What October loses in light, it gains in Darkness.
Throughout the month, Surly will be releasing several beers, each one darker than the last, in anticipation of our beloved Russian imperial stout.
(Yes, we’re also releasing WET, our flat-out amazing fresh-hop beer made with 6000 lbs of fresh-off-the-bine Citra hops, and it is decidedly not dark. Just drink it in a super dark room, or at midnight under a moonless sky with your favorite coven. Whatever floats your goat.)
Here is wisdom, let them that hath understanding:
The week of Oct. 1: DAMIEN. The Child of Darkness. Literally. Made from the second runnings of our Darkness wort, this American black ale presides over its realm with insidious tangerine/pine aromatics and dark notes of roasted malt and brown sugar. This is the first time Damien has ever been canned, and it’s the first BC Small Batch release of the month. (Note: The cans have already frightened one customer’s spouse, so be forewarned about keeping these next to the Go-Gurts in the fridge.)
The week of Oct. 15: FURIOUS BLACK. October’s other BC Small Batch Beer answers the question, what if you made a Furious, but black? Our flagship IPA gets brewed exactly as it normally is, with one critical exception: de-bittered roasted barley is added late in the lautering process. The result is a beer with the unmistakable citrusy, resinous Furious profile, plus some very subtle roasted notes and a very unsubtle black hue. This is the first time in cans for this one, too.
Halloween: DARKNESS. The Darkness backstory is the stuff of company legend. Omar came into work on a miserably cold Saturday morning to do some paperwork, and there were people outside the original Brooklyn Center brewery, waiting to get their hands on a bottle of Darkness. This fan-driven party is now a two-day event that involves camping, metal, bottle shares, and ridiculous bonfires.
If you were one of the unfortunate souls who couldn’t attend Darkness Day weekend, the wait finally ends on the most appropriate day possible. Experience the waves of chocolate, coffee, cherry, raisin, and toffee, plus a non-traditional dose of aromatic hops, and alleviate your FOMO. (And if you did attend, here’s your chance to replenish the cellar.)
Damien and Furious Black are available in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Chicago area. Darkness is available in all Surly markets.
THE PARTICULARS
DAMIEN:
- Hops: Willamette, Glacier
- IBU: Moderate
- ABV: 6.5%
- Pour: DARK
FURIOUS BLACK:
- Hops: Ahtanum, Cascade, Simcoe, Amarillo
- IBU: High
- ABV: 6.7%
- Pour: DARKER
2018 DARKNESS
- Hops: Amarillo, Simcoe
- IBU: Low
- ABV: 12%
- Pour: DARKEST
