The New Glarus Brewing Company was started in 1993, the creation of husband and wife team Dan and Deb Carey. Dan is the brewmaster, and Deb is president of the brewery that is perhaps best known for its popular ale Spotted Cow, but that is just one of the 15 to 18 styles the brewery turns out each year, including Dan's Unplugged series of limited-release beers (sold in four-packs). Recently the Careys stopped distributing their beer out of state in order to focus on in-state sales. They are in the midst of a multimillion dollar expansion of their facility.
What is it? Dancing Man Wheat from New Glarus Brewing Company
Style: German Hefe Weizen
Background: New Glarus Brewing has been producing Bavarian-style wheat beers since 1995, but this year's version called "Dancing Man," has only been available for a few weeks. Better try it while you can.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Light, banana-yeasty bouquet.
- Appearance: Hazy deep yellow color with a thick white pillow head.
- Texture: Light bodied, bubbly and soft.
- Taste: Soft graininess with spicy hints of clove and cinnamon.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Yeasty with sweet fruitiness.
Glassware: Weizen glass (tall, narrow and flared at top).
Pairs well with: Barbequed shrimp or other seafood with a slight sweet glaze. The Hefe Weizen style is also great for the remaining days of summer -- despite its cloudy, heavy appearance, these beers are light, effervescent and refreshing on a warm sunny day.
Rating: Four Bottle Openers.
(I am using a one to four bottle opener scale: four is a great beer, distinctive, you'll have this over others; three is a beer you enjoy, reliable, close to its described style; two is problematic, lacks distinction, but worth having again; one is a beer that isn't true to its style, you would not recommend it to a friend.)
The Consensus: An 89 (recommended) from Beer Advocate and a 96 from Rate Beer.
The Verdict: If you like the unfiltered Hefeweizen style, this is one of the better locally produced versions. I really enjoyed it for its vibrant color, enticing banana aroma and hints of clove in the background.
