New Glarus Brewing Co.
New Glarus, WI
Available: WI
“Some people paint, some sing, others write… I brew,” reads a quote on the label from brewer Dan Carey. New Glarus’ “Unplugged” series will give him the freedom to create different experimental brews year-round. Carey apprenticed at the Ayinger brewery in Bavaria; he and his entrepreneurial wife, Deb Carey, opened New Glarus Brewing Co. in 1993.
Alcohol by weight: 6.4
Color: 14
Bitterness: 26
Gravity: 1076
It might just be a beer to consider for that desert island. Perfection in a glass. You can tell from the color—dark velvety amber, and the head—natural cashmere. The nose is restrained at first, but opens up with aeration. The taste is rich and luxurious, complex with flavors like dried fruit, tobacco, and caramel. Serve it with smoked pheasant or duck, with hot potato salad, finished with an organic Honey Crisp apple pie with vanilla bean ice cream.
I still have bottles of the original version (four years ago) of this very smooooooth super bock lager. Both are exquisitely balanced, deceivingly drinkable and nothing short of luscious! Germans should try one of these. Startling true to style. Malty, balanced, great alcohol without fruitiness and just enough hops to inspire songs of beer and ecstasy. An American classic of a German tradition. There’s none better.
A deep, burnished copper color veering on ruby with a tightly-beaded head, the beer has a big aroma dominated by a dried grape fruitiness, floral hops and creamy malt. Fruit and malt dominate the mouth, underscored by peppery hops. The finish is long, with a finely tuned balance of smooth, velvety malt, tangy hops and tart fruit. As this classic beer style—where the beer is frozen during lagering and ice crystals are removed to concentrate the alcohol—is in decline, hats off to New Glarus for producing such a fine version.
Founder of Merchant du Vin and the Pike Brewing Co., Charles Finkel is a pioneer in the marketing of craft beers in America.
Author of the New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, founder of the Great American Beer Festival and a Beer Examiner at www.examiner.com, Papazian is a leading voice in beer and brewing.
Roger Protz is the author of Complete Guide to World Beer and 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. He is a respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
