Surly Brewing
American craft beer brand
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
Surly Brewing Company is an American craft brewery founded in 2004 by Omar Ansari in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. It developed from Ansari's long-running interest in homebrewing and training associated with New Holland Brewing Company in Michigan and Todd Haug of Minneapolis's Rock Bottom Brewery. From its beginning, Surly differentiated itself through assertively flavored beers, strong branding, and an early emphasis on cans rather than bottles. Its initial market was the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, where limited production made the brewery's beers highly local and helped build a dedicated following often referred to as the Surly Nation. The brewery's best-known products include Furious IPA, a strongly hopped India pale ale; Darkness, a substantial imperial stout that became associated with annual specialty releases; CynicAle, a Belgian-style saison; Hell, a German-style lager; Bender, a brown ale; Coffee Bender, a coffee-inflected version of the Bender platform; and Overrated, another hop-forward beer. Product availability has varied by market and by release, with core beers distributed in cans and on draft and specialty beers appearing in limited quantities. Surly has also been associated with barrel-aged and other seasonal or experimental beers. Surly's growth was closely connected to changes in Minnesota alcohol law. In 2011, the company sought to build a large brewery, restaurant, and beer garden in Minneapolis, but state rules prevented a production brewery from selling beer directly for on-premises consumption in the way the proposed venue required. A campaign supported by brewery customers helped generate legislative pressure for a change commonly called the Surly Bill. Signed into law on May 25, 2011, the measure enabled the company to proceed with its destination brewery concept. Surly purchased an 8.3-acre site in Minneapolis's Prospect Park area in 2013. The property required environmental remediation, supported in part by Hennepin County grants, and was developed into a large brewing and hospitality complex. The Minneapolis facility opened in December 2014 and included a taproom, beer hall, restaurant, event space, retail operations, and outdoor areas. Its brewing system has a 100-barrel capacity, while the Brooklyn Center brewery uses a 30-barrel Sprinkman system. These venues extended Surly from packaged beer into food, live music, trivia, events, and beer tourism. Production grew rapidly in the early 2010s, reaching 21,000 barrels in 2012, 28,000 in 2013, and 47,757 in 2015. Distribution also expanded gradually. An early move into Chicago in 2010 was withdrawn so the brewery could reliably serve its home market, but Surly returned to the Chicago area in 2013. Distribution subsequently extended to Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and other states. The company was reported to distribute in 13 states, mainly in the Midwest but also including Colorado, Kansas, Texas, and Arizona, as well as some international markets. The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruption. In 2020, Surly announced 150 layoffs and indefinitely closed its Minneapolis beer hall, pizzeria, events center, and retail store. The company attributed the decision to an employee COVID-19 infection, public-health restrictions, and an 82 percent year-over-year decline in on-site sales. The announcement followed employees' stated intention to unionize with Unite Here Local 17, leading labor representatives to claim the closure may have been retaliatory and to file unfair-labor-practice charges. The union vote later failed by one vote in October 2020. Surly reopened its Minneapolis hospitality operations in June 2021. In 2025, Surly announced plans to open its first out-of-state taproom and restaurant in Grand Forks, North Dakota, through a partnership with Short or Tall Eatery and Drink Hall. The proposed 7,000-square-foot restaurant near the University of North Dakota campus was to include an outdoor patio and New Haven-style pizza. Surly Brewing Company is distinct from Surly Bikes, although an agreement permits the bicycle company to use the word "Surly" on its products.
History
Omar Ansari had been homebrewing since 1994 before establishing Surly Brewing Company in 2004. He gained additional brewing experience through an apprenticeship at New Holland Brewing Company in Michigan and worked with Todd Haug of Minneapolis's Rock Bottom Brewery as Surly began production in Brooklyn Center. The brewery initially served only the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area and was notable for packaging much of its beer in cans rather than bottles. This approach, combined with limited supply and strongly flavored beers, helped create a distinctive local identity. Surly explored broader distribution as its production increased, but expansion was cautious. An initial move into Chicago was reversed in 2010 so the brewery could maintain dependable supply in its home market. The company returned to Chicago in 2013, supplying more than 100 venues and retailers. Distribution later reached Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and other states. By the mid-2010s, Surly was reported to distribute in 13 states, with its footprint concentrated in the Midwest and extending to Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Arizona, and some international markets. A decisive turning point came in 2011, when Surly proposed a major brewery, restaurant, and beer garden project. Minnesota's three-tier alcohol system did not permit the proposed production brewery to sell beer on its own premises in the desired manner. Surly customers and supporters organized around the issue, while legislators including Jenifer Loon and Linda Scheid introduced changes in an omnibus liquor bill. Governor Mark Dayton signed the legislation on May 25, 2011. The measure became widely known as the Surly Bill and allowed the brewery to proceed with its destination venue. Surly purchased an 8.3-acre industrial property in Minneapolis's Prospect Park neighborhood in April 2013. The site had accumulated pollution through more than a century of industrial use; Hennepin County provided $2 million in environmental mediation grants. The resulting Minneapolis complex opened in December 2014. It complemented the original Brooklyn Center brewery with a 100-barrel brewing system, taproom, beer hall, restaurant, event facilities, retail space, and outdoor hospitality areas. Live music, trivia, food, and other events made the site a destination as well as a place to drink beer. The company expanded its production substantially during this period. Reported output rose from 21,000 barrels in 2012 to 28,000 in 2013 and 47,757 in 2015. The Brooklyn Center system is a 30-barrel Sprinkman installation, while the Minneapolis facility operates a 100-barrel system. Surly's portfolio centered on Furious IPA and Darkness, but also included CynicAle, Hell, Bender, Coffee Bender, Overrated, and seasonal, specialty, and barrel-aged beers. In 2012, Esquire included the canned version of CynicAle among its recommended canned beers. The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected Surly's hospitality business. In 2020, the company announced 150 layoffs and an indefinite shutdown of its Minneapolis beer hall, pizzeria, events center, and retail store. Surly cited an employee COVID-19 infection, government restrictions, and an 82 percent fall in on-site sales compared with the previous year. The announcement came shortly after employees announced plans to seek union representation through Unite Here Local 17. Some labor leaders characterized the closure and layoffs as potentially retaliatory and filed unfair-labor-practice charges. The union vote failed by one vote in October 2020, and the Minneapolis venue reopened in June 2021. Surly remained active after the pandemic disruption. In 2025, it announced plans to open its first taproom and restaurant outside Minnesota in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in partnership with Short or Tall Eatery and Drink Hall. The planned 7,000-square-foot location near the University of North Dakota campus was described as including an outdoor patio and New Haven-style pizza. Surly Brewing Company is distinct from Surly Bikes, although an agreement permits the bicycle company to use the word “Surly” on its products.
- 2025
Grand Forks venue announced
[1]Surly announced a planned first out-of-state taproom and restaurant in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
- 2021
Minneapolis hospitality venue reopens
[1]The Minneapolis venue reopened in June after the COVID-19-related closure.
- 2020
Pandemic-era layoffs and closures
[1]Surly announced 150 layoffs and closed its Minneapolis hospitality operations indefinitely.
- 2015
Reported production reaches 47,757 barrels
[1]Reported annual production reached 47,757 barrels during Surly's rapid-growth period.
- 2014
Minneapolis facility opens
[1]The new Minneapolis brewery and taproom opened in December.
- 2013
Minneapolis brewery site acquired
[1]Surly purchased an 8.3-acre Prospect Park property for its planned brewery and hospitality complex.
- 2011
The Surly Bill becomes law
[1]Minnesota changed brewery-sales rules, enabling Surly to develop a brewery with on-site beer service.
- 2010
Chicago expansion is withdrawn
[1]Surly reversed an initial Chicago distribution move to maintain reliable supply in its home market.
- 2004
Surly Brewing Company is founded
[1]Omar Ansari founded the brewery and began production in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.
- 1994
Omar Ansari begins homebrewing
[1]Founder Omar Ansari began homebrewing, preceding his later professional brewing work and the creation of Surly.
Products and positioning
An independent-minded, flavor-forward Minnesota craft brewery combining packaged beer, limited releases, and destination hospitality.
India pale ale
Furious IPA
Surly's signature India pale ale and one of its most recognizable beers. Furious represents the brewery's hop-forward, assertive approach and has served as a core packaged and draft offering across its distribution markets.
Imperial stout
Darkness
A substantial imperial stout associated with Surly's specialty-release program. Darkness is positioned as a robust, collectible beer rather than a light everyday lager and has helped establish the brewery's reputation for intense, cellar-worthy releases.
Belgian-style saison
CynicAle
A Belgian-style saison that was among Surly's early distributed beers. CynicAle was offered in cans and kegs and received national attention when Esquire included its 16-ounce canned format in a 2012 list of notable canned beers.
Lager
Hell
A lager in Surly's core portfolio. Hell provided a more restrained counterpart to the brewery's stronger ales and was distributed in draft and packaged formats as the company expanded through the Midwest.
Brown ale
Bender
A brown ale that formed part of Surly's regular range. Its malt-led style broadened the portfolio beyond IPAs and imperial beers and served as the base for the coffee-infused Coffee Bender variant.
Coffee-infused brown ale
Coffee Bender
A coffee-infused interpretation of Bender. The beer extends Surly's brown-ale platform with roasted coffee character and was included among products distributed in the Chicago market.
Hop-forward ale
Overrated
A hop-forward beer included in Surly's distributed portfolio. Overrated was among the canned and kegged beers supplied to Chicago during the brewery's 2013 market re-entry.
Controversies
2020
Labor dispute surrounding pandemic-era closures
After Surly announced layoffs and the closure of its Minneapolis hospitality operations, employees announced an intention to unionize with Unite Here Local 17. Some labor leaders alleged the action was retaliatory and filed unfair-labor-practice charges. The union vote failed by one vote in October 2020.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance
United States
Surly was featured on Guy Fieri's food and restaurant television program, providing national exposure for the brewery and its hospitality operation. The brewery received television exposure; specific commercial results are not documented in the supplied sources.
Outcome. The brewery received television exposure; specific commercial results are not documented in the supplied sources.
- 2011Surly Nation legislative campaign
Minnesota
Surly supporters advocated for changes to Minnesota's alcohol laws so the brewery could operate a destination brewery, restaurant, and beer garden with on-site beer sales. The legislation known as the Surly Bill was signed into law on May 25, 2011.
Outcome. The legislation known as the Surly Bill was signed into law on May 25, 2011.
Brand decisions
2025
Plan first out-of-state taproom and restaurantStrategyBackground
Surly sought to extend its destination-brewery model beyond Minnesota.
Action taken
The company announced a partnership with Short or Tall Eatery and Drink Hall for a planned venue in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Aftermath
The proposed 7,000-square-foot restaurant near the University of North Dakota campus was to include an outdoor patio and New Haven-style pizza.
2020
Close Minneapolis hospitality operations during the pandemicOtherBackground
Surly cited an employee COVID-19 infection, public-health restrictions, and an 82 percent decline in on-site sales.
Action taken
The company announced 150 layoffs and indefinitely closed its beer hall, pizzeria, events center, and retail store.
Aftermath
The venue reopened in June 2021, while the decision also became part of a labor dispute involving unionization efforts.
Year-over-year on-site sales change. Down 82 percent (2020 compared with 2019)
2013
Develop the Minneapolis Prospect Park complexStrategyBackground
Surly needed a larger production and hospitality site to support growth and direct customer experiences.
Action taken
The company purchased an 8.3-acre property and pursued environmental remediation before constructing the brewery and taproom.
Aftermath
The Minneapolis brewery and taproom opened in December 2014 with a 100-barrel brewing system.
Environmental mediation grants. $2 million (2013)
2011
Pursue a destination brewery and beer gardenStrategyBackground
The proposed approximately $20 million facility required changes to Minnesota's liquor laws before it could operate as intended.
Action taken
Surly worked with customers and legislators to support legal reform and later developed a Minneapolis brewery and hospitality complex.
Aftermath
The Surly Bill passed, and the Minneapolis facility opened in December 2014.
Proposed project cost. US$20 million proposed investment (2011)
2010
Withdraw from Chicago temporarilyStrategyBackground
Surly had limited production and prioritized dependable service in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul home market.
Action taken
The brewery reversed an initial Chicago distribution expansion.
Aftermath
Surly returned to Chicago in 2013 after increasing production.
Sources2 sources
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