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 develop in some tequila barrels.
The product of that curiosity goes by the name Electric Sombrero of Death. It’s both our latest collab with a fellow independent craft brewer *and* our newest BC Small Batch beer.
Surly and Sun King brewers raising a toast at the 2019 Firestone Walker Invitational.Electric Sombrero of Death amps up the already rich character of the style with an imperial malt backbone. To keep the beer from being a full-on tequila bomb, a third of the batch was aged in 5-year tequila barrels and the remainder dry-hopped on Citra, Sabro, and Bravo hops, then blended after the barreling process finished.
The result is a surprisingly subtle and remarkably easy-drinking imperial lager that checks in at 9% ABV with a ruby brown pour. Expect aromatic notes of caramel, brown sugar, chocolate, and (duh) tequila, with the hop bill balancing the inherent sweetness of the style.
Electric Sombrero of Death is available to all U.S. Surly markets. Indiana—Sun King will have some on draft, check with them on dates/times.
