has that nuttiness along with a soft rye-ish quality that I’ll take as being the oatmeal. Tasty brown ale with plenty of interest.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Sampled from can thanks to Andy! Pours clear very dark brown with a tan head. Toasted malt dominates the aroma. Balanced with layered malt flavors and some dark fruits in the finish. Medium-full body. Worthy of its high ranking by style.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Canned on 1/14/2014, 5.1% abv. Pours dark brown with a reddish hue into a pint glass. An aggressive pour yields a 2 finger, foamy tan head. Aromas of chocolate, roasted malt and earthy hops. Chocolate and roasted malt lead the flavor parade with hints of vanilla and caramel. The hops finish the journey leaving a pleasant, dry bitterness on the tongue. Creaminess coats the mouth and tongue. IMO, the best brown ale that I have yet to taste. Would make a good session beer. Surly does it again. Love that brewery! Recommended.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

A deep red beer with a thin brown head. The aroma is sweet malty with primary notes of berries. The flavor is sweet malty with light notes of metal, leading to a dry bitter finish.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

I am a sucker for Todd's creations. This one is no different. The aroma is very sharp and distinct. Nice dense white head. Flavor is of toast, biscuity, and the roasted flavor is very smoothe and appreciable. A definite for future rotation.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

16oz CaN .. . Pours a deep bruin, great foam .. . delightful malty nose .. . smooth as silk, mostly cocoa'ed caramel and a unqiue nuttiness .. . I thought this was a great brown .. . I hope I didn't brain my damage...

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Sampled next to the coffee version of the same name. This is an amber-brown that is lighter than the coffee. It had a very mild, clean malt aroma, not too complicated. Flavors of caramel, malt and a tiny touch of citrus or spice at the end. A light mouthfeel and a bit of an astringent aftertaste.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

From caddylac via Oktoberpfist: deep brown pour with a creamy tight head that shrinks to a cap and ring leaving copious amount of lacing. Toasted malts, light molasses, earthy hops aromas. Taste is malty and slightly sweet, brown sugar and molasses, nice easy hops bitter - drinks bigger than the abv would indicate. Thank you Andy for a very nice Brown.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Pours a nice dark amber/brown with a huge fluffy white head that lasts a long time. Aroma is that of all the other Surly brew I have tried, slightly strong with a burn to it. Taste is almost of a low powered IPA rather than a normal Brown Ale. Also ever so slightly watered down. I like it. Will have again.