Surly Announces 2025 Darkness Day Details

Here we have the full details od 2025 Darkness Day 2025 from Surly Brewing in Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center, Minnesota:

Created by the fans, curated by Surly, crafted for everyone who loves beer, metal, punk, fire, spectacle, and art, Darkness Day returns this Saturday, October 4th,  at 11AM (the line forms…earlier). We’ll celebrate the first sip of 2025 Darkness along with variants, vintages, collaborations, and so much more.


What started as a hearty band of craft beer diehards shivering in a wind-whipped suburban parking lot is now one of America’s most beloved beer festivals.


Welcome to Darkness Day.


(Also, if you haven’t ordered a bottle package yet and want to make sure you get the variants, order below.)


PREORDER NOW


 
TIMED TAPPINGS!

11:00AM: 2025 Brewers’ Darkness Variants
Dark & Plenty (vanilla, licorice root), Casey Wellman
Mexican Hot Chocolate (chili, caramel, cacao, cinnamon), Matthew McKenna
Jelly Donut (raspberry puree, vanilla), Andrew Rothrock
Dad’s Coffee (coffee, as you might’ve guessed), Matthew McKenna  


Noon: 2025 Darkness Variants & Collabs
Horchata Darkness (Joe Nourse)
Midnight Mint Darkness
Surly x Schell’s Darkness Collab (aged in Evan Williams Bourbon barrels, Tattersall Bitter Orange barrels)


1:00PM: 2020 Darkness Variants
Vietnamese Coffee Darkness
Mole Darkness
Double Vanilla Darkness


2:00PM: 2021 Darkness Variants
Blueberry Crumble Darkness
Midnight Manhattan Darkness
Gimme S’Mores Darkness


3:00PM: 2023 Darkness Variants
Parker’s Heritage Heavy Char Darkness
Cold Smoked Cherry Darkness
Coco Nitro Darkness


4:00PM: 2024 Darkness Variants
Cola Darkness
Limoncello Darkness
Double Barrel Darkness


We’ll also be selling and sampling vintage bottles and cans from throughout our history. Looking to complete a Darkness/Anniversary vertical or see what our Bottle Project beers are all about? Come through!

 
BEERS ON TAP

In addition to 2025 Darkness and flagships like Furious, Axe Man, and Mosh Pit Hazy, we’ll be pouring some beers made especially for Darkness Day, including:


Fonio Fest Bier. A collab with Schell’s, this beer is crafted with fonio, an ancient grain known for its sustainability and tropical fruit notes. It’s unlike any fest bier you’ve ever had.
Crime Wave Lager, a crushable collab with Codefendants, who return to Darkness Day for their second appearance.
Motueka Cold Snacks Wheat Lager
Freak on a Leash Korn Lager (we held a few kegs back from SurlyFest, this one will blow fast)
And last, but definitely not least (drum roll please while you scroll down…)

THE BANDS!

The all-day, all-free Darkness Day music lineup is headlined by California melodic hardcore legends Strung Out. They’ll be playing their 1996 album, Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues, in its entirely, along with other favorites.


As per Darkness Day tradition, God Came From Space (led by elite Surly vet Sarah “Slayrah” Lawson) opens the proceedings, followed by Impaler, who have a band member that looks remarkably like Surly’s Zach Lindsey.


The rest of the day’s soundtrack is provided by metal legends Havok, the “rage-filled sparkle punk” of Iron Roses, DDay favorites Codefendants, punk rockers Bad Cop Bad Cop, and a double shot of Texas punk/garage rock from Radioactivity and The Marked Men before Strung Out takes the stage.


Watch our social channels later this week for set times (metal in the morning/early afternoon, punk later on) and one of the best concert posters we’ve ever seen.


BAND BIOS


 
ACTIVITIES AND VENDORS

Not only are our friends at Southside Battletrain returning with their interactive art installations, but if you’re looking for vintage vinyl, a new tattoo, or art from Darkness artists past and present, we have you covered:
Caydence Records
2.22 Tattoo
Vintage band tees from the incredible Lori Barbero
SGAD Nonprofit partner, Bridging
Live art from John Bivens, Surly’s 2025 Darkness Artist
Art and signings from previous Darkness artists Adam Sward, Adam Miller, Justin Boehne, Justin Bergo, and Michael Iver Jacobsen

 
REMEMBER TO EAT SOMETHING

In addition to our overhauled Beer Hall menu, we’ll have live fire cooking and the Surly Food Truck stationed in the Beer Garden from 11am-5pm, plus a special Darkness-inspired pizza in Surly Pizza Upstairs.


Live Fire Offerings
Lamb Shawarma
Chicken Shawarma
Pork Belly on a Stick
Beef & Barley Stew


Surly Food Truck
The Crack Stack: Pork, white BBQ sauce, pickles, habenero cheese-dusted chicarron
The Multi Beast: Brisket ropa, bacon, cheese sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion
Swine & Nourishment: Mac & cheese, pulled pork, green chili, onion, jalapeno, cilantro
Fowl Joint: Smoked turkey leg


Surly Pizza Upstairs
Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodge: Roast beef, Darkness jus, bleu cheese, gruyere, caramelized onion, mozz, garlic oil, chives


(Swine & Punishment, our new hot sauce, will also be available for sale at the Food Truck and in our retail store.)

 
DARKNESS DAY EVE

If you simply can’t wait until Saturday and you’re in the neighborhood, stop by Stub & Herbs in Dinkytown on Friday for the annual Darkness Day Eve Tap Takeover, featuring a 2025 Darkness preview along with other Surly favorites!