Surly Coffee Bender

Tasting Notes

The aroma leads with cold-brew coffee and a mild roast character, backed by nutty, biscuity malt underneath. On the palate, dark chocolate and coffee grounds sit at the center, with enough caramel sweetness to keep things balanced rather than bitter. The body is medium, smooth without being heavy, and the finish is moderately dry with lingering roast. It drinks like a brown ale that was built around the coffee addition rather than having it thrown in as an afterthought.

About the Brewery

Surly Brewing is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was founded in 2006 by Omar Ansari. They were a significant force in pushing Minnesota to reform its brewery taproom laws, which had banned on-site sales — their lobbying effort became known informally as the Surly Bill. They're known for bold, assertive beers across a range of styles, with Furious, their American IPA, serving as their flagship alongside a well-regarded lineup of stouts and specialty releases.

Food Pairings

Smoked or barbecued brisket works well here because the coffee roast echoes the char on the meat without fighting it. A dark chocolate brownie or flourless chocolate cake mirrors the beer's cocoa notes and softens the roast edge. Aged cheddar or a sharp gouda provides enough fat and salt to balance the bitter finish. Pulled pork with a vinegar-based sauce also pairs cleanly, where the acidity cuts through the malt sweetness and keeps the palate moving.

Style Guide

American Brown Ale sits between a porter and a pale ale — it carries the nutty, toasty malt character of British brown ales but is typically drier, with more hop presence and less residual sweetness. The style runs roughly 4.5 to 6.5 percent ABV and features flavors of caramel, chocolate, and bread crust without the heavy roast of a stout or porter. American craft brewers in the 1980s and 90s helped define it as a distinct category, and additions like coffee or vanilla are common because the malt base supports them naturally. It's less bitter than an American IPA and less roasty than a porter, occupying a genuinely useful middle ground.