Cheers to nine years!

Inspired by a recent trip to Bamberg, Germany. NEIN is brewed with oak-smoked wheat malt, fermented with German Hefe yeast and aged on charred oak. It’s a huge, complex, dark beer, delivering the intense flavors of smoked banana, vanilla and clove.

==Introduction==

Surly is one of those breweries that really stands on its own. An awesome complex and evil (in the demon theme) but deliciously good brewery that really stands out just like the Three Floyds. However, unlike Three Floyds, there is a sense of strong appreciation that is not overly hyped and yet consistently themed, especially since their beers maybe a little difficult but still obtainable if you are able to look hard enough. A world class brewery with so much to say about its awesome glory in the craft beer world that brings a lot of crazy awesome brews. Now for their 9th anniversary ale, it is my pleasure to bring it forth to the site. Cheers!

Aromas:
Smoked oak wood, dark chocolate, banana notes, clove spices, dark fruits like, raisins, figs, prunes, plums, cherry notes, oatmeal cookies, toasted coconut , fruit cake, brown sugar, clove spice, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, marshmallow smore hints, anise, and maple hints.

Flavors:
Dark chocolate, smoked biscuit, grilled bananas, plantain, clove spice, coriander spice, mint chocolate, rye bread, dark fruit raisins, figs, prunes, plums, cherry notes, blue berry notes, stone fruit peach, oatmeal cookies, molasses, anise, coffee cake, maple notes, dulce de leche, vanilla, biscuit bread, toasted coconut hints, flan, fruit cake, oak, smokey campfire, chocolate marshmallow smores, graham crackers, piloncillo sugar cone, banana nut bread, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie and boysenberry cobbler.

Aftertaste:
Smoked wheat, bananas, dark chocolate, earthy notes, clove spices, anise, fruit cake and oak. No alcohol in the taste, dark brown full body, creamy, smooth and chewy mouthfeel with a moderate to sipping drinkability.

Overall:
Exceptional beer reminiscent of an old favorite of mine called “Art of Darkness” Ommegang but also some other smoked heffs I had a while back. Unique as always still, Surly has made this one quite unite not being overly smokey but still being everything it can be from the banana clovey and spicy notes that I enjoy from lots of my German beers. An imperial German beer at that and very much full force in terms of flavors. Get this one while it lasts! Cheers!

Anime Corner:
Mari Illustrious, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Sohryu Langley/Shikinami from Neon Genesis Evangelion were used in this pairing as I wanted to pair mainly with the 3 lions and the multiple eyes similarly to the way the Evas (Humanoid/Alien Robots from the show) appear but also right down to their core which is what these 3 awesome girls represent. On one hand, you have each representing the lion, especially with Asuka being the German Japanese influencer, Rei the dark fruit and Smoking hot yet intellectually mixed Mari and the other the lions as robots and then them wearing the dresses. The whole point of the dresses was for a celebration!!!!