Surly Ten

The Surly Brewing Company originated in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and now also has a destination brewery in Minneapolis. This was the special release for their tenth anniversary year. It is an old ale aged on toasted sassafras. 

The beer pours a very dark brown with dark ruby. There is a short head of tan head. The aroma is bright, tangy, dark fruits, dark caramels and toffee, a bit of pine, and herbal with the sassafras. The taste follows the aromas, but richer, deeper, lots of caramel, toffee and dark fruits, still the astringency and tang of light pine, along with the herbal of the sassafras. It is sweet, but finishes nearing dry. It is also spicy in the finish, but with low bitterness. The beer drinks warming, smooth, with a body whose weight is up to the full flavors without being overly heavy. This is a very nice old ale.