New Glarus Apple Ale

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Bright gold, bubbly, crystal-clear. Thin, white head that rings the glass.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Green apple flavor overwhelms—like a big green Jolly Rancher.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Green apple-tastic—apple jack, apple cider, just plain apple. All malt, no hop.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Alcohol warming in the middle, bounces across the tongue, fades to sweet sour.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Very fizzy, fills the mouth (with apple).

OVERALL: 2.5/3: If you like apples, you'll like this. Tendency toward cloying after a bit, so one is enough, but worth a try. Another nicely done New Glarus fruit beer.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Good—I'll bet this is great for cooking. Alcohol is there, and it gets to be a bit much, but it's tasty.
Ben: Liquid green Jolly Rancher (that's fizzy). One is enough, but you should try it.

New Glarus Imperial Weizen

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Pale orange-gold. Nice white head. Bubbly with a slight haze. Pretty.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Spicy! Coriander, clove, white pepper, allspice, cinnamon, tropical aromas. Very floral, beautiful nose. Smells big!

TASTE: 8.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Clove, cinnamon, allspice, pineapple, bubblegum. Malty and hoppy, a nice mix.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Cascade hop overload! Sour at the onset, bitter throughout.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Big, filling, alcohol present. Spicy and effervescent, if a bit boozy.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A powerful example of the style, unique and well-crafted, a testament to New Glarus Brewing magnificence. If you find this, try it.

TOTAL: 17/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: I LOVE this—a great style amplified x 1000. Big, flavorful, like your favorite dessert. Truly a joy.
Ben: Pair with banana cream pie, believe it or not. Big and spicy, a special beer I hope New Glarus makes again and again—definitely worth of a second batch!

New Glarus Hearty Hop Ale

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Deep, dark caramel color. Foamy, creamy head. Clear and clean.

AROMA: 2/4
Not as much hop aroma as we expected. Clean, some caramel notes.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.25/4: Malty, caramel. Some grassy/woody notes.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Woody bitterness at the middle, bitter at finish. Metallic tang? Coats the tongue somewhat.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Full, if synthetic-tasting.

OVERALL: 2/3: Not great, a real disappointment. No real hop aroma, weird metallic taste, just an overall bummer.

TOTAL: 12.25/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Not great. New Glarus is better at some things than others. Not awful, but orders of magnitude away from Raspberry Tart or Belgian Red.
Ben: Hoppy, an IPA, but just an okay one. We expected much better.

New Glarus Cabin Fever Honey Bock

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Clear, bubbly. Pale gold color, thin head.

AROMA: 3/4
Crisp, clean like a lager. Apple juice notes.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Tastes like apples. Sweet, some sourness. A bit grainy.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Subtle hop bigger aftertaste, alcohol in the middle.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Very malty, dry. Refreshing, a bit fizzy. Alcohol increasingly noticeable as it warms.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Tasty and refreshing, lots of apple flavor. Missing the caramel notes you'd expect from a bock, though.

TOTAL: 15.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Nice, if not very bock-esque. Becomes more interesting as it warms, so don't serve it too cold. Not amazing, but good (as one would expect from our friends at New Glarus).
Ben: Very malty, apropos for a bock. A tad light in color—I'd drink this after mowing the lawn rather than in the dead of a Wisconsin winter.

Alaskan Black IPA

Alaskan Brewing Company
Juneau, Alaska

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Deep red-brown to black color. Dark but not cloudy; steady stream of bubbles, almond-colored head.

AROMA: 3/4
Hoppy-citrus nose. Sweet caramel. Roast is subtle. Not overly aromatic.

TASTE: 7/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Strong roast and hop bitterness. Grassy, citrus hop flavor up-front. Roasted caramel, sweetness that quickly goes to bitter.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Bitterness strong on tongue, lasts. Woody.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Light-bodied, effervescent. Mouth-puckering bitterness.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Good. Lighter bodied than some Black IPAs. Roast is strongly bitter, but missing chocolate and coffee flavors typical of the style.

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Unique, a nice attempt at a Black IPA—nicely bitter, interesting flavor. Could be hoppier, bitterness is a bit much, and it's very light, but it's not bad.
Ben: Hop bitterness overwhelms. Could use more hop aroma and flavor. Missing body to offset bitterness. Not bad, but I've had better (Grand Teton comes to mind).