Surly Releases Darkness Variant Details: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cherry Vanilla, Tattersall Fernet Barrel

We brought you a peek at all of the variants, and now this update from Surly:

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring the most talked-about part of our 2018 Darkness Day blowout in Somerset: Darkness variants. We’ve experimented with complementary flavors for our Russian imperial stout in the Beer Hall and at select beer festivals, but never before to this extent. To say we’re excited to roll these out to the Darkness Day faithful is an understatement.

TODAY’S SUBJECT: Bourbon barrel-aged Darkness with vanilla bean and cherry added.

BARRELS: First-use (for beer) bourbon barrels. “Having access to first-use barrels is always exciting for us,” says Head Brewer Ben Smith. “The interaction between Darkness and the barrel is hard to top.”

FLAVORS: Vanilla bean (“Vanilla is ridiculously expensive right now,” says Smith. “Don’t tell Omar.”) and cherry puree. Both ingredients are being added during the barrel-aging process, spiking the cherry notes of the traditional Darkness flavor/aromatic profile (cherry, chocolate, coffee, raisin, and toffee) and adding a wave of vanilla sweetness.

AVAILABILITY: As noted, all three variants are exclusive to Darkness Day, and that variant ticket package is right here. Camp out, enjoy the show, check out the guest breweries, take part in the bottle share, and/or just bring them home and enjoy. We’re not your mom (but you should definitely party with us).

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring the most talked-about part of our 2018 Darkness Day blowout in Somerset: Darkness variants. We’ve experimented with complementary flavors for our Russian imperial stout in the Beer Hall and at select beer festivals, but never before to this extent. To say we’re excited to roll these out to the Darkness Day faithful is an understatement. Last week, we covered the bourbon barrel-aged cherry vanilla variant. This week…

TODAY’S SUBJECT: Rum barrel-aged Darkness with coconut added.

FLAVORS: Toasted coconut is added after the barrel-aging process. Combined with the rum aspect of the barrel and the traditional Darkness flavor/aromatic profile (cherry, chocolate, coffee, raisin, and toffee), expect an almost candy bar-like sweetness.

AVAILABILITY: As noted, all three variants are exclusive to Darkness Day, and that variant ticket package is right here. Camp out, enjoy the show, check out the guest breweries, take part in the bottle share, and/or just bring them home and enjoy. We’re not your mom (but you should definitely party with us).

We’ve spent the last couple weeks featuring the most talked-about part of our 2018 Darkness Day blowout in Somerset: Darkness variants. We’ve experimented with complementary flavors for our Russian imperial stout in the Beer Hall and at select beer festivals, but never before to this extent. To say we’re excited to roll these out to the Darkness Day faithful is an understatement. We’ve covered the bourbon barrel-aged cherry vanilla variant and the rum barrel-aged coconut variant. The third and final variant is…

TODAY’S SUBJECT: Tattersall fernet barrel-aged Darkness.

THE BARREL: These are first-use fernet barrels from highly-regarded Minneapolis distillery Tattersall. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with a local distillery on this one,” says Surly Head Brewer Ben Smith. “It will not be the last barreling project we do with them.”

FLAVORS: Tattersall’s fernet uses over 30 botanicals, spices, and herbs to arrive at its complex flavor profile, which can be roughly described as a very highly aromatic black licorice/anise. Paired with the traditional Darkness profile (cherry, chocolate, coffee, raisin, and toffee), it as close to a digestif version of our Russian imperial stout as you’re likely to find.

MORE ON FERNET: If you’d like to learn more about what is essentially the Argentine national drink, this Atlantic piece is a good primer.

AVAILABILITY: As noted, all three variants are exclusive to Darkness Day, and that variant ticket package is right here. Camp out, enjoy the show, check out the guest breweries, take part in the bottle share, and/or just bring them home and enjoy. We’re not your mom (but you should definitely party with us).