Unplugged Cranbic Ale - New Glarus Brewing Company

Sean9689

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up some of this at the brewery on my way to Darkness Day 2009. Glad we were able to swing by there, an awesome brewery for sure. Poured from 12oz bottle into snifter.

A - Pours red/pinkish color with a half a fingers-worth of off-white colored head that quickly vanishes leaving some spotted fizzy head on top and a thin ring around the glass. A small amount of lacing remains along the side of the glass.

S - Mild tartness with some fruit punch-like sweetness.

T - There's a good amount of tart/sour coming from this, which I'm excited about. It's tart enough for me to like but sweet enough to appeal to a larger audience. There's a nice fruity sweetness up front followed by a sour finish.

M - Light bodied, nice light fizzy carbonation, very refreshing with a slightly dry finish.

D - This is like drinking fruit punch with a sour kick...really damn good. Probably my favorite Unplugged beer from the series.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2009 01:52:30 | More by Sean9689

barleypopmaker

Wisconsin

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was lucky enough to not only tour the brewery on October 16th, but also snag up this gem the day the put it out in the brewery's store. The guys on the tour told us they just slapped the labels on the day before.

The color is amazingly red, crystal clear, with a pinkish bubbly head to it. The aroma gives off some very mild earthy and barnyard aroma, lighter than I would have thought, but there. What I got most in the aroma was sweet tart fruit (obviously from the cranberry) along with some clean malt.

The flavor is a bit sweet, there is some sourness that mingles well with the tart cranberry. For how red this beer was, I was expecting it to be overwhelmingly cranberry like, just like the Belgian Red is very strong in cherry and Raspberry tart is smash you in the face with it's raspberry flavor, this beer was not quite as fruit flavor packed as those two. The flavor is very good, with just barely enough brett in it for those who want to find it to be able to, but not nearly enough to put off others. My wife even liked it, and she hates geueze because of the brett character. All in all I didn't find the cranberry flavor all that much as you have come to expect from cranberry juice, but was rather more like semi-tart cherry than dry and puckering like I expected.

In the end, this will be a huge hit during the holidays, because it is just enough lambic to keep the beer geeks interested, and enough fruit beer to satisfy those looking for an easy drinking, sweet, and refreshing holiday beer. But if you are a hardcore geueze or lambic fan, don't expect to be hit over the head with funk, I think this beer was meant to be more a sweet holiday alternative to the traditional holiday spiced beers.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2009 00:27:28 | More by barleypopmaker

alcstradamus

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a beautiful, crystal clear glowing red color with lots of bubbles and a sliver of head that fizzles out before I'm even done pouring.

The nose is unmistakeably one of a New Glarus fruit beer. No fake/manufactured fruit present whatsoever. Just a healthy (but not overpowering) dose of fresh cranberries. Light tartness seems to be present, probably halfway between the Belgian Red and Raspberry Tart in terms of perceived sourness (meaning: not that much). Some cherry candy-like qualities are present as well.

First sip and I am surprised at the mellow nature of this. My guess that it would be stuck in the middle of the big 2 fruit beers was spot on. Sorry sour/funk heads, you aren't going to find much of it here. At least not yet, of course, since this is very young and will surely age well and develop for years to come. Luckily, I'm not a sour head quite yet so this is right up my alley for fruit beers. Actually, I think I might like this even more than the New Glarus twins....probably won't find many people that agree with me on that though. Very light vinegar and white grape characteristics, overall just a very fine brew.

Mouthfeel is medium light with carbonation kept relatively low. No prickly carbonation at all, and really not even enough carbonation to splash it throughout the mouth. Almost gives it a fruit juice character.

I have to say, as a lambic novice I really enjoy this one. I'm not sure how true to style it is, you'll have to wait for some other reviews to pour in before that determination can be made. But judged on its own merits, I really enjoy this beer and it is definitely one of the best Unplugged beers yet.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2009 21:05:44 | More by alcstradamus