Posts Tagged ‘new glarus brewing company’

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New Glarus Brewing Company Unplugged Enigma (365 Day 95)

Sunday, March 6th, 2011

New Glarus Unplugged Enigma

Enigma is from New Glarus Brewing Company and is part of their quarterly releases of the Unplugged series of beers.

Unplugged is a series of beers that is best described from words off of New Glarus’s web site:

A few times a year, we will cut Dan loose to brew whatever he chooses, uncensored, uncut, unplugged. Always handcrafted, this beer is brewed for the adventurous soul. This is a very limited edition and we make no promises to ever brew this style again.

The description of this brew is yet to be announced, but we hope that you enjoy! Thank you for your patience and support! Cheers!

Enigma was released, I believe, in the second quarter last year. This is another fruit beer that is slightly tart but has a ton of oak and barrel flavors, along with cherries, that make this a very easy drinker as well as a beer that I cannot get enough of.

Their second quarter release should be coming soon, so I will keep checking their site to get an idea of what they will be brewing up. Enjoy!

Aroma: 9, Taste: 9, Look: 9, Drinkability: 8, Overall: 8.7

Useless Fact: Elephants are the only mammals that can’t jump.

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New Glarus Unplugged Smoked Rye Ale (365 Day 85)

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

New Glarus Unplugged Smoked Rye Ale

As the American craft beer scene continues to develop, more and more breweries have jumped on the limited release band wagon. It seems that they are only fueling the thirst that beer drinkers and nerds have: annual releases, release parties, and hard to get beers. The beer connoisseur wants to be the guy online bragging about the greatest rare release that everyone has to have but only 200 bottles were produced.

Fortunately, some breweries haven’t taken to that extreme, with New Glarus being one of those with their Unplugged series of beers. They release, in smaller batches but not the minuteness of beers mentioned above. As long as you can get to Wisconsin, you should be able to get some. Also, these beers are quite good with some even demanding an encore performance.

New Glarus’s most recent Unplugged release is Smoked Rye Ale. This is a rye ale with a TON of smoke in it. I felt like strips of bacon where in the beer, which is usually a good thing for me, but in this case: yuck. I am not a fan of smoked beers but I thought I would take a chance on Smoke Rye Ale as New Glarus usually doesn’t let me down. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be this time. The smoke is so over the top it drowns out just about every and any other aspect of the beer on the nose and mouth. I am sure that some people will really like this beer but it just doesn’t agree with me. Enjoy!

Aroma: 7, Taste: 6, Look: 9, Drinkability: 5, Overall: 6.4

Useless Fact: The average cough comes out of your mouth at 60 miles (96.5 km) per hour.

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New Glarus Unplugged Cherry Stout (365 Day 32)

Sunday, January 2nd, 2011

New Glarus Brewing Company Unplugged Cherry Stout

My first official American craft beer of the new year: Unplugged Cherry Stout by New Glarus.

Cherry Stout came out as the first beer in the unplugged series for 2010. I didn’t know what to expect but I didn’t expect a mildly sour beer, rather a big stout with some cherry aroma and flavors. Nonetheless I was immediately hooked on this beer: trying to find it throughout the year.

This Cherry Stout for the 365 beers in 365 days marks my last one as I was pleasantly surprised to find it in the cellar. I thought I was out.

Tartness and cherries meet the nose while stout characteristics are there, they are on the back burner. But, there is enough stout presence to come through. On the other hand this does make for a lighter than normal stout in terms of the mouth. The taste follows the nose with oak and vanilla adding to the complexity. A very drinkable stout with a wonderful tart/sour twist. I am only upset that I can no longer obtain this luscious brew. Enjoy!

Aroma: 9, Taste: 9, Look: 9, Drinkability: 9,Overall: 9.0

Useless Fact: There is a sea squirt found in the seas near Japan that digests its own brain. When the sea squirt is mature, it permanently attaches itself to a rock. At this point it does not need to move anymore and has no need for a brain. So, waste not want not, it eats it.

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New Glarus Unplugged Apple Ale (365 Day 12)

Monday, December 13th, 2010

New Glarus Brewing Company Unplugged Apple Ale

Oh yeah, finally getting over my cold and looking forward to an American craft beer for the first time in a few days. Still not 100% but stoked to have a beer that I can review with a real nose and palate.

Unplugged Apple Ale by New Glarus Brewing Company was the choice of the day. Not my first go around with this beer and definitely not New Glarus’s first go around with fruit beer. I know I have said this before, and I don’t think I am alone or overly biased, that they have to be one of the best, if not the best, American craft brewer when it comes to making fruit beers.

They seem to constantly and consistently hit the nail on the head. Their fruit beers are enjoyed by beer geeks and the general masses. Now that is saying something!

Time to come off the New Glarus high horse.

The more I have this beer, the more I think of pie. It isn’t overwhelmingly sweet but just a nice enough mix of sweet and apples to make this a pleasingly refreshing drink. The spices are spot on too for a pie: cinnamon for sure. The last Unplugged of the 2010 season, rounding out a solid year for the quarterly released brews. Enjoy!

Aroma: 9, Taste: 8, Look: 9, Drinkability: 9, Overall: 8.8

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New Glarus Two Women Lager Reviewed

Friday, October 8th, 2010

I am always on the lookout for another good beer from New Glarus Brewing Company as they are one of my favorite American craft beer breweries. On a recent visit to the brewery and Wisconsin, I picked up a bottle of Two Women Lager with some apprehension, as I am more of an ale guy.

The review of Two Women (that sounds a little strange) marked the 30th different beer I have had from New Glarus, quite an accomplishment since I have only been keeping records for the past 14 months.

The beer poured straw in color and crystal clear. Topped with frothy, white foam that had good retention, while the lacing was thick, sheeting, and all over. Aroma had lager yeast, lemon, herbal, and a touch of grain. The taste was similar: lager yeast, grain, and lemon where the main attractions. The body was light with enough carbonation to give a crisp and refreshing finish.

Why o’ why do I everh have any apprehensions when it comes to beer from New Glarus? I just need to taste, savor, and shutup. Enjoy!

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New Glarus R&D Short Releases

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Yesterday marked a first for New Glarus Brewing Company, that I know of: they had a publicized short release. Actually, not one but two beers were released. R&D Bourbon Barrel Kriek and R&D Gueuze. Kriek is a American wild ale while Gueuze is supposedly a gueuze. These two releases come on the heals of releasing their third Unplugged beer of the year: Abt.

The release was held yesterday, Friday, August 13th, 2010 at the brewery in New Glarus, Wisconsin. Kriek was released to the tune of 1,500 bottles while Gueuze was a 1,900 bottle release.

Each person was limited to three bottles per day. It seems like I was fortunate to be able to get six bottles of each today when the brewery opened at 10:00am. My wife called last night and we were told that they would probably be out of the beers by noon today. Based on the amount of people already there at 10, they were about dead on.

I also picked up the newest Unplugged release: Abt. As I wrote this tonight, I was partaking in the Kriek, the other two will follow in the next few days (probably tomorrow). Enjoy!

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Sunday Beer Relaxing

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

It isn’t all that often that I have a day to get stuff done and actually relax besides. Luckily today is one of those days.

What exactly do I mean? Well, that is easy. I have done work around the house: picked weeds, hoed the garden, sprayed weeds, and hung up my hop plant (Centennial and more to come this week). I have also gone shopping to about three or four stores with the wife and kids to get our weekly groceries among other things. Vacuuming is still on the docket.

That’s the work, now the play. I am currently on my fourth beer and the temperature outside (about 70 with low humidity) is perfect for just about any beer. So I started the day with a New Glarus Unplugged Cranbic, which is so damn refreshing it took me about five sips to put it away. My palate still desired a refreshing beer. So I opened a bottle of Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA.

While appreciating the Union Jack, the wheels started to turn and as another front went through, with the temperature dropping into the 60s, I thought it was time for something with a little bit of size to it. Founders KBS you say, perfect! That didn’t last long but damn that is mighty tasty. What beer can out do a KBS?

Not many, but along came Pliny the Elder by Russian River. Oh, I think I am about a sliver away from heaven.

I see that Rich is doing some reviewing of his own, so after PLE, it is time for some serious reviews and a great finish to Sunday. Enjoy!

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New Glarus Trio Reviewed

Monday, March 8th, 2010

New Glarus Brewing Company is far enough away, yet close enough that I can make a half day trip there and back. I find all their beers are intriguing and definitely look forward to trying each beer of the Unplugged series. On a recent trip I picked up their two newest seasonal offerings: Road Slush Stout and Cabin Fever. I also found a bottle of Old English Porter from the Unplugged series that I never had before.

I have to say I enjoyed the Old English Porter the most as it was a good porter with the complexities of sour added to it. The “normal” and the sour each had their place and made for a fun beer. Road Slush would be a close second. It is a straight in your face stout: roasted and smoked flavors/aromas fill the senses. Nothing here is out of the ordinary, just well done to the nth degree. Cabin Fever brings up the rear in this tough fought beer review competition. I think this beer gets some bad reputation points on the internet because it is a light beer while a lot of us are still drinking big winter beers. Well, understand what you are drinking before you strap it on. This is very crisp and clean. I would definitely have all three beers again and will soon as I have more in the cellar. :)

New Glarus’s beers are always easy to drink and darn tasty. I am still waiting for their first bourbon beer but I will be back up there in about two months to get the next version of Unplugged and some Moon Man, there newest year round beer. Enjoy!

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Three New Beers Reviewed

Friday, January 29th, 2010

new glarus brewing company raspberry tart

Last night was Thursday, so Rich and I got together for our weekly (at least we try) beer tasting and reviews of American craft beer. We had a total of four beers but one of them, Raspberry Tart by New Glarus, I had already had. So this will be a discussion of the other three. :)

Iron Horse IPA by Mt. Pleasant Brewing was the first beer of the night. We split a 12 ounce bottle with my pour being very cloudy due to the yeast trub from the bottom of the bottle. Foam was nothing great. Citrus and pine hops are there but not pronounced in either aroma or taste. There is a caramel sweetness to balance. Bitterness and spice are parts of the late mout both lingering into the aftertaste. Medium body and light carbonation seem to fit. A slightly above average IPA that is easily sessionable. 6/10

The Round Barn has been making wine for a long time in the South-West corner of Michigan but their entry into the American craft beer scene is relatively new. I had heard that the old brewer from Founders is helping them get their sea legs. Cocoa Stout was the flavor I choose from several others. Sweet lactose, chocolate, coffee, roasted, oat, and bitterness all play varying rolls to the senses. This is a quality stout that can feel mildly watery in the mouth at times, giving me only major concern in this otherwise well rounded brew. 7/10

Last beer of the evening: Arrogant Bastard Ale by Stone. The price point on this beer is outstanding: $4.99 for a bomber (22 ounces). The hop profile that I was expecting and heard about just wasn’t there. I think I purchased this bottle this past summer and who knows how old it was before that. With that off my chest, I still liked the beer but I don’t think to the complete extent I would a fresh bottle as the bitterness seemed so unbalanced. Until I get a fresh one, my current rating will have to suffice. 7/10

It looks like I will be at Half Acre tomorrow for their weekly tour and then Stockholm’s on Sunday with Rich. Enjoy!

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Three Beer Reviews With Cranbic Leading The Way

Monday, December 21st, 2009

new glarus brewing company unplugged cranbic ale

Yesterday was bottling day and nothing brings on a thirst more than handling beer. What better way to quench that thirst by picking up some American craft beer and reviewing. Three participants joined the thirst quenching party: Unplugged Cranbic Ale by New Glarus Brewing Company, Blue Paddle by New Belgium Brewing Company, and Olde Number 22 by Arbor Brewing Company.

Unplugged Cranbic marks the 20th beer I have tasted of New Glarus since I have been loggin reviews on the site. The beer has a slightly pink hue to an otherwise amber colored beer. Tart, cranberry and sweet are balanced on the nose with a mild spice and acidicy. Taste starts sweet and grows with a culmination towards the end with the tart – seemingly trying to balance but doesn’t quite get there. This little glitch keeps it from going to the next level but it is another really good beer from New Glarus. 8/10

Blue Paddle is a German Pilsner that is better than average and you should give it a try. I am not saying it will knock your socks off but it is crisp, clean, refershing, and easy drinking. I just thought the senses that it brought out were just a little bit on the light side. I would really like this beer in the summer time as a post lawn mowing thirst quencher. 7/10

The last beer, which I really wanted to be good since we drive by it on the way to my wife’s sisters house, was Olde Number 22. Olde Number 22 is an Altbier that was a little light on both taste and aroma. I realize that the styles call for a delicate balance, so I figured that the beer was to style. I did get a metalic taste in the after taste that killed the beer pretty much for me. It did seem to go away after a while (did I get used to it?) and I was wondering if it was something from the dishwasher in my glass, but this was the third beer in the glass. I would like to give this one another try. 6/10

I drank the beers in the order in which I also liked them: Unplugged Cranbic Ale, Blue Paddle, and Olde Number 22. Tonight is a five beer taster of Sam Adams beers with Rich. Enjoy!

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