3.9
AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 15/20
I received a 16oz can from a fan in Minnesota (thanks, James!). I poured it into a mug.
Appearance: Opaque dark chestnut brown body. Forms a fairly large, beige, foamy head which lingers and laces very well.
Smell: Strong coffee aroma as soon as the can is opened. Up close it’s like sticking your nose in a pot that’s been sitting on a burner for way too long. Not much genuine beer scents, though.
Taste: I’ve often described coffee beers as tasting like iced coffee with plenty of cream and sugar, but in the case of Surly Coffee Bender it’s more like deeply roasted, unflavored and slightly burnt coffee. In other words, it’s a pretty darn bitter brew. Right from the get-go this beer is bitter with a dry, slightly spicy hop character. Though technically a brown ale, there isn’t much in the way of traditional brown ale sweetness aside from a quick confectionery taste through the middle. The back end and aftertaste is all unflavored coffee. It imparts a dry bitterness and a taste akin to burnt popcorn.
But despite that description, the fact remains I actually really like the taste here. As a coffee drinker, but not a connoisseur, I do enjoy the robust, authentic coffee flavor. I also appreciate the originality of the recipe since it doesn’t taste like mocha or iced coffee. And though it’s bitter it’s nothing unbearable. I would like to see more genuine malty sweetness to balance it out, but as it stands it’s more than a solid beer.
Drinkability: Surly Coffee Bender may not taste like a brown ale, but it definitely drinks like one. The mouthfeel is smooth, soft and low on the carbonation. It doesn’t feel thick or heavy. There’s a mild coffee aftertaste, but it’s not only tolerable but pleasant. I am absolutely amazed that this beer is only 5.1% ABV considering how flavorful it is. It’s something you can drink multiple servings of without being overwhelmed or suffering palate fatigue.
Grade: 8/10
Smell: Strong coffee aroma as soon as the can is opened. Up close it’s like sticking your nose in a pot that’s been sitting on a burner for way too long. Not much genuine beer scents, though.
Taste: I’ve often described coffee beers as tasting like iced coffee with plenty of cream and sugar, but in the case of Surly Coffee Bender it’s more like deeply roasted, unflavored and slightly burnt coffee. In other words, it’s a pretty darn bitter brew. Right from the get-go this beer is bitter with a dry, slightly spicy hop character. Though technically a brown ale, there isn’t much in the way of traditional brown ale sweetness aside from a quick confectionery taste through the middle. The back end and aftertaste is all unflavored coffee. It imparts a dry bitterness and a taste akin to burnt popcorn.
But despite that description, the fact remains I actually really like the taste here. As a coffee drinker, but not a connoisseur, I do enjoy the robust, authentic coffee flavor. I also appreciate the originality of the recipe since it doesn’t taste like mocha or iced coffee. And though it’s bitter it’s nothing unbearable. I would like to see more genuine malty sweetness to balance it out, but as it stands it’s more than a solid beer.
Drinkability: Surly Coffee Bender may not taste like a brown ale, but it definitely drinks like one. The mouthfeel is smooth, soft and low on the carbonation. It doesn’t feel thick or heavy. There’s a mild coffee aftertaste, but it’s not only tolerable but pleasant. I am absolutely amazed that this beer is only 5.1% ABV considering how flavorful it is. It’s something you can drink multiple servings of without being overwhelmed or suffering palate fatigue.
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