Bender
Surly Brewing Company

BenderBender
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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:
1,999
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.
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Ratings by bros:

  None found.

 
Rated: 3.02 by slimntubbs from Pennsylvania

Oct 31, 2021
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.5 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Jan 03, 2021
Photo of Truegent2004
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
The coffee and hops are way too intense for my liking.
Dec 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.04 by Burgy from Minnesota

Jun 27, 2020
 
Rated: 4.14 by Scottsbeer from Florida

Dec 18, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by ian_graf from Minnesota

Jul 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.46 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

Feb 25, 2019
 
Rated: 3.55 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Feb 15, 2019
Photo of MNAle
Reviewed by MNAle from Minnesota

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, 2019
 
Rated: 3.98 by Coronaeus from Canada (ON)

Jan 06, 2019
 
Rated: 4.59 by superwho24 from Arkansas

Jan 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.09 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

Nov 18, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by omahawk from Nebraska

Oct 07, 2018
 
Rated: 4.01 by MykeJ from Minnesota

Aug 26, 2018
 
Rated: 3.79 by hermit990 from Illinois

Aug 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by Elicoleman from Colorado

Jul 27, 2018
 
Rated: 3.85 by Zazzi82 from Tennessee

Jun 11, 2018
Photo of TheSixthRing
Reviewed 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
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, 2018
 
Rated: 2.1 by Chilmer from Iowa

May 23, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by GreenBayBA from Wisconsin

May 10, 2018
Bender from Surly Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 1999 ratings