Thumbprint Berliner Weiss - New Glarus Brewing Company

hopsbreath

Oregon

4.48/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to black13 for the bottle! A personal whale of mine that didn't last a single hour in my house when I got home. Split into a pair of New Glarus flutes and shared with TulipSnifter.

A: Pale gold in the glass with a quickly receded white head. Just a few bubbles remain on top and no lacing shows up on the glass. Everything points to a well done Berliner so far. 4/5

S: From the label description comes a reference to champagne, pinot grigio, and reisling grapes. Well this smells about as winey as they come on the nose. Green grapes, green apples, and green mellon (honey dew) dominates here. No way this can be described as a traditional berliner weisse, or even beer at this point, but wow is this interesting. 4.5/5

T: If I was told this was champagne I'd be sold. Heavy on the tart grapes with a good dose of acid. Cucumber and pear compliments the sparkling beverage. As dry as they come. 4.5/5

M: Prickly and tongue bruising. Paired with some fatty cheese, this would scrub the palate and keep it fresh. 4.5/5

O: Can't grade this on a typical metric for the style. That aside, it's really remarkable and very unique. At over three years old it shows no signs of its age and is shining brilliantly. Another Dan Carey success. 4.5/5

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 05:25:52 | More by hopsbreath

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.6%

05-22-2013 00:52:38 | More by mikeincharleston

Dactrius

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -3.6%

05-21-2013 21:05:00 | More by Dactrius

Gotti311

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

05-21-2013 14:49:44 | More by Gotti311

stealth

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%

05-21-2013 05:17:20 | More by stealth

Mike

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

05-21-2013 00:41:11 | More by Mike

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%

05-20-2013 11:56:38 | More by cnbrown313

tectactoe

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Mike for tossing me this one. Enjoyed side by side with Bell's Oarsman Ale. The pour is nearly identical - a murky, straw-yellow color; this one is perhaps a bit more clear, but still has a large haze to it. The head is also pretty thin and fizzy, not to mention it's gone within a few seconds of pouring the beer, leaving nothing behind.

A nice amount of light grains, hay, must, lemon zest and apple skins come clashing together to form a very soft, relaxed, yet well-stated aromatic profile. This one is perhaps a bit more complex and robust than Oarsman (or at least, as "robust" as a Berliner can be), and it has a bit stronger of a tartness to it. The tart in the aroma is of the lemon-y and lactic persuasion. Refreshing and effervescent.

Again, the flavor follows through with what the nose has paved the way for. The initial taste is a nice lemon zesty tartness; pretty far from sour, but definitely a little more tart and lactic than Oarsman. Other flavors that follow include green apple skins, white grape, and a touch of grains and some dead, musty hops with basically no bitterness left. Very nice, crispy clean finish with a thin and wet mouth feel.

I think I liked this one a little bit more than Oarsman, although they are both good. Very nice and refreshing with decent complexity for a beer that's so light. So easy to drink, the bottle was gone in minutes, and I could easily crush a six pack of this without thinking about it. A very nice summer beer to have by your side.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 02:31:48 | More by tectactoe

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.53/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

With the 20th Anniversary of New Glarus Brewery taking place in 2013, they have been bringing back some of the past favorites as part of their celebration. First came Edel Pils and now it’s time for some Berliner Weiss. Berliner Weiss last debuted about 4 years ago and I never got a chance to try it as I was just entering the craft beer world so I’m very excited to try this one.

It pours a pale yellow color with a frothy white head. The aroma is a combination of wheat, yeast, and tart fruits. It certainly has a Belgian style feel going for it. Overall it’s very inviting with hints of banana as well.

It take a little while to get used to the tartness of the beer although it’s no where near as tart as a sour/wild ale. The texture is smooth and creamy with a balanced mixture of wheat and yeast. This is definitely something different from New Glarus’ other offerings. I can’t say I've had anything else quite like it.

A unique tasty brew from New Glarus is always a hit! I’m glad to see them bring back older brews so I have something to try I haven’t had before. I’m always a fan of them bringing beer back they said didn't sell well before so a new group a beer lovers can try it for themselves. I hear that next up on their list is a new 20th Anniversary Strong Ale due out in late May 2013. I’m getting thirsty thinking about it already.
-Chris Lemke of WisconsinBrewReview.com

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 22:47:21 | More by Lemke10

Fcolle2

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours nice golden color. Frothy 2 finger head that's settles down rather quickly, decent lacing

S: defiantly getting some grassy notes upfront followed by lemon and finishes with the yeast.

T: you can really taste the grape in this one. It gives it a champagne feel that works great with the lemony yeast characters.

M: lots of carbonation and nice and light. This really adds the the champaign feel of the beer.

O: great beer, very drinkable. I will defiantly be picking more of this up for the summer.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 00:13:17 | More by Fcolle2

tourdot

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -21.7%

05-18-2013 20:17:39 | More by tourdot

brian4beer

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -9.6%

05-18-2013 17:50:40 | More by brian4beer

doucmehu

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -3.6%

05-18-2013 16:24:08 | More by doucmehu

Jakob

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

05-18-2013 16:14:53 | More by Jakob

SrMonkey

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%

05-18-2013 15:39:29 | More by SrMonkey

Duff27

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a full two inch white, densely fluffed head. Body is a straw golden yellow color. A multitude of effervescence rising. Head retention is above average with clumpy lacing. No complaints thus far.

First aroma that I get is a funky stank. Straw and lemon zest come through on the nose as well.

A slightly soured/tart presence is tasted throughout each sip. Again, faint lemons come to mind. Extremely clean taste. Drink drink drink.

Smooth, small bubbled carbon teeters on the high end but fits this beer's overall profile nicely.

Perhaps the best lawnmower beer ever? New Glarus Berliner Weiss nails everything you look for in a Berliner, slight funk, cleanliness, and a high drinkability. One of the few Unplugged/Thumbprints I haven't had up until tonight. Thanks for picking this up for me egrace84.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 03:21:37 | More by Duff27

brydeen

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: pours a light golden straw color, with a massive 2 inch frothy white head. Very active carbonation from the bottom of glass.

S: A light funky aroma. Lemon peel, and a little wheat scent.

T: Very sharp and lightly tart. Acidic and lemony, but lightly funky. A slight white wine quality to it. This beer begs for a hot summer day.

M: Sharp, light, and dry. Bubbly but creamy at the same time. Very refreshing.

O: This is a perfect hot summer day beer. Light, crisp, tart, and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 01:30:10 | More by brydeen

nickapalooza86

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a straw color with 2 fingers of white head, slight haze, lively carbonation from the bottom.

Smell is lemon, grain, white wine

Taste is tart lemons, wheat, green grape, white wine character in there aswell.

really light feel to it, but the heavy carbonation really fills it out nice!

Well this is a summer beer I can get behind! Nice and complex, but clearly in session abv standards, could drink this all day if it were not 9 bucks a 4 pack ( I still might though!)

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 23:07:12 | More by nickapalooza86

Shakory

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%

05-17-2013 19:45:15 | More by Shakory

Kunstman

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -3.6%

05-17-2013 02:08:35 | More by Kunstman

StoughtonGuy

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -27.7%

05-17-2013 00:28:31 | More by StoughtonGuy

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.44/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Overall this beer reminded me of the old days and drinking Schultheiss Berliner Weisse. It's that good!

A: slight hazy, straw colored, kept creamy head the entire way
S: wheat, grassy, lactic
T: nice and tart but not overly tart, easy drinking, not as tart as Schultheiss but very good
M: refreshing, quenching and well-made

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 02:34:02 | More by wisrarebeer

Hallertau

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -15.7%

05-16-2013 02:18:39 | More by Hallertau

TheLostGringo

Connecticut

4.41/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Traded for a couple 4 packs of these and was time to drink my first one last night.

A: Pours a hazy straw color, with a lush foamy white head that clings remains for some time and lacing that easily clings to my Deschutes Teku glass. 4.25

S: Dominated by wheat aromas, perhaps a cheesy smell as well, with hints of lemon coming through in the end. 4.00

T: Was happy to see that the sweetish wheat flavor was nowhere to be found but instead just mildly funky, refreshingly tart with a lemonade sweetness. 4.50

M: The mouth-feel is gorgeous on this Berliner Weiss, Light but not thin, highly carbonated and intensely refreshing. On a warm summers day I fear there would be no limit to the amount of these I could drink. 4.75

O: From beginning to end just a really great beer, can't wait to drink the others I have, highly suggest searching this out if you like the style. 4.50

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 15:12:26 | More by TheLostGringo

UWBadgerFan4Life

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%

05-15-2013 10:59:04 | More by UWBadgerFan4Life