R&D Golden Ale - New Glarus Brewing Company

cokes

Wisconsin

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Lightly misty golden-yellow with a mountain of white suds that stick around and stain the insides of the glass.
After nearly two years in the bottle, the Brett is showing its kaleidoscopic effect on the aroma. It begins with a basic Brett note of rotten citrus and dirty suede earthiness. It rotates outward from there in sequential tangents of lemon oil, apple cores, milkweed, lavender, heather, rosewater, bosc pears, aged cheddar, spearmint, acetic acid, gauze pads, wet hay, and rock candy.
Crisp, pils-esque malts grabs the tongue initially. The crackery dryness is bolstered by the brett, adding earthy peppery spice notes, cracked leather, rotten apples, and lemon rinds. Pepper notes grow and conjoin with the still crispy herbal, weedy hop traits. Cobwebs and a minty, lemon-eucalyptus note appear on the swallow.
The rapid (sometimes gushing) CO2 fades over time, allowing it to transition from blisteringly dry, to something a bit more nuanced...though never quite as much as the nose suggests.
There is a great balance between its funkier elements and general drinkability, with neither actually compromising anything. It's not an enamel-stripping sour Brett bomb, but the rusticness is here.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 08:06:43 | More by cokes

meatyard

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Started out being a light gusher. Head was a good 2-finger+ in height that had only moderate retention but left some splotchy lace. Color is a hazy, pale orange.

The smell is pretty mild; about the only thing that I'm getting is some lemon zest & funk.

The taste has more happening with a nice, light, citric tartness up front, some fruitiness which is followed by some barnyard funk.

Mouthfeel is medium, pretty well-carbonated & dry.

Overall: If NG has pretentions towards Orval with this beer then they are missing the mark by a bit. Wish I knew how it compared at bottling to now and curious as to where it's going, if anywhere. I would, definitely, try another bottle if it came my way. So far, I've never had a bad NG beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 18:52:49 | More by meatyard

Retsinis

California

3.23/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this at a recent tasting (thanks Skuter)

Per the bottle, 6-18-09 Batch 16.

Poured into a Bruery tulip glass.

A:The beer poured a cloudy golden orange color, with a modest half inch white head, good retention, mild lacing.

S: A mixture of light funk, brett, lemon zest, citrus notes.

T: Similiar mild funkiness, flavors of mild apple cider, clove, finish is simialr to nose, some lemon, and citurs.

M: Dry finish, medium body, slight crisp bitterness, and acidity.

O: Unique beer, the brett certainly adds something to a Belgian pale ale. Glad I was able to try it, would not seek out again, but might not pass up a taste again either.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 17:46:22 | More by Retsinis

Wadsey

Indiana

3.28/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

R & D Golden Ale 

Brewed 3-23-09 and bottled on 6-18-09. Poured in a New Belgium tulip. 

A: Shiny gold beer with a white, towering head. It does settle down, a bit, but a foamy pillow floats on the surface down to the last gulp. Wonderful Brussels lacing. Effervescent and sparkling. 

A: Musty and funk force themselves on nose, so strong that artisanal cheese and barnyard comes to mind. Beneath the brettanomyces, lemon zest, grass and white pepper are hiding. 

T: Follows smell, but brettanomyces are even more evident and the full spectrum of its character is evident: barnyard, horse blanket, gym socks, musty basement, moldy cheese rind and so forth. The other Belgian pale ale qualities are more or less smothered.  Long, super-freak finish. 

M: Medium body and bright carbonation. Surprisingly soft mouthfeel.

D: R & D Golden Ale has been taken over by brettanomyces, which I do enjoy, and drinkability suffers as a result.  Nonetheless, I find it interesting and look forward to sharing my remaining bottle with friends this summer. 

Thanks ezrem for the assist!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 03:07:46 | More by Wadsey

alpinebryant

Connecticut

3.65/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very clear goldenrod yellow with a massive head / heavy lacing.

Aroma of brett, straw / fresh hay, lemon and noble hops.

Taste is sweet and dry. Lots of brett flavors / barnyard flavor and some noble hops. While my bottle did not overflow when I opened it, I did have it in my fridge for about a month. Not sure or not if that made a difference. Some granny smith apple tartness is also around among an earthy grassy finish.

Overall not bad, highly carbonated and a medium body. I have not had a belgian pale ale quite like this before.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 22:29:31 | More by alpinebryant

ChadQuest

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

When i popped the cap i had to stick my mouth on top of the bottles as it came gushing out, after the initial pour we are good to go.
Dirty white head that fades quickly, body is translucent golden. Straw in color. Appropriate i would say.
The aroma is a blast of funky straw and lemongrass. nice and strong, like how you hope your orval will be when you tuck some away.
The flavors center around crisp lemon notes, the funk is still there too mixed in the straw and grassy notes but the lemon took the reigns a bit more here.
This is one dry clean beer.

Pretty cool beer, way more beers like this need to be made in america. Danny is the man, i love his stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 05:49:53 | More by ChadQuest

herman77

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a glowing golden honey color with a big, rocky off white head. Pretty cloudy. Awesome head retention and nice lacing.

S: Tart apple, pear, fruity esters, a hint of lemon and lime. There is some wheat/grain like notes as well as a bit of hay and barnyard. Belgium yeast and a bit of spice. Smells really good, lots of different aromas going on that meld together nicely.

T: Mild earthy hops to start, then it gets a bit malty, wheat and cereal grains along with a bit of apple and pear. Finish is where this beer is lacking or its just not agreeing with me. Its a bit sour and very short with hardly any hops. On tap at the brewery it was much better; more hoppy and fruity.

M: Light to medium body. Moderate to higher carbonation, yet it still pretty smooth and soft.

D: Good drinkability. A bit of funkiness, different from the stuff I normally drink, but good.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2011 00:20:01 | More by herman77

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

2.13/5  rDev -47.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured a bright golden color, with a good size head that lasted throughout the beer. The smell was horrible, resembled urine, and a uranal cake. There simply wasnt a taste, a bit spicey, but very weak. The taste was very light, and was easy to drink, but there was almost no flavor, and it wasnt very enjoyable because of this. Overall I was not impressed, I wouldnt recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 01:58:10 | More by vette2006c5r

samie85

Illinois

2.48/5  rDev -39.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottled 6/18/09. A slight gusher when opened, not surprising with the Brett.

A-Pours a hazy orange color with three and a half fingers of dense, stiff, white head.

S-Smells of intense lime and some woody, pine-sol like notes and some light soil.

T-Not what I was expecting at all from the nose; a little boring with just some light malt, but transitions into what you would think pine-sol would taste like.

M-Very light-bodied and watery with very low carbonation.

D-Not very impressed with this one; I was expecting a lot more complexity and a deeper mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 03:23:17 | More by samie85

crusian

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Bottle from awesome girlfriend, from the brewery. Bottled 6-18-09.
Pours a nice Piss golden with a decent 2 fingers of head. Lacing all around the glass as it fades. I mean everywhere. Crazy.
Smell is initially sour. Very sour... then moves into funk with some spice. Like gym socks and soap.
Taste is everything that the nose has, but no indication of sour. Strong soapy gym sock taste with a mix of lemon. Very interesting... but not really all that enjoyable. It does get better the more I drink it, though. Very crisp clean finish as well. Good to try, wouldn't go out of my way to get one though.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 01:05:27 | More by crusian

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted - January 31, 2011

I'm very impressed by how this beer has developed. Upon my first several samplings I thought it solid, if not interesting, but now after some time it has become a wonderful, subtly sour beer.

Appearance: This one is a gusher. I had to race to find a glass as thick white foam started gushing as soon as I opened the bottle. Pours a straw gold with an everlasting white lace.

Aroma: Hints of banana and clove, reminiscent of a wheat beer. Background barnyard notes remind me of Fantome. Lemon and dried grass.

Taste: Mmmm.... Lemon and must. Grass with a bready finish. So much more funky than I remember this being when it was first released and on subsequent tastings last year.

Mouthfeel: Zesty and champagne like with micro-carbonation biting at the tongue long after each sip. Light to medium bodied. Very mildly sour. Dry. Just wonderful.

Drinkability: Sessionable. The balance is sublime. Enough funk here to keep my interest but not so much as to churn my stomach after 4 bottle or to turn away drinkers who fear the Brett. This would be a good intro to funky beers or a great sessionable treat for those like me who can't get enough of the funk. Great beer!

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 22:36:41 | More by DaPeculierDane

scottfrie

California

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle into AVBC snifter. Thanks to HosP for this one!

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden apple juice color with a thick fizzy white head that faded into a thick bubbly film that left a streaky wall of sticky lacing down the glass.
S: Light fruity notes including apricots, pears, peaches, white grapes and lemon zest. There are some inviting hints of horsey smelling brett mixed in with some peppery hops and Belgian yeast.
T: Follows the nose. Sweet golden fruits mesh well with earthy yeast, barnyard brett, and a hint of peppery hops. Finish has a hint of bubblegum, and the aftertaste is sweet and slightly sour with saison-like flavors and just a touch of tobacco. Nothing really stand out, instead flavors are light and well blended.
M: The body is on the lighter side of medium, with a soft tingly mouthfeel due to the creamy yet ample carbonation.
D: Very drinkable and enjoyable. Given that this bottle is a couple years old I say that it is drinking just fine. Tastes very much like a saison, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks again Mark for sending this to me!

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2011 02:23:58 | More by scottfrie

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: amazing dense rocky head, tons of small bubbles, nice, clean orange color
S: strong nose, cloves, banana notes, yeast, very good
T: good beer, a bit cloying but nice clove taste, clean, yeast, musty, somewhat true to type of Orval but needed a bit more depth
M: effervescent, creamy
D: very drinkable

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2011 01:11:26 | More by wisrarebeer

burnheartsMKE

Wisconsin

4.6/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

It pours a warm low-hanging-sun gold so much so that I can almost imagine the rolling hills and rustic landscape of Green County with the big mousse head playing the supporting roll as a light snowfall over "Little Switzerland".

My first impression of the aroma was that of walking past a little old lady at church; a faint trace of too much foundation & a subtle lavender-scented perfume, comforting and to be respected.

The best way to describe the taste of this beer is to imagine yourself at a classic WI barnyard party. All your best friends are there; you are happy & contented. There is a soft early summer breeze that gently kisses you with a warm sweet grass breath. The barn is old and a bit musty but it is very welcoming. The beer is cold, life is good, you are home.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2011 06:40:40 | More by burnheartsMKE

leakyfaucet12

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -14%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

500 ML Bottle I got from Jan at Steve's Liquors. Reviewed from notes.

a- Orange with tons of head. Really good looking beer

s- orange peels start to take over the nose. Peach is very subtle in here and I can also smell some very faint mint.

t- complex beer that tastes very fruity. The mint screams through to me, almost like menthol, which kind of turns me off to this.

m- Carbonated and a little spicy. Unlike any beer I have ever had.

d- Pretty high. I thought that it was a good change to beer that I normally have

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 17:00:43 | More by leakyfaucet12

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed 1/2/2010, updated 2/10/2010. Bottle thanks to FlssmrBrewAlum (thanks Matt!). Pours a cloudy light orange with a thick white head. Aroma of lemon, brett, light funk, light sourness. Flavor is bready malt and pulp upfront, quite dry, with the background of tart sour notes and a little mustiness, even some woodsiness. Lots of funk, including sweaty socks and diaper. Very Bam Biere-esque and quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 17:03:12 | More by LilBeerDoctor

Cheesemoose

Florida

3.85/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled last June.

Golden body, a bit murky though. Pillowy white head flows up, and with a steady pour, you still end up with 3 fingers of head. Lacing is iffy, but as it warms, you get a better display.

When first poured there is a pleasant floral hop presence, but you start to sense a overpowering funk as the beer warms. Funk brings in a pleasant amount of fruity esters, coming off as orange.

Hops start with a pleasant mild-bitterness, more peppery than anything. Moves slowly into the mid taste which is dominated by a biscuity malt body. Finish starts you on the funk train, as the brett presence comes in more as the beer warms.

Carbonation is quite high, but you are well warned on the bottle that the carbonation increases with age. Almost adds a bubbly feeling as it courses down. Mouthfeel is creamy and pleasant. ABV is well hidden, but at 500ml, one is enough.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 00:07:51 | More by Cheesemoose

nrbw23

Ohio

2.78/5  rDev -31.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Pours a bright clear gold color with a nice white head. Head is gone in a flash, turning into a layer of bubbles and hardly any lacing.

S- Smells is fairly light. An earthy, herbal smell and a bit of floral hops. A bit of a funk here too. A bit of spices and yeast.

T- Pretty big floral taste. Nothing special here as well. A tiny bit of a funkiness to it.

M- Fairly light in body and on the higher side in carbonation.

D- I'm not really digging this one. I'd say ok at best and probably something I wouldn't seek out again. One thing I thought was pretty cool was all the information on the label.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 22:43:36 | More by nrbw23

chicano4craft

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy and dark yellow. HUGH and pillowy white head. The head sticks around the entire session. Great looking beer.

Hugh ginger and clove in the notes. These two dominate. Slight lemon and yeast. Definite funk from the brett with a touch of hay. Very complex.

Ginger and clove...what else. Also in the taste is a bit of chalkiness.

Good mouthfeel. Drinkability is brought down for me by the overwhelming flavor. Wish I would have split the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 23:49:25 | More by chicano4craft

mdfb79

New York

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From 12/04/10 notes.

a - Pours a light pale golden color with two inches of fluffy white head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of brett, sour fruit, lemon, spices, and a bit musty/earthy.

t - Tastes of citrus, floal notes, spice, and brett.

m - Medium body and no carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink.

d - A pretty good ale with lots of earthy tones and spice, as well as brett in both the nose and taste. Would like to try again.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 17:09:48 | More by mdfb79

HosP

Indiana

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got a bottle from a couple different guys. Thanks for the hookup!

A- Pours a very nice golden color with 2 finger white foam head. Lots of visible carbonation.

S- Hmm. There is a lot going on here in the nose. Not sure what is what. Floral, maybe apple, maybe white grape. Not sure about this nose.

T- After not being sure about the nose, the taste is very good. Upfront there were some floral hops. Followed by some good spices and malts that balance out the hops upfront. Some of the fruit flavors come through in the middle that give it some tartness. The balance is very nice and gives good taste.

M- Medium body. Lots of carbonation. Dry, slightly bitter finish.

D-Had only one belgian style like this before. This did much better justice and made me want to open my 2nd bottle. Looking forward to this sometime in the future!

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 16:05:03 | More by HosP

TheDTrain

Wisconsin

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

500ml bottle poured into a tulip.brewed on 3.23.09, bottled on 6.18.09. 7% ABV.

Great drinkability on this R&D from New Glarus. Pours golden yellow with foam everywhere. Very crisp feel with citrus, tartness, and pleasant bitterness at the finish blend well with the carbonation and alcohol. A very good ale. But at the price tag, the D-train's not sure if he'll pick this one up again.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 14:16:51 | More by TheDTrain

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into Bruery tulip, with yet another massive shout out to Jeff (Alewatcher) up in IL, for once again going way, way above and beyond. Have been enviously eying this beer since its release many months ago, so to have one poured and waiting in a glass in front of me is ridiculously sweet.

Pours a rich apricot color, orange-gold, murky and with a two-finger + fluffy off-white head that slowly settles into a dense thin cap. Amazing lacing covers the wall of the glass as the head recedes.

Nose is huge, beautifully bretty, notes of pineapple and bright lemon mingling with a heavy dose of bright barnyard notes, intensely bright and somehow musty at the same time. In terms of Bretty noses, this one is pure and unadulterated - none more Brett.

Taste starts off dry, those same barnyardy, funky characteristics mentioned in the nose taking up residence as soon as the first drops of beer hit your tongue. Funkier and more musty than the nose, less bright, with the lemon popping in less prominently and the pineapple/tropical fruit notes completely missing. Pure Brett bliss. Peppery, with just a bit of dry, crackery, mildly bready malt underneath but lending no real sweetness or richness. Hops, however, are clearly here - herbal, grassy, even a bit minty. Finish is even drier than the rest of the body, accentuating the peppery spiciness with a sharp, flinty dryness that carries a firm, grassy, even minty bitterness from the hops.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, a bit on the full side, bone dry and with a sharp, aggressive carbonation. Would love to have seen just a tad more creaminess, but still quite complementary to the flavor profile; if their's a fault, it's that it may be actually too complementary, bringing the dryness too much into focus.

Drinkability is certainly respectable, but isn't the high point of the beer. Some of the flavor profile is quite challenging, if rewarding in its own way, and the dryness may hinder this aspect just a bit as well. Not to say this isn't a very-good-to-excellent beer - it absolutely is. Just not one I see myself savoring more than a bottle of in one sitting.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2010 20:09:23 | More by JohnQVegas

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

3.78/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Huge foamy white head and golden color, sort of hazy. A little overactive looking but nice.

S: Mix of spice and a little funk, lemon, and lots of flower/pollen. Very nice.

T: Definite flower, like drinking a honeysuckle almost. Spicy notes, lots of bitterness in the end. It's crazy what beer can be like sometimes isn't it?

M: Very smooth, well carbonated.

D: Very interesting taste

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2010 00:57:33 | More by Dreadnaught33

Soneast

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy, straw yellow, to golden color. Grows a thick, pillowy white colored head, with great retention, hanging on pretty much indefinitely.

Aroma is light, fruity (particular peach) somewhat tart and funky. A bit of citrus and bubblegum.

Flavor is fairly funky, starting out mildly fruit, moving into some well pronounced funkatude, finish dry and moderately bitter. I can definitely taste the brett in this beer.

The mouthfeel is light and crisp, the carbonation adds a nice refreshing quality. The brett is quite pronounced, bringing a definite funk to the beer, which combines fairly well with the other green fruit and bubblegum flavors, IMO.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2010 22:12:09 | More by Soneast