Surly Hell

The Surly Brewing Company is in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota and currently only distributes itself in the greater Twin Cities area.  It is fair to say that Surly is one of the most talked about and coveted brewers at the current time.  Their beers are consistently delicious and flavorful.  They are about to undergo a huge multi-million dollar expansion, building a larger brewery and destination taproom.  The exact location in the Twin Cities metro area is still being worked out.


"Beer for a Glass, From a Can"  


From the can: "Finally, a Surly beer my German mother will drink. She says this one tastes like a bier from back home. Not unlike a Zwickel Bier from Germany, Hell is not filtered and fermented with lager yeast. American hops takes a back seat to the Pils malt sweetness and fresh bread aroma. The color is well... hell (Deutsch for light). It's fiendishly drinkable, and you don't have to sell your soul to get another."


The beer is 4.5% ABV and pours a pale golden yellow in color.  There is a short half-inch head of pure white foam.  The head dissipates with medium rapidity and leaves light lacing down the glass.  The aroma is clean and aromatic, citrus zest, fruity yeast, sourdough bread and golden grain, with a touch of fresh tall grass.  The taste is light and tartly fruity, yeast, and sourdough bread as in the aroma.  There is also citrus zest and a touch of honey sweetness.  It is nicely carbonated, giving a crisp mouthfeel.  The finish is quite dry.