Dancing Man Wheat - New Glarus Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks Grant for bringing back from WI. My first pint (I will give it another go) showed abundant white head. The aroma was full of cinammon spicey wheat. Above average mouthfeel. Very sweet orangey, clove, corriander. Almost cloying, so I did not fiund overly drinkable. I remember more balanced hefes.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2008 00:26:45 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Blurry mango with an impressively whipped creamy, khaki colored crown. The fantastic looking foam, and better than average looking lace, tells me that this is sure to be well-crafted beer. Of course, seeing the words 'New Glarus' on the label is proof enough.

The nose is exceeding my already high expectations. Talk about nose-filling power! This may be the most clove-intensive hefeweizen on planet earth... and creamy banana is right there riding shotgun. A little less of the spice and a little more of the fruit and it would be perfect.

One sip is all it takes to tell that Dancing Man Wheat is the single best American-brewed hefeweizen in history. I'm tempted to say it's top banana, but then a growler of Live Oak Hefeweizen hasn't yet made the long-awaited trip to my doorstep. Any Texans out there?

One of the best things about this beer is its size. Give me a bulked-up and creamilicious 7.2% ale over a light and airy thirst-quencher any day. All that malt is responsible for boatloads of flavor, sweetness and a glorious mouthfeel. It might be my big beer bias talking, but more of a good thing is a better thing, right?

Even though it flies in the face of the style guidelines, the Cascade hops used in Imperial Weizen were outstanding. This offering doesn't use those hops and isn't grapefruit juicy, which is good because it doesn't need to be a smaller version of that masterpiece.

Another good point (there are so many) is that the tanginess of the wheat is perfectly offset by the sweetness of the malt and the spiciness of the yeast. The hefeweizen banan-o-meter score is an unprecedented 4.5/5.0. Sugared banana is at least as prominent as cloves. This may be the most monkey fruit-intensive beer ever.

The mouthfeel score is a tough call. It was originally 4.5, but the carbonation isn't as soft as it could be and the beer isn't as mouthfilling. It's still more than fine, even if it loses a little something on the swallow.

New Glarus is the best brewery in the great craft brewing state of Wisconsin. It took me a while to get there, but with great beer after great beer after great beer, that fact can no longer be denied. Anyone with a functioning palate can see that Dancing Man Wheat can stand toe-to-toe with Germany's best. Given that country's several hundred year head start, that's something to be proud of. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2008 13:19:13 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Another gem from New Glarus that I was privy to trying. I am always thrilled when I run across another of their beers. This one in particular I was anxious to try, Served chilled and poured into a pint glass. Consumed on 11/02/2008.

The pour was very nice with a rich and very bright yellow color coming through right away. A very hazy and cloudy look to this one I have to admit, as I was waiting to find some sediment, but none came forward. Nice three inches of white then topped out over the glass and settled down lightly into a nice little pillow of white, which was reinforced but lots of carbonation.

The aroma was light and very pleasing. Nice touches of grain, light wheat and a touch of a banana like aroma all coming through rather nicely. Some almost light grass like hops bouncing around in there as well. The flavor was very crisp, very clean with a well rounded profile that was very pleasing. Nice light rush of grass and grain, light bready malts and a touch of banana again coming through quite cleanly and clearly. Very easy to put down, it seemed to get lighter, and easier to drink as time went by.

Overall I have to give this one some pretty darn high marks. A very solid hefe here, with a nice and very tight profile and rich carbonation that really just pulled it all together. I would go for another one of these any day!

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2008 11:54:16 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

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

A: The pour is orange in color with an impressive (or maybe not?) level of clarity for a hefeweizen. A massive white head forms before subsiding.

S: We've got banana, which is quite nice. But even more so, there is a lot of clove and maybe a bit of bubblegum. Sweet wheat bread is prominent as well. Maybe a bit of orange peel.

T: Very sweet malt and wheat with a bit of a honey flavor in there too. Quite spicy, especially with cloves, and there's a bit of citrus zest on the finish. Banana esters provide some sweetness as well.

M: The body is medium with a moderate carbonation that is fairly smooth and almost creamy.

D: Despite a way higher than usual ABV, this is a pretty good hefeweizen, especially for an American brewed version. Wouldn't mind having this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 03:34:15 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

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

Many a six pack when I was living in Chicago and it was so easy to drive up to WI for some New Glarus.

A: Pours a medium copper with a very nice white head and a decent amount of lacing as it goes down.

S: Loads of banana with a bit of clove in there. A little bit of miscellaneous spice as well.

T: Again, loads of banana, almost semi-roasted. Beautiful flavors all around, with a bit of malt sweetness backing things up. In the end, the yeast shines through, creating a lovely bouquet of German hefe flavors.

M: Fairly light with good carbonation and a nice, light creaminess.

D: The ultimate summer session beer, even though the relatively-high ABV will creep up on you.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2010 04:39:35 | More by Thorpe429

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle: Poured a hazy yellow color wheat with a medium foamy head with average retention and some minimal lacing. Aroma of cloves are dominating with some discernable wheat and overall a quite big malt base. Taste is a mix between some cloves and some big malt base and is not as close to the style as I was expecting. Either there is too much wheat and the beer is veering toward a wheat wine or maybe there is too much barley but I thought the malt base was too sweet for the style and didn't provide enough refreshment. Also, at the risk of sounding too traditional, I would have like if more banana ester would have showed. Definitely not the best weizen out there and probably over rated and not the best beer from a very good brewer.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2008 19:29:43 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A delicious display of bananna esters, peppery clove, and bubblegum flavors. Banannas are acompanied by apples, pineapples, mangos, papayas, apricots along with a whole plethera of fruitiness. Spicy white pepper, cumin, and orange peel work well in conjunction with the white pepper and warming alcohols. All this on a strong malt base that never favors wheat or barley. Confectionate powdered sugars, wrapped in Juicy Fruit bubblegum adds richness and sweeetness to the shortbread textures and flavors. Remaining creamy and semi-full, the beer slowly fades into a complex dry, spict sweetness. A brilliant juggling act done by New Glarus with complexity and balance.

Thanks Maximim12

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2009 03:43:03 | More by BEERchitect

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Golden hued and hazy, rush of carbonation, huge cloud-like white head, pockmarked and pillowy. Looks nice.

Aroma: there's the clove, there's the banana, light, fresh, and lovely...it's all there.

Great texture grips the palate, then a rush a fruit, bright orange, tangy citrus, a spark of spice. Drink again, ah, refreshment, banana and orange, spritz of carbonation. Delicious. Easy-drinking. Thirst-quenching. Tantalizing.
Loving it.

Dance on, dancing man, dance on!

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2008 09:16:01 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

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

Apparently my 1300th review. Clearly I'm paying attention. I'll make #2000 a really badass significant beer. I'll figure out what that is.

Came to me in a BIF, which is fun because it was a want. Poured from a bottle into a RR wine glass. Beer is yellow and hazy with a big soft white head of small bubbles, high carbonation and lots of lacing on the glass. This is what a hefe is suppose to look like.

Strong banana esters and mild yeast in the nose. Some grain as well, smells good.

Beer is light in body and wet all around. Tastes really nice, its refreshing, decent carbonation on the palate and overall a well balanced hefe. The fruit is not overwhelming at all, its well inserted into the palate. Mild grainy aftertaste, otherwise this is a great hefe. I would definitely have it again. It does slightly annoy me that this beer is greater than 7%, should be more around 5%.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2010 13:56:16 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

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

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle. This is one I have been wanting to try.

The beer pours a hazy yellow color with a large white head. The aroma is bananas, cloves and wheat. The flavor is more of the same. The banana component of the flavor stands out the most, but the cloves and wheat are also present and keep the beer from being sweet and syrupy. Medium, creamy mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

An excellent hefeweizen, one of the best I have had.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 03:56:04 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

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

A - Poured out a cloudy, golden/orange color with an off-white, two-finger head of firm foam. It left behind thin rings of lace.

S - Clove, cinnamon, banana and wheat aromas jump out of the bottle as you pour it out. There is a grain smell as you examine it closer.

T - Great flavor of wheat, fruit and clove. There are yeasty flavors and banana, too.

M - It was crisp and very sharp. A light-bodied ale that is very easy drinking.

D - Since I don't live in WI, I really regret not buying more! Great hefe that tastes like a good one from Germany.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2010 23:19:17 | More by zeff80

MasterSki

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to d0b for throwing me a mixed sixer from WI. Served in my weizen glass.

A - Huge billowy foam that eventually settles into a four fingers of persistent egg-white head and glass-coating lacing. The beer is a slightly hazed golden straw color with a ton of tiny bubbles rising to the top.

S - Tons of clove, banana, bubblegum, lemon, and other spices - reminiscent of Crack'd Wheat but without the intense hopping. There are also some malt and yeast notes, but it's not the sharp wheat smell that I get from other Hefes. I get a sense that if we got fresh German wheat beers in the US they would smell a lot like this.

T - The taste is a little yeastier with some cinnamon spice and the aforementioned fruit flavors (banana, lemon, maybe a bit of apple as well). The taste isn't so complicated - pretty much the stuff you'd expect from a hefeweizen, but wonderfully fresh and delicious all the same.

M - Surprisingly medium-bodied, with lower carbonation (it's all in the foam!), and lots of residual stickiness. The only knock I can think of is that it's not quite as refreshing as most hefes.

D - I can't taste the 7.2% at all - I'd put this closer to ~5%. The mouthfeel is a bit chewier than I'd want from a session beer, but otherwise it goes down real easy - nice mild carbonation and minimal aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2009 21:45:05 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A solid, but not overly aggressive pour gets a bit away from me such that I end up with four-fingers of light tan froth that I have to suck the top off of to keep from over-flowing my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip. The head only subsides slowly, leaves quite a bit lacing on the sides of my glass and never fully dissapears. The beer is a fuller amber color that shows a hazed, gold-amber hue when held up to the light. The aroma smells amply fruity with notes of banana, sweet accentuating clove, some lime sorbet notes, perhaps some apple like notes, interesting wheat malt notes and a finish that reminds me of concord grape juice some how.

Slightly full bodied up front, but the finish sees a nice tartness become noticeable that helps to lighten up the finish of this beer quite a bit. Up front flavors of banana are coupled with the classic note of clove that lingers in the finish. The tartness in the finish brings out some flavors of apple in the finish, perhaps even a hint of citrus or lime that is more from the yeast and wheat than from hops. Hops actually aren't really a contributor here, which is as it should be, though there is a soft bitterness that is accentuated by a peppy carbonic effervescence and bite. This definitely has the fullness that I like to find in a good Hefeweizen, but it is also quite a bit stronger than a traditional example, so it should be.

I will admit to wanting to be blown away by this beer, so much so that I was quite critical of the first bottle of this that I had. This second bottle has settled in a bit better, but I have still had better examples. This one is quite good though; and this might not be as fresh as the best that I have had. In the end this is a nicely satisfying Hefewiezen; too soon I find my glass empty and I am wanting for more.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2010 16:35:27 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Acquired via trade from brdc, so a big “Thank you” goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a weizen glass.

A: The beer is a cloudy light amber color with a thin but dense white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of wheat, banana, lemon and spice along with light malts and a little bit of hops.

T: The taste starts out very bready with a strong wheat flavor dominating as you would expect from the style. There’s not a lot of sweetness but there are flavors of banana, lemon and some spices. The hops presence is mild as it should be. The after-taste is bready and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, light-to-medium body, medium-to-heavy carbonation, clean finish.

D: Tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, good representation of style, nice strong kick for the style, this is a very good beer to stick with for an evening. I could definitely drink quite a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2007 03:49:58 | More by TheManiacalOne

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

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.63/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Got this one from Schmittymack, cheers Dan!

Pours a semi-turbid apricot/bronze with 2 fingers of cream colored head. Not much head retention or lacing

S: Apple peels, bubble gum, nose fades a bit as it warms

T: Band Aids, juicy fruit, banana & apple peels up front. Bananas, pears, pineapple & a touch of honey malt as this warms, some lemony hops, plus cloves once warm. finishes with a touch of juicy fruit, cloves to balance it out, & pineapple sweetness

MF: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, bit of a grainy feel to this one

Talk about drinkability, this is one of the best hefes I've in or outside of Germany. NG sure know how to make a hefe (plus a ton of other styles!)

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2009 02:27:13 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Four fingers of foam billow up to the rim of the weizen glass. Color is a murky, translucent orange, with lazy streams of carbonation idling upwards. Foam settles, creating a soufflé like effect. Irregular webs of lace cling to the sides of the glass.

Immediately there's a big banana aroma, very fresh and ripe. On par with Weihenstephaner in my opinion. Fresh wheat and yeast esters are large in the equation.

On the palate, it's very smooth, almost buttery. Wheat slickness, with bursting banana, clove, & nutmeg. Some residual orange sweetness accompanies the yeast in the aftertaste. Very satisfying, drink it by the liter in the summertime!

Everything about this Hefe says traditional Bavaria. In a blind tasting it would be very difficult to identify this a domestic Hefeweizen.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2007 22:54:37 | More by emerge077

Gavage

New Jersey

4.6/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: hazy yellowish orange color with a long lasting 3" fluffy head. Moderate lacing paints the glass.

Smell: wheat and spices are very pleasant on the nose.

Taste: big wheat flavor with banana, strong clove and a decent bitterness. Some lemon citrus arrives late. There is an overall breadiness here too.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Lightly crisp to start, a bit smoother late. The aftertaste is short-lived.

Drinkability: if you are looking for a great hefe, this one will do. Easy to quaff, big flavors, and super refreshing. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2009 13:14:03 | More by Gavage

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to eyncognito for this 12 oz bottle. My love of NG wheat beers is officially on record, so I am anxious to try this.

A: I poured the ale vigourously into my Widmer Bros. hefe glass, stirring up the head and sediment. A full seven fingers of lace arose before settling down and depositing lace around the sides of the glass. The ale is hazy, heavy with yeast sediment. The color approximates an earthy yellow-brown hue that appears on many trees in mid-October.

S: Even in a fresh-from-the-fridge state, the weizen aromas are strong. Wheat starts off with light tartness before the spices coming flying in. Clove and bubblegum are strong but not cloyingly sweet. Faint banana wafts out as well. A lot of nose packed into one glass.

T: Wheat is a great set-up for the ale, softly lulling the palate into a haze before, BAM!, the yeast hits like a hammer. Clove and bubblegum are upfront with a spicy sweetness. Grain flavors return sporadically throughout each sip, acting almost like a 'reset' for the ale. Banana is prominent on the back end, a welcome addition to the party. Orange peel and mango mix into the sweetness in the finish. The alcohol isn't evident but does sneak up on you.

M: The mouthfeel is intense, careening from one flavor to the next at breakneck speed. I like that the ale shows off more than clove, banana and bubblegum. The citrus that emerges is a very welcome addition.

D: Even at 7.2%, this one goes down wicked easy. An authentic weizen with a twist that further cements NG's stature as best wheat brewer in the U.S.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 19:10:33 | More by akorsak

Wasatch

Utah

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

Thanks goes out to beerwolf77 for this brew.

Pours a very nice cloudy yellow color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice two-finger thick/creamy white head, with lots of thick/creamy sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, with a nice yeast note, banannas, coriander. The taste is malty/yeasty, very nice bananna/corinander notes. Medium body. Very drinkable, one of the best Hefe's I've had to date.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 23:51:53 | More by Wasatch

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.68/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

(Served in a weizen glass)
A- This beer pours a slightly hazy golden-orange body with strands of tiny carbonation gliding up to a creamy white head that last a good while.
S- The sweet club soda aroma turns to warm cloves and a fresh wheat dough with just a hint of Dijon mustard and a finish of circus peanuts finish.
T- The notes of clove and white bread crust has a nice spice warmth to the cloves. There is a natural bubble gum flavor then a finish of green hops and spice that blend well together.
M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a soft full fizz that enhances the flavor.
D- This beer has some great yeast characteristics that I have not tasted outside of German breweries. The flavor is very drinkable but full and rich while none of the spice/yeast notes overpower other flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2009 22:54:02 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

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

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

Pours a slightly hazed dark golden color with a good two fingers of head on top. A bit lemony, some sour dough bread and a balanced banana / clove combo in the nose. Crisp and very smooth with a chewy medium body. Big fermented wheat twang of fresh baked wheat crackers, faint lemon rind, powdered clove and banana taffy. Maltiness holds strong with some many flavors being pushed against it, even when it comes to the warming estery fruity alcohol. Maltiness stays around for the aftertaste and leaves the beer semi-dry.

Wow, a 7.2% abv hefeweizen ... its pretty much bordering the weizenbock but it damn sure drinks like a hefe. Lovely stuff, perfect for a snowy night.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 02:48:33 | More by Jason

mdfb79

New York

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

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

a - Pours a yellow golden color with one finger of fluffy white head that lasts for several minutes. Nice lacing and moderate carbonation.

s - Smells of bananas, wheat, spices, and cloves. Some yeast and citrus fruit as well.

t - Tastes of wheat, bananas, and a little spice. Hint of lemon as well.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Pretty easy to drink.

d - A really nice hefeweizen. I thought it smelled great and was very easy to drink. Looking forward to drinking more of these.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2010 22:23:25 | More by mdfb79

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle obtained via trade with kmpitz2. Thanks for the opportunity...

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 2 3/4" beige head above the cloudy golden amber brew. Ample frothy lace, and aroma is the expected sweet wheat coupled with clove and banana. Taste follows the nose, just what you expect from the style. Mouthfeel is smooth, and drinkability is easy. Wouldn't mind revisiting this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2007 00:14:01 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

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

Thanks to dickinsonbeer for this...
Appears a hazy gold with a 2 finger white head that fades into a soapy head of batter. Tons of spotty lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of banana, toasted bread, spices, clvoes, pepper, and tart wheat.
Taste is of the aforementioned aromas with an estery tastiness that keeps this Hefe nice and interesting.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, citrusy, spritzy up front, with a nice balance of sweetness and tartness that come together for a well done brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2007 13:43:32 | More by weeare138