Surly Bitter Brewer

Brewed with lots of Golden Promise and Pale Ale malts with a touch of Oats and light hazy gold in color. Ultra crisp bitterness from Warrior hops, with Glacier hops adding the peach,orange and apricot aroma. We dry-hopped this one because...we like hops.

3.5

451 reviews

Minneapolis, United States

Community reviews

3.2 Pours somewhat hazy apricot with a fairly thick eggshell head. Malty aroma has a strong hoppy hay overtone. Flavor has malty, hay, and subtle lemonade notes, definitely refreshing. Texture is, well, not much; still, it goes down well. Don’t surly, be bitter.

3.3 [Can] Bright golden pour with a slight haze to it. Aromas of grassy hops, bready malts and some caramel. Clean and crisp hop notes are the main feature in the taste. Some perfume, grass, sweet fruits and mineral notes as well. Light in body, but still quite flavorful.

3.0 Can to shaker. Nice clean crisp and citrusy hop profile. Sessionable deliciousness.

3.6 16oz can pours a hazy pale brown color without much head. Nice ESB style hop profile. Clean and refreshing.

3.5 Can. Color is hazy orange with solid white head. Big hop aroma slight citrus rind. Taste is slight bitter very light.

3.1 I’d probably call this an APA rather than a bitter but I don’t feel like arguing so whatever. This is a slightly cloudy orange beer w/ a head of white, fine bubbles. It smells really nice and fruity, definite peach and tangerine notes. It is a touch on the bland side when you taste it though, no real malt character comes through and it’s just a firm bit of bitterness in the finish. I think this might work OK as a light, refreshing beer but the texture is a bit full bodied for that. It drinks pretty easily w/ its mild carbonation but feels a bit too oily on the tongue for something that doesn’t have much depth of flavor. I don’t mind this stuff but I don’t see myself buying it again.

3.5 A crisp hoppy and lightly sweet beer. Light citrus aroma and taste (grapefruit, apricot, etc) finishes bitter, clean, and light. Refreshing and drinkable. Could be confused with a session ipa but is slightly different.

3.7 good stuff, especially at only 4%?! started out boring, just because i’ve been drinking lots of BIG beers lately, and big this is not. but it’s subtle floral aroma mixes well with the bittering hops and sweet fruity malt. well balanced too. i could have lots of these. one of my new favorite bitters"

3.2 Tap, amber pour, off white head, nose is caramel, taste is caramel, smooth, easy drinking beer.

3.7 Draft at the brewery! This has a pretty standard visual for a Bitter, amber and a bit of thin head. In a blind taste, I’d call this a even-keeled American pale ale. There’s a firm malty backbone, followed by a little fruit/woody twist. (#5650, 8/28/2014)

3.6 On tap at bait shop with hakes dr.. hazy orange copper pour.. diffrent taste and aroma .. Strange ...kinda dig it tho..

4.1 Tallboy. Pours a hazy rich golden color with a thin white head. Floral hop aromas. Taste is mineral water,earthy hops and pale malt. Quite good. Nice dry, bitter finish borders an APA.

3.5 16 oz can purchased from Binny’s. Pours a clear dark amber orange with many particulates floating in the glass creating a cloudy appearance. The thick white head settled down to a thin edge head and a tiny wisp atop the meniscus. Aroma is mild with dry hopped complexity - light orange citrus predominantly. Flavor is same with mild hops and light citrus. Light to medium bodied, bright carbonation and lingering ale yeast finish.

3.9 Draft at Bricks. Pours somewhat cloudy orange-amber with no head or lacing. Very mild hops in the nose. Grassy bitterness in the taste. Buttery mouthfeel. Lots of flavor for 4.1%.

3.6 Very nice floral hop aroma to start, pours a clear light orangish-amber with a thin white head. Fruity sweetness starts off the beer, changing to a lingering bitter finish. Very light bodied and easy drinking. A solid example of the style.

3.6 Poured a light golden color. Light sweet aroma. Interesting taste. It has this buttery characteristic that reminds me of Abrasive. Also has a gritty maltyness to it. It’s decent.

3.4 light beige head leaves no lacing. orangeblonde colour. aroma of orangeblossoms and bergamot. taste like aroma, quite crisp and drinkable with a fair bitter aftertaste. rather thin body, medium carbonation. can 50 cl

3.3 (Tasting sessions with Frank). Une canette qui porte la date suivante: 05/12/14. Un liquide ambré et embrouillé sur lequel flotte une mousse généreuse de son temps. Le nez est plein de houblons en feuilles, en fleurs et en fruits. La base maltée procure une certaine douceur qui n’affecte pas vraiment la présence houblonnée. En bouche, c’est beaucoup moins évident ou réussi. Les houblons sont nettement moins vigoureux et prennent l’eau. Les céréales sont ainsi lavées. En bouche, le liquide m’apparaît assez mince et bien pétillant. La finale montre des notes sèches qui s’estompent avec rapidité.

3.8 Aroma is fruit, citrus, tropical fruit and a hint of earthy malts. The flavor is tropical fruit, citrus, fruit, biscuit malts, fruit and a mildly bitter/tart finish. Leans toward ESB but definitely had APA qualities from the hops.

4.0 Pours a slightly hazy golden with white head. Pine, citrus and light fruits, and oats on the nose; follows onto the palate. A bit of malt on the finish with a touch of floral hops.

3.6 Light copper color... Aroma of earthy hops... Flavor is black and green tea, lots of earthy hop notes throughout... Enjoyable

3.3 47,3 cl can @ some park, Amsterdam. Rated on 15.07.2014 Aroma has apricot, hay, fruity hops and hints of toffee. Flavour has hops, toffee, minerals and some fruits (apricot). Quite British for an American beer. Solid and rich Bitter to be only 4%. Somewhat uninspiring though.

3.4 16 oz. can from De Bierkoning @ home. Clear amber color. Uneven off white head with reasonable retention. Aroma’s: at first strong resin, fresh flowery hops, later some fruit (mandarin?) and caramel malts. Fruity hops retronasal, somewhat resinous and bitter. Flavor is light bitter, light fruity. Body is rather thin. Finish seems rather tasteless, but eventually some bitterness and resin appear. OK, the strength of this beer is in the aroma rather than the flavor.

2.7 This pours a copper color but has tons of floaters. Thin and slightly off-white head. Very little lacing. Aroma is nice...hoppy with hints of fresh cut grass, watermelon and citrus. Mouth feel is very watery. Almost no taste but a bit of tart bitterness. A bit of a dank basement flavor.

3.8 Can: Gold & burnt amber, hazy throughout & topped with a frothy, chunky, eggshell cap. Lightly bitter, grassy & floral aroma. Very clean, inviting, light, but refreshing. Small hints of mildly bitter citrus peel, melon, hint of white pepper. Taste is as clean & crisp as the smell would indicate. Hop leaves, freshly cut grass clippings with a mild weediness. Lightly peppered grapefruit rind, hints of peach, floral hops, & a zesty finish leaning towards some toasted biscuit & baked bready malt. A light but lovely session beer, I wish this was available to me all the time. One of the easiest drinking beers you’ll find.

3.6 16 oz. can pours a hazy caramel/orange color with small white head but lots of lacing. Aroma has orange peel, apricot and toffee. Taste is as bitter as expected, with slight sweetness in the middle and a bit of mint in the bitter hoppy aftertaste. Body is light to medium with average carbonation and a slightly sticky mouthfeel. Easier to drink than I thought it might be. A very good ESB

3.7 Can. Distinct toast and marmalade aromas. Pretty bitter for the style, but still definitely an ESB. Very tasty. I quite like this.

3.7 Tap at Sweet Peas. Caramel colored with a thin white head and heavy lacing. Caramel, orange juice, and a light lemon rind hop background. Body has a light sweetness followed by the light bitterness. Body is watery.

3.6 Can at barely legal tasting room thnx to vincent Pours fuzzy orange small white head Smell is bitter , orangy . Taste is dry orange , bit bitter , some dusty character .

3.7 Can: Slightly hazy amber with a thick, beige head. Orange-peel, toffee aroma. Flavour is very malty..apricot, orange-cream. Very soft, nice gentle bittering and fruitiness. Really good.