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Bender
Surly Brewing Company
- From:
- Surly Brewing Company
- Minnesota, United States
- Style:
- American Brown Ale
- ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.07 | pDev: 10.07%
- Reviews:
- 766
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 31, 2021
- Added:
- Feb 04, 2006
- Wants:
- 460
- Gots:
- 326
Here's what happens when substance meets smooth. This oatmeal brown ale defies traditional categories. Bender begins crisp and lightly hoppy, complemented by the velvety sleekness oats deliver. Belgian and British malts usher in cascades of cocoa, coffee, carmel and hints of vanilla and cream. An easy-drinking ale with many layers of satisfaction.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by skillerified:
Reviewed by skillerified from California
4.77/5 rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.77/5 rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This one's a beauty. Dark pour, maybe a little dark for a Brown Ale, but the style seems highly interpretive anyway. Mostly dark mahogany colors, red around the edges. Fluffy light tan head on top that peaks at about two fingers, then fades to a nice cap that's seeming to stick around. Maybe a little light on the lace though.
The Belgian influence seems strongest to me. Notes of caramel, cinnamon, vanilla and other spices. Bready and yeasty with some hints at sweet fruit, slightly vinous. Makes me think of the kind of cooking people do around Christmas time. Also reminiscent of a Samuel Smith Imperial Stout. Maybe a touch of a citric orange rind. Slightly alcoholic, but with a fruit touch to that too, sort of like a fruit based cordial. Deep and complex.
Again, the Belgian influence is strong on the palate. Light caramelized coffee with touches of a creamy coffee based liquor. A touch smokey. Soft dark bread with a vinous character baked in. A definite alcohol note is present, but not so strong as to be unpleasant.
This brew has a strange warm and inviting texture to it. The moment it hits the lips and finds it's way inside, you feel like you're coming home on a cold winter night with a nice fire already blazing in the fireplace. Strange way to describe mouthfeel, but that's what it reminds me of. It's extremely smooth and well balanced. Seems to get a little sticky at the back of the throat as it goes, but that's not necessarily all bad.
I think I'm ready for another one already. Damn fine brew. Definitely lives up to the hype.
Apr 24, 2007The Belgian influence seems strongest to me. Notes of caramel, cinnamon, vanilla and other spices. Bready and yeasty with some hints at sweet fruit, slightly vinous. Makes me think of the kind of cooking people do around Christmas time. Also reminiscent of a Samuel Smith Imperial Stout. Maybe a touch of a citric orange rind. Slightly alcoholic, but with a fruit touch to that too, sort of like a fruit based cordial. Deep and complex.
Again, the Belgian influence is strong on the palate. Light caramelized coffee with touches of a creamy coffee based liquor. A touch smokey. Soft dark bread with a vinous character baked in. A definite alcohol note is present, but not so strong as to be unpleasant.
This brew has a strange warm and inviting texture to it. The moment it hits the lips and finds it's way inside, you feel like you're coming home on a cold winter night with a nice fire already blazing in the fireplace. Strange way to describe mouthfeel, but that's what it reminds me of. It's extremely smooth and well balanced. Seems to get a little sticky at the back of the throat as it goes, but that's not necessarily all bad.
I think I'm ready for another one already. Damn fine brew. Definitely lives up to the hype.
More User Ratings:
Rated by Truegent2004 from Minnesota
2.67/5 rDev -34.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
2.67/5 rDev -34.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
The coffee and hops are way too intense for my liking.
Dec 26, 2020Reviewed by MNAle from Minnesota
3.16/5 rDev -22.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.16/5 rDev -22.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Sweet aroma, dark fruit, slight aroma of dark malts. Deep ruby with rising bubbles topped by a 1/2 inch tan, thick head, leaving nice lacing as it slowly settles. Thin feel. Mild taste with a subtly bitter, dry finish (despite the sweet aroma) that hardly lingers at all in the aftertaste. Taste is also subtle: dark fruits, mostly, touch of roasted malts. Very middle-of-the-road brown ale. Easy drinking. OK, but far from outstanding. I bought it because it was Surly's first beer, I've never tried it, and Surly is stopping canned distribution. This beer is all about subtlety, subtle aroma, subtle taste, subtle hops, subtle malts. In summary: ordinary tending toward macro level. Ratings here must reflect the Surly mystique rather than this actual beer. This is a nice beer, but only nice. Good for an evening at the pub, but not to seek out. I am astonished, given the ratings here, how pedestrian and mediocre this beer is. It is better than Newcastle, but only just. Understandable why Surly is making it tap only.
Feb 13, 2019Reviewed by TheSixthRing from California
4.23/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From tasting notes 05/18/18
Poured from a can into a pint at StoneArch in the MSP Airport, St Paul, MN
Appearance - Served up from a can, standard pint pours dark cola brown with beautiful ruby highlights when held to light. Light tan, finger width head that holds firm until devolving to a thin, consistent layer of suds, thickening up quickly around the edges.
Smell - Mild aroma, with hints of chocolate, oat, brown sugar and floral hoppiness.
Taste - Flavor profile is mostly soft, but also assertive with floral and lesser citrus hops and with a fair roasted edge. Decent chocolate notes emerge mid-taste and follow through into the finish. Some cream and caramel. Finish is mostly balanced, edging slightly toward sweet with the accumulation of said flavors, and its a beautiful, harmonious blend.
Mouthfeel - medium-bodied with low, bubbly carbonation. Creamy texture makes this an easy drinker with a slightly dry finish.
Overall - I had the coffee version earlier today and it makes me question why they would do that. The former isn't bad at all, but this is far better. Soft, easy drinker with a surprising depth in the flavor profile. One of the best browns Ive ever had if I'm being honest.
May 27, 2018Poured from a can into a pint at StoneArch in the MSP Airport, St Paul, MN
Appearance - Served up from a can, standard pint pours dark cola brown with beautiful ruby highlights when held to light. Light tan, finger width head that holds firm until devolving to a thin, consistent layer of suds, thickening up quickly around the edges.
Smell - Mild aroma, with hints of chocolate, oat, brown sugar and floral hoppiness.
Taste - Flavor profile is mostly soft, but also assertive with floral and lesser citrus hops and with a fair roasted edge. Decent chocolate notes emerge mid-taste and follow through into the finish. Some cream and caramel. Finish is mostly balanced, edging slightly toward sweet with the accumulation of said flavors, and its a beautiful, harmonious blend.
Mouthfeel - medium-bodied with low, bubbly carbonation. Creamy texture makes this an easy drinker with a slightly dry finish.
Overall - I had the coffee version earlier today and it makes me question why they would do that. The former isn't bad at all, but this is far better. Soft, easy drinker with a surprising depth in the flavor profile. One of the best browns Ive ever had if I'm being honest.
Bender from Surly Brewing Company
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
1999 ratings
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