Surly Working On Twenty Barleywine Ale For 20th Anniversary

Happy 20th Anniversary to Surly Brewing Company, the iconic Minnesota brewery rooted in both Minneapolis and Brooklyn Center. To mark this major milestone, Surly is preparing to release a special anniversary beer fittingly named Twenty Barleywine Ale, crafted to celebrate two decades of Surly Brewing (2006–2026) and its impact on the American craft‑beer landscape.

Twenty Barleywine Ale will be brewed and aged on French oak, adding layers of depth, warmth, and complexity to this celebratory release. Fans can expect a bold, full‑bodied barleywine showcasing rich malt character, oak‑driven nuance, and the kind of intensity that has defined Surly’s anniversary beers over the years.

This “big boy” will land at a commanding 12% ABV, making it a true sipper designed for sharing, cellaring, or raising a glass to Surly’s 20‑year legacy. The beer will be packaged in 750ml bottles, continuing the brewery’s tradition of releasing its milestone ales in large‑format, collectible packaging.

Stay tuned for full 2026 release details, tasting notes, and additional insights as Surly Brewing prepares to unveil Twenty Barleywine Ale in honor of its twentieth anniversary.

About Surly Brewing:

If this town needs a world-class IPA, we make it. If an antiquated law keeps us from selling the beer, we change it. If there’s no place big enough for us to gather together, we build it.

Creating change on that scale within our industry and our community takes an instigator. A touch of mischief, a lack of complacency, and the willingness to say, “Why not?” That’s Surly.

2006
Omar Ansari founded Surly Brewing Co. in a corner of his parents’ small abrasives factory in Brooklyn Center, MN. He decided to open a brewery for a couple good reasons:

1. To create the kind of beer he and other craft beer lovers wanted to drink, and
2. The hope that other adventurous souls would come along for the ride. His instincts were correct.
 
2014
Surly outgrew Brooklyn Center and we successfully changed the law, allowing us to open our (much larger, much newer) Minneapolis brewery on December 19, 2014. It was immediately apparent that there was unmet demand for a place like this.

As the kegs kicked and we pulled beers right off the canning line to serve the longest, happiest line we’ve ever seen, a new gathering space for our community and a new destination for visitors was established before last call.

Almost a decade later, an entire neighborhood has sprung up around our brewery and beer hall. Welcome to Prospect Park. We can’t wait to see you.
Surly Today.
 
Minnesota Craft Brewing Excellence
Surly is dedicated to production excellence, ensuring that our beer and beyond beer beverages offer a consistent, satisfying drinking experience.
 
Community Engagement
A meaningful connection with the community through events and sponsorships. We’ll get our brows sweaty and our hands dirty to deliver for those who need it.
 
Beer Hall
Look around. Our beer hall is an iconic destination for beer geeks, families, travelers, college kids, scary bikers, kindly grandmas, kindly bikers, and scary grandmas. They’re here to have a good time and a great beer.
 
Epic Events
It’s in our nature to chase the next big idea. To fuel connections by creating the best live music venue is just the latest move in our history of creating amazing experiences.
 
Our People
All the cool shit above? They make it so. And we’re pretty proud of how awesome they all are.
Find Our Beer
Find Surly at a location near you. We are currently distributed in 13 states (MN, WI, IA, ND, SD, IL, MI, MO, NE, CO, KS, TX, and AZ). Availability isn’t guaranteed so we recommend calling the retailer to confirm they have what you are seeking.

If you are looking for our distributors, please email: [email protected]

zzubreebym