Ten Ale
Surly Brewing Company

Ten AleTen Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Surly Brewing Company
 
Minnesota, United States
Style:
Old Ale
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.08 | pDev: 8.82%
Reviews:
41
Ratings:
184
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 13, 2024
Added:
Jun 14, 2016
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  38
Brewed with pale ale, crystal malts, invert sugar and aged on toasted sassafras.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by sgttibbs:
Photo of sgttibbs
Rated by sgttibbs from Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jul 05, 2016
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.5 by PapaGoose03 from Michigan

Jan 13, 2024
 
Rated: 3.26 by emerge077 from Illinois

Aug 15, 2023
 
Rated: 3.79 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Nov 29, 2021
 
Rated: 4.18 by VashonGuy from Washington

Dec 10, 2020
 
Rated: 4.3 by B-rett from Wisconsin

Jun 18, 2020
Photo of NelsonSauvin144
Reviewed by NelsonSauvin144

4.02/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured into a snifter glass - look is pleasant. Has the appearance of caramel sugar ready to be poured onto a baking sheet. Deep molasses type color.

Good looking beer!

Smell - Toffee, vanilla, caramel, honey and spice. Quite nice overall!

More on appearance - Poured deep molasses color with finger and a half of off white head that dissipated before too long. Nice lacing.

Taste - Taste follows the nose... deep toffee and vanilla... not unlike a nice Belgian Quad or Barleywine but Ten is classified as an “Old Ale” very nice flavors. Dark boiled canned fruits.. getting like a Fig Newton thing going on as for some reason I taste a slight graham cracker-y note on the back end. Molasses... maybe a hint of maple? Great taste. Smooth for the abv.

Feel - Pleasant overall. I’d say it’s not too thin and by no means does it feel thick at least to me. Hits the taste buds and leaves you wanting another sip or several! Warms nicely and warming as you drink it brightens the flavor profile I think. Not astringent. Consistency is spot on with the style to my knowledge. I’d very much like to try the BA version.

Summary - Great beer overall! Glad I picked this up!
Apr 12, 2020
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On-draught @ Sheffield's Chicago.

Sherry, rich caramel, leather, toffee, oak, vanillin. The sumptuous barrel notes eclipse the base beer, which just hits on malt sweetness and molasses.

Rum isn't explicit but it's present.

It's a worthwhile old ale but isn't as evocative or expressive as would be ideal.

High B- (3.50) / WORTHY
Nov 29, 2019
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.21/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours the color of sassafras tea with a thin cap that fades to a ringlet and archipelago; dots and dashes of lacing

Smell: Caramel and sassafras tea, with molasses, apple and cinnamon tones

Taste: Apple, molasses and caramel forward with the cinnamon and sassafras developing; a bit of an earthy hop bite, in the middle, but the finish is sweet like an apple spice bread

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low carbonation

Overall: I enjoy an Old Ale every now and then and Surly did a nice job with this; drinking well, three years in
Aug 18, 2019
Photo of champ103
Reviewed by champ103 from Texas

3.74/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Hmm, this is a surprise to see on tap in a downtown bar, in Champaign, IL.

A: Pours a dark brown color. A one finger beige head forms and fades quickly. Light lace is left behind.
S: All malts, toasted and bread like. Chocolate, vanilla, and lots of dark fruits. Like plums and raisins.
T: Like the nose, with lots of malt character. Toasted malts, baked bread, chocolate. Though this is really sweet, almost sugary and cloying in that regard. Maybe a bit oxidizes, but not bad. Dark fruits and tart plums. Lots going on, but doesn't all mesh perfectly for me.
M/O: A lighter body than expected, with high carbonation. This is enjoyable to sip at first, but becomes a bit of a chore once the sweetness and alcohol takes over.

Glad I got a chance to try this, and interesting to see a bar still having a a keg. It seems in as good of condition as this can be after so many years (unless Surly has on occasion made this again). There is a lot going on, but is almost cloying and not balanced as well as I would like. Though if anybody sees it around still, I would still say give it a try.
May 30, 2019
Photo of Hopheadjeffery
Reviewed by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Tasted in a Rastal Teku from a 22 fl oz bottle on December 31, 2018. Brewed with pale ale, crystal malts, invert sugar and aged on toasted sassafras. This celebratory old ale is meant for sharing. Amber in color with aged flavors of toffee, sherry and vanilla sassafras. Finishes with a warming full bodied swallow.
Feb 05, 2019
 
Rated: 4.29 by TylerJ from Iowa

Oct 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4.52 by Brian29 from Ohio

Oct 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4.44 by drunkenmess from Michigan

Jul 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Pbarg from Florida

May 15, 2018
 
Rated: 4.07 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Mar 23, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by jakea from Wisconsin

Mar 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4.05 by kds2437 from Texas

Jan 15, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by teamwiggum from Wisconsin

Dec 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by rossracing from Illinois

Dec 05, 2017
Ten Ale from Surly Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 184 ratings