New Glarus Cherry Stout (2012)

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3: Mahogany color. Tan, thin head that rings the glass nicely. Light for a stout.

AROMA: 3.25/4: Cherry nose, cherries and cream. No hop. Sugary, subtle chocolate.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Cherry dominant, some chocolate roast—chocolate-covered cherries!
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Roasted bitterness. Sour, tart cherry up front, fades to chocolate at middle, fades to subtle roast bitter at close.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Mouth-puckering tart, fizzy and full, bounces on the tongue.

OVERALL: 2.75/3: A definite cherry beer, darker malts impart a nice roast flavor. Could use more roasted malt, coffee notes.

TOTAL: 16.25/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Yet another great New Glarus fruit beer. More roast and it's perfect—nothing more to say.
Ben: Needs more roasted malt for stout character. Maybe add some lactose to this? Milk chocolate cherry stout? Call me, NG, this is a winner!

Totally Naked Lager

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Straw gold color, thin white head that laces. Crystal clear, steady bubbles.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet cream, apple juice, totally clean. Classic lager, no hop.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Sweet corn, clean. No hop flavors, malt dominant. Apropos for a pils.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Nice subtle bitter finish, slight hop bitterness—sweetness there as well.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Nice body, effervescent, and again, clean.


OVERALL: 2.5/3: The quinessential lager—so clean it should be sponsored by Ivory. A definite lawnmower beer, reminds us of Boulevard Pils.


TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another


NOTES:
Matt: The cleanest beer I've ever had—Mr. Clean should be on the label, it's so clean. Mr. Beer, Mr. Beer, Mr. Beer…(I like it).
Ben: Clean, crisp, refreshing. A summer beer for sure. I'd put this and Boulevard Pilsner up as better alternatives to the big boys.

New Glarus Black Top Black IPA

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Dark mahogany color.  Pretty espresso head that lingers.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Hop nose! Sweet-dark Belgian candy. Some grapefruit (cascade hop?).  Nice piney-citrus aroma.  Pretty.

TASTE: 8.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Lots of hoppy high notes.  Citrus and pine.  Some licorice and molasses flavors.  Roasty and burnt toast bitterness.  Woody.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Sweet that fades to a really nice woody bitter.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Great balance, the roasted bitterness is perfect to pull back the malty flavors.  Bouncy on the tongue.

OVERALL: 3/3: This is what a Black IPA should taste like.  Lots of hop character, full-bodied, and nicely balanced.  A well done beer.

TOTAL: 16.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Unexpected.  I didn't know New Glarus had a Black IPA.  As good or better than any I've had.  I have no criticism except that I can't get more!
Ben: Wow.  I really like this beer - a lot!  Citrus, pine, hoppy, yet nicely balanced with brown sugar, licorice and molasses maltiness.  A great example of what a Black IPA should be!

New Glarus Cran-bic Ale

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Pale strawberry gold color, clear. Thin, white head that fades quickly but rings the edges of the glass. Laces nicely

AROMA: 3.5/4
Sour, full lambic nose. Apple cider vinegar. Cranberries, cane sugar and Belgian candy sweetness as well.

TASTE: 9.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.75/4: Lactic acid sour prominent at front. Gose-esque. Fruit is secondary as it should be. Cranberry flavors compliment the lambic notes which are front and center in this beer. Sugary sweetness in the middle to end.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Mouth puckering sour fades to sweet cranberry and sugar tastes. Sweetness lingers.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Lip smacking. Fizzy. Mouth puckering first sips are an eye-opener. Clean. Sweet and sour.

OVERALL: 3/3: New Glarus really knows how to do fruit beers. The cranberry is a nice facet that doesn't overwhelm the beer. This actually would be just a good beer standing on its own as a true lambic. As is, another great fruit beer.

TOTAL: 18.25/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: Sour but tasty. Another great fruit beer from New Glarus. Nice to see an American craft brewer handle this style so well.
Ben: I really like that the fruit is secondary and nicely compliments the lambic sour flavors so well. This truly is a lambic first and foremost. Phenomenal! Very hard to get but if you have the chance don't pass this one up!

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.

Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout

Leinenkugel Brewing Company
Chippewa Falls, WI

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Black-opaque; big, thick brown head that LASTS.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Chocolate. Roasted notes, lots of 'em. Alcohol nose.

TASTE: 7.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: Big and boozy—chocolate, roast, subtle smoke. Sweet, malty, nutty. Roasted bitterness, no hop to speak of.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Subtle bitterness, roasty bitterness that lingers. Alcohol on the tongue.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Full, sweet. Chocolate roast. Smooth and full, if a tad overly effervescent.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: A good example of an imperial stout; at 9.5%, definitely a sipper. Great for a Leinie product, we say give it a try.

TOTAL: 15.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Very good—smoky, sweet and roasty. A solid imperial stout, and a nice surprise from Leinenkugel.
Ben: Surprisingly good for Leinie—did we mention that? Big and boozy. Full, classic stout. Lots of roasted flavor. We'd buy this again.

Miller Lite

Miller Brewing Company
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Thin, white head. Fades quickly. Pale straw color.

AROMA: 1/4
No hop aroma. No real aroma of any kind. Maybe sweet cream. Smells like a glass of water.

TASTE: 4.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: All malt. Corny and watery. No hop flavoring at all. Triple hopped? With what? A single hop pellet each time?
Aftertaste: 1.75/3: Corn aftertaste. Sweet cream. No hop bitterness at all.
Mouth-Feel: 1/3: Watery. Fizzy. Nothing else to say.

OVERALL: 2/3: We don't hate it. Inoffensive - nothing to recommend it. But it doesn't taste bad. Still, this beats out very, very few beers. Drink only if absolutely necessary.

TOTAL: 10.25/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES:
Matt: It does make a good palate cleanser between tastings of better beers. Refreshing, but so is water, and it's free. Many far better beers out there.
Ben: Memories of college days. Will still drink it when I have to. Fortunately there are almost always better choices at the bar.

New Glarus Alt

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Deep bronze color. Crisp, clean. Cream head, big bubbles, fades quickly.

AROMA: 3.25/4
Sweet aroma–fruity, raisin/prune nose. Minimal hop. Some woody notes.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: All malt. Prune, brown sugar, dates. Oaky notes. No real hop flavor (could use some).
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Bitterness at end, a sour bounce on the tongue, too. Raisin, licorice, even some subtle coconut flavors.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Alcohol up front. Taste moves from front to back. Really big–complex, lots of different flavors going on.

OVERALL: 2/3: Definitely not a session beer. Complex and unique, not the typical crisp, dry, German Alt style.

TOTAL: 14.75/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: Huge for an Alt, lots of alcohol. Not a bad beer, just not an Altbier.
Ben: Not dry nor crisp finish, as an Alt should be. More like a Belgian double–misses the mark on style.

New Glarus Raspberry Tart

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Deep strawberry red color. White/pink head that fades quickly. Bubbly like champagne.

AROMA: 3.75/4
Fruity nose–sweet raspberry. Sugary.

TASTE: 9.75/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.75/4: No hop, some malty body. All fruit and malt (which is about perfect–hop would ruin this).
Aftertaste: 3/3: Sour cherry/raspberry, tangy-sweet throughout. Sour is persistent.
Mouth-Feel: 3/3: Fills your mouth with sweet tartness. Beer–not wine cooler, not syrup. Full and pleasant.

OVERALL: 3/3: Completely fills the mouth. From the aroma to the front-end sweetness to the tart, lingering finish, this is an explosion of fruit flavor.

TOTAL: 19/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: Looks like strawberry pop, tastes like liquid awesomeness. This is probably our favorite beer–as Ben calls it, "Liquid Gold."
Ben: Pair this with chocolate, brownies, anything. Or drink it by itself. Just drink it! Not the easiest to get, but when you can it's an amazing treat.

New Glarus Spotted Cow Wisconsin Farmhouse Ale

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Hazy gold color. Thin, white, persistent head.

AROMA: 3/4
Clean, crisp, slightly sweet. No hop aroma. Could use a fruitier nose.

TASTE: 8/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Very malty, clean. Minimal hop bitterness–could use more.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Sweet, slightly corny aftertaste. Subtle bitterness at close.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Clean like a lager; sweet, dry like a cream ale.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: Quite sweet. A clean yeast–no fruity or spicy notes, not what we'd consider a farmhouse ale, but refreshing.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: A nice beer–crisp like a pils, sweet like our cream ale, but not a farmhouse ale.
Ben: A clean, crisp, refreshing beer ideal for the dog days of summer.

New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red Ale

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Clear, ruby red color. White head with fine bubbles.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Sour maraschino cherry aroma, no hop. Some woodiness, chocolate.

TASTE: 9/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: No hop, minus a slight bitterness at finish. Appropriately malty, could have a little more body.
Aftertaste: 2.75/3: Tangy, tart, sour tanginess that lingers. Some hop bitterness. All cherries at the end.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Cherry is dominant but not cloying. A beer first, a fruit beer second.

OVERALL: 2/3: This was awesome with brownies. Sweet up front, but finishes dry and oaky.

TOTAL: 18/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: A fun departure from the world of usual beers. Sweet, tart, tasty.
Ben: This is a great dessert beer! A beer first–true fruit, not syrupy. Cherries, cherries and more cherries. A favorite that's tough to get, so a treat when you can.

New Glarus Road Slush Oatmeal Stout

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 1.5/3
Dark red, not black, not opaque. Big head, could last longer.

AROMA: 2.75/4
Faint chocolate/coffee nose, could be stronger. No hop aroma to speak of.

TASTE: 6.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Could use more hop. All malt. Needs more body.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Some bitterness and weak roasted flavor.
Mouth-Feel: 2/3: Sharp, tangy. Needs more body.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Not quite a stout. Weak, not roasty enough.

TOTAL: 13/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I expect much more from an oatmeal stout. Unimpressive for a New Glarus product.
Ben: Needs to be darker, more roast, more chocolate flavor. Too light, not substantial enough to be a stout.

New Glarus Unplugged Series–Cherry Stout

New Glarus Brewing Company
New Glarus, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Could be darker; not quite opaque. Reddish hue. But pretty.

AROMA: 3/4
Cherry nose, minimal hop. Yeah, cherry is overwhelming.

TASTE: 7.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.5/4: Appropriately malty, hop is almost negligible.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Very cherry, lots of sour/tart. Very little bitterness, no roastiness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Nice tartness, very cherry.

OVERALL: 2/3: It's a fruit beer, not a stout.

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I like it–it's New Glarus!–but as a cherry beer. How is this a stout?
Ben: Not a stout–needs some chocolate/coffee notes to make it unbeatable. Scored as a fruit beer, it would do much better.

Horny Goat Stacked Milk Stout

Horny Goat Brewing Company
Stevens Point, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 1/3
Brown/copper color–decidedly NOT black.

AROMA: 1/4
No aroma, very little head.

TASTE: 3.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 1.5/4: Roasted flavor, malty with no hop. Weak, very little sweetness.
Aftertaste: 1/3: Corny aftertaste–lager yeast.
Mouth-Feel: 1/3: Thin, watery.

OVERALL: 1/3: Not good beer, and definitely not a stout (much less a MILK stout).

TOTAL: 6.5/20–Tab Me Out

NOTES:
Matt & Ben: Not remotely true to style–needs more roasted malt, more lactose. It's too light in color. It's watery. This beer purports to be a milk stout–it isn't! It's a fraud, one of the worst beers we've tried, and we advise against drinking it.

Horny Goat Exposed (Lager)

Horny Goat Brewing Company
Stevens Point, Wisconsin

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Pale straw, weak head.

AROMA: 2.5/4
Minimal hop, dry aroma.

TASTE: 6.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: Malty, almost corny, nutty.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Some bitterness (not much, though).
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: Dry, smooth, light-bodied.

OVERALL: 2/3: An okay lager, on par with Boulevard Pilsner, but with less body.

TOTAL: 13/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt & Ben: Beer for the masses. A decent lager, better than your average domestic pilsner, but not a standout.