Four
Surly Brewing Company

 

 

On tap at the taproom. Tastes excellent right now.

 

 

 

 

really awesome that they remade a few of these. this is killer beer, and it would have been a shame to never get to try it. a huge coffee stout, but something a little different. even though its a milk type stout, all that lactose seems to do it add body, the sweet part is only on the front end, and the rest of the beer is dry and bitter from the coffee and the roast of the barley, actually earthy and clean by the time it wraps up. lots of bitternss and some acidity from the coffee, i think this originally came out before cold brew was real thing, so perhaps its more acidic because that tactic likely wasnt employed? lots and lots of body here, and a wonderful smoothness and integration of the ingredients, no need for a barrel here to accomplish any of that, and even when it warms up its not too boozy. a really sturdy and striking beer, a great use of coffee, dry in the end, smoky just a little bit, and quite memorable. i like when these are carbonated sometimes too, this is more lively than man of its peers, a nice feature. sure to age well, but the coffee is likely the most forward when its fresh...

Poured on-tap at MacKenzie's customer appreciacion day - this beer is old enough to learn how to spell!

Pours black as sin, with a thin, espresso-like creamy head, and smells like a pastry pantry.

"Oh sweet baby jesus" is more or less what tumbled out of me when I tasted it - this is some seriously rich and thick stuff! Mocha dominates, with a body of creme brulee custard, salted caramel, chocolate ganache, and ancho chili mole sauce. The aftertaste is borderline fruity (more of that ancho), carbonically bitter, and effervescently peppery. It coats the mouth like fine chocolate, and whatever hops are there add a slightly juicy, pleasantly astringent feel.

This is beer heaven. I wish I could've grabbed a bottle back in the day!

 

On tap at Surly. A great mouthfeel, good nose and overall a pretty good taste. What kept this beer from being better though was a slightly tangy, sour taste on the backend of the coffee. It is something I get from coffee stouts that are not quite done as well as they could be. So this beer was good but not great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 oz pour @ happy gnome

L - jet black with off white head - small, milk stout head appears to be lower carbonation
S - huge whiffs of coffee (duh), some dark fruits, milk, general roast
T - absolutely wonderful. Perfect example of an imperial milk stout - coffee hits up front with vigor and finishes sweet & alcohol is masked well
F - just like it appeared, lower carbonation, easily pallatable

this is my favorite surly anniversary beer by far. Thank you for the rebrew!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

at the beer hall into a chalice, this is a re-brew of an anniversary offering brewed first in 2010. Very happy to have a chance to try it! Pours a dark black with a very tight frothy foamy khaki head that has great retention and leaves nice lacing. Great nose of bitter espresso, baker's chocolate, roasted but not charred barley, biscuit, and hint of milk and vanilla. All this comes through on the tongue, and a little more vanilla bean, but the real treat here, for me, is the earthy bitterness, which comes on stronger and stronger without really every being too much....it plays off the otherwise bittersweet chocolate and milky sweetness perfectly, ultimately winning out in a way that brings everything into a working harmony. Outstanding velvety smooth mouthful that hides the alcohol brilliantly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016 Rebrew On tap at Surly's Beer Hall. 10 oz. serving in a chalice.

Appearance: Pours jet black with a moderate amount of bubbles. Solid finger of light tan head which settles into a thin creamy layer.

Smell: A roasty and fairly sweet dark malt driven aroma with a scent of chocolate, coffee, and sugar. Dark roasted barley malt with a scent of milk chocolate, coffee beans, and smoke along with some toast, biscuit, and yeast. Sweet hints of milk sugar along with some subtle vanilla. A very good roasty aroma.

Taste: Like the aroma indicates, a roasty and sweet dark malt driven taste with notes of chocolate, coffee, and sugar. Dark roasted barley malt with notes of milk chocolate, coffee beans, smoke, and toast along with notes of biscuit and yeast. Sweet taste of milk sugar along with light vanilla. A really good taste.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy and smooth.

Overall: A very good Imperial Milk Stout. Really nice chocolate and coffee flavors with just enough sugar.