Surly Abrasive 4Pk

Surly Abrasive 4Pk is a 9% ABV Oatmeal Double IPA from Surly Brewing Co. in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, sold as a 4-pack of 16oz cans. This aggressive hop bomb earned a near-perfect 99 score on BeerAdvocate across nearly 5,000 ratings and was named among RateBeer's Top 100 Beers in the World in 2015—placing it firmly in the upper tier of American imperial IPAs.

Quick Facts: ABV: 9%  |  Origin: Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, USA  |  Style: Oatmeal Double IPA  |  Brewery: Surly Brewing Co.

Production & Heritage

Surly Brewing Co. launched in 2006 and quickly became one of the most influential craft breweries in the Upper Midwest. Abrasive is widely recognized as Minnesota's first double IPA, and its name nods to the old abrasives factory that originally housed Surly's Brooklyn Center facility. The grain bill is built on 2-row malt and Golden Naked Oats—an unusual addition that contributes a silky, full body uncommon in the style. Citra and Warrior hops drive the hop profile, fermented with an English ale yeast that lends a slightly fruity ester character alongside the citrus-forward hop punch. Original gravity clocks in at a hefty 19.5 Plato, and the beer pours a pale gold at roughly 5 SRM.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Candied grapefruit and tangerine hit first, followed by layers of ripe mango, melon, and pineapple. A subtle bready malt sweetness and sticky pine sap linger underneath the tropical hop explosion.

Taste: The entry is bright with lemon peel and grapefruit rind, moving quickly into sweeter tropical fruit—peach, melon, and mango at the mid-palate. Golden Naked Oats provide a cushion of bready, slightly biscuity malt that keeps the aggressive bitterness in check. Toward the peak, old-school IBU bitterness asserts itself with a chalky, resinous grip.

Finish: Long and decisively bitter, with lingering citrus pith and pine. A faint sweetness from the oat malt rounds out the close, preventing the finish from turning harsh.

How to Drink Abrasive

Pour Abrasive into a tulip glass or stemmed IPA glass at around 45–50°F to let the aromatic complexity fully open up. This is a beer designed for deliberate sipping, not fast drinking—its 9% ABV and layered hop character reward patience. If you enjoy hop-forward cocktails, Abrasive works in a Hop Shandy (mixed with fresh lemonade to amplify the citrus notes), a Michelada (where its bitterness and fruit push back against hot sauce and lime), or a Beer-a-Rita (blended with fresh grapefruit juice and a salted rim to mirror its dominant citrus profile).

Best For

• Sharing among hopheads who appreciate elite-rated imperial IPAs
• Pairing with grilled meats at a backyard cookout where bold flavors match bold food
• Gifting to a craft beer collector who values top-rated, regionally iconic brews
• Stocking for a curated IPA tasting flight alongside other high-ABV hop showcases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Abrasive taste like? Abrasive leads with explosive grapefruit, mango, and tropical fruit character backed by a bready oat malt sweetness and assertive, resinous bitterness. It drinks rich and full-bodied for a double IPA, thanks to the Golden Naked Oats in the grain bill.

How does Abrasive compare to Revolution Anti-Hero IPA? Anti-Hero is a standard-strength IPA (around 6.5% ABV) with a more restrained hop profile, while Abrasive is a 9% double IPA with significantly more malt weight and tropical hop intensity. Both are celebrated Midwest IPAs, but Abrasive occupies a bigger, more aggressive category with its oat-forward body and higher bitterness.

Is Abrasive good for sipping neat? Abrasive is best enjoyed on its own, poured into a proper glass at cellar temperature—its layered hop aromatics and complex malt backbone are built for slow, attentive drinking rather than casual session use.

Where is Abrasive made? Abrasive is brewed by Surly Brewing Co. at their facility in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, the same site originally housed in a former abrasives factory that inspired the beer's name.

What foods pair well with Abrasive? Spicy Thai curry mirrors Abrasive's tropical fruit and cuts through the heat. Sharp cheddar or aged Gruyère complement the bready oat malt. Grilled burgers with caramelized onions stand up to the beer's bitterness. Fish tacos with mango salsa echo the citrus and tropical hop notes. Dark chocolate brownies create a satisfying sweet-bitter contrast with the finish.

What sizes does Abrasive come in? Surly Abrasive is commonly available in 4-packs of 16oz cans, which is the standard format for this seasonal release.

Is Abrasive worth the price? Abrasive positions as a premium craft double IPA, and its BeerAdvocate 99 score and inclusion in RateBeer's global Top 100 place it among the best-valued elite-tier imperial IPAs available in a widely distributed 4-pack format.

Why Abrasive?

Surly Abrasive holds a 99 on BeerAdvocate—a score reached by only a handful of IPAs in the site's history—and earned a place in RateBeer's Top 100 Beers in the World. Its use of Golden Naked Oats in the grain bill sets it apart from the vast majority of double IPAs, delivering a silky body that balances what is otherwise an uncompromising hop assault from Citra and Warrior. As Minnesota's first double IPA, Abrasive carries genuine historical significance in the Upper Midwest craft scene. Few beers in the imperial IPA category combine this level of critical acclaim, regional heritage, and distinctive brewing technique at a 4-pack price point.