The Long Winter
Surly Brewing Co.

First 750ML bottle from the initial Surly bottle club…odd to fire one up after sixteen years in business but hey! It’s here! Split with my wife.

Pours a gorgeous amber; I halfway expect to see a neolithic fly trapped in there somewhere. The nose is dark fruit & nose-hair singeing booze. Woohaa.

The Long Winter punches way, way, way above its high ABV weight. I’m a little concerned about the open flame/gas fireplace about ten feet away. Booze & bourbon sears the palate, followed quickly by a long, slow slide of dark fruit (plums?) with a mid-palate of that classic Surly hoppiness; bitter, bitter. The finish turns sweet, like the plums were drizzled with powdered sugar. Unless drinking this reclined in bed, not sure I could take more than one glass.

Great use of the barrel, but the base beer underwhelms a bit. Still, very, very nice brew.

Appearance: Clear amber, good head.

Smell: Hugely barrel-forward, big wood, vanilla, bourbon, booze aroma. Maybe a hint of fruitiness underneath?

Taste: Mild sweetness, then a swift boozy kick that has a metallic note to it. Some hoppy bitterness noted. Let's let this sit for a while and try it warmer.
When warmer, it at least doesn't have the metallic kick to it, but doesn't really improve much. Woody notes become more prominent.

Overall: Pretty disappointing, I really like barleywines and barrel-aged, but this was a pretty clear miss. I probably drink beers a little too cold, so if I have to wait for it to get to room temperature to consider it decent, that's not good, especially for a $25 bottle. Oh well, there's three more in the bottle project this year and I'm still looking forward to those.

White head. Clear bronze copper color.

Massive barrel. Tons of whiskey notes. Caramel and toffee for days. Vanilla, oak. Some plums and dried fruits. Some leather and chewy wood. Warming, but smooth. Definitely more of a traditional bw than some of the new school bw. Very complex, very flavorful.