Moon Man - New Glarus Brewing Company

JamesShoemaker

New York

4.48/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I made many a special trip from Minneapolis to Hudson specifically to get this beer. Never got to try it on tap when I lived in the Midwest, but I certainly had it plenty of times bottled.

A - lovely. A deeper orange than expected from the taste, nice thick foam, not a ton of carbonation.

S - I never noticed anything particularly special about this beer's smell. I like the hop character with the sweeter notes, but it's really all about the taste with this one.

T - delightful. One of the best pale's I've ever had. It's a sweeter PA, with just a little floral bite at the end. Delicious, very quaffable.

M - still very good. The low carbonation in with the sweeter taste gives this beer an easygoing mouthfeel. I'd love it if there was slightly more alcohol, however.

O - one of my favorite beers. I wouldn't rank this among the objective best, but it's certainly got something I love about it. I'm disappointed that I won't be able to get it again for a long while, but I'll certainly pick up a few six packs the next time I swing through WI.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 16:51:41 | More by JamesShoemaker

sonata2008

Minnesota

3.23/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: About 1/2" of ivory foam. Very clear light gold color with lots of bubbles. Just a slight bit of lacing.
Smell: Nice aroma of light citrus hops with a bit of spice in the background. Very floral as well.
Taste: Prominent grapefruit taste which was a surprise coming after the smell as I expected a lighter hops taste. A little astringent and dry. Some malt in the background but not quite enough to balance the hops.
Mouthfeel: Average mouthfeel with a dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 01:58:07 | More by sonata2008

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz, no date info
Alchemist pint glass

A: Crystal clear pale golden yellow color. So clear, almost BMC. Quarter finger of bright white head. Good carbonation.

S: Wow, great hop aroma on this. Amarillo? Cascade? Lots of delicious pine and citrus on the nose. Dare I say Zombie Dust like.

T: You get the hops up front, but it's not as aggressive as they smelled. You get those nice citrus like flavors. Orange marmalade, peach, some mild grapefruit. The malts do come into play in the middle to really clean this one up. Smooths it out. Nice mild finish. Not overly dry or bitter. Very sessionable.

M: Light bordering on medium.

O: Very nice little pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 18:41:40 | More by inlimbo77

kawilliams81

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 16 oz glass.

A- pours a clear, golden color with a 1 finger white head. Nice trails and blotches of lacing.

S- caramel, citrus (mainly lemon and orange) and some citrus rind.

T- light caramel, citus and some pine bitterness.

M- light body and medium carbonation. Light crisp feel.

O- nice pale ale with some sweet caramel and citrus notes.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 04:23:07 | More by kawilliams81

yamar68

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a nice, deep gold with a finger of white head that retains and laces very well.

Sweet citrus hop aromas, mango and pineapple, crisp malt balance, a lot of that tropical fruit nectar type character which is really working for me.

A lot of the same highlights show themselves to the tongue. Fresh mango, some nectarine or clementine, mild malt presence, extremely fresh tasting stuff.

Exceedingly drinkable. Super smooth and full o' flavor. Bravo.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 00:26:49 | More by yamar68

Bitter_Echo

Michigan

4.45/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep, clear, clean yellowish color with fading head, and little lacing. Nose is complex, with clean bright fruit notes, some the standard citrus, passion, and pine, but some that I just can't easily describe and pin down--one of the more distinctive noses in a beer that I have tried. Tastes is light, malt first with assertive but not strong hop character, but under (as expected) and IPA. The balance is really terrific, somewhat dry and very refreshing. Mouth-feel is refreshing, the carbonation big, but not too, somewhat scrubbing, but not aggressively so. Overall a terrific offering and my favorite of the small hoard of New Glarus brews I've tried. Highly sessionable, I would think. Definitely glad I emptied my wallet on this, and would so again.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 01:05:38 | More by Bitter_Echo

Jfriz25

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance- Pale golden almost Miller liteish in color but poured with a big creamy head.

Smell- More faint than I would like but what's there smells awesome. It is malty and somehow just smells fresh in a clean laundry kind of way. Only 5% but I can pick up alcohol in the nose.

Taste- Crisp clean easy drinking pale ale. The standout flavor is pine but it is nicely balanced by the malt. The alcohol I got in the nose wasn't apparent in the taste.

Mouthfeel- It is on the thin side but the carb is nice. Feels almost fizzy like a soda but in a good way.

Overall- It is an above average beer which I thoroughly enjoyed. This would be a great beer for someone just starting to drink pale ale or ipa but still has enough flavor to keep me interested.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 01:41:21 | More by Jfriz25

cradke

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Golden Yellow with thumb thick head. Streaming carbonation from the bottom of the glass. A little bit of haze is present.

Smell: Sweet, pleasant with a little bit of hops throughout the nose.

Taste: Nice hop profile leaves a bitter aftertaste. Good amount of sweetness. Good pine notes. Great drinkability

Mouthfeel: A bit thin but spreads nice across the palate. Carbonation is a bit thin but present.

Overall: Very nice Pale Ale. Enjoyable and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 06:22:50 | More by cradke

socon67

New York

3.8/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

At Miller Park, Milwaukee WIsconsin

A - Hazy golden color with a high foam that shrinks quickly. Some carbonation is noted.

S - Slight scent of oranges and fresh grain. Very crisp scent of fresh beer, as if it just came from a tap. Hop scent is kinda heavy which is surprising.

T - Decent flavor of wheat, citrus, and a bit of spice. Bitter finish is mild and much less intense than the smell.

M - Very sessionable beer that is great to beat the heat or have with food.

O - Good ballpark craft offering, and glad to try another New Glarus beer. Not a standout, but certainly a quality beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 16:34:37 | More by socon67

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Pint Glass

Appearance - Bright hazy yellow with a soapy head and a little carbonation.

Smell - Grapefruits, Piney Hops, Caramel, Malts and Barley

Taste - Piney Hops, Yeasts, Grapefruits and Malts. Good clean flavor with a dry finish.

Mouthfeel - Light bodied with some strong carbonation. It feels crisp but the carbonation does get in the way.

Overall - A nice simple and clean pale ale that you really can't go wrong with

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 02:39:54 | More by NuclearDolphin

Treebs

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I drank a crap ton of this during a camping trip this past weekend, but managed to stash away a bottle to review once I came home. 12 oz bottle served in a Southern Tier tulip.

A: Pours a clear golden amber with an off white head forming on the pour. It recedes to a thin cap and ring that leaves some splotchy lace behind.

S: Bright citrus on the nose with some mild floral notes. Slight dry biscuit malts on the finish. Definitely has a sweet smell to it.

T: Nice citrus notes, some light tangerine, with some sweet honey and flowery hop notes as well. Definite mild grass as well. The finish is maltier with some Triscuit and dried biscuit flavors going on.

M: Light bodied, nice carbonation and the drinkability is very high. The finish is sweet and malty.

O: I could drink this stuff all the time. Nice subtle flavors and nothing is really in your face which I definitely appreciate. Having Zombie Dust one hour south, Daisy Cutter in the city and having this one hour north is a very good thing. Highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 23:35:38 | More by Treebs

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Dunn for bringing this back from his travels.

A - clear, gold with a soft cap of white head

S - floral hop aromas

T - floral, faint citrus, light malt body

M - light to medium bodied, smooth, well carbonated

This is light flavored, easy to drink, smooth pale ale with a good, floral hop character. It's not incredible interesting, but it is better than a lot of other pale ales out there.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 22:54:58 | More by tdm168

PeterOrlando92

Wisconsin

4.7/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass. Light golden color with an inch head. It smells of hops and grapefruit. The hoppy taste from the five varieties they include is what does it for me. Not bitter at all, fresh bright and drinkable. Honestly one of my favorite New Glarus beers. An awesome example of an APA.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 18:54:12 | More by PeterOrlando92

phishsihq

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Moon Man Pale Ale pours a beautifully clear golden color, with just a touch of amber around the corners. An off-white head with a decent amount of retention and lacing sit atop the brew. Assertively hoppy in the nose, aromas of grapefruit, orange zest, spice, pine and a bit of lemon all blend playfully together with just a hint of caramel underneath. Sweet citrus flavors quickly move into pine and spicy flavors before balancing superbly with toffee and caramel malt flavors. Medium in both body and carbonation, Moon Man is smooth and crisp with a clean finish. Get to Wisconsin!

Proscht!

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 00:21:19 | More by phishsihq

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass.

3.0 A: Clear dark yellow color. A little over one finger of frothy white head. Retention is poor and no lacing is left.

3.5 S: Herbal, earthy, and even some floral hoppiness. Moderate neutral malt sweetness. Good enough.

3.5 T: Similar to nose. Earthy hoppiness with some herbal and floral character. Moderate neutral maltiness with some graininess.

3.0 M: Lighter medium body. A bit overcarbonated, but good enough. Not much in terms of creaminess, but goes down easy enough.

3.5 D: Tasty, but standard variety of pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 04:27:38 | More by DavoleBomb

ONUMello

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass
A: Light golden yellow with a 1.5 finger head that dissipates quickly
S: Hoppy, mostly pine with a bit of citrus rind and a hint of malt underneath the hops.
T: This has a great blend of hops and malt without being over the top with either one- extremely balanced. Both make their presence known, but in a tasty easy to drink beer.
M: Medium-bodied and crisp.
O: Really enjoyable- tasty, low abv yet complex. Nothing is out of balance & it fits the APA style perfectly.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 20:44:36 | More by ONUMello

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pale straw color, clean with little head. Scent is pale and has some notes of citrus and freshly dried straw with a touch of flowers and sweetness. Taste brings a kiss of citrus, clean fresh dried grain, light fruity sweetness. Light bodied, touch low on carbonation. Maybe too clean of a pale ale for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 15:29:56 | More by rfgetz

eclipse54

Idaho

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A 12 ounce bottle received from a friend. Poured into a DFH signature glass.

Pours a completely clear yellow color that is, in the interest of an apt comparison, the color of mildly concentrated urine. Yellow, with some orange hues on the darker side and straw highlights on the lighter. A half centimeter of white, soapy head development with little retention and even less lacing. Not bad looking I guess, but nothing to write home about.

Aroma is stellar with notes of bitter hops, orange, lemon, and grapefruit citruses, straw, freshly cut grass, wet dirt and earth. A bit of caramel and malted grain rounds this one out. Really reminiscent of an IPA in the nose, and I like it.

Flavor follows suit, with generous hops leading the way. The bitterness is less than anticipated based on the nose, which is good for APA territory. The citrus really predominates up front, with lots of lemon, orange and grapefruit. Hell, maybe even some faint mango flavor towards the middle. A bit of wheat, straw, and grass in the middle before earthen notes and a touch of malt finish it off.

Mouthfeel is light, crisp, and finishes clean. It feels a touch watery towards the end, but considering it's after 9 PM here and still over 90 degrees outside, ""watery"" is a welcome consistency. There's plently of carbonation there to liven it up.

Overall, this one blew my socks off. Went into it without any real expectations and was thoroughly impressed. As one of my first New Glarus brews, this one definitely makes a positive impression.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 02:21:13 | More by eclipse54

KellyL

Illinois

4.83/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Let me set the stage for this review with a short story. I'm sitting on the couch like a huge beer geek looking at the beer with the sunlight behind it. After judging the appearance, I took one sip and without setting the glass down, I exclaimed to my wife "this is phenomenal". That's the word. I'm sure you'll agree.

It poured a light copper, apple juicy color. Nice medium-high carbonation. Great lacing, 1.5 finger head dissipated quickly but the top stayed nice and white.

This beer is easy on the nose. Citrusy, pine notes without being harsh. It also has hints of tropical fruits. Citrus, pine, perfectly ripe tropical fruits on the finish with a moderate malt backbone up front.

It was a little thin, and didn't keep much head, but it's a perfect summer APA. If I was able to, I'd buy this all the time. I'm a big fan of New Glarus and am surprised that I havent had this yet. I try to stay away from new IPA's and APA's because there are so many that it's easy to be disappointed. This will not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 00:09:31 | More by KellyL

Humulus85

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a 12oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

Pours a crystal clear light gold. Produced a nice two-finger white head. Solid retention and some decent lacing.

Super crisp nose. Tons of grapefruit, some pine, and hint of sweet malt. Very clean, very nice.

Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, pine. Very nice hop profile. A hint of malt, but not as much as most APAs.

Light in body, if not a bit thin. Moderate carbonation. Slightly bitter in the finish. Super clean, exceedingly drinkable.

Overall this is a very nice beer. It is a bit light on the malt for a true APA, almost like a light IPA. While it is very drinkable, I prefer a bit more body and flavor in my APAs. I love the hop profile though. Never had an APA with so much grapefruit flavor. I would definitely drink this again. Recommended to any who can find it. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 02:46:06 | More by Humulus85

THANAT0PSIS

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance-Moon Man pours a beautiful, light, crystal-clear golden color akin to light apple juice or, negative connotations aside, urine. Perched atop this marvelous looking beer is a roughly 3/4" pure white head that looks almost like soap suds; this head has staying power, too (far too long for me to wait for it to dissipate, thanks to the delightful aroma, but we'll get to that later). This impressive white color is also present in the equally staunch lacing that is left behind with each sip. Carbonation is typically not something this taster likes to mention, but the effervescence in this specimen is plainly visible, and the bubbles just keep coming; if this beer were a bit lighter, one could almost confuse if for champagne.

Aroma-This is a strong-smelling ale; the extremely citrus, almost tropical notes leap out of the bottle the second the top is popped, and continue to pour out of the glass long after the beer is consumed. There are hints of a grassy scent, but floral and citrus (lemon?) aromas dominate the nose of this ale. Apple notes are also present, though minimally.

Taste-The nose doesn’t lie: this beer is bursting with citrus flavor from orange to lemon and beyond. The apple that was only hinted at in the smell is more pronounced in the aftertaste of this beer. The harmony that the hops come together to create is quite tasty and refreshing. There are few malty flavors to be found, despite what the label states. Again, comparisons to champagne could be made, though they mayn’t be as accurate as with appearance. The only problem with this pale ale is that it lacks the bitterness that some hopheads may be expecting out of a beer so named.

Mouthfeel-The fizziness and creaminess are the main things to note as far as mouthfeel is concerned. The medium body hosts a creaminess that really is delightful (perhaps due to the malts that are not as present in the taste). As previously mentioned, there is no bitter, hoppy aftertaste that some drinkers may crave.

Overall-This is an impressive brew from the usually spot-on New Glarus company. It is a choice beer for Spring and Summer, as its refreshing, citrusy, smooth, and, most importantly, drinkable nature screams to be enjoyed on the porch on a sunny 60º day. Additionally, because of its relatively low 5.0% ABV (by craft beer standards), Moon Man is a great session beer. As the label states, "Don’t let this one lay around;" it would take immense restraint to allow oneself to do so. 17.5/20

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2012 21:20:05 | More by THANAT0PSIS

ferrari29

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer poured into a Nonic shaped pint glass

A - Beer pours with a beautiful one and a half finger sized white head; frothy in texture and held very well; very well carbonated; nice sticky lacing formed around the edge of the glass; beer has a clear golden color

S - Shortly, after popping the cap, I smelled fantastic floral and fruit notes; great citrus and pine hop nose, which was very overwhelming, to say the least; rose; hint of sweet caramel; berries; pineapple

T - Smooth roasted malt taste; fruits flavors of orange, grapefruit, pineapple and pear; very hoppy taste of pine; berries; lingering backside malt taste

M - Subtle bitter aftertaste; nothing too rough, but not wimpy either; medium body and slightly effervescent

D - Easy to drink; great start to finish; I love the beer's citrus and floral hop nose, which is complimented the beer's flavor characteristics, you will not be disappointed!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 03:18:41 | More by ferrari29

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap in brewery on 4/28/12

A - Brilliant golden amber with 1 finger white head with moderate retention and great foamy lacing.

S - Grass hop notes dominate but no to a great degree, balance well with grapefruit and cracker bready notes, subtle overall.

T - A nice crisp clean flavor with pine/grass bitterness immediately balanced with some herbal floral hops, and nice malt background and a moderately bitter finish for the style.

M - Full body, moderate-high carbonation, crisp and smooth.

O - Very nice drinkable APA, nothing especially characteristic besides its nice balance.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2012 01:21:21 | More by williamjbauer

rawfish

California

3.8/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours apple juice tinged gold with a light chill haze, very effervescent. Smallish one finger dense cap of foam with decent retention and a line of lacing.

Aroma is floral with light bright citrus, lemongrass, nectarines over a doughy malt body. Some raw milled grains and wheat.

Cracker thin malt backbone, lightly sweet that invites in a little bit of grain husk. Very simple and raw. Hops are bright and grassy with some lemon citrus, very uplifting and floral. Finishes nicely bitter and clean. Taste is rather thin but pleasant

Thin body makes this very drinkable. Adequate carbonation but doesn't have any drying effect and comes off as watery.

Interesting pale, inviting aroma and it all comes together for a clean drinkable beer. A bit thin in the flavor, there's a nagging feeling that the intensity of this beer could be ramped up to make it even better.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 03:38:26 | More by rawfish

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This poured out as a clear looking golden color with a thin white head on top. The head settles a bit leaving a white ring around the edge of the glass. The smell of this beer was much more impressive than I expected. The nose is loaded with dry hoppy citrus aromas. It smell wonderful honestly. The taste of the beer has a solid bitterness to it that is well balanced with the sweetness of the malt. The mouthfeel is crisp and dry with a lighter body and a solid carbonation level. Overall this is one of the best New Glarus beers I've had out of their year round releases. I would drink a ton of these if I could get my hand on them.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 03:36:48 | More by Knapp85