In an era of aluminum can shortages, shuttered bars/restaurants, and supply chain madness, a brewery putting out a brand calendar for the following year feels somewhere between brave and foolhardy. In 12 months, we could be going door to door with pitchers of Darkness for all we know. So, we beat on, boats against the … Continued
The Bear is done hibernating. Citrusy, piney, and just bitter enough, Yummi Bear West Coast-Style IPA is back for the season and available right now. Aggressively hopped on Centennial, El Dorado, and Simcoe, expect massive pineapple, orange, and lemon aromatics. Departing from the dank and resinous profile of a completely traditional West Coast IPA, Yummi … Continued
There’s a TED Talk out there about the paradox of choice. The crux of it is that, when you have limitless options, your ability to choose diminishes. If you’ve been to a liquor store or tap room with a bananas selection of craft beer, you understand this. How can you be expected to pick? You’re … Continued
Being led into temptation has negative connotations. No one denies this. One could even describe its checkered history as snakebitten. However, Surly would like to argue that it isn’t all bad. For example, take Serpents in the Garden, our final BC Small Batch release of 2021. This imperial kettle sour mixes strawberry, black currants, lactose, … Continued
The 2021 edition of Darkness hits shelves and tap lines this weekend. Here’s what you need to know. When can I get a bottle? Darkness will be available all weekend long, beginning Friday (10/29). With Halloween falling on a Sunday and the last 18 months being generally terrible, we figure being able to snag a … Continued
WHAT: Based on a recipe from Surly’s own Shannon Stroh and brewed in our BC facility, Definitive Few is a righteous IPA dry-hopped on Waimea and Motueka for a citrusy, lemon-lime kick. WHO: Shannon, along with Surly’s Julia MacLean and Paige Hiber, are members of Team Nevertheless, a group of Minnesota’s women craft brewers. 14 … Continued
Slowly but surely, live music is returning. Beloved venues like Minneapolis’ First Avenue are reopening. The daily influx of new concert announcements, from stadium shows to nightclub gigs, are a welcome change of pace from Zoom concerts. If you’ve also found yourself giving a standing ovation to the busker playing atrocious Dave Matthews covers outside … Continued
Surly built its brewing reputation on not necessarily brewing to style. Our 15th anniversary beer embraces that ethos with a vengeance. There is a lot going on with this one, so we called in Surly Head Brewer Ben Smith to write about Fifteen’s development: The primary base beer is a Belgian Quadruple brewed with German … Continued
In the farthest, deepest fathoms of the ocean, light is but a rumor. That vast, benighted place where the leviathans hold sway. Age of Leviathans, Surly’s BC Small Batch offering for September and October, reaches similar depths of flavor, sweetness, and body. Brewed with a new “ruby” chocolate variant—noted for being rich, fruity and just … Continued
Brave Noise Pale Ale is the collaborative, multi-brewery initiative of Massachusetts’ Notch Brewing and one of their brewers, Brienne Allan, designed to fund inclusive and safe environments for women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ individuals working in craft beer. As a priority of Surly, our DE&I Committee, and our Leadership Team, we’re proud to announce that we’ll … Continued
We’re thrilled to be pouring beer at the State Fair again this year. As in the past, we’ve brewed beers exclusive to the Fair that will pair perfectly with your annual late-summer gluttony. We also know that some of you are waiting until next year to attend due to the ongoing COVID situation. If that’s … Continued
Say what you will about Jason Voorhees, he was way ahead of the curve on wearing a mask and understood the importance of a good sequel. This Friday, August 13th, Surly releases the 2021 batch of 13, our maple barrel-aged imperial stout brewed with vanilla beans and lactose. Expect notes of dark chocolate, roasted malt, … Continued
To say that we’re ready for Oktoberfest at Surly is an understatement. For starters, there really wasn’t an Oktoberfest in 2020. There was plenty of great beer, but the parties didn’t really happen. And the ones that did were just 17 socially distanced guys in lederhosen standing around card tables in a repurposed parking lot. … Continued
We’ve had a long, hot summer here. Chances are you have too. We’re also aware, more than most, that this summer will eventually end. We know what awaits. Making the most of the sunstruck days and warm evenings on the calendar is essential. So is Invisible Rays. Surly’s current seasonal is a tropical IPA brimming … Continued
Nate and Heather Jackson grow and develop hops in Wilder, Idaho as first-generation hop growers. When working with Sierra Nevada, Jackson Hop Farm submitted a handful of hop varietals for them to analyze. The seventh one really stuck out as a promising hop varietal, bridging the tropical/citrus gap with striking notes of melon, tangerine, pineapple, … Continued
Reopening the beer hall has given our extraordinarily talented brew team the chance to flex their muscles and work on all sorts of experiments with new hop varietals and styles. (As of this writing, we now have 32 beers on draft, a dozen of which are brand new.) It’s also allowed us to revive our … Continued
Certain things defy easy answers. Scientists are baffled. Religion offers no solution. When reason and faith are abandoned, when the standard frames of reference break down and rational explanations can’t be found, we’re left with something…else. Occult Philosophy reads the tea leaves, rolls the bones, and reveals the final card. This hop-heavy and hazy double … Continued
The women of Surly Brewing spent International Women’s Day working on a beer together. They named it after a phenomenon they’ve dealt with for many, many years, one that countless other women have also experienced: mansplaining. In the beer industry, this is most commonly found at beer festivals, in beer groups on the internet, during … Continued
Hops have been called a pernicious, devilish weed. If so, Surly chooses to dance with this devil and triple down on the hops. Introducing And The Devil Makes Three, a triple dry-hopped triple IPA. Appropriately enough, it’s Surly’s third BC Small Batch beer of 2021, and it begins hitting shelves May 3rd. This intense IPA … Continued
Cry havoc and let slip the hops of yore! Clean, hoppy, and devastating, Havoc Machine delivers an authentic West Coast IPA payload. Surly’s second seasonal of 2021 unleashes the classically dank and citrus-heavy assault of Cascade, Chinook, and Amarillo hops, wreaking havoc on the craft beer landscape. This perfect drinking machine, clear as a bell … Continued
Some say our beers are too hoppy. To that we say, “Damn straight.” The Hop Pack is the realization of this ideal. Our second variety pack of 2021 gives you all the hops you could ever want out of a 12-pack. Then we add more. In addition to Furious IPA, these three brand-new beers make … Continued
Surly has an actual Irish beer in stores this St. Patrick’s Day. No, it’s not Xtra with green food coloring. Sharp like a straight razor and smooth as a Gaelic brogue, Razor Gang Dry Irish Stout combines rich roasted malt flavor with a sweet cocoa-like body and dry finish. It’s one of the featured beers … Continued
Our second BC Small Batch beer of the year centers hellacious amounts of hop flavor, fiendish notes of stone fruit and citrus, and a smooth, sinister finish. It sounds almost sinful doesn’t it? Give The Devil His Due is a diabolical, double-dry-hopped double IPA that’s worth the indulgence. Lotus, Amarillo, El Dorado, and Citra hops … Continued
Surly’s Shannon Stroh and Julia MacLean joined forces with the other professional women brewers of Minnesota to create a collaboration beer at Badger Hill’s Shakopee facility. It’s called Nevertheless, and this West Coast IPA is being released on March 8th, International Women’s Day. Women are sorely underrepresented on the brewing side of our industry. As … Continued
Grapefruit Supreme, in the span of a couple short years, is now one of Surly’s cornerstone beers. Mango Supreme, released as part of our 2020 summer variety pack, was an immediate hit. How do you follow them up? You make a whole damn 12-pack out of Supreme. Introducing the Supreme Variety Pack, Surly’s newest year-round … Continued
Darkness is a beer that earns its reputation. Malty and intense yet velvety smooth, our Russian imperial stout’s yearly release is a de facto holiday, and not just because it’s Halloween. It also plays well with others. It’s a perfect candidate for barrel-aging, which can accentuate all the aspects that make the O.G. Darkness so … Continued
All that we know, all that we’ve ever known, and all we will know exist at the same time. Space, time, matter, energy, folding a fitted sheet, everything. It’s a lot to contemplate, but the answers lie somewhere in the haze. Look within, and let juicy, hop-forward flavor be your guide to total understanding. Introducing … Continued
Our first variety pack of 2021 rounds up a motley crew of delicious beers. Unusual Suspects lines up three all-new beers and one legendary IPA for you to pick out. A true variety pack, Unusual Suspects gives classic and new styles the Surly treatment. In addition to three fresh Furiouses, here’s what you can look … Continued
Pentagram is finally back. It just looks different. Surly’s legendary dark, barrel-aged sour beer hasn’t changed. It still ferments in stainless steel and spends 18 months or more in red wine barrels. It still has yards and yards of funk from the brett yeast blend. It still centers notes of sour cherry, oak, and tobacco … Continued
Years ago we released a beer called Dumpster Fire, so named due to a literal dumpster fire in our parking lot. Long story short: someone emptied their charcoal grill into a dumpster at Darkness Day. The end result of that is too obvious to require elaboration, but it did inspire a beer the following year. … Continued
Moving Pictures is Surly’s first new beer of 2021. As we’ve discovered with social media, some claims need to be examined more closely to determine their veracity. We’re offering this guide to help you be a better Surly consumer. (We considered calling this Fake Brews but quickly thought better of it.) TRUE: It’s a juicy … Continued
Mixed Messages, our holiday season variety pack, is so named due to the different beer styles contained therein. It also references the tactical-grade passive aggression of our beloved home state and the entire Upper Midwest. Saying what you mean without ever saying what you mean, or even the precise opposite? That’s a Mixed Message. Think … Continued
Minnesota’s first double IPA is back. Abrasive takes its name from Sparky Abrasives, the original occupant of our original Brooklyn Center location. Fueled by a mountain of Citra hops, Abrasive centers aggressive notes of tropical fruit and a bracing bitterness, all offset by a remarkably smooth finish that belies its double IPA strength. Not only … Continued
This is the first year in over a decade without an official Darkness Day. Oh, there’s still Darkness to be had–available wherever Surly is sold on Halloween–but no bacchanal of beers, bands, and bottle shares. We miss it too, and we hope that public health and Minnesota liquor laws will change for the better in … Continued
You ever go into a liquor store and find yourself entirely unable to decide what you want? You’re craving an IPA, but it’s also your personal coffee beer season. You want to try something new, but you also want a reliably perfect beer that never goes out of style. The correct answer to this dilemma … Continued
Over a year in the making, our latest beer is a true collaboration of ideas, flavors, and craft. Surly and New Belgium proudly present Culture Collab, a blended culture American sour ale aged in virgin oak and red wine barrels. The beer’s genesis began 5-6 years ago, when Surly Head Brewer Ben Smith and New … Continued
The traditional 14th anniversary gift is ivory. Two things about ivory you should know is that it’s remarkably cruel to animals and impossible to drink. Barleywines, on the other hand, are perfect for sipping and do zero harm to elephants. Fourteen, Surly’s 14th anniversary beer, is just such a beer. We aged this massive barleywine … Continued
Direct Current IPA, Surly’s fall seasonal, hums with an overload of hop flavor and character. Charged with generating an IPA that will light up your cooler, our brewers chose an electric blend of Galaxy and Vic Secret hops, overwhelming the grid with a juicy, orange-grapefruit jolt. The shockingly smooth finish ignites the palate and sparks … Continued
Surly’s BC Small Batch August release imagines a world where an IPA gets dry-hopped not once, not even twice, but three entire times. We call this brave new reality Trip Hop, and it’s available to all U.S. Surly markets. This massive attack of Lotus, Amarillo, and El Dorado hops isn’t tricky in the slightest, and … Continued
Like many of us, our BC Small Batch Series laid low this spring. But with summer here and a little more freedom of movement for now (wear your masks, people), we were able to flex our brewing muscles at the original Brooklyn Center brewery and send a new beer out into the world this week. … Continued
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE Saber-Tooth Tiger: an extinct tiger-cat, more accurately known as a Smilodon. Sabrotooth Tiger: a Sabro hop-driven IPA from Surly Brewing Co. The Sabro hop brings what we in the beer industry call “a hell of a lot” of flavor and aromatics to the table, with citrus, pineapple, and coconut character to spare. … Continued
As we dip our toes into the water of “being around other people again,” it helps to have an ice breaker. You can talk about whether you’re recycling or composting your formidable array of takeout containers. You can discuss the vacations you didn’t take. You can compare the long-delayed home projects you’ve finally completed halfway. … Continued
We put out a 2020 Brand Calendar way back in November 2019, as we looked forward to an exciting year of new beer releases and returning favorites that could be enjoyed with large groups of friends at gatherings, bars, and restaurants across Surly’s distribution footprint. So yeah. As the COVID-19 shutdowns tore through our industry, … Continued
Minnesota’s summer is roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day. The grills fire up, the patio furniture gleams, and the Drinking Beer Outside Season officially opens. With that in mind, please welcome Heat Slayer back to an ice-filled cooler near you. An ideal summer crusher, Heat Slayer is a crisp and refreshing Kölsch-style ale that finds … Continued
Surly entered the Arizona market roughly six months ago. Besides being welcomed with open arms and full pints, we also made friends with The Shop Beer Co., a fantastic independent craft brewer in Tempe. And when two craft breweries become friends, they make a collaboration beer. That’s just how it works, people. As it happens, … Continued
The concept behind Stunner is simple: A hop bill that leans heavily on Amarillo, El Dorado, and Mosaic hops for tropical notes of mango, orange, and papaya. A hit of lactose to add some sweetness. And an overall easy-drinking profile that gives you a taste of the tropics in the comfort of your own home. … Continued
Surly releases a variety pack every quarter. It introduces new beer to the market, highlights some of our flagships, and gives Surly Nation a good idea of where the brewery’s head is at. Like everyone, our collective head is in a vastly different place right now. One thing we’ve found to be true is that … Continued
Three new Surly beers are hitting shelves this week. There’s the highly anticipated yearly variant of one of our most beloved beers. There’s also our monthly BC Small Batch release, which finds one of our Beer Hall favorites in cans for the first time. Oh yeah, and the other one is our newest year-round beer. … Continued
The most Overrated! thing in Minnesota? Minnesota Nice. Plucky upstart Duck Duck Grey Duck made a valiant run but was simply no match for our state’s peerless passive aggression. Thanks to everyone who voted and a reminder that a limited amount of Overrated! is on Minnesota/Dakota shelves and on draft at the Brewery. Online Form … Continued
The BC Small Batch series prides itself on experimentation, whether we’re aging Mexican lagers in tequila barrels or pushing the hop envelope as far as nature and our brewing equipment allows. February’s entry in the canon is no different. Brewing a bold and flavorful lager is an ambitious task, but we’ve never shied away from … Continued
Surly’s first variety pack of 2020 is designed for these post-holiday months, as we trudge our way out of winter’s grip. There will be days where the temperature sneaks above freezing and you lose your mind a little. There will be days with a foot of damn snow and snarled traffic and you lose your … Continued
Our first seasonal release of 2020 stands out in a crowded IPA market by taking a little from the new school and a little from the old school for a beer that sends your palate swirling. Dots & Loops IPA finds common ground between citrusy and tropical flavors and a pleasingly bright and bitter bite … Continued
Making an approachable beer that still gives you the hop character and juiciness of a hazy IPA isn’t rocket surgery. It’s Rocket Surgery. This uncomplicated, easy-drinking ale has an abundance of Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo hops and the juicy, citrusy flavor of a haze bomb twice its size. Debuting in our 2019 Hop Pack, Rocket … Continued
When formulating Surly’s 2020 release calendar, we had a couple choices: Introduce a CBD-infused, barrel-aged, hard seltzer smoothie in cans that explode if handled by a non-first-born son, or Make hop-forward beers with undeniable flavor and aromatics, be they clear as a bell or hazy AF. We chose wisely. These three beers begin hitting shelves … Continued
Black cats skitter. Ladders loom. Mirrors break. Danzig writes a song that Johnny Cash covers. The calendar reads Friday, December 13. Disregard these ominous portents and remember: You make your own luck*. Let Surly make your beer. (*This does not apply to any counselors at Camp Crystal Lake reading this. You should heed these ominous … Continued
Our final BC Small Batch release of 2019 shares a name with one of our tattoo-loving staff’s favorite things. (Besides metal/hardcore bands with names your parents are iffy about.) Sharp and clean like an artist’s line, Fresh Ink packs a dangerously drinkable, sweet-tart punch. Blackberry and black currant puree elevate this imperial kettle sour, and … Continued
2020. Just looking at that number, it feels like there should be jet packs and flying robot dogs. Instead we have *gestures at all the remarkably stupid stuff around us right now* this. Fortunately, there’s beer. Without further ado, let’s introduce the 2020 Surly Brand Calendar. NEW YEAR-ROUND BEERS Grapefruit Supreme. It started in our … Continued
The BC Small Batch series encourages our brewers to experiment with unexpected flavors and collaborate with our fellow independent craft brewers. November’s selection fulfills these expectations with a vengeance. Introducing Magic Formula for Peace, an imperial oatmeal stout with espresso and citrus, courtesy of Surly, Chicago’s Mikerphone Brewing, and Modist Brewing in the North Loop. … Continued
The response to Black Horsemen Danish-style black lager, our collaboration with metal legend King Diamond, has been astonishing. Fans from across the world (no, seriously: we just had a request from Moscow) have been asking how they can get the beer, including offers to buy used cans. While we can’t sell our beer online and … Continued
The good people at Brew Pipeline and TapRm in New York City did a one-time drop of Axe Man out east this spring. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive, so much so that we’re doing a second drop with multiple brands this week. Expatriates and/or native New Yorkers who want to see what all the fuss … Continued
Is the West Coast the Best Coast? That’s not for us to say here in flyover country. But we absolutely love a good West Coast-inspired IPA, market trends be damned. That’s why we made Yummi Bear, our 2019 fall seasonal. You’ll notice it says “inspired” up top. Departing from the dank, resinous profile of a … Continued
King Diamond is embarking on 23 black masses across North America starting Nov. 2. To make the tour even more memorable, King Diamond has collaborated with Surly Brewing Co., the Minneapolis-based craft brewery, for a limited release beer: Black Horsemen Danish-style black lager. The beer will be available at select venues within the Surly footprint … Continued
Seasons change. Summer turns to fall. Your buddy Kyle who wears shorts all the time begrudgingly wears jeans for the first time since April. Our Frost Pack eases the transition. The fourth Surly variety pack of 2019 features our Furious and Xtra flagships, a returning favorite from 2018, and a fresh new beer we’ve previewed … Continued
Halloween is a mere six weeks away. The 2021 edition of Darkness approaches, its arrival heralded by the son of Darkness, ruling at its baleful side with a dark energy all his own. Birthed in ritual and ceremony from the depths of our brewhouse, the beer known as Damien rises from the second runnings of … Continued
Our September BC Small Batch selection is a returning favorite, and probably the most hop-forward beer our hop-forward brewery makes. 3DH, a highly aromatic and flavorful triple IPA, is available to all U.S. Surly markets beginning the week of September 2. One difference from last year: there are more hops, somehow. Head Brewer Ben Smith … Continued
After a successful draft rollout in June, Surly is incredibly pleased to announce a full brand launch in St. Louis beginning the week of September 2.Online Form – DRI RTW FOR RFT “I’m not sure there is a market where we get more requests to bring Surly brands than St. Louis,” said Bob Repp, vice … Continued
After a successful draft rollout in June, Surly is incredibly pleased to announce a full brand launch in St. Louis beginning the week of September 2.Online Form – DRI RTW FOR RFT “I’m not sure there is a market where we get more requests to bring Surly brands than St. Louis,” said Bob Repp, vice … Continued
After a successful draft rollout in June, Surly is incredibly pleased to announce a full brand launch in St. Louis beginning the week of September 2.Online Form – DRI RTW FOR RFT “I’m not sure there is a market where we get more requests to bring Surly brands than St. Louis,” said Bob Repp, vice … Continued
Every year, we look at ways to make the great Darkness Day (Sept. 27 & 28, Somerset, WI, tickets here) experience even greater. Never too much of a good thing and all that. One of the ways we’re doing that this year: More packaged beer. Many of you understandably hold onto your Darkness and variant … Continued
Can a non-traditional craft brewery make a traditional Oktoberfest? That was the challenge Surly faced as we contemplated the kind of beer enjoyed for literal centuries, from Munich to Minnesota. As it turns out, the answer is “Hölle ja.” Surly Oktoberfest is rich, sweet, and malty up front, bookended by a clean, dry finish with … Continued
Every great temple starts with a simple foundation and rises to spectacular heights. Temple, Surly’s BC Small Batch beer for August, earns the comparison. It starts as a relatively uncomplicated imperial kettle sour. Then the going gets weird: It’s embellished with pomegranate, mango, and peach additions. Then the going gets weirder: A heap of vanilla … Continued
There are multiple places to Get Surly at the 2019 Minnesota State Fair, from the Midway to Machinery Hill. Enjoy flagships like Furious and four beers brewed exclusively for the occasion: Onesie Twosie LuLu Lucy: We still have people visiting our brewery asking if we have the hazy IPA we brewed for LuLu’s Public House … Continued
We’ve already revealed the 2019 Darkness art, courtesy of Tim Chapman, our 2019 Featured Artist. It’s our privilege to share with you his art for our three Darkness variants. If you need a refresher on what those are: Double Stuffed Darkness–Rum Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout with Vanilla Beans and Cacao Molé Darkness–Bourbon Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial … Continued
Craft beer has always been about the hops, and in recent years that emphasis has only heightened: Single hop IPAs, experimental varieties, otherwise normal people with jobs and families who get into heated arguments about the merits of Citra vs. Mosaic on the internet where other people can see it. That’s why we’d like to … Continued
Demand, meet supply. The craft beer world’s bottomless desire for IPAs and hop-forward beers shows no signs of abating. Surly shares that thirst, and our latest variety pack is primed to quench it. Hop-heavy flagships Furious and Xtra-Citra are joined by two new contenders for cooler space this summer. Rocket Surgery A question our brewers … Continued
We encourage you to enjoy the impossibly refreshing Grapefruit Supreme all on its own. The bright flavor, gentle tartness, and crisp, citrusy finish make it an unbeatable crusher. That said, Surly’s in-house cocktail enthusiasts have also found it to be the perfect mixer. From basic drinks to complex cocktails, is there anything Grapefruit Supreme can’t … Continued
With certain beers, you just know. Surly wanted to brew a fruit-forward, lower-ABV beer for its second variety pack of 2019. It would be in market when spring started turning to summer and would be an ideal complement to the warmer weather. Many of our brewers are fans of German radlers, the oldest of old-school, … Continued
Seasonal summer beers, particularly in our part of the world, are often paired with bucolic imagery of lakes and cabins and canoes. We love a good pontoon beer too, but there’s another part of summer up here. The concrete and steel and heat of a city in the summer deserves a beer to call its … Continued
It’s time to make it official: Surly is expanding distribution to St. Louis starting the week of June 10. The initial launch will be draft-only, with bars and restaurants pouring core brands like Furious and Axe Man for Surly Nation’s newest outpost. “I’m not sure there is a market where we get more requests to … Continued
Surly loves a good, dark Mexican-style lager–we’ve even gone so far as to collaborate with our friends at Cerveceria Transpeninsular on one. Sun King Brewing out of Indianapolis shares that affection, along with our interest in what would happen if you tweaked this very traditional beer with a smack of dry-hopping and letting the situation … Continued
The people have spoken, and our May BC Small Batch launch will be (drum roll sound) exactly the same as April’s BC Small Batch launch. Space Race, a double dry-hopped hazy double IPA, rocketed off store shelves this month, moving as fast as any previous BCSB release. We know hazy IPAs are an in-demand style, … Continued
Our April new release lineup is formidable, and rather than make you slog through a long introductory paragraph about hops and barley and the American West and the changing of the seasons, we’re just gonna tell you about ’em. Let’s go. SUMMER VARIETY PACK. We’re absolutely stoked for warm weather, and our Summer Variety Pack … Continued
If you’ve ever put quarters down to reserve a turn on the Donkey Kong machine, made Gretzky bleed in your dorm room, or done the Carlton Dance in Fortnite, you need to cancel whatever plans you’ve made and check out The Science Museum of Minnesota’s Game Changers exhibit. It follows the evolution of gaming from … Continued
Chromesthesia is a sense impression wherein someone hears a sound and sees/feels a color their brain associates with that audio cue. Often associated with genius, it seemed fitting to name our March BC Small Batch release Sound Into Color, as it’s a beautiful, brilliant beer. Complex, sweet-tart, and refreshing, this imperial kettle sour is brewed … Continued
Surly Rosé, our spring/summer smash of 2018, is back for 2019. The brainchild of Surly Head Brewer and unofficial rosé wine ambassador Ben Smith, this fruit-forward lager is unlike just about any other beer of its kind. Put another way, it’s a rosé-influenced beer that everyday beer drinkers like. “Over the last few years, we’ve … Continued
Intelligent Design, if you’re unfamiliar, is a series of beers where one of our brewers gets to play in the sandbox (metaphor, there is no sandbox at Surly Brewing) and make their beer, their way. #6 is from brewer Barry Faust. It’s called Yummi Bear. Who are you and where are you from? Barry Faust. … Continued
The post-funeral meal is an Upper Midwest constant. Mourners gather in a fluorescent-lit church basement to nibble on hotdish, drink weak coffee, talk about the weather, and go to town on the star of the show (no offense Uncle Earl you sold a lot of insurance RIP): the rich, decadent dessert bars crafted by the … Continued
We get a lot of questions online. Some are more consistent than others: “What are your hours?” “Where are you located?” “Is Ben going to grow his mustache back?” In the last couple years, though, nothing has been quite as constant as “So, is Surly going to brew a hazy IPA?” The polite answer has … Continued
Intelligent Design, if you’re unfamiliar, is a series of beers where one of our brewers gets to play in the sandbox (metaphor, there is no sandbox at Surly Brewing) and make their beer, their way. #5 is from brewer Brenton Tuominen. It’s called Osmotar’s Forest Mild. Who are you and where are you from? Brenton … Continued
So You Wanna Brew a Beer is a Surly pilot brewing program that allows non-brewhouse employees to experience the brewing side of the business. They’re fully immersed in the entire process, from formulating the recipe to sourcing the ingredients to creation. We even put some of it on in the Beer Hall for consumers–our last … Continued
The polar opposite of a hazy IPA, a “brut” IPA is effervescent as hell. They get the bejeezus hopped out of them, with none of the bitterness associated with a West Coast-style hop bomb. The fruit-forward aromatics sparkle and pop. And, they’re dry. Really, really dry. Not in an unpleasant way, and when you do … Continued
Our first variety pack of 2019 welcomes the new year with a couple flagships, a favorite from 2018, and a new beer that embraces our Minnesota roots. The Thaw Pack is designed for these post-holiday months, as we trudge our way out of winter’s grip. There will be days where the temperature sneaks above freezing … Continued
The 2019 Surly Brand Calendar is early this year (for us, anyway). The reason? We didn’t want to wait and tell you about all the good shit. Here’s what’s what: WE’RE CANNING A HAZY IPA Don’t bury the lede, as they say. It’s called One-Man Mosh Pit, and it joins our year-round roster of beers … Continued
Grindcore is a ferocious blend of heavy metal and hardcore punk. It’s also the ideal name for our final BC Small Batch release of the year, a ferocious blend of in-your-face coffee flavor and subtle stout sweetness. If you’ve been to the Destination Brewery lately, you’ve noticed that we have a hell-ton of beers tapped … Continued
The haunting images and rising death toll from California’s Camp Fire are almost too much for anyone to process. The scale of the damage defies comprehension, and the need to assist survivors is immediate and ongoing. No one understands this more than our friends at Sierra Nevada Brewing, as the Camp Fire happened in their … Continued
Hopheads are some of our favorite people. They’re like this obsessed (in a good way) network of beer-loving thrill-chasers who always alert each other when the next object of their affection hits shelves or goes on draft nearby. It is our pleasure, then, to contribute to their next text chain/Facebook group chat, as they can … Continued
The final Surly variety pack of 2018 lands this week, and it’s ideally suited to the coming months. We call it the Frost Pack, and it’s crafted to pair with the features of the season. As with previous variety packs, beers-for-all-seasons Furious and Xtra-Citra are included, along with two new ones exclusive to the 12-pack. … Continued
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 … Continued
Key words and phrases you need to know about the 2018 version of WET. 6000 POUNDS: The amount of Citra hops that were harvested at Gasseling Ranches south of Yakima, Washington. A GIANT DAMN TRUCK: Where the fresh hops were placed after harvest. DWIGHT*: The truck driver who drove these hops from Yakima to our Brooklyn … Continued
“The trouble with a lot of triple IPAs is that I’ve never really had one I liked.” This, from Surly Head Brewer Ben Smith, was the hurdle to clear for making 3DH, the triple IPA that’s our latest BC Small Batch offering. “Finding one I truly liked was difficult,” said Smith. “They’re under-attenuated, too boozy, and … Continued
Surly built its reputation on hops, even when that wasn’t the cool thing to do. (The Minneapolis bar owner who spit Furious out in front of Omar is foundational brewery lore.) Still, we hopped and dry-hopped and double dry-hopped the hell out of our beers, despite living among a radical sect of Scandinavians who think … Continued
Our new BC Small Batch beer started as an attempt to solve a Beer Hall problem. The quandary: How to accommodate celebrants hoping to raise champagne toasts at our Destination Brewery for various weddings, birthdays, and graduations. This is extraordinarily difficult when you’re a Beer Hall, not a Champagne Hall. Our brewers got to work. … Continued
We’ve spent the last couple weeks featuring the most talked-about part of our 2018 Darkness Day blowout in Somerset: Darkness variants. We’ve experimented with complementary flavors for our Russian imperial stout in the Beer Hall and at select beer festivals, but never before to this extent. To say we’re excited to roll these out to … Continued
Surly Brewing’s Dave McGrath wasn’t even born out west. “I was raised in Miami, Florida, then I went to Wisconsin for college.” The journalism major-turned-homebrewer-turned-professional brewer found himself working in Minot, North Dakota, during the height of the Bakken Oil Boom. The boomtown atmosphere reminded him of the mother of all booms: the California Gold … Continued
The back-to-school sales are in full swing. The Vikings are practicing. The shuttered Circuit City by the mall is festooned with a COMING SOON: HALLOWEEN SUPERSTORE! banner. That’s right: The State Fair is near. Minnesota’s annual celebration of caloric intake and sitting on bleachers to watch local newscasters do their jobs kicks off on Thursday, … Continued
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring the most talked-about part of our 2018 Darkness Day blowout in Somerset: Darkness variants. We’ve experimented with complementary flavors for our Russian imperial stout in the Beer Hall and at select beer festivals, but never before to this extent. To say we’re excited to roll these out … Continued
Barrel-Aged Oat Wine, or BAOW, is an updated take on an old favorite. Roughly based on the recipe for Surly Eight, BAOW adds some tweaks and a hell of a lot of oats for a highly drinkable beer that still packs a punch. We turn the floor over to Surly Head Brewer Ben Smith for … Continued
What is the next hazy IPA? While that style shows no signs of slowing down (this is where we point out that we have a rotating series of them on tap in our Beer Hall), the beer nerd in your life can be found arguing in Beer Advocate comment threads about craft beer’s newest “it” … Continued
We have not one but two BC Small Batch Beers hitting the market this week. In addition to Rosé, we’re canning another Beer Hall favorite, Mosaic Kettle Sour. Summer is ideal for a fruit-forward beer. Mosaic Kettle Sour fits the profile perfectly. Only there’s no fruit. Our brewers have been trialing kettle sours for a … Continued
Ben Smith is the Head Brewer at Surly’s Minneapolis facility. Ben Smith looks like someone with that title: black t-shirt, black jeans, black boots. (Granted, he was wearing a Western-style plaid shirt during this interview, but go with it.) Ben Smith also loves rosé. “I’ve been a wine drinker my entire adult life, and really … Continued
#MERICA, Surly’s pre-Prohibition American lager, is back. Defined by flaked corn and soft hop aromatics, it’s an easy-drinking summer beer ideal for lawn mowing, hot dog preparation, and observing sunsets in the backyards, patios, and front stoops of the greater Upper Midwest. We first brewed it in 2015 for the annual D4th of July Party … Continued
Here we go. The first two tiers of Darkness Day ticket packages are now available. A third, Darkness-less, general admission tier will be released closer to the party (which, as noted many times now, is Saturday, September 29 at Somerset Amphitheater in Somerset, Wisconsin). All tickets include a camping spot for you to use or … Continued
Roughly every Friday from now until Darkness Day Eve, we hope to share a little bit of news on the event, which you may have heard is taking place on Saturday, September 29 at Somerset Amphitheater in Somerset, WI. For the inaugural post, we want to start off with a bang. Here, then, is the … Continued
We hope you enjoyed the 17 hours of spring we got this year in the Upper Midwest. It was a wild ride and will be fondly remembered by us all. We’ve heard some places get a few months of mild weather between howling blizzards and stifling humidity, but that sounds real unlikely. With summer apparently … Continued
The big pile of snow/crud in the Sears parking lot is gone. Road construction makes your phone’s traffic app more important than significant family members. The shovels and winter coats are put away WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. Welcome to summer, Minnesota. Surly is celebrating the three months where we can safely go outside with … Continued
We love our Brooklyn Center brewery. This is not to say we don’t love our big, shiny Prospect Park brewery. It’s what brings the world Furious and Xtra-Citra and hog frites and pizza, it’s where people bring their excellent dogs to the beer garden in the summer, and it was a primary reason for changing … Continued
Our latest collaboration started like this: Let’s make a hazy IPA, only clear. This thought occurred, as such thoughts often do, at Grumpy’s in northeast Minneapolis. Surly’s Ben Smith and Fair State’s Niko Tonks were kicking back after work and talking about Fair State’s successful experimentation with hazy IPAs. Like Ben and fellow Head Brewer … Continued
Intelligent Design, if you’re unfamiliar, is a series of beers where one of our brewers gets to play in the sandbox (metaphor, there is no sandbox at Surly Brewing) and make their beer, their way. #3 is from brewer Robbie Denaway. It’s called Galactic Descent. It’s *shuffles papers, looks closely, looks again* …a hazy IPA. … Continued
Minnesota United second season of professional soccer is underway. It’s only right that Rising North Pale Ale, the official beer of Minnesota United, returns for its sophomore campaign as well. “Being able to partner with the team and MLS on this is fantastic,” says Surly Brewing owner Omar Ansari. “The fact that casual fans and the … Continued
Surly’s QC Boss Riley Seitz writes about the creation of The Familiar. “Proud” is the first word that comes to mind when I taste The Familiar, along with tart, juicy, fresh, crisp, citrusy, and bright. The Familiar is the product of learning, teaching, sharing, and curiosity. In collaboration with the Witch Hunt, we at Surly … Continued
We have a new year-round, draft-only beer. It’s called Grindcore. Here’s what you need to know. It’s a nitro espresso milk stout. The nitro aspect provides a creamy, velvety mouthfeel that sets it apart from a CO2 beer. Expect full coffee flavor with the rich, slightly sweet body of a stout. “We’ve brewed several coffee … Continued
We knew Glen Perkins was retired. We knew he liked to brew beer. And we knew we wanted to brew a beer that we could pour at Target Field (where Glen used to work) and the bars and restaurants in the area for Opening Day and beyond. We asked him if he wanted to a … Continued
An old Minneapolis bus station. An abrasives factory in the ‘burbs. From these humble beginnings sprang the last great rock club in the country and one of America’s leading craft breweries. A collaboration just makes sense. First Avenue and Surly Brewing are proud to present +1, an easy-drinking, classic-style golden ale ideal for the Mainroom, … Continued
When we started canning and distributing 12 oz. 12-packs in 2017, the response was twofold: Alright, 12-packs! Surly rules! Where’s the variety pack? The first response was heartening. We like compliments. Thank you. The second response was understandable, because why choose between Furious and Xtra-Citra when you can have both? That’s why we’re pleased to … Continued
We just celebrated our 11th anniversary. We’re gearing up for our 12th. But before we get to that, we’d like you to revisit an old friend. As you may recall, Surly TEN was an old ale aged on sassafras wood, with toffee, sherry, and caramel malt flavors. The wood-aging imparted a boatload (non-brewing term) of … Continued
The 2018 Surly Brand Calendar is brimming with surprises, new beers, and what we in the brewing industry call “cool shit”. We can’t wait to share it with you. Here’s what’s what: VARIETY PACKS When we started canning and distributing 12 oz. 12-packs, the response was twofold: Alright, 12-packs! Surly rules! Where’s the variety pack? … Continued
There are three things you need to know about Hopshifter, Surly’s newest year-round beer: It’s a new IPA. From Surly. That should be enough, but we committed to three things in the first sentence. It’s crafted to reduce gluten. The next one you have may very well be different from this one. Let’s address the … Continued
It’s nice to be able to answer the questions you get on social media in a positive, affirmative manner. Sometimes you simply can’t: To the person on Instagram who asked us to distribute Furious to all 50 states and sell it out of pop machines, the former will take some time, and the latter is … Continued
Pentagram is our dark sour ale, fermented on Brett and aged in red wine barrels for 18 months. What Barrel-Aged Pentagram does is take it one step beyond. After its 18 months are up, this Pentagram is moved from the wine barrel to the rye whiskey barrel, where it sits and thinks about what it’s … Continued
UK-based Simpson’s Malt was founded in 1862, and over five generations, the Simpson family has provided their malting expertise to breweries and distilleries the world over. Their base of operations, Berwick-upon-Tweed, is a city on the England/Scotland border, and its name could not be more appropriate. “Ber” is Old English for barley, while “wick” is … Continued
Wet hop beers are worth the trouble. You have an incredibly limited window in which to brew them. The farther away you are from the hop fields, the more hoops you jump through to make it happen. Your brew team and equipment get pushed to their limits. The result, through planning, skill, and a big … Continued
You line up for Darkness Day. You get your wristband. You purchase your allotment of 2017 Darkness. Now what? Given that you’re at a brewery, and you maybe want to cellar those bombers, can we suggest trying some of the other beer we made for the occasion? Many of which are Darkness Day exclusives? We … Continued