Searching for the line between "hobby" and "obsession"

New Glarus

New Glarus: What a great brewery, at least from what I’ve tasted. I’ve had their Spotted Cow ale a handful of times over the past few years and always enjoyed its’ wholly unique flavor. I managed to pick up a few more of their brews during a beer run across the border to Hudson, Wisconsin earlier this year as well as from a co-worker who makes it back to Wisconsin to see family every so often. The brews I’ve gotten my grubs on include the following:

  • Spotted Cow farmhouse ale / saison
  • Moon Man pale ale
  • Snowshoe red ale
  • Fat Squirrel brown ale
  • Coffee Stout
  • Cabin Fever honey bock
  • Raspberry Tart
  • Wisconsin Belgian Red
  • Smoked Rye Ale (unplugged series)
  • Abt (unplugged series)
Here is a BrewingTV episode where the BTV guys visited Dan and Deb Carey, brewer/owners of New Glarus. Good stuff:

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/14830610 w=400&h=265]

Brewing TV – Episode 18: New Glarus Brewing Co. from Brewing TV on Vimeo.

I’ve had the chance to try a few of these so far. The Snowshoe Red Ale was your standard red ale, nothing crazy. But you don’t necessarily want your red ale to be super crazy, do you? Moon Man, a “no coast pale ale” session beer seemed to employ more bittering hops than aroma or flavor additions. Very light and drinkable, flavorful. I’m not super interested in session beers yet (“yet?”). Probably won’t find myself buying this very often but glad I tried it.
Raspberry Tart, more of a dessert than a beer. Very sweet raspberry flavor balanced with sharp and lingering tartness. More sweet / less dry than champagne, but still reminiscent of champagne. The true raspberry “champagne of beers??” I’d buy this again.

Their award winning Wisconsin Belgian Cherry beer was a bit more tart/sour than the Raspberry Tart, actually. This one is probably more drinkable in the long run.

More to come as I drink the rest. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

This entry was posted on May 26, 2011. It was filed under Tasting Notes.

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