Our BEERs
Each day, Surly relentlessly pursues craft beer perfection. Pushing boundaries, honing techniques, sweating the details, and eternally grateful that we get to do this for our job. Proudly independent since Day One and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Mother’s Day shouldn’t be lame. Celebrate the moms in your life at Surly, where we’re hosting an outdoor market with over a dozen vendors. Browse permanent jewelry, vintage clothing, records, and more while a live DJ provides the soundtrack.
Surly Gives a Damn (SGAD) is our charitable arm. It’s our way of giving back to the communities that built us. We contribute to organizations that make our part of the world a better place to live, through donations, partnerships and volunteer events. Our volunteers are a vital, passionate bunch, and they really do give a damn. You’re more than welcome to join. We’d love to have you.
Surly’s anniversary beers have always been about challenging ourselves. Technique, equipment, processes, capabilities. It’s a celebration of what we’ve learned over the years and sharing the results.
Even with that in mind, Eighteen is a LOT.
Surly Head Brewer Ben Smith’s favorite beers tend to be funky, Belgian, or both. That inspired him to take a swing at his own Belgian-style beer for our 18th anniversary, using wild yeast, dry-hopping, virgin oak, stainless steel, and time. Let`s begin:
In the fall of 2023, Ben brewed a Golden Strong Ale.
Then, he did a split secondary fermentation.
He pitched half the tank with Brettanomyces Claussenii yeast.
He pitched the other half with Brettanomyces Brux yeast.
He aged them on those wild yeast strains for months in the stainless.
PLEASE NOTE: WE’RE ABOUT HALFWAY DONE. TAKE A BREATH, WALK AROUND AND STRETCH IF YOU NEED TO.
Then he took about 15% of the beer and aged it in virgin oak.
Then he blended all three back together this spring.
Then he dry-hopped it on Saaz hops.
Then he pasteurized it to stop fermentation and lock in the flavor profile.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, it’s pretty simple and straightforward.
The finished product is an absolute gem, with notes of white wine, berries, oak, leather, and honey. We think you’ll agree it was worth the effort.
The path Eighteen traveled mirrors our 18 years of brewing, instigating, and making something worth seeking out, sharing, and savoring. Thank you for taking that journey with us.
Look for Eighteen on draft and in boxed 16 oz. cans beginning this week.
Grad party season is upon us. Surly turns 18 this year. A landmark celebration is in order.
Join us at the Brewery on Saturday, June 1 for an epic 18th Anniversary Party to kick off summer the only way we know how: Beer, music, food, dunk tanks, sharp objects, and more. To wit:
Live and local music in the Beer Garden from Eleganza!, Derecho, and Annie and the Bang Bang beginning at 3pm.
A Furious-themed Happy Hour from 11am-1pm.
A Surly Lemonade dunk tank.
An Axe Man axe-throwing competition.
A Darkness claw machine.
Vintage retail items from the Brooklyn Center era.
Prizes, giveaways, and a whole mess of Eighteen, our anniversary beer.
A crockpot of sloppy joes and some bars (sorry, this is for our nephew Jayden’s grad party in Lino Lakes, we regret the error)
Admission is free and all ages are welcome.
1. Purchase Furious IPA.
2. Open can.
3. Watch Ant`s dunk from last night for the 97th time.
Repeat as necessary.
Mother`s Day is two weeks away. As she has frequently reminded you, she was in labor with you for 51 hours. You owe her something that doesn`t suck.
Surly`s Mother`s Day Market features over a dozen vendors in our Beer Garden. Browse permanent jewelry, vintage clothing, records, and more while a live DJ provides the soundtrack.
Inside, Scheid Hall will be hosting Books & Brews, a children’s/young adult book fair where local authors will be selling and signing their work.
In addition, we`ll have our full menu available upstairs and downstairs, beers, seltzer cocktails, mocktails, and a build-your-own bloody mary seltzer bar.
More vendor info in our bio!
Despite being made in Minnesota, Mosh Pit Juicy Pale Ale does NOT get its name from Juicy Lucys. There`s no ground chuck in the mash, no molten cheese that scorches your mouth, no one fighting about Matt`s vs. The 5-8 or The Blue Door vs. The Nook in your mentions, etc.
Rather, it`s from the fruity, citrusy character of the beer itself. Introduced in February, Mosh Pit Juicy is already becoming one of our most popular beers. You can find our easy-drinking pale ale on draft, in 4, 6, or 12-packs, and in our 2024 Surly Selects Variety Pack.
(While you`re here, this is the last weekend you can enter to win our Mosh Pit Music Package. Link is in our bio.)
Now, you may commence fighting about burgers in our comments.
Absolutely steamed that Skittles beat us to "taste the rainbow." That said, you can go to drinksurly dot com and order our stuff now. Link`s in our bio, too.
This year’s Darkness Day music lineup is even more ferocious than usual. A full slate of punk, metal, and whatever category you want to put Impaler in, all free, all Darkness Day long. Let’s go:
THE HEADLINER
They`ve been called the best live band in the world and the most important American band since CCR. San Diego`s Rocket from the Crypt lives up to that kind of praise. They`re also the first Darkness Day act to appear on both MTV`s Buzz Bin and Yo Gabba Gabba. That`s range. We can`t wait to see them.
THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS
The Schizophonics, also hailing from San Diego, have built up a formidable reputation around the world as an explosive live act. They list their influences as the MC5, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Iggy Pop, Little Richard, and The Sonics. Works for us.
Khemmis is a doomed heavy metal band from Denver and one of the house favorites at Surly. Formed in 2012, this is the critically acclaimed band`s third Darkness Day appearance. Drummer Zach Coleman is also the head brewer at the awesome TRVE Brewing, a Surly collaborator with locations in Denver and Asheville
Mean Jeans come to us from Portland, OR, with straightforward, no-frills punk, a dash of poppy tunefulness, tons of energy, and very little in the way of serious intent.
THE LOCALS
Christy Costello is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, disc jockey, talent buyer, promoter, mother, yogi, and Iron Ranger. Did we mention she rules? She rules, too.
Hailing from the heart of the Twin Cities, ROT is fueled by a relentless passion for raw, no holds barred music, achieved through channeling the energy and aggression of classic hardcore while infusing it with a modern metallic edge.
The Rumours describe their sound as "straight-up rock that finally made out with punk" and "HOOKS, LOOKS, AND LOUD GUITARS!" Sold.
THE MAINSTAYS
God Came From Space holds down the opening slot with Surly’s Slayrah Lawson on shredding duty. A tradition unlike any other.
Impaler, whose background vocalist Dr. Corpse bears a striking resemblance to Surly’s Zach Lindsay, returns to provide bloody, disgusting mayhem. (This is a compliment.)
April 30th is the last day you can enter to win our Mosh Pit Music Package! A Marshall Amp mini-fridge, speaker, headphones, and season passes to every 2024 Festival Field show can all be yours. Link is in our bio or just go to surlybrewing.com!
If you can`t choose between Furious and Axe Man, it`s important to know that our 2024 Surly Selects Variety Pack has BOTH. We live in an age of fearsome wonders.
Use our new-and-improved Beer Finder at surly brewing dot com if you need some help tracking it down!
If you`re stopping by Gourmet Munchies today, we can`t stress this enough: Get the OG Cheese. Basically, it`s a deep-fried vehicle for mac-and-cheese deliverance with a garlic dipping sauce.
Full menu at the link in our bio, along with a list of activities and vendors like @blncdnaturals, @legacyglasswork, and @nattykakes!
Surly Pizza Upstairs opens at noon, Gourmet Munchies kicks off at 2pm. See you soon.
Drinking outside the box. Look for the Surly Selects Variety Pack at your local craft beer provider.
NOW POURING: RAW IPA. Crafted for our Gourmet Munchies celebration, it`s purpose-brewed for the occasion. It`s super dank, super hazy, and features the sexy new Anchovy hop and its notes of watermelon, raspberry, pine, and absolutely no anchovies. RAW`s name is derived from the wort being pasteurized but not boiled, leading to a cloudier, thicker beer for all the hazebois in your life.
RAW will also be on tap in the Beer Hall. Supplies are very limited, come through this week if you want a taste.
NOW MIXING: Surly`s Owen also created some special CBD mocktails for the week, exclusive to Surly Pizza Upstairs.
*Strawberry Fields--bright, juicy strawberry flavor guides you through this tart, tangy, lemon-lime rotation. Remember, left is law.
*Pineapple Moonrocks--Decompress with full mango/pineapple flavor, accompanied by the sweet, herbaceous hit of fresh peppers.
*Top Shelf--Don`t miss the delicate lychee flavor paired with fresh watermelon and mint. Super limited-edition, dude.
These mocktails were created in collaboration with Greens CBD. Based in MN, Greens focuses on potent, high-quality CBD oil.
Now available at Surly Pizza Upstairs for Gourmet Munchies Week. The Crab Rangoon pizza is preposterous:
PIZZAS
PERSONAL REFLECTION PERIOD—Red Sauce, Chili Salt, Chihuahua, Seasoned Ground Beef, Pickled Jalapeno, Onion, Lettuce, Cilantro, Cheddar, Valentina, Roasted Poblano Cream
I KNOW IT’S GROSS, JUST GRAB IT—Cream, Chili Oil, Chili Flakes, Mozz, Crab, Pickled Fresno, Charred Green Onion, Cream Cheese, Wonton Crisps, Basil, Lemon Juice
APPS
2 FOR 5 (Italian Dunkers, Surly-Style)—Garlic Butter, Mozz, Marinara, Oregano Dimebag
OG CHEESE—Deep Fried Macaroni-and-Cheese, Parsley, Shredded Red Pepper, Garlic Sauce
DESSERT
THE BRICK—Brownie with Green Cheesecake Swirl
All items available through Saturday, April 20th.
CITIZENS OF THE DRIFTLESS: The 7th Annual Squirrelly with Surly lands in Lanesboro next weekend! One of our very favorite outstate events begins Friday night before a full-scale blowout on Saturday. Tap takeovers, live music, raffles, you name it, it`s happening. Surly Gives A Damn also has a couple spots left for their Earth Day Cleanup near the river by Juniper`s.
Sign up for the event and/or get full details on all the happenings at the links in our bio!
