Surly Blakkr

Surly is one of the preeminent brewers in the Minnesota area and I try to drink their beer whenever I get a chance. The Blakkr is a collaboration between Surly, Three Floyds, and Real Ale. It's an Imperial Black IPA. You get some pineapple in the smell...this is one of the best smelling beer's I've ever had. It just smells wonderfully drinkable. The taste does not disappoint either. This is a beer that defines the word beer. Supposedly tastes of black licorice but I'm not sure I noticed that much. Instead I tasted a lot of rye and hops. This beer is about as black as a beer can get so it's aptly named. I'll drink more and I'll drink more soon.

Surly Cynicale

Surly usually doesn't let me down. This Cynicale is really good, but I just drank that Founders Imperial Stout and I think it's having an impact on my opinion of this beer. After that thick, luxurious, Imperial, this ale lacks a little, It's a real good beer though. Here's the thing...look at that picture. I fit the entire can in that glass without spilling a drop. It was a PERFECT POUR. People go through their whole lives without a pour like that. Where the beer goes slightly over the lip of the glass but never dribbles out. AMAZING. Beer'd Baron you've done it again you handsome devil!

Oh yeah, the beer. Good, almost great. A saison to the definition of the term. 6.5 on the Drinkenscale but doesn't have any real alcohol flavor so a very drinkable beer for anyone.

Seriously though..that pour. Just amazing.

Surly Hell - Is It The Perfect Wednesday Beer?

A Helles Lager (Hence the clever name) Hell apparently means "bright" in German and I think that suits this beer quite well. I call it the perfect Wednesday beer because it's a low 4.5 on the Drinkenscale and is really easy to drink. The kind of beer you can drink during the week and still get up feeling fresh in the morning for work. If you want to drink all day, you can absolutely do worse than a Surly Hell. Surly is one of the better Minnesota craft brewers and I've yet to dislike any of their beer. They do some really heavy beers and some really experimental beers. Surly Hell is proof they can brew. It takes a lot more skill to brew an excellent light beer than it does to brew a heavy full flavored beer. Surly takes their craft very seriously, and it shows in their finished product.