My second foray into the world of Surly beers was their CynicAle, which is something of a stylistic chameleon. It is perhaps best described as a Belgian saison-like brew or, as the brewery describes it, "a new school style". Whatever the case, it has French barley, English oats, Belgian yeast, and Slovenian hops which sounds like an interesting mix to me.
CynicAle is a mighty pretty beer with clarity and a golden/light amber color. The head was thick'n'rich with big bubbles. The smells here are quite a mix with yeasty bread commingled with grassy/floral scents and fruit, namely, raisins. On the palate, it was a similar situation. The brew was sweet at first with a bit of raw bread dough flavor and peach. But then came the hops with their spiciness that had hints of pepper. At the finish there was smoothness and some floral hoppiness. Surprisingly the mouthfeel was fairly thin. For whatever reason, I was expecting something a bit heavier. Perhaps it was the color or the sweetness of that first sip. I don't offer this as a complaint, mind you, because I think this made it all the more quaffable on a hot day.
All in all this is a very tasty beer. I really enjoyed the peppery vs. fruity dichotomy here and it was quite refreshing. However, it does weigh in at 6.7% ABV so it's not exactly suitable for extended sessions of refreshment.
Junk food pairing: CynicAle goes well with Snyder's Honey Mustard & Onion Pretzel Pieces.
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