All you have to do is mention the word Surly and beer geek’s eyes around the country begin to light up. This fairly small Minnesota-based brewery is known for releasing some of the country’s best craft beers. Furious, Abrasive, Coffee Bender, Four, Darkness, and the list keeps going. Most of these come in cans, too. Anyway, this beer in particular is their Smoked Porter (aptly titled Smoke). It was recently released in a very small number of waxed 750ml bottles. I was lucky enough to be able to get several, and thank God because this is one of the best smoked beers I’ve had. Very few smoked beers can bring the perfect amount of smoke that accentuates the beer moreso than taking it over. Smoke is one of these beers – its balance is the best I’ve had in the smoked category, and certainly the winner of this week’s “Smoked Beer Series.” Don’t take my word for it, though, find one for yourself and smoke up!
Check out all sessions of The Hopry here.
This beer can be found in these states.
On the iPod: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti “Round and Round”
Brewery: Surly
Beer: Smoke
Style: Porter
Location: Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
ABV: 9.5%
Rating: 95/100
Posted by Brian on April 23, 2010 at 3:00 PM
Hi Mark, I really enjoy the idea of having a beer style of the week. I enjoyed the smoked beer week, and look forward to Hop dedication week. One question I have is, would you consider doing a Barleywine week, maybe in the fall when it is cooler?
Posted by Jamison Moeckel on April 24, 2010 at 1:14 AM
yea I did enjoy smoked beer week and I look forward to hop week! yeah!
Posted by Ilya Feynberg on August 11, 2010 at 9:31 AM
I FULLY agree in regards to the idea that the smoke should not be the overwhelming and predominate flavor in the beer. Beer is beer, don’t take the beer out of the beer or try to hide it away. Does that make sense?
My friend has a bottle of this stuff aging a bit and we’re all dying to try it. Can’t wait! From what I’ve heard and read, the smell is just intoxicating.
Strange question though….how was the lacing on the glass? I couldn’t really tell from here. It was surprising to see the head more or less just flat line there.
Ilya
Posted by KevSal on April 22, 2011 at 1:52 AM
the “SMOKAAA”s at the end made this video my new favorite lol, i really need to get this beer pronto