#Merica
Surly Brewing Co.
- From:
- Surly Brewing Co.
- Minnesota, United States
- Style:
- American Adjunct Lager
Ranked #21 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 82
Ranked #34,843 - Avg:
- 3.61 | pDev: 13.3%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 50
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 09, 2022
- Added:
- Jul 14, 2015
- Wants:
- 14
- Gots:
- 42
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
PRE-PROHIBITION AMERICAN LAGER
SURLY NATION, 'TIS FOR THEE, SWEET BEER OF LIBERTY!
Light gold in color, #Merica! is an old-school pre-Prohibition American Lager that was brewed in 2015 for the Annual D4th of July party put on by the Minneapolis-based punk band Dillinger Four. One of the only beer styles truly born in the U.S.A, pre-Prohibition American Lagers used corn as an integral part of the flavor profile, rather than as a simple substitute for barley malt. The flaked corn used in #Merica! comes across as a subtle, fresh corn flavor, while soft hop aromatics come from Warrior and Willamette hops, which add a mild fruity, herbal character that stays in the background. #Merica! is perfect for a hot summer day and celebrating the country’s birthday and 21 years of Dillinger Four.
SURLY NATION, 'TIS FOR THEE, SWEET BEER OF LIBERTY!
Light gold in color, #Merica! is an old-school pre-Prohibition American Lager that was brewed in 2015 for the Annual D4th of July party put on by the Minneapolis-based punk band Dillinger Four. One of the only beer styles truly born in the U.S.A, pre-Prohibition American Lagers used corn as an integral part of the flavor profile, rather than as a simple substitute for barley malt. The flaked corn used in #Merica! comes across as a subtle, fresh corn flavor, while soft hop aromatics come from Warrior and Willamette hops, which add a mild fruity, herbal character that stays in the background. #Merica! is perfect for a hot summer day and celebrating the country’s birthday and 21 years of Dillinger Four.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by cardfan212 from Minnesota
1.7/5 rDev -52.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
1.7/5 rDev -52.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
Drank from a 12 ounce can. Score is based on the style.
Look - They really went all-out with the America theming on the can. A little bit too much if you ask me. The tongue-in-cheek mocking nature against the style is a bit annoying and makes me feel like they aren't going to do the AAL justice because it isn't what they think is "real beer."
Smell - Faint aromas of light piney hops. Doesn't have the typical scent of an AAL, reminds me a lot of Surly Hell. If you gave me this in an unmarked glass, that's probably what I'd think it is.
Taste - Strong bitter hops, and nothing else. No corny sweetness or light breadiness that I want out of this style of beer.
Feel - Thin body and perky carbonation. At least they got something right.
Overall - Not the worst beer I've ever had, not by a long shot, but like every other Surly beer I've tried, it completely misses the mark of whatever style they were going for and over-hops it like crazy. By mocking the AAL instead of appreciating it for what it is, Surly has birthed a monster on this world.
Nov 16, 2018Look - They really went all-out with the America theming on the can. A little bit too much if you ask me. The tongue-in-cheek mocking nature against the style is a bit annoying and makes me feel like they aren't going to do the AAL justice because it isn't what they think is "real beer."
Smell - Faint aromas of light piney hops. Doesn't have the typical scent of an AAL, reminds me a lot of Surly Hell. If you gave me this in an unmarked glass, that's probably what I'd think it is.
Taste - Strong bitter hops, and nothing else. No corny sweetness or light breadiness that I want out of this style of beer.
Feel - Thin body and perky carbonation. At least they got something right.
Overall - Not the worst beer I've ever had, not by a long shot, but like every other Surly beer I've tried, it completely misses the mark of whatever style they were going for and over-hops it like crazy. By mocking the AAL instead of appreciating it for what it is, Surly has birthed a monster on this world.
Rated by Fear from Illinois
1.45/5 rDev -59.8%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
1.45/5 rDev -59.8%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
If your typical american light lager had a child with your typical IPA, this would be it.
Sep 16, 2018
Reviewed by chum_husk from Minnesota
2.98/5 rDev -17.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 3.5
2.98/5 rDev -17.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 3.5
Hoppy corn water with alcohol. Good to mix with: fireworks, firearms, cheeseburgers... the list goes on. Just an over-hopped lager, fails as an AAL but drinks pretty good
Jul 02, 2018
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina
3.93/5 rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.93/5 rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Got in a trade with The-Adjunct-Hippie. 12 ounce can into lager glass, canned on 6/23/2017. Pours slightly hazy pale golden yellow color with a 1 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with awesome retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of lemon, cracker, corn, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, pepper, and herbal/grassy earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance of pale malt/corn and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with good strength. Taste of lemon, cracker, corn, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, pepper, and herbal/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate herbal, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of lemon, cracker, corn, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, pepper, and herbal/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice robustness and balance of pale malt/corn and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and zero lingering hop astringency after the finish. Perfectly clean on lager flavors, with zero yeast notes present. Light-moderate increasing dryness from bitterness. Medium-high carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp, bready/grainy/sticky, and slightly resinous balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5%. Overall this is delicious pale adjunct lager style. All around nice robustness and balance of pale malt/corn and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink. Very flavorful for the ABV. Over hopped as I expected, but it's not drastic. Nice clean barley flavors and balanced earthy hops. Not overdone on the adjuncts. A very enjoyable offering, and great style example.
Mar 31, 2018
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.24/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.24/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
This is essentially Surly's stab at making one of those BMC beers. Pours a yellow color that should be familiar to anyone not living under a rock that would have been exposed to AAL style beers over their existence. 1/2" white head on the top. Yup, this looks familiar. Aroma had some grains to it. That was about it.
Taste was similar to the aroma, there is just some grain to it and a barely there in quantity high alpha acid hop that is used solely for bitterness. Seems like this might be all barley no corn syrup, like Surly's attempt more at Michelob as I study the beer more. Of course, the irony is that this isn't a beer to be studied at all, its a beer to be cracked in the background while the Twins get their asses handed to them on a summer day.
I think they nailed what they were going for. The lager yeast isnt super pronounced, but again, that isnt what they're going for here.
Dec 24, 2017Taste was similar to the aroma, there is just some grain to it and a barely there in quantity high alpha acid hop that is used solely for bitterness. Seems like this might be all barley no corn syrup, like Surly's attempt more at Michelob as I study the beer more. Of course, the irony is that this isn't a beer to be studied at all, its a beer to be cracked in the background while the Twins get their asses handed to them on a summer day.
I think they nailed what they were going for. The lager yeast isnt super pronounced, but again, that isnt what they're going for here.
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota
3.5/5 rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
L: pours slightly hazy pale straw with a slight green tint under a massive off-white foam cap with fair retention
S: light corn, green apple, oyster cracker, bread dough, white flour, faint fruit and mild herbal, spicy, fruity hop aromas
T: A light corn sweetness starts the flavors joined by light apple. Cracker malt and mild hop flavors become more prominent mid-palate leading to a crisp and dry bitter finish.
F: light and mildly creamy up front with medium carbonation.
O: The beer is easy to drink but strikes me as a little green with a shade too much apple
Dec 23, 2017S: light corn, green apple, oyster cracker, bread dough, white flour, faint fruit and mild herbal, spicy, fruity hop aromas
T: A light corn sweetness starts the flavors joined by light apple. Cracker malt and mild hop flavors become more prominent mid-palate leading to a crisp and dry bitter finish.
F: light and mildly creamy up front with medium carbonation.
O: The beer is easy to drink but strikes me as a little green with a shade too much apple
Reviewed by hoptheology from South Dakota
3.61/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.61/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz can poured into nonic pint.
Pours a pale gold, almost limey color, with a tall fluffy head of 3 fingers. Lots of webby lace left behind.
Aroma of straw, dry corn kernels, chemical, with some light floral/spicy hop character.
Flavor is very Czech-like. Tons of spicy hop, floral notes, and quite a bit of bitter grapefruit rind on the finish. Dry grass, cornbread, straw, and chalk all float around as well. Out of the can it drinks really nice.
Feel is crisp and clean, but leaves a chalky finish.
Overall, there's a lot of hype in the area around this beer. For a Czech lager it's a little intense. But still very refreshing and pretty good. This beer has the propensity to be a cult lager. Personally speaking I think they should have bittered with Warrior and flavored with Willamette, not the other way around. Might have come off a little smoother, but then again what Surly beer is ever smooth and not intense?
Dec 21, 2017Pours a pale gold, almost limey color, with a tall fluffy head of 3 fingers. Lots of webby lace left behind.
Aroma of straw, dry corn kernels, chemical, with some light floral/spicy hop character.
Flavor is very Czech-like. Tons of spicy hop, floral notes, and quite a bit of bitter grapefruit rind on the finish. Dry grass, cornbread, straw, and chalk all float around as well. Out of the can it drinks really nice.
Feel is crisp and clean, but leaves a chalky finish.
Overall, there's a lot of hype in the area around this beer. For a Czech lager it's a little intense. But still very refreshing and pretty good. This beer has the propensity to be a cult lager. Personally speaking I think they should have bittered with Warrior and flavored with Willamette, not the other way around. Might have come off a little smoother, but then again what Surly beer is ever smooth and not intense?
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