Dancing Man Wheat - New Glarus Brewing Company

tectactoe

Michigan

4.39/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to maximum12 for this awesome extra - I'm always excited to get more New Glarus stuff, they haven't let me down yet. Dancing Man Wheat pours hazy and translucent; a brilliant shade of golden-amber with an absolutely enormous, pillowing, fluffy white head. Very volatile - even a modest pour yields a cap thicker than the amount of beer in the glass. Little lacing is left behind, but the foam shows great retention.

DMW is an American take on a traditionally German style, so it's no surprise when I bring my nose to the glass and am immediately reminded of beers like Weihenstephaner and Franziskaner Hefe. Fantastically sweet bouts of malt, colliding gracefully with an equal mix of lovely esters; clove, bubblegum, and some other light spices. Lots of delicate sweetness up front, borderline Candi sugar-like, with beautiful overtones of soft fruit; overripe banana, orange zest, and pear.

The more this warms up, the more heavy the wheat and malt gets - backed with waves of soft wheaty aromas, grains, bread, butter, and a bunch of underlying sugary goodness. Fresh yeast aromas linger in the finish, both fruity and a little spicy all at once. Very well done; even from just the aroma, I can tell that this is going to be a tasty hefeweizen... but will it be enough to dethrone some of the original classics?

Much like the aroma, the taste starts off soft and sweet with some light sugar tones up front; malty to the core with a hammering of esters hitting your palate from every which way. A wonderful collage of flavors engorges the senses and sends me into hefe-nirvana; banana, pear, Bavarian yeast, wheat, plum, clove, kitchen spice, stale bread. Sickeningly delicious.

The middle portion shows an extremely mild hop addition, adding a slight musky and leafy flavor. At 7.2% ABV, this is a little more alcoholic than most hefeweizens, but you'd never be able to guess that from just smelling or tasting it. The alcohol is hidden extremely well, allowing for only a small dose of phenol flavor as the beer warms up, but never giving enough to reveal it's true nature as a 7+% ABV brew. Medium bodied, soft on the palate, mildly creamy with lots of carbonation.

Wow, incredible. Fantastic hefeweizen; drinkable like you wouldn't believe, especially at 7.2% ABV. Beautiful mix of aromas and flavors that make for an amazingly enjoyable experience. Definitely one of the best hefeweizens out there, second only to Weihenstephaner - and what a complement that is.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 11:48:50 | More by tectactoe

WolfsbaneBloom

Illinois

4.8/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Pours a bright pale, semi-hazy yellow with over three fingers of creamy off-white foam. Looks amazingly fresh.

Smell: Being a hefeweizen I expected banana in the aroma but this is just ridiculous. In a good way, of course. Smells almost exactly like banana Laffy Taffy. I also picked up on some clove, bubblegum, and a light whiff of vinegar.

Taste: Lemon, white pepper, clove, and lots of delicious banana. Spicy and sweet. Finishes with a soft kiss of sugary alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Nice, tingly carbonation. Refreshing and creamy.

Overall, this might very well be the best hefeweizen I've ever had. True to style, beautifully crafted, and bursting with flavor. New Glarus has perfected yet another classic German beer. Prost!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 22:55:59 | More by WolfsbaneBloom

TheSSG

Illinois

4.8/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a MASSIVE, dense, white head that collapses to a perfect, soft, whipped, two-finger head. A wonderful bouquet of bananas and clove in the nose. Perfect, hazy, straw-gold color. Starts with notes of clove, banana, sweet malt, and floral hops. Builds in banana sweetness after the hops peak at a very low bitterness. The finish melts the hops floral characteristics perfectly off bready malt and sweet banana, with a lingering touch of clove.

Perfect.
How is this not my go-to Hefeweizen?
Beats most of the Germans at their own game!

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 01:40:42 | More by TheSSG

yamar68

Minnesota

4.39/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

As lively looking as they come - slightly hazed pale straw gold body stuffed with beading from start to finish. A fit pillow of creamy white stuff manages to fill the hefe glass, followed by some consistent lace.

Mmmm... cereal and clove, soft honey notes, a little spicy and a little sweet. More aggressive than its imported brothers and sisters but it seems to work. A bit reminiscent of Bare Tree in this regard.

Tastefully sweet... bright yeast flavors with creamed corn, honey and wheat. The alcohol character is as integrated as you would expect from any great hefeweizen, which surprised me. Unique and thirst quenching at 7.2%abv.

Another winner from New Glarus.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 01:32:18 | More by yamar68

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle, probably about a month old, poured into a German hefeweizen glass (obtained visiting Burg Eltz on the Rhine years ago) and quaffed today, 5/4/2013.

Aroma: It smells like a hefeweizen, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Banana, spicy clove and bubble gum- the esters and characterstic WY3068 yeast that basically define hefeweizen taste and smell. Some sweet malt up front and in the back. Smells fantastic, reminds me of the Bavarian hefeweizens and transports me back to the Hirschgarten. (4.5)

Colour: Hazy straw coloured body that pours with a massive >4cm head, typical of hefeweizens, with the thick haziness that occurs in spades once I swirl the yeast sediment and pour it in. Beautiful looking hefeweizen, great in a hefeweizen glass. (4)

Flavour: Love it. Following the nose- there is a good bit of sweet malt, like straight up spicy sugar cane, that persists throughout a nice cavalcade of the esters- banana, spicy clove, pears, bubble gum. It's like an assembly line of malt with the esters being dumped on it every few seconds. Very tasty and reminds me of my time in Munich. Absolutely fantastic although the malt is a little stronger than some of the other German imports. (4.5)

Mouthfeel: Light bodied yet full of flavour. Drinks smoothly, crisp and refreshing with a clean yeasty finish. No heat at all- I think this is a higher ABV hefeweizen which I really don't notice here even when it gets rather warm. The aftertaste is basically all WY3068, which is why I'm drinking hefeweizens in the first place! (4)

Overall: The malt sweetness is a bit strong in this one, which would probably explain the higher ABV. Typically Hefeweizens are all yeast, and everything else is there as a supporting cast. This is a pretty good take on the German style, though I would prefer even more spices, banana, cloves in my Hefeweizens. That being said, this is easier for me to get fresh than the 6-9 month old imported Weihenstephaners or Paulaners- so I'm definitely appreciative of Dan's work with the German styles I used to imbibe in the good ol' Deutschland. (4.5)

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 17:04:55 | More by Stevedore

emyers

Illinois

4.36/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a New Glarus pint glass

Appearance: semi-cloudy pale cold with a 2 inch billowing white head.

Smell: Bursting with intense banana and clove esters. A tiny bit of bready, biscuity aroma to it, but it;s really dominated by the banana and clove. Pretty much exactly what I'm looking for in a hefeweizen.

Taste: Same great banana/clove character as the aroma but a little less intense. A hint of caramel sweetness and just the slightest touch of grassy hops peeks through to add a little balance to the yeast showcase. This beer really capturees the flavor profile of a hefeweizen and amplifies it.

Mouthfeel: Fuller bodied than your typical hefe with a very smooth, silky finish. Extremely easy drinking despite the fairly high abv.

Overall: Think of it as an imperial hefeweizen done extremely, extremely well.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 03:35:55 | More by emyers

TWStandley

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on NYE...bottle to pint glass.

Poured a nice hazy light orange/gold color with a 3 finger billowing white head.

Smell was quite potent - in a good way. Hugh banana, wheat, orange and yeasty notes. Some spices as well. Coriander?

Flavor is quite delicious. Not my favorite style by a long shot, but I could defientely drink many of these. Definite banana and fruit notes, some wheat spices and lemon. Tasty.

Mouthfeel was rich but refreshing.

Overall, solid beer. This style is by far my least favorite, but this beer is so well done that I had to give it solid ratings. Nice!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 16:06:00 | More by TWStandley

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.7/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

For a hefeweizen, this is about as close to perfect as it gets. Even though this bottle has started to run a little old, the beer still holds up reasonably well. The sweetness and the spiciness still dominate.

Poured into a pint glass from the bottle, the beer was a hazy straw color with a half inch white head tinted slightly golden. The nose on this one is magnificent. The yeast gives hints of banana with straw in the background while a certain spiciness tickles the nose. The initial taste is smooth with sour banana, candy sugar, sweat cookies, and a measured spiciness. A dose of spicy clove is most noticeable with cinnamon waiting in the weeds. The carbonation is a little more intense than I would like, so the outstanding taste does not last as long as I would prefer. The sour notes mellow as the taste develops. Yet in the aftertaste, the sourness is the primary aspect along with a warming spice. Though this is a summer beer, the warming of the aftertaste says otherwise. Similarly this is an easy drinker, but a 7.2%abv says otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 00:31:10 | More by JohnnyHopps

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a cloudy yellow-orange pour, lots of visible carbonation, 3 fingers of head

smells of lemongrass, pepper.. more like a saison really.. very bready scent.
tastes of lemon, orange citrus, black pepper.. an excellent tasting beer.

light body, high carbonation, fizzy mouthfeel. not like many wheat beers i've had, this was more like a saison.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 01:06:04 | More by facundoCNB

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Hazy apricot-orange. Head is half a finger off-white. Fair retention and some lacing.
S- The aroma is medicinal, banana, spice, and a bit of plastic.
T- Up front it's big a fruity with banana and apricot. There is a hint of medicinal and spice in the middle. The finish bring a bigger alcohol presence than your average hefe. Some lingering spice in the finish as well.
M- Medium body for a hefeweizen. At first I deemed this to be pretty crisp but there is some lingering stickyness.
O- A good hefe. A bit boozy but on the whole, I like this one quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 03:26:32 | More by jsprain1

Brent

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Great example of the style and better than most German products. Pour was a bright gold until the yeast sediment decanted, giving the beer an appropriate golden haze. Aroma was redolent of banana with a hint of clove and allspice. Aromas were reflected in the taste, with yeasty banana and spice flavors. A touch of breadyness toward the end. Finish was quite clean. 7.2 abv? I would never have guessed it was so high (at least for a hefeweizen). A very well made beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 22:51:41 | More by Brent

czfreeman

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Weizen glass.
I am immediately impressed by the appearance of this beer.After living in Germany for several years it is rare to come across an American version of Weizen that is so murky, perfect light golden/hay color and that rich,creamy head.Great appearance.
Smell takes the standard even higher..everything I want in a great German Weizen. Banana,grain, clove, pepper, orange,lemon, almost a yogurt quality. Yeast, fruit, grains all in perfect balance.
Flavor...perfect.A mix of bananas, pepper, allspice, clove, musty grain, lemon and almost a milk-like creaminess in the mouthfeel. Sip after sip just re-enforces my initial impression.
Mouthfeel is a great balance of creamy fruitiness, grainy quality, and a peppery yeast bite that cuts the creamy sweetness perfectly.I am really impressed with every beer I have tried from this brewery, and Dancing man IMO gives even Weihenstephan a run for its money, and I went to brewing school there.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 18:49:16 | More by czfreeman

tigg924

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a hefe glass

Appearance: moderate carbonation, bright yellow-gold in color, 2 inch head with a rocky top, hazy

Smell: wheat, bananas, cardamom, and coriander

Taste: follows the nose wheat, bananas, cardamom, and coriander with bready, earthy malt

Mouthfeel: medium bodied, moderate-highcarbonation, slightly sweet

Overall: One of the best domestics hefes I have had. This one compares very favorably to the German classics I have had. Best small bottle offering I have had from New Glarus. Would be a fridge staple if I could obtain it easily.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 20:03:46 | More by tigg924

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer poured out as a nice hazy golden color with a big fluffy white head on top. The retention and lacing were really impressive on this. The smell is loaded with fresh grain, clove, banana and bready lemons. The taste of the beer is lightly flavored with some spices and soft wheat. There is a light amount of citrus in there too. The mouthfeel is smooth, light and drinkable. Overall this beer is very good, it would be best in the summer time.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 23:53:56 | More by Knapp85

Viciousknishs

Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- pours a hazy golden color with a generous three fingers of white head. Head retention is a little lack luster and lingers as a thin ring of bubbles.

S- rich clove and ripe bananas envelope the nose with a doughy honey kissed wheat.

T- spicy up front with bready fluffy wheat flavor. Banana chips and ripe banana dessert in the middle. Kiss of honey with a lingering spice and banana on the finish.

MF- creamy full mouthfeel with a light medium body. Good caressing carbonation.

D- superbly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 02:24:29 | More by Viciousknishs

Holland

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: cloudy, pale golden color with a gigantic head with retention to last forever.

S: lot of black pepper, some sweetness and light fruity smell

T: very peppery, then slightly sweet and malty

M: big burst of carbonation at first, then silky smooth and gentle. The body is a medium-thin and refreshing.

O: easy to drink, $10 or less per 6-pack, and not hard to find in the summer in Wisconsin. It's pepper-heavy in the taste, but so refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 00:54:12 | More by Holland

Jparker37

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a weizen glass.

A - Big pillowy white head. Straw colored beer with good haziness.

S - Banana esters but out weighed by the spicy/clove counterpart. Great helping of wheat comes across brightly. I get a sense of multigrain bread from those mild base malts.

T - Great wheat character in this beer. The pleasant phenolics give good complexity with a little bit of a lemony citrus twist to finish.

M - Light to moderate-light body, light-medium carbonation, semi-sweet.

O - Never picked up cinnamon that the description describes. The ester/phenolic profile didn't jump out of the bottle as much as I prefer. Other than that this beer couldn't do much more to score perfect for this style.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 01:39:45 | More by Jparker37

RuckusDu

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Just what you want in a hefeweizen. Cloudy, light orange body with some wheat in it. Head is larger and pretty white - just slight orange.

S - A little bit of artificial pez like sugar aroma. Some wheat in it. Simple.

T - Great flavor. Orange, clove, and some cinnamon. Also simple and it fits the smell. Sweet.

M - Strong carbonation which holds up a lighter body. A little buttery on the tongue. Refreshing and nice.

O - This is not a crazy beer, but a real nice hefeweizen. Simple and sweet. Amazing how it is all the way up at 7.2%.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 00:10:26 | More by RuckusDu

iadler

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle to snifter.

A- Hazy gold with a fluffy two finger head. Minimal lacing.

S- Banana, clove, wheat, vanilla, cinnamon and peppery spice.

T- Follows the aroma with plenty of clove, banana and wheat, with hints of spice, vanilla and lemon.

M- Medium carbonation and body with the abv hidden very well.

O- A very well crafted Hefe. Perfect on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 06:05:19 | More by iadler

dacrza1

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

glassware: generic pilsner...occasion: first ever New Glarus--a gift from Jaime and Jarrett (many thanks!)...aroma: clove and banana empower the nostrils--and banana wins the battle...appearance: thick, foamy head that oozes from the bottle--no lacing at all in its descent; opaque, tawny body...palate: mild-bodied, mildly effervescent in the mouthfeel; clean if not cleansing...taste: tart and zesty, as expected...overall: a wheat indeed--not overwhelming, but with some subtle flowering that peaks the tastebuds' interests...

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 04:03:05 | More by dacrza1

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz, no date, 1602(?)
Alchemist pint

A: Pours a completely hazy golden yellow color. Two full fingers of head. Tons of carbonation. True to the style.

S: Smelled this as soon as I cracked it. Getting tons of that Belgian yeast character: coriander and clove. Lots of fresh banana. Fresh wheat.

T: A very pleasant first sip. Nice spice on the tip of the tongue. Lots of banana and clove flavors. I mean, lots of clove! Almost like a spice cookie. Fresh wheat cracker in the middle of the both. Fairly dry finish. I saw this was higher ABV but you don't taste it. Prickly carbonation. Boarding on too much, but you can't help the bottle carb.

M: Light to medium.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 18:42:55 | More by inlimbo77

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.93/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 8.21.12.

A - Pours a very light, cloudy yellow with a huge fizzy off-white head that fades fast.

S - Lemons, wheat, and more wheat.

T - Light wheat, lemons. Summer wheat and yeast.

D - Light body and tons of carbonation.

O - Light and refreshing, very lemony and crisp, a touch on the sweet side.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 06:44:26 | More by HuskyinPDX

sjccmd

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours deep golden with large creamy white head. Bubbles rush to the top in constant stream. Surprisingly pretty clear even with the yeast added.

Clove and cinnamon in the aroma. Floral and pretty fruity. Banana and bubble gum. Some grassy and spicy hops in the background.

Banana comes full out on the palate. Which then makes me notice it more in the nose. Citrussy and very refreshing. Very floral and slightly sweet. Biscuity malt in the finish. Fruity and spicy noble hop character.

Super creamy mouthfeel without feeling thick. Still very bubbly on the tongue. Finish is fairly dry.

New Glarus seems to have mastered light drinkable beers with tons of flavor. This one is no exception.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 20:37:25 | More by sjccmd

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 16 oz glass.

A- cloudy (unfiltered) light orange with a big 2" white head. small bubbles of lacing.

S- big banana and clove aroma with some lemon.

T- sweet orange and lemons, caramel and cloves.

M- medium body and carbonation. Some effervescence that gives a crisp finish.

O- very good hefeweizen that has a good balance of banana and cloves.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 17:11:47 | More by kawilliams81

badmoonrison

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow! Someone earlier accurately described this one as a "clovebomb," and I think they're right. This might be the best wheat I've ever had. Cinnamon and clove hit you right away, and the flavor evolves as you enjoy the bottle. Truly worth picking up if visiting Wisconsin or trading with a local.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 03:30:01 | More by badmoonrison