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Risen

Virginia
United States
Risen Devils Backbone Surly Brewing Beer
Judges Ratings 
1 Review
84
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
34 / 40
Appearance:
5 / 6
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Description 

We created this oak-aged coffee beer with Surly Brewing Company. This lavish brown ale was brewed with over 100 pounds of locally roasted coffee and was rested on oak for a toasted finish with extra complexity.

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
8.4%
IBUs: 
50
Served at: 
50° F
Hops: 
Bravo
Malts: 
Superior Pilsen, Simpsons Brown, Simpsons Aromatic, Simpsons Medium Crystal, Flaked Oats
Judges Review 
Phil Farrell's picture
Judges Rating:
84
Aroma:
20 / 24
Appearance:
5 / 6
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20

After pouring, I'm greeted by a light brown beer that's clear around the edges but otherwise difficult to see through. The head is off-white and drops low, then sticks around, lacing the glass nicely. Roasty initially with an earthy coffee aroma being the most noticeable element in the nose. As it warms, there is nuttiness and biscuit graininess that creeps into the picture. The aromas are very homogenous. I can’t say I detect anything that speaks to wood or oak specifically. The coffee earthiness is also nutty, leaving a dry impression. The base malt has that brown malt graininess that's common in the bigger versions of the brown ale segment. The second wave of flavor is dark baker’s chocolate with generic fruit, and there is no noticeable hop flavor. The bitterness is medium-high but isn’t harsh, which is difficult to do when hop bitterness, roasted grains, oak and coffee gang up on your palate. Because of some alcohol warmth and a medium body with moderate carbonation, the beer is not creamy, and I didn’t expect it to be. There is some mild astringency that makes the beer seem just a little fuller and more substantial than the actual body is. A pleasant beer concept that's executed well, however the flavors and aromas suffer from melding so well together that they actually get a little blurred. I only experienced one element at a time while drinking, rather than a complex layer of perceptions that sneak in at unexpected times. This collaboration will please the fans of brown ale as being more than a normal American Brown Ale, but it will likely disappoint many coffee or wood-aged beer connoisseurs.

Brewery Introduction

One might say the spark for the idea behind the brewery happened in 1992 with a visit to Cortina, Italy. Founders, Steve and Heidi Crandall were on a ski trip and were introduced to a German beer called Weihenstephan. This first real “craft” beer experience started a trend in the Crandall... Read More