Spotted Cow - New Glarus Brewing Company

Jredner

Florida

2.8/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Mild grain and light alcohol in the aroma. Hazy yellow color. No head. Cool and refreshing with very little taste. Mild malty sweetness in the aftertaste. It is actually pretty dang thirst quenching though extremely un-flavorful. Not bad tasting just not much of anything tasting. It makes you take big gulping sips.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2006 08:01:58 | More by Jredner

alcstradamus

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A--Pale golden yellow with a finger of quickly receding head

S--Fresh, light malty scent with a splash of hops in the background

T--A little too tasteless to be enjoyable on its own, but I suppose this is meant more for refreshment. Nothing foul about it, which is good. But nothing noteworthy either.

M--Light bodied but not too watery

D--Very sessionable but I'm not sure why you would want to since this there really isn't much here.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2009 23:29:48 | More by alcstradamus

BasementBer

Manitoba (Canada)

2.78/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I heard so much about this beer and it possibly got my hopes up for it.

A: light straw yellow. Plenty of carbonation, bone white head with medium to heavy lacing.

S: Corn. Grainy but very much a note of corn in the aroma - as it expresses on the bottle. The rare instance the brewer is in favor and admits to it.

T: To tart for my licking. Less cream than tart and dry nose to finish.

M: The tartness stuck around a bit too much for me. For a hop fan this countertaste is a bit off putting.

D: I dont think ill go back to it, but if others are enjoying then by all means.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 17:04:06 | More by BasementBer

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.75/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Bottle courtesy of Monger: Poured a bright golden color ale with a big pure white head with good retention. Aroma of corn with light diacetyl is not extremely pleasant. Taste is dominated by too much corn with a light buttery note which is again unpleasant. Body is pretty full for the style with some great carbonation. This is probably the worst beer that I had from this otherwise fine brewery.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2007 13:22:10 | More by Phyl21ca

MaximalC

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours pale straw in color, slightly hazy, with bountiful carbonation bubbles. The aroma is mild, mostly grainy, with a hint of fruitiness and some hops. The flavor pretty much matches the smell, with no specific element really carrying the load. I fail to see how this manages to be the flagship brew of a very respectable brewery with many superior offerings in the stable. Maybe because it most resembles light beer? Regardless of the reason, this just doesn't resonate with me.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 01:01:19 | More by MaximalC

bboven

Texas

2.73/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Butterscotch yellow cloudy body with absolutely no head or lacing. This beer should be very clear and have at least a minimal head, but it looks very flat and unattractive in the glass.

Base malt and green apple, a defect from yeast fermenting at too high of a temperature, is very apparent. It can be there to some degree, but not this much.

Again, very fruity with the green apple dominating. The hops are lost and the malt is barely there because of the off-flavors.

Moderately carbonated, but a little more CO2 would help lift some of the sweetness up.

It's not bad tasting, but it's got a big defect in it. You usually only see this in lagers, but cream ale is so light to begin with that every little thing will be accentuated. I can't really recommend it unless you like fruit beers. In that case, you might like this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2008 22:48:23 | More by bboven

Oxymoron

Colorado

2.73/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Are you saying you spotted a cow or hey there is a spotted cow? Pours a light sunny yellow color with ok clarity. A good head but limited retention which is ok per style. Limited lacing throughout.

The nose is off. There is a more sweet corn nose, which is ok, but no malt presence at all. Some noticeable sour smells which makes me think infection. Some hoppy notes that balance well. Clean as far as yeast notes but some minor vegi/cabbage notes on the back end.

The taste is a bit off as well. The malts come out more with a more 2 row flavor but plays second to more of a corn essence. Would have like more malt but ok. Some grainy and husky notes helps the accent the malt flavors. There is a light bitterness that comes out but a more noticeable floral finishing hop. On the backend there is a metallic almost copper taste that is more perceivable as it warms. Fairly clean yeast finish but some minor fruity notes that is boardline acetaldehyde.

The body is light which is spot on (pun intended). Decent carbonation helps accents the corny and hop notes. Overall this is limited with some noticeable off flavors with a beer that is hard to high them.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2008 22:42:20 | More by Oxymoron

HugePlume

Washington

2.73/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle.

A- Pours a bright bubbly corn-yellow color. This was first cause for alarm of this hyped-up beer that I grew more and more dissappointed and leery of.

S- Smells like sweet mash, bread and musty hops.

T- This isn't good beer. More musty sweet mash. Finish is dry, which imparts a crude bitterness.

M- Mouthfeel is decent, carbonation good for a lighter brew, body is spot on but cant overcome the flavor shortfalls.

O- Don't believe the hype, this is not good. Go for the other new glarus brews, this is intended to appeal to Budweiser and Miller light drinkers. Overrated!

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 04:16:41 | More by HugePlume

brdc

Wisconsin

2.7/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Small capped bottle, poured into a pint.

Good looking dark yellow brew with an average white head but not a lot of retention. Aroma is faint, and not really that easy to describe, since there is not much there; grains and light alcohol.
Light bodied, easy to drink, but corn and other grains is as much as I can get.
A little better than BMC. Certainly a lot worse than most NGs out there.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2008 14:55:16 | More by brdc

CaptainIPA

Wisconsin

2.7/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours a hazy, pale gold color with active carbonation and a frothy, one-finger head that fades quickly.

S: Sweet grain and yeast. Traces of malt. A faint hint of citrus.

T: Harsh and grainy taste profile that's somewhat reminiscent of Rolling Rock. Must be the "hint of corn." Notes of vegetal matter, biscuit and lemon citrus. Finish is bitter and astringently dry.

M: Medium-bodied and well-carbonated.

D: Honestly, I've never understood why this beer is so popular in Wisconsin. Never been a fan. After mulitple sessions, it's time to put this cow out to pasture.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2008 22:20:47 | More by CaptainIPA

OakedCanuck

Washington

2.7/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle into tulip

A - Straw yellow, 1 finger fluffy white head, chill haze, slippery lacing

S - Grainy malts, wheat, some lemon and caramel

T - Confusing, tastes like a musty adjunct lager. Mostly just a grainy wheaty body with no supporting cast. Some sweet malts are barely distinguished in the background. There is a funkiness to it.

M - Decently crisp and light, but a little too effervescent.

O - This is classified as a cream ale and I really don't see how this even comes close to resembling one. Confusing. If anything, this seems to be closer to a farmhouse or even some variation of lager.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 16:48:06 | More by OakedCanuck

brew3crew

Ohio

2.7/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

On tap at uncle mikes for my first venture into wisconsin.

A-hazy yellow with a little bit of head that sticks around

s-pale malt and grain is all I get

t- follows the nose. Not really a whole lot here. Kind of upset I ordered it

m- light bodied and smooth. Only thing that's nice

o-decent lawnmower beer. That's about it

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2011 00:02:22 | More by brew3crew

zeledonia

Minnesota

2.68/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Pours a slightly golden pale straw yellow, the color of a wheat field in late summer, with a fluffy one-finger white head. Translucent and so light enough to be almost see-through. Head retention is okay, not much lacing. Streams of bubbles running up through the glass.

Smells slightly sweet and slightly grainy. Also corn, pale malt, and light hops. Some faint apple juice fruit notes. In many ways, it smells like an adjunct lager.

Flavor is mostly pale malt and a touch of vegetable hops (kinda like plant stems). I also get a touch of apple juice here. A hint of bitter in the finish, which is gone almost before I can say "hops."

Light and delicate in the mouth, with high carbonation. Highlight of the beer. Finishes quick, crisp, and dry. Like that, it's gone.

Meh. I can see why this beer sells so well - it drinks like an adjunct lager. It's inoffensive, refreshing enough, and just doesn't have much flavor. Not much malt, not much hops, not much of anything else. I found myself chasing the flavor, taking more sips cause I wanted more out of it, but still disappointed by each one. Works all right for cooling off on a hot summer day, but there are so many other beers that would do the same job with more pleasure.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2011 00:59:23 | More by zeledonia

Misanthropy_Sipping

Nebraska

2.68/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

My respectful parents were nice enough to bring back a menagerie of New Glarus beer when they crossed through Wisconsin. Always nice to know people who travel and know you like good beer. Had three bottles of Spotted Cow in a sampler pack.

Well, the pour was a pale gold. Nothing unusual or multispectral in colour. All I expect from a cream ale. Somewhat of a murk to it. Very gentle murk.

Smells very light of fresh straw, a tad citrusy, sweet corn... all pretty light.

Taste: Light sweet corn kind of a taste which is nice, not unpleasant, a tad muted lemon... tastes like... well... beer, for lack of better terms. Has a bit of a cream of wheat thing going on. All the flavors are pretty well evened out all the way through.

The mouthfeel certainly saves the day and makes it a very clean but not entirely crisp beer which is cool. It lives up to it's cream ale style. Mouthfeel is probably the best cream ale mouthfeel I have had in a beer to date.

Overall nothing out of this world but I can definitely see why this is one of Wisconsin's most popular craft beers. It appeals to many crowds and is utterly non offensive. A winner for those who enjoy good beer and those who may have no idea what good beer is.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 02:42:46 | More by Misanthropy_Sipping

tut2528

Illinois

2.68/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: pours a light golden color with a bright snow-white colored 1 fingers worth of head formation. thousands of tiny bubbles are seen rushing to the top to support head retention and a thin film remains.

S: cream of corn and grain dominate this brew. very watery smelling. quite unappealing

T: glad that there a bit more to this than in the nose. grain, corn, mild malt and a possible biscuit-like character with a light cream finish.

M: light bodied, quite watery. doesnt leave much on the palate.

O: this is a perfect brew for someone just starting out in the micro/craft beer world. its highly drinkable and is a step up from the mega domestics (al la Miller, Coors, Bud, etc)

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 20:01:00 | More by tut2528

Koolbreeze2

Connecticut

2.63/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Cloudy-like an unfiltered beer should be.

Smell: Nice smell. I liked the smell better than anything.

Taste: Not my cup of beer. Right up there with Bud. Just did not work for me. Had my 38 yr. old stepson try half a bottle. He is on my side per taste.

Mouthfeel: Nothing special.

Drinkability: Not for me but on a hot day outside I could drink a few and probably feel refreshed (somewhat).

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2006 20:57:07 | More by Koolbreeze2

Joeynocturnum

New Jersey

2.63/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Received as an extra in a trade for some Belgian Red and some Raspberry Tart.

A- Golden yellow and cloudy one finger head.

S- Nothing really stood out, smelled similiar to an American pilsner.

T- Bland I was expecting more from this beer, nothing stood out. Maybe a little bit of hops but mostly a taste of wheat.

M- Nothing great here, not overly carbonated.

D- This was not palatable, it ended up as a drain pour. This was not drinkable for me, at least not tonight.

During the week I usually only drink one beer per night. This was the beer I cracked... took two sips maybe three and realize it was not worthy of being the one. Cracked open a Sinebrechoff Porter which was excellent and all is right in the world.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 02:52:46 | More by Joeynocturnum

marcpal

New Jersey

2.6/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to maximum12 for sending this in a trade. Liking New Glarus so far.
12oz bottle poured into imperial pint glass
Bottle Graphics: 8/10. Like it.

A: Hazy dehydrated pee yellow. Very cloudy with a filmy head that left thin veil of lacing. Nothing too impressive.

S: Quiet in the aroma with something cornlike and grainy. I have to say, I expected much more to start this one out. I had some stronger things earlier in the night but this just fell to the wayside. I find it odd that the fruit is really the dominating aroma.

T: Still not anything that rocks your world but sugary flavors give this some character. It has a corn flavor that hits at first but as it finishes off, the cream finally comes on. It is unique but buttery flavors pop out.

The bottle claims it to be full of flavor. I have to beg to differ.

M: Carbonated but moderate through and through. Like the aroma, quite bland. The dryness of the fruity flavor is unpleasant.

D: This isn't the best New Glarus, nor the tops in terms of cream ales. Don't hate it, don't particularly like it. Bottom rung cream ale. Glad I had the chance, this is a terrific brewery- noone can bat a thousand.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2008 02:32:07 | More by marcpal

hardy008

Minnesota

2.58/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Light yellow color with a foamy white head with average retention and spotty lacing. The aroma has grain, some sweet malt, a whiff of corn. Nothing too special here.

The flavor of this beer is pretty plain. Sweet malt, grain, some corn, and a bit of yeast.

Light to medium bodied, average carbonation, and underwhelming in almost every way. This is a pretty disappointing beer, from an otherwise good brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 00:38:48 | More by hardy008

GreenWBush

Oregon

2.55/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Graciously brought from Wisconsin by a non-BA friend.

12 oz. bottle.

This beer pours out a frightengly canary-neon yellow, with a tiny bit of yeast haze. The head is quite creamy, but only leaves a light notch of lacing. My friend took a whiff and proclaimed it smelled like "Grandma's bedsheets", then noted that if presented to him without identification, he wouldn't know if it was piss or pop. Hmm.

The only discernable odor on the nose is corn. I choose to use odor because if I wasn't rating every beer I got my hands on, I wouldn't have even tried it. I can't get over how bad this smells; I look for some malts, some sweetness, even a touch of hops - to no avail.

Actually, this one doesn't taste too bad at all. It sort of seems like a strange love-child between macro-swill and Guinness. It is quite nice on the mouthfeel, almost enough to disguise the heavy-handed corn influence. If you put this on Nitro, Macro lovers could do some serious damage. Still, just not enough going on here to interest me in another.

I've had worse. Maybe this beer is just an attempt at ramping-up swill drinkers. I'll try others by the brewery. I could also understand having a place in your heart for this - if I grew up on it, it might be a good fall back.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2004 17:50:24 | More by GreenWBush

beveragecaptain

New Jersey

2.55/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This beer has a hazy yellow color with no head at all. The aroma is slightly malty, but not at all interesting. The flavor is sweet, with no bitterness. There is some fruityness, like lemon and pineapple. Not at all creamy. Low carbonation. If there were some bubbles, at least it would have been easier to drink. I did not like this beer very much. It's available at almost every bar in Madison. Who drinks this?

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2005 23:06:03 | More by beveragecaptain

willseph

Illinois

2.53/5  rDev -31.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured a very light, transparent, golden color with a healthy finger of head that only stuck around long enough for a couple sips. Lots of bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass. Not much of a nose, just a faint smell of lemon, wet wood, and other unidentifiable grains.

First taste is medium spiciness and vanilla but fades to a sweet grain taste as you drink it. Quite unremarkable, just a boring beer to me. It's a bit fizzy, burns the throat a touch on the way down. Overall, a passable beer but nothing to go out of your way for.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2011 02:48:20 | More by willseph

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

2.53/5  rDev -31.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 1

12oz bottle into a pint glass

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden color with two fingers of fluffy white head. Retention is great. I haven't had too many cream ales, but this looks nice enough.

S: Pale and sweet malts up front, though light, with slight citrus and spiciness that reminds me of AALs.

T: Very mild sweet malt up front with a spiciness and citrus flavor very similar to the smell. I also get a good amount of corn flavor that does not go well with the beer. The corn flavor along with a bit of a metallic flavor in the aftertaste is unpleasant.

M: On the thick side of what I expected from a Cream Ale with nice mild carbonation.

O: Reminds me very much of a AAL. Mild flavor with corn and a vague spiciness and citrus flavor and a terrible aftertaste. Not very good. I think I just really don't like Cream Ales.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 00:06:17 | More by coreyfmcdonald

dhannes

Wisconsin

2.38/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I haven't had one of these in awhile, as my memory of these wasn't pleasant. Tried again the other evening.

A, M=looked and felt like a decent beer.

T=Not pleasant. Skunky, and not nearly as good as other cream ales I've tried.

I, for the life of me, do not understand why this beer is as popular as it is. Other than the Snowshoe, New Glarus beers just do not stack up to others that are available around here.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 13:10:37 | More by dhannes

TechMyst

Illinois

2.23/5  rDev -39.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

On tap at Diamond Dave's. Smelled like a lager actually, very faint aroma anyway. Hazy green-yellow color. Actually tasted like a lager also. I could not detect fruit-y-ness, vanilla, or 'fun'. There was some corn hints. It is a beer with a full character, not a character I care for, but it had a full character for what it was. no lacing.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2006 03:15:33 | More by TechMyst