New Glarus Unplugged Wisconsin Cran-bic

Brewed by New Glarus Brewing Company
Style: Fruit Beer
New Glarus, Wisconsin USA

12 oz bottle graciously purchased for me by beastiefan2k. Pour is clear ruby golden with a white-pinkish fluffy one inch head. Aroma is musty cranberry (peels and the fruit) along with a good dose of oak barrel. Some nice soft vanilla notes are in there as well. Nice nose. Taste is the sweet, semi tart fruit of the cranberry up front, followed by the oak and vanilla notes from the nose. The fruit is the main story, and it is very natural and clean. The palate is medium, with a fair amount of spritzy carbonation. The finish is long with the cranberry fruit and then the vanilla oak. Hiding behind that in the finish is some brief yeastiness, though quite subdued. This beer is quite refreshing, though I was expecting a bit more in the yeastiness department. Thanks for grabbing this and bringing it back for me Eugene.

12oz bottle shared by photomike. Pink color with a medium head. Looks like a fizzy white zinfandel. What does this beer smell like? Hmm, um, sweet bread with cranberry jam on it. Sounds about right. Maybe some spice in there too, but the jam is strong with this one, not unlike some other fruit beers by NG, though it isn’t as strong in intensity. Lots of cranberry in the flavor, but actually less tart than cranberry juice, though not as sweet either. The balance actually leans toward sweetness vs. tartness, but has some cinnamon and malt to break it up and finishes wothout too much sweetness. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. A hell of a lot better than another American brewer’s lambic which shall not be named here, but still nothing like an actual lambic.

Pours an appealing ruby orange color with a small frothy white head. Aroma is cranberry juice. Period. Flavor is similar. Blackberries and cherries with a distinctive cranberry tartness in the finish. New Glarus manages to make another beer that tastes exactly like a fruit. Awesome.

courtesy of markwise. Cheers for bringing this gem. NG has done it again. pours amber, thin white head. aroma, nice wood/oak, hints of red fruits/berries, cranberry and deep fruit tartness. flavor, similar to aroma, just exceptional blend between the wood/oak, cranberry/light vanilla adding a nice bourbon like palate. Hints of fruit tartness that seems to be attenuated by the wood. Light hints of malt, and possibly some yeast with a wonderful tart cranberry finish. Not much else to say, exceptionally easy to drink and well crafted.

Definitiely exhibits a lambic taste and texture, but not much more. I can’t taste the cranberry in this beer, but it does share all other characteristics of a good lambic. Average.

Bottle shared with Croslig and rye726 poured a clear pinkish amber with a lingering ring of pink foam. Aromas of cranberry, barnyard, light leather and vanilla. Palate was light bodied and crisp with a smooth finish. Flavors of cranberry, vanilla, barnyard and light leather with a smooth lightly funky finish. Tastey brew but would be better with some tartness.

12oz bottle served in a shaker. Clear cranberry skin hued pour with a few golden brown highlights and a thin head of pinkish-tan foam that hung around for a bit. Minimal lacing. The aroma included fresh cranberries, fruit pits, oak, sour fruits, and a hint of vinegar. The flavor was very nice. Loaded with fresh cranberry notes and a woody sourness. Definitely not a traditional lambic, as this was just mildly sour with a decent amount of sweetness. Think of it as a cranberry fruit beer with an afterthought of sourness. Medium-bodied with a light amount of crisp carbonation. This would be a nice addition to their other year round fruit beers.

Pours a murky purple/red. Nose is huge fruit, cranberries, tart and sweet berries. Flavor is the signature giant fresh fruit that New Glarus is known for. Big tart berry, sour berry, mild funk, lactic sourness, dry earthy wood notes. Absolutely fanastic!