The Chicago Tribune called Abrasive “a throwback IPA” waaaaaay back in 2018, and if anything, it’s even more true today. You don’t get a lot of IPAs this aggressive in 2023.
Minnesota’s first double IPA, Abrasive takes its name from the Sparky Abrasives factory, the ancestral Brooklyn Center home of Surly Brewing. And yet, for a beer this bold, this proudly bitter, this, well, abrasive, it’s startlingly approachable.
An unreasonable amount of Citra hops, along with their attendant citrus-y, tropical notes (grapefruit, melon, pineapple, and papaya), provide Abrasive’s foundation. The unconventional addition of flaked oats balances the bitterness and lifts Abrasive to heights few other beers scale. It’s one of the best double IPAs in America, full stop.
The particulars:
- ABV: 9.2%
- Bitterness: High.
- Color: Hazy gold.
- Hops: Citra. So much Citra. Plus some Warrior for bittering.
- Malt: 2-Row, Golden Naked Oats, Acidulated, Flaked Oats
- Yeast: English Ale
Abrasive makes its annual return to stores and draft lines this week. Look for it on tap or in 4-packs of tallboys wherever Surly is sold.
