R&D Golden Ale - New Glarus Brewing Company

alcstradamus

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Been waiting impatiently to try this for a week now, finally able to crack my first bottle....

Bright golden (duh) color with a fluffy inch of head in a 25 oz. snifter. Smell is tropical and funky, two competing characteristics which meld brilliantly here. The taste is a bit of a shock at first, I was expecting a bit more of a subdued taste based on the nose but this one smacks you in the face pretty quickly with band aid funk and orange peel. I heard this was brewed to be similar to Orval and can definitely see the comparison, only this one seems to be a little lighter with more fruity complexities in the background than Orval. Very refreshing as well. On the full side of medium bodied and thankfully not over-carbonated, this 500 ML bottle is going to disappear faster than I had anticipated. Fabulous beer here by New Glarus.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2009 21:31:58 | More by alcstradamus

nghab

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a beautiful slightly hazy deep golden to orange-y colour into a Kasteel glass. Medium malty nose with citrusy/lemony spicy notes, almost a touch of coriander although I doubt that it's an ingredient. Grassy hops, some earthy notes, some floral notes. Very effervescent with a big lasting white head. A bit like a Belgian IPA or an Orval, definitely hop accented and a dry finish. Complex, but perhaps not as much as I would have expected from the Brettanomyces. More malty and fruity as it warms up, but still finishing relatively dry. High CO2, as expected, very lively snd with a surprising creaminess, medium body. Nothing "extreme" about this beer, just a very solid, balanced, enjoyable moderately complex beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2009 21:28:32 | More by nghab

hoppymeal

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a light honey gold in color, hazy with a decent size white head that slowly recedes. Aroma is a nice coriander and spice aroma that intermingles nicely with a sweet wheatiness. Some lemon and honey notes, a bit of funkiness, as well as some green apple and pear fruitiness. Taste follows the aroma well with a good flash of the sweet wheaty maltiness that is quickly overtaken by a hay like brettiness and some mellow spiciness in the background, lemons and honey work in to the taste as well and linger into the grassy hoppiness in the finish. A slightly burnt grassy bitterness in the finish along with a bit of tartness. Mouthfeel is light to medium in body, somewhat lively carbonation, drying bitterness in the finish. Delicious and quite refreshing, easily drinkable at 7%, the brett character works extremely well with the beer. I thought I read this was to be similar to or inspired by Orval, and I can definitely see the similarities, perhaps not quite as dry, but a lovely brett and light tartness are very nice right now. I will probably search out more of these for some ageing. Thanks to Adam for the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2009 22:14:10 | More by hoppymeal

dirtylou

Washington

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16oz euro-bottle, scooped a case from the new brewery last sunday. I have been anxiously awaiting this new series from the best brewery in the US

appearance: really interesting oldschool bottle design - poured into my hopleaf tulip, energetic pour - active carbonation, clear orange body, wavy white lace.

smell: sweet floral nose, orange and lemon zests, corriander, currents of brett, nice funky kick, sweet sugary candy noise - perhaps sweet tarts

taste: perhaps not fully developed, and not as sophisticated as the nose - nice slick body with a very pleasant brett presence...its funky, sweet but a little flat-finished.

mouthfeel: slick, prickly carbonation

drinkability: good

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2009 00:34:25 | More by dirtylou

Mistofminn

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Special thanks to Ben (mothman) for driving the insane drive to pick this up and offer me a couple bottles. Cheers!

Poured into my Surly Tulip. Pours a clear copper golden. First pour didn't produce much head, possibly was too cold, but the second pour produced a one finger white head. Head dissipates over the course of a few minutes to a thin cap. Shows some decent lacing, but nothing overly impressive. Carbonation appears to be light.

I heard this was a vamped up Orval type brew, and I can definitely see that. For such a young beer, the Brett is fantastic in this one. I've had some beers with Brett that were over a year old that didn't show this level of complexity. I get lots of horsebarn funkyness and dry hay. Now that I think about it, this definitely reminds me of Orval. What an excellent job of an American made Orval-inspired ale. The funk is very strong and it's hard for me to pick up much else, but that is certainly fine with me.

The taste department doesn't let down, although it's not as impressive as the nose. Once again, I get horsebarn and hay, but this time I get a little bit of the earthy hops. The first sip I had gave off sort of a metallic funk aftertaste, while appealing, didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the brew. But as it has warmed, that has dissappeared and allowed spices and earthy hops to shine through.

I admittedly served this brew too cold. I initially thought it was way too over-carbonated. It almost took away from the beer, because it took a few seconds for the brew to settle down in your mouth before you could taste it. As it has sat here and warmed up a bit, the carbonation and crisp bite has gone down, and I truly enjoy this one. Drinability is high in this. I find myself wishing I had the balls to open my second bottle. I must resist!

Overall, an excellent American made Orval-inspired wild ale. I ceased to be amazed by the guys at New Glarus, and I definitely am looking forward to the next R & D series brew. I heard possibly a Lambic of some sort? Thinking of making the 13 hour drive again, Ben?

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2009 03:34:31 | More by Mistofminn

dancinwillie

Wisconsin

4.63/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I was pretty stoked to finally get out to the new brewery today, and pick up a few of these.

Pours medium straw colored, with an adequate inch high white head on it. Liquid itself is startlingly clear, with a few streams of carbonation lazily drifting up to escape.

Aroma is absolutely amazing. Strong barley aroma hits me like a ton of bricks, and it almost smells like there's a little wheat in there too. Smells like their other, older brewery always smelled when I've visited there! Really, just a very good bouquet here.

A nice balance here. Some nice brett flavor, but not out in front showing off. Also a decent amount of lemon flavor, that mingles with the brett, and for all I know is a byproduct OF the brett. I'm really most impressed, however, with the lovely barley flavors! Grainy, and almost a raw element, yet it works wonderfully with everything else.

Full mouthfeel. I think it even seemed fuller after looking straight through the straw colored beer. Somewhat slick, and a nice tight little finish.

What can I say? I really love this beer. And yes, I am somewhat of a NG fanboy. But I was prepared to be disappointed. In the back of my mind, I didn't really think this beer was worthy of special trip to New Glarus, and then pay $8 a bottle on top of it. I was very wrong. And on a side note, and knowing that it doesn't affect the product inside, I love the new bottle's for this series, and I love the labels. All around a tremendous beer, and I'm glad to see New Glarus growing.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2009 03:35:40 | More by dancinwillie

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

American Blonde Ale? I'd classify this as something Belgium, maybe a Saison/Farmhouse Ale or a Belgium Pale Ale, obviously American, as it is brewed in the states. Bottle says Golden Ale (pretty broad), but who knows? I sure don't.

Well, a little history first. I talked with one of the developers of this beer to get a feel for it. This is a pumped up version of Orval; higher abv, added brett, and a good amount of carbonation.

Pours a little over a finger of slight beige head. Thins down to a minimal layer after a few minutes. Leaves some really cool lacing. Hard to describe, but I would say it looks like a cement wall with big rocks sticking out. I know this is a horrible description, but it is the best I could think of. Color is as the type suggests: Golden. A clear copper-hued gold.

Aroma: Reminds me a lot of a Saison. This is definitely a Belgium styled beer. A lot of spices, but the main one I pick up is black pepper. Then there is some orange peel. And of course, the obvious funk it has going on. The brett makes its presence known easily, creating a funky farmhouse aroma. The hops are earthy smelling and at 38 IBUs, they are lightly present.

Taste: At first I get the orange peel and some peach or mango (nice fruity flavor) and then shortly after comes the spices. A big black pepper flavor followed by the brett and funkiness. A big farmhouse flavor. If I had to pick a style, I'd go with a saison.

Mouthfeel: Funky and smooth. No hope bite, no big smokey malty flavor. Medium bodied, with a medium to high level of carbonation (a little less than the bubbles would suggest). Ends with a sticky and funk flavored aftertaste.

Overall, this beer is good. I drank my 500 mL so fast, that I barely could finish my review. I am really trying not to be biased in my review, as I drove 13 hours to get this beer, but I am very impressed. I am glad I got a lot of it, so I can age it for a few years and see how it develops. The 7% abv isn't noticable, so drinking another one of these would be easy. I really recommend this if you have a chance to try it. Can't wait to see the brett develop more!

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2009 00:26:05 | More by mothman

deliriumfest

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Consumed on 7/15/09 at the brewery

Poured a nice golden color with a white 2 finger head. Aroma is a bit fruity followed by complete barnyard funk. Taste is similar with a bit of sour that permeates across the tongue followed by a lingering funk. Average carbonation is present. Mouthfeel is light and semi creamy with a decent drinkability. Overall a great first beer to come out of the new R&D series. I can't wait to see what some age does to this one!

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2009 20:01:51 | More by deliriumfest