In 1993, Deb and Dan Carey released Wisconsin Belgian Red, the third beer they made at their new Wisconsin brewery, New Glarus. It was one of the country’s first “sour” ales, and it created quite a stir, and not just because it was so unusual. The Careys weren’t on a momentary flight of fancy. Rather, Dan Carey, the brewer, had been experimenting with wild ales for six years, and they intended Wisconsin Belgian Red to be a key part of their portfolio. Thirty three years later, it still is. On this episode, we’re going to hear from Jeff Sparrow and Dan Carey about how these old, almost extinct methods jumped the ocean to the United States to become an enduring part of craft brewing. No beer was more critical in developing interest in wild ales than New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red, and this is its story.
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Jeff Alworth has been writing about beer since the late-1990s. His books include the award-winning titles The Beer Bible and The Secrets of Master Brewers. His articles have been published in a wide range of publications including All About Beer, and he currently writes the “Style School” column for Craft Beer and Brewing magazine. Since 2006, he has maintained his award-winning blog, Beervana.
