Beer of the Weekend #924: +1

Bobblehead came over to my place recently and helped christen my deck with good conversation and frosty beverages. He left two cans of +1, brewed by the Surly Brewing Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in my fridge as a housewarming gift, so I decided to crack one open and try it this weekend.

Surly +1

The color is golden (as promised) and features a light haze. A finger of beige, buttery, dense head settles slowly and evenly.

The aroma is zesty, spicy, and earthy. Along with lemon, there are scents of rye, hay, light malt, and corn. (Rye is an aroma and flavor I sense often with beers brewed in Minnesota.)

The flavor follows suit. It is zesty with lemon citrus, and also features rye, earthy hops, a touch of hay, and corn. The bitterness works the taste buds and lingers on the tonsils and the back of the throat. Though the Surly website says +1 has “low bitterness,” it is quite bitter for someone who has not drunk much beer in the last five months. It mellows slightly as the pint warms, though the bitterness still tends to creep.

Fun facts about +1:

-Style: Surly calls it “Golden Ale.” There seems to be a lot of discussion about whether golden ale is just a rebrand of blonde ale.

-Price: Having a mortgage.

-Alcohol content: 5.1 percent ABV.

-IBU: Surly pegs the IBU as “Low.” That’s it. No number.

-Calories: 204 per 16-ounce can (estimate).

-+1 is brewed in collaboration with the First Avenue nightclub in downtown Minneapolis, “the last great American rock club.”


The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.

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