Surly Abrasive

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by reshumate, Oct 9, 2016.

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  1. Douggo

    Douggo Initiate (0) Oct 24, 2009 Minnesota

    Agreed, 10/26 here. I don't think my palate is all that refined, but this is not Abrasive. This is a good beer, but not what I expect. I hope other cannings are better.
     
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  2. MNPikey

    MNPikey Pooh-Bah (1,681) Feb 27, 2011 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    It's Abrasive, says so on the can. It's double dry hopped this year, unlike previous year. I believe people genarally get excited about that with other beers?

    If they kept it EXACTLY the same every year people would quickly complain they were bored and that Surly should "change it up" or something.

    Tastes great, I'll keep buying it.
     
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  3. KarlHungus

    KarlHungus Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2005 Minnesota

    I disagree on 10/26 Abrasive being different. If I'd been given this beer blind I could easily have picked it out as being Abrasive.
     
  4. plumcrazyfx

    plumcrazyfx Initiate (0) Aug 26, 2010 Minnesota

    10/26 - It doesn't taste the same. It's heavier. There has often been a openness to the hoppy flavor that I only have ever gotten from Abrasive and Heady. I don't think I would have thought this was Abrasive if I drank it blind. I should have bought 1 can, not a 4-pack.
     
  5. wuuin

    wuuin Initiate (0) May 16, 2007 Minnesota

    come on now, don't be ridiculous. although different, it's super solid.
     
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  6. Odyssey300

    Odyssey300 Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2013 Minnesota

    I don't ever recall getting hit with Todd the Axeman citrus aroma from this beer. I still get great dank and somewhat floral and pineapple hop aroma. I like the dankness of this years and the higher abv. Although different (don't we say that every year) it's still mighty tasty above average double IPA imo and I'll easily go through several 4 packs through the season.
     
  7. writerwithwrywit

    writerwithwrywit Initiate (0) May 11, 2016 Minnesota

    Don't get me wrong, I still think it's good. But it's the hype machine that's been building that I expected the second coming of something or other. So, it probably "ranked" lower in my mind because of that.

    Without having them side by side, it's hard to do comparisons. But DIPAs (with less hype, of course) that I've enjoyed are Summit's from earlier this year, Castle Danger Double Crossing and Bent Paddle's Hop Forest. I also thought the Lift Bridge 1300 (?) one was decent. Also, for the price (12 pack for like $12-14 depending where you get it), the Squatter's Hop Rising is good.
     
  8. bigdaddypolite

    bigdaddypolite Maven (1,279) Mar 2, 2007 Minnesota
    Trader

    Another data point on 10/26. Tried a couple cans and was disappointed. This has historically been my favorite (locally available) IIPA, and I look forward to it every year. The carb issues from prior years were a non-factor for me and never really bothered me much. Even with slight variations over the past few years, it has always tasted "like Abrasive" to me.

    If I tried the 10/26 blind, I would have thought it was a nice IIPA, but nothing special. Not getting any of the citrus/floral qualities I recall from prior years, which I thought put it in the same tier as Heady. Would not have pegged it as Abrasive, and would have guessed it was something from Stone if I had to hazard a guess. Clearly some varying opinions, as this is pretty much the opposite of what was reported by @KarlHungus, whose opinion I trust on such matters.

    I am hopeful this is an outlier batch or something, as I would not keep my fridge stocked up on this all winter, as I have in prior years.
     
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  9. shawnp

    shawnp Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2010 Minnesota

    Rochester Costco has Abrasive priced @12.99 and its dated 10/19. I bought 2 four's and I think its very good. I have not tried the 10/26 canning but 10/19 is darn good.
     
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  10. holzwama

    holzwama Initiate (0) Aug 27, 2015 Minnesota

    Burnsville Costco was the same: $12.99 10/19. Forgot to try one when I was bottling BA DWAI at home. Also noticed that Todd was $14 or $15 and almost a month old there as well.
    Passed on $15.99 at Bloomington TW.
     
  11. KarlHungus

    KarlHungus Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2005 Minnesota

    It's the vegetal, almost mirepoix notes that have always made Abrasive one of my favorite DIPAs, and I still get them in this canning. The citrus notes have always been of less importance to my enjoyment of this beer. As long as those vegetal things are still there I will continue to drink a lot of Abrasive.
     
  12. Douggo

    Douggo Initiate (0) Oct 24, 2009 Minnesota

    How in the hell am I supposed to argue with THAT? I'm all "it's missing some of the num-nums!"
     
  13. HipHoppin

    HipHoppin Crusader (426) Feb 11, 2015 Minnesota

    I don't know, just finished a 4-pack. Seems to be lacking any Todd. Like, batches of years past had a bunch of Todd and this year, Todd is just gone. Like it just up left...
     
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  14. Stimulus199

    Stimulus199 Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2013 Minnesota

    There's something weird going on with this batch (currently drinking a 10/26 can). Weird, metallic flavor on the finish, and extremely boozy.
     
  15. Beer-vortex

    Beer-vortex Initiate (0) Aug 16, 2015 Minnesota

    I'm with @Stimulus199 on this one. My 10/26 can, which I am drinking right now, absolutely mirrors his experience. Very little head as well; it just evaporated. Gosh, this metallic taste is awful! This is a borderline drain-pour. Seriously. I usually really enjoy Abrasive.

    Hmm...I passed up 5 bottles of Born Yesterday in my fridge for this? That was a mistake...

    Could there be something wrong with this canning?
     
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  16. Cibsie

    Cibsie Zealot (688) Jan 10, 2015 Minnesota
    Trader

    There has to be. I really want to try one now, but I'd hate to pay for it if it really sucks that bad. I recently had a 10/19 and it was even better than the last King Sue I had. The only IPA that I've enjoyed more is Julius. Has anyone had a bad 10/19?
     
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  17. eawolff99

    eawolff99 Pooh-Bah (2,236) May 10, 2010 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    No - my 10/19 is amazing! As great as always ...
     
  18. Beer-vortex

    Beer-vortex Initiate (0) Aug 16, 2015 Minnesota

    Good to hear your Abrasive was excellent.

    Mine? Not so much. I could not drink any more of it; down the drain it went. Gosh, that just sucked; a drain-pour of Abrasive, but I had no choice. It was undrinkable. After my taste buds recovered, I had a S/N Born Yesterday which was wonderful, and a Surlyfest which was just fine; no issues. It seems something was wrong with the 10/26 Abrasive I purchased. It will be interesting to see how the other 3 from that same 4-pack are...
     
  19. plumcrazyfx

    plumcrazyfx Initiate (0) Aug 26, 2010 Minnesota

    I don't mean it's terrible. My beer budget is small enough and I like variety - It's unusual for me to buy a pack of anything. I usually buy singles unless something blows me away. In the past Abrasive has done that and that led me to buy a 4-pack because it is usually a slam dunk. I'll be buying a single next year. If I want solid - I'll buy Fresh Squeezed - I was looking for the Abrasive I was used to.
     
  20. BottleCaps80

    BottleCaps80 Initiate (0) Jan 12, 2013 Iowa

    I've had 3 cans of the 10/19 canning and they all tasted nothing like the Abrasive I love. No aroma, no tropical hops, very bozzy.
     
    BrettHead likes this.
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