Surly Four

Four is the appropriately named 4th anniversary beer from Surly brewing. It is also the first of the anniversary brews that I have purchased. Yep, I missed out on One, Two, and Three. That's my own fault. However, even though I'm late to the party, I'm happy to help celebrate with this anniversary.

This beer is described by Surly as an iced double espresso milk stout. It has been brewed with espresso beans, roasted barley, and milk sugar. It's also been freeze concentrated. In this process, the beer is chilled enough that some of the water turns to ice and is removed. This concentrates the flavors and increases the alcoholic strength of the remaining beer. From my research, this brew is around 10% ABV.

Sorry about my picture for this beer. There are some flash reflections that are normally not present in my photos. I wasn't thinking and made a mistake with my lighting. You'd think I'd have it down by now, wouldn't you? Oh well. Let's get on with the session.

I cut the wax from the top of the 750 ml bottle, pry off the cap, and pour into my snifter. A 2 finger tan head is easily generated and gradually settles into a thin layer. The body is black in color and doesn't seem to let any light pass through.

I take whiff, and like what I smell. There is dark roasted coffee, some fruit, and a slight smokey aroma. I also detect something that's hard to describe; almost like the sweet smell of Whoppers candy. Alcohol is present, but not overpowering.

Complex flavors emerge on my first and second sips. Rich dark chocolate, coffee, subtle fruit, and smoke are all playing on my tongue. It then eases into a moderate bitterness that lingers for a while in the back of my mouth.

The body has a nice heavy viscosity which coats everything. There isn't much carbonation to speak of. A nice alcohol warmth shows itself immediately.

This is a big, bold, flavorful double stout. It has a lot of layers and complexity to the aromas and flavors which last well past after you swallow. It's very tasty, and would be great to share with someone on a cool evening because it would probably help you feel warm and cozy. I'm drinking it in warm, humid weather and it's making me sweat more than I already was. I guess a little moisture was worth it to drink a delicious brew. If you can find some of this, buy it and save it for the fall and/or winter. It should store well, and I know you'll enjoy it.