Week 50 of 52
Surly Bender
December 8th thru December 14th
Brewer's Description
This beer is an amalgamation of styles; brown/porter/apa. Five distinct malts, including two from Belgium, give this beer added complexity and depth. We also add oatmeal to this beer to give it a smooth texture not usually associated with this type of beer. We add large amounts of American finishing hops to give Bender a citrus hop aroma because... we like hops. This is a session beer weighing in around 5% alcohol and 25 IBUs. Grab one today, we think you will want another!
Overall Rating based on 4 reviews
4.38 of 5 stars
Brewery Information
Surly Brewing Company
Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
surlybrewing.com
Interesting Fact
Surly is now on Twitter and they have an official flickr group.
Photography
Courtesy of Erin Reichelt. View more on her flickr set.
Reviews | Learn More About the Brew52 Reviewers | Previous Beer | Next Beer
Rett says Bender is like your best friend
January 3rd, 2009
For me, the bottom line is that I will always choose a Furious over a Bender. Not that the two are really even in direct competition, they’re different styles of beer. It’s just that I love the extreme bite of a Furious so much. So it’s hard to pass that by and opt for a Bender. Of course if I were going to be drinking one after the other, Bender would be a much better companion. But typically when I have Surly it’s that I’m splurging on a 4 pack, and I want to savor them, so I’m only gonna drink one at a time anyway.
Here’s a good analogy I just thought of (mornings happen to be my most creative time): Bender is like your best friend. You can go over to his house and play war, video games, go skateboarding, etc, all day long. He’s awesome. But he’s got an even awesome-er older brother. When the older brother is around he’s kind of a dick to your best friend, but he’s just so damn cool, that you’ll join in and be a dick to your best friend, just so that Furious, I mean the older brother, thinks you’re cool.
Joe Lunchpail says Bender, but don’t break ‘er
December 19th, 2008
I absolutely love everything about Bender. The look, flavor, aroma-all of it. Deceptively smooth and expectedly delicious. It is a bastard child of a brown ale and a porter, with a little more hops than either bring to the table alone. I’d constantly keep this in the fridge if the price was a little bit easier on the pocket. Go on a bender with Bender and your wallet will certainly feel it too. But as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for. A premium price for a premium beer. Don’t let imminent economic meltdown make you drink crap beer, though. I think it was the Bible that stated, “Man cannot live on crappy beer alone.” Preach.
flashmcduff says Bender Rodriguez
December 18th, 2008
Synopsis: brown ale with a bite.
I’ll second the claim that it follows the Surly formula of taking a good beer and kicking in a few more hops just because. It has a complex flavor but is easy to drink and finishes smooth. I had it on tap with pizza…what could have gone wrong?
Josh says Follows the Surly Equation
December 8th, 2008
Take an ordinary oatmeal brown ale and add more hops then seems prudent, then add a bit more hops and you end up with Bender. I like Bender for the contrasting tastes and smooth finish. Also, the Surly beers are great for camping since they can be crushed and easily packed out when you’re done. Something we took advantage of last summer. Just be sure to take one glass because this is a beer for a glass… from a can.