Beer Me! — New Glarus Brewing — Riverside — New Glarus, Wisconsin, United States

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New Glarus Brewing — Riverside

119 Elmer Road
PO Box 759
New Glarus WI 53574
Telephone: +1 608-527-5850
Hours: Open daily at 10:00am.
Brewer: Dan Carey, Randy Thiel
[Update]

Notes

Opened: 1993

Annual Production: 65,000 bbl

Contributor: Brian Tatro

Congratulations to New Glarus and Dan Carey, 2003 Great American Beer Festival Small Brewing Company Brewmaster of the Year! Dan followed up this accolade by being named Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year at the 2005 Great American Beer Festival, and again in 2006.

Building on their success, New Glarus announced in 2008 their plans to build a second brewery in town. They'll operate both breweries in order to keep up with the Wisconsin demand for their beers; that's the only state they distribute in.

Updated: May 23, 2020

News

2014-06-30: New Glarus Brewing debuts the first sour beers from its wild fruit cave (Madison Isthmus)
2009-11-25: Sales of a Wisconsin beer come to head in NYC (Chicago Breaking News)
2008-03-09: New Glarus Brewing Co. builds 2nd brewery, bucking trends on both ends of beer industry (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Beer List

Apple Ale

Garden (Fruit Wheat) Beer
- Date: July 12, 1998 (#2950)
  
  Package: bottled
  
  Place: Valley Liquor, De Pere WI
  
  Score: 15½ points
  
  Overall Impression (3)
  Bright amber, moderate carbonation, thick head. Red apple aroma, with some oxidation. Tastes like cider, tastes like beer. Apple flavor first, malt flavor next, sweet-acidic finish. "Best by October 1997".

Back 40

Traditional German-Style Bock

5.50% abv.

Date: March 1, 2011 (#8477)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Bright red-brown. Dense head.

Aroma (2)
Perfumey. Floral.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body, fizzy. Lots of sweet malt. Toasty, biscuity, grainy. Finishes clean.

Overall Impression (2½)
Thanks to Bob "Nowgohaveabeer" Paolino for the bottle!

Brown Ale

Wood- and Barrel-aged Beer

Awards:

Gold Medal, 2004 Great American Beer Festival

Cabin Fever Honey Bock

Specialty Honey Beer

Date: April 5, 2011 (#8505)

Package: bottled

Place: B&G Liquor Warehouse, Chippewa Falls WI

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Bright golden-amber. Dense head.

Aroma (3)
Sweet, mildly floral, biscuity.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium-big body, smooth. Sweet and grainy malt, biscuity. Mild smoky honey flavor. Finishes surprisingly clean.

Overall Impression (2½)
Thanks to KJ Harnack for the bottle!

Cherry Stout

Wood- and Barrel-aged Beer

Awards:

Gold Medal, 2006 Great American Beer Festival
Gold Medal, 2005 Great American Beer Festival

Coffee Stout

Coffee Flavored Beer

Date: February 9, 2010 (#8148)

Package: bottled

Place: Place unknown

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Very very dark red. Huge head.

Aroma (3)
Mildly toasty, malty.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium body, smooth. Mild coffee flavor and bitterness on top of sweet malt. Clean finish.

Overall Impression (2½)
Thanks to KJ Harnack for the bottle!
Date: October 20, 2001 (#3940)

Package: bottled

Place: Woodman's Food Market #20, Green Bay WI

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Deep dark red, moderate head. Hoppy coffee aroma. Very light body, big roasty coffee flavor, very mildly hoppy. Some diacetyl in the finish.
Date: June 14, 1998 (#2878)

Package: bottled

Place: 1st Wines and Spirits, Allouez WI

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Dark red, thin head. Chocolate hop aroma. Medium body, bitter, coffee flavor.

Date: July 19, 1998 (#2981)

Package: bottled

Place: 1st Wines and Spirits, Allouez WI

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber, moderate carbonation, low head. Smoky banana aroma. Medium body, fizzy, smoky, sweet. Good caramel flavor, clovey finish.

Date: March 15, 2011 (#8491)

Package: bottled

Place: Place unknown

Score: 17½ points

Appearance (3)
Hazy yellow. Big fluffy head.

Aroma (3½)
Big citrusy hops.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body, creamy. Lots of sweet wheat, lots of fruity hops. Low bitterness.

Overall Impression (2)
Sort of like Schneider Hopfen-Weisse, but less bitter and less Hefeweizen. Good beer. Thanks to KJ Harnack for the bottle!

Date: June 11, 1998 (#2866)

Package: bottled

Place: 1st Wines and Spirits, Allouez WI

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Golden amber, moderate carbonation and head. Malty, sweet aroma. Big body, malty, a little yeasty. Not a lot of hop character, but quite a lot of diacetyl.

Date: February 9, 2010 (#8147)

Package: bottled

Place: Place unknown

Score: 18 points

Appearance (3)
Brown. Hazy. Big dense head.

Aroma (3)
Fresh toasty malt. Mild floral-fruity hops.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body. Fizzy. Nice sweet toasty maltiness, caramel. Very mild fruity hop flavor and bitterness. Sweet toasty clean finish.

Overall Impression (3)
Good beer. Thanks to KJ Harnack for the bottle!

Date: October 28, 2003 (#5124)

Package: bottled

Place: Peabody's Ale House, Oshkosh WI

Score: 19 points

Overall Impression (3½)
Bright brown. Thick head. Nutty, sweet aroma, with a hint of spicy hops. Light-medium body. Big sweet maltiness all the way through. Toasty, with hints of wood and walnuts. Lingering sweet malty finish.

Date: March 9, 2003 (#4734)

Package: bottled

Place: Woodman's Food Market #20, Green Bay WI

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Pale golden. High carbonation. Thick head. Mild spicy hop aroma, faintly metallic. Light body. Big spicy hop flavor and bitterness. Very mild sweet grainy maltiness underneath. Lingering hoppy finish.

Date: January 23, 2000 (#3379)

Package: bottled

Place: Flanagan's Stop and Shop, Appleton WI

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Amber, low carbonatio, good head. Lots of caramel and perfume aroma. Big body, huge perfumey-spicy hop flavor. Lots of caramel malt. Mildly bitter finish.

Date: January 9, 2004 (#5184)

Package: bottled

Place: Peabody's Ale House, Oshkosh WI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Black. Thick tan head. Fairly malty-sweet and fairly roasty aroma. Big creamy body. Mildly sweet, really malty, and mildly roasty. Hint of anise, hint of coconut. Tasty, but not as Big & Ugly as the style requires.

Date: January 9, 2011 (#8416)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 15 points

Appearance (3)
Bright golden amber. Moderate head.

Aroma (3)
Citrusy and really floral. Mildly biscuity.

Mouthfeel (7)
Medium body, fizzy. Fruity, grassy, resiny bitterness up front. Sweet biscuity malt. Mildly resiny bitter finish.

Overall Impression (2)
Thanks to Bob "Nowgohaveabeer" Paolino for the bottle!

Date: March 9, 2003 (#4735)

Package: bottled

Place: Woodman's Food Market #20, Green Bay WI

Score: 17 points

Overall Impression (3)
Bright red-brown. Moderate head. Sweet dark caramel aroma with hints of roast. Light body, fairly fizzy. Nice sweetish dark caramel flavor all the way through.

Date: July 12, 1998 (#2953)

Package: bottled

Place: 1st Wines and Spirits, Allouez WI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Golden amber, moderate carbonation and head. Big honey aroma, perfumey. Big body, sweet, lots of honey and lots of malt. Very warming and tongue-drying.

Date: December 21, 2009 (#8087)

Package: bottled

Place: Hy-Vee Council Bluffs, Council Bluffs IA

Score: 16 points

Appearance (3)
Bright deep red. Moderate head.

Aroma (3)
Earthy, smoky. Dark caramel.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium body, fizzy. Chocolatey and tart. Earthy maltiness. Chocolatey-tart finish, a bit astringent.

Overall Impression (2)
Brewed with smoked malt, and half the batch went through a souring process before being blended back.

Date: May 29, 2017 (#9739)

Package: bottled

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Golden brown. Dense head.

Aroma (3)
Fruity, earthy.

Mouthfeel (8)
Big and almost chewy. Big grassy, fruity hop flavor, pretty bitter. Malt is noticeable, but definitely in the background. Lingering grassy-bitter finish.

Overall Impression (2½)

Date: January 4, 2006 (#5821)

Package: bottled

Place: Place unknown

Score: 19 points

Appearance (3)
Hazy amber, high carbonation. Moderate head.

Aroma (4)
Real nice smoke, with a real nice nutty rye background.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body, really creamy. Hugely malty with a big nutty rye flavor. Excellent smoke flavor in near-perfect balance.

Overall Impression (3)
I've got no problem calling this my all-time favorite New Glarus beer. Thanks to John Peterson for the bottles!

Date: February 7, 2010 (#8145)

Package: bottled

Place: Place unknown

Score: 18½ points

Appearance (3)
Bright brown. Huge head.

Aroma (3½)
Sweet, toasty, floral.

Mouthfeel (9)
Light-medium body. Smooth. Sweet toasty malt. Mildly fruity hop flavor, low bitterness.

Overall Impression (3)
Good clean beer.

Date: March 14, 1999 (#3207)

Package: bottled

Place: 1st Wines and Spirits, Allouez WI

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Amber, low carbonation, thick head. Herbal, malty aroma. Light body, big roasty flavor, mildly hoppy finish.

Date: February 7, 1999 (#3186)

Package: draught

Place: Milwaukee Ale House Festival, Milwaukee WI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Brown amber, thick head. Caramel aroma. Creamy, bitter.

Date: October 23, 1998 (#3090)

Package: bottled

Place: 1st Wines and Spirits, Allouez WI

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Dark yellow opaque, massive head. Sweet, spicy, yeasty aroma. Light body, big clove flavor, very high carbonation. Sweet clean finish.

Date: March 1, 2003 (#4712)

Package: bottled

Place: Oconto Kiwanis Beer Tasting Event, Oconto WI

Score: 11½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
This is a "fun, fruity and satisfying Wisconsin farmhouse ale", which they'd like to equate to a French "Saison" farmhouse ale. It's incredibly yellow, hazy, with a low head. Faintly spicy aroma with lots of DMS. Light body. Sweetly malty with quite a lot of DMS. Quite a lot of DMS.

Date: February 7, 1999 (#3185)

Package: draught

Place: Milwaukee Ale House Festival, Milwaukee WI

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Yellow, hazy, thick head. Very clean aroma. Medium body, creamy, malty.

Date: June 28, 1998 (#2928)

Package: bottled

Place: 1st Wines and Spirits, Allouez WI

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Yellow, hazy, thick head. Malty aroma. Light body, good malty flavor, sweet clean finish.

Date: October 3, 1998 (#3077)

Package: draught

Place: Quivey's Grove Beer Festival, Madison WI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber, some haze, moderate head. Malty, grainy aroma. Big sweet malty beer. Nice touch of hops in the middle.

Date: January 9, 2011 (#8415)

Package: bottled

Place: B&G Liquor Warehouse, Chippewa Falls WI

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Golden. Moderate head.

Aroma (3)
Perfumey, floral, grassy.

Mouthfeel (8)
Light-medium body, very fizzy. Sweet and perfumey and floral. Mild malt flavor. Mildly grassy. Finishes clean.

Overall Impression (2½)
Thanks to KJ Harnack for the bottle!

Date: April 30, 2000 (#3428)

Package: bottled

Place: Craft Brewers Conference, Milwaukee WI

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Deep ruby red, moderate carbonation, thick head. Smoky, malty, sweet aroma. Thick, smooth dark malt flavor. I can feel the alcohol in my nose more than in my mouth. Long sweetish, smooth, mildly bitter finish. Excellent beer.

Date: November 5, 2008 (#7530)

Package: bottled

Place: Place unknown

Score: 17 points

Appearance (3)
Red. Chunky. Low head.

Aroma (3)
Rich caramel malt. Maple. Vanilla.

Mouthfeel (9)
Huge. Smooth. Malty. Strong. Mild alcohol bite. Really fruity and oaky. Some bitterness at the end.

Overall Impression (2)
Bottle-conditioned. Thanks to John Peterson for the bottle!

Date: August 31, 2007 (#6615)

Package: draught

Place: Old Saloon, New Richmond WI

Score: 20 points

Appearance (3)
This is One Bright Golden beer. Big moussy head.

Aroma (4)
Very clean malt, nicely grainy. Not as sulfury as imported German Pilsners. Just a bit smoky.

Mouthfeel (10)
Light body, moderately fizzy. It's all about the malt. Real clean, with just a hint of malt sweetness. Fine malt flavor and subtle noble hop flavor are perfectly balanced.

Overall Impression (3)
Outstanding beer. 100% Wisconsin two-row barley malt and German and Czech hops.

Date: November 19, 2003 (#5141)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Deep bright golden. Thick fizzy short-lived head. Spicy, sulfury, alcoholic aroma with just a hint of malt. Medium body, moderate carbonation. Malty-sweet at first, just before the alcohol takes over. Spicy and phenolic...even chlorophenolic. Drying alcoholic finish.

Date: July 12, 1998 (#2956)

Package: bottled

Place: 1st Wines and Spirits, Allouez WI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Red, high carbonation, thick head. Dark caramel aroma. Thick, big dark malt flavor, a little bitter at the end.

Date: October 22, 1994 (#585)

Package: draught

Place: Great American Beer Festival, Denver CO

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Red color. Alcohol aroma. They didn't even pour me a whole ounce.

Date: July 23, 1998 (#2990)

Package: bottled