Serendipity - New Glarus Brewing Company

emyers

Illinois

4.19/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

750 mL bottle poured into a New Glarus pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a clear crimson color with a one inch white head.

Smell: Strong, strong cherry and cranberry aroma. Apples come in next but not quite as strong as the other fruits. Definitely hints at a nice tartness in the nose. I'm actually getting some cinnamon spice, but I'm fairly certain that wasn't added.

Taste: I don't know how New Glarus consistently nails fruit beers, but this is another prime example. In contrast with the smell, the apples are very strong here along with the cherry and cranberry. Tartness comes in midway through the sip and sticks around through the finish. It's a very pleasant tartness, and its role is more to balance out what would be a very intense sweetness from all the fruit as opposed to making the beer overly sour. The sweetness does become a little much after a bit, and there are slight hints of cherry cough syrup, but they are very fleeting and ultimately don't affect my overall opinion of the beer all that much.

Mouthfeel: There's actually a fairly thick feel to this, probably due to the sweetness. Light carbonation gives a nice fine fizz to it as it goes down.

Overall: New Glarus seems to have some sort of secret to making fruit beers that no one else knows. Really not a style I usually enjoy, but I've loved all of New Glarus's offerings. This one is right up there with Raspberry Tart and Belgian Red. It does get a little overwhelming after a while - I wouldn't want to drink a whole 750, but splitting a bottle is perfect

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 00:02:24 | More by emyers

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Jon for this one. 750ml bottle into a Heady Topper pint. Shared with schen9303.

Beer is clear dark red. 1 finger foamy white head with poor retention. Spotty and sparse lace with little cling. Par for the style. Striking color though.

Nose is exactly as described. Cherry, a hint of apple, raspberry, and that unmistakable New Glarus yeast strain. Cinnamonny, sweet, and with a strong, red fruit character. I like it.

This one's very similar to Belgian red except for a very subtle hint of apple upfront and towards the end. Middle is robust sweet cherry juice. Like they mixed their apple ale and Belgian Red together. Simple and tasty!

Light bodied with plenty of carbonation. Spritzy and lively in the mouth and quenching going down. Exactly what I want from the style. Just enough body to remind me this is a beer with character and not some light fruity macro concoction.

I'm not a huge fan of fruit beers overall but I have had a number of them and Serendipity reminds me that no one does it quite like New Glarus. Very enjoyable. I hope they keep this year round even when they bring back Belgian Red!

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 23:30:07 | More by SpeedwayJim

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.16/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

It's not easy to make a good apple beer without it being one-dimensional or without it just having incidental off-flavors. But as with many NG beers I've had, they definitely nailed it with this one.

Poured a clear ruby red color with tints of amber, and a small fizzy pink-white head that dissipated almost completely. Fruit juice aroma, obvious apple, lesser notes of berry / fruit punch. Taste was fresh and brilliant, apple juice, cran-razz, mostly sweet, but a bit of tartness in there as well, along with maybe a subtle touch of spice, but the apple flavor was clearly in charge here. Light-medium body, juicy, effervescent, and overall quite enjoyable. I'm not sure I'd want to take on a full bottle myself, and/or significant quantities on a regular basis, but it's definitely great in small quantities.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 23:00:19 | More by Rifugium

harrymel

Washington

4.16/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Bottled the time it was bottled.

Pours a browned pink with a fleeting dusty rose cap. Smells of apples, cherries, oak and some lactic acid. Taste is cranberry well balanced with apples and cherries. The beer leans toward the tart side of things and helps the flavor profiles balance out like a well blended wine. There is a medium on lightly cloying body with moderate carb and a semi dry finish that makes me want the beer ice cold and in gulping portions on a early summer morning. Really a refreshing beer I believe to be an absolutely fantastic deviation from the normal New Glarus beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 22:13:48 | More by harrymel

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.15/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks Tom for sharing this
The beer pours a clear cranberry red with a thin tan head that settles to a ring around the beer's circumference. The nose is very pleasant boasting notes of ripe apples, cranberries and the new glarus house yeast. The taste is sweet, but not nearly as cloying as Belgian red or razz tart. The apple sweetness and slight cranberry tartness works well with the style. The mouthfeel is slightly tart, sweet yet well attenuated, and very drinkable. This is definitely a winner, something I'd try again.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 03:06:31 | More by ThePorterSorter

russwbeck

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Clear, deep red pour with about a finger of red-brown head. Furious bubbles hold up the head and make the beer seem alive. 4

S: The fruit is aggressive and all up front. Very sweet, red fruits seem to be the focus, but I can't place specifically which. The aroma is not soda-like or medicinal. 4

T: The taste is all about the fruit as well, not a ton of sourness, hops, or other flavors. New Glarus knows its fruits, and this is no exception. The fruit is the focus, but it's not fake or overly sugary which you sometimes run into with beers like this. 4

MF: Light and carbonated very well. The beer is very drinkable, I can't put it down! 4.5

O: New Glarus made a great fruit beer, no way! Seriously, if you like this style you can't go wrong with anything they do. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 01:43:45 | More by russwbeck

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.15/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml waxed bottle from my main man in the Midwest...you know who you are...my wife was geeked to pop this one and so was I...big Want poured into my Hill Farmstead tulip (cheers Aaron)...

A: Blood red/amber pour yields a mostly clear body...quickly receding white head leaves a little lacing.

S: Fruity, sweet, and slightly tart...big apple component here with lots of red apple skins and apple juice character...cranberry...hints of mulled cider, even cinnamon? Maybe some caramel and hints of brown sugar as well.

T: Juicy, crisp flavors follow the nose...apples and a pleasant fruity tartness dominate...cranberries, cherries, and again a carmelly/brown sugar sweetness complements the fruity tartness. A bit puckering with a dry pulling finish.

MF: Tart(er) medium/light mouthfeel with medium carbonation and a drying finish.

O: Walks a fine line between sweet and tart, a good beer. I was (incorrectly) expecting something closer to a Wild Ale, and this is most definitely a fruit beer, period. Refreshing stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 20:12:35 | More by Scotchboy

oline73

Maryland

4.14/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the bottle into a snifter.

A: Pours a clear red color with a mild amber hue. There is a layer of off white head that fades to a ring around the glass.

S: Tart like other fruit new glarus offerings. Fruit juice, cranberry, tart cherries. Sweet overall.

T: This one has the trademark new glarus fruity tartness. I'm getting apple juice, cranberry, and tart cherry. The finish is sweet and fruity.

M: medium body with a small amount of tingly carbonation. The finish is dry.

O: glad they made this one. I really enjoy these low abv fruit beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 02:54:50 | More by oline73

blakelive784

Colorado

4.14/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Thanks to maximum12!!

1 pt 9.4 fl oz green (?!) glass bottle served in a tulip, reviewed live:

A - Pours a translucent shade of crimson with two and a half fingers of pink tinged fizzy head. Retention is terrible but expected given its champagne qualities. Damn, that's nice to look at.

S - Fresh sweet red apples and tart cranberries. Light cherry when I search for it. It's amazing how fresh and distinct each fruit is. Mild lacto sour notes. Definitely sweet. Cider-esque. I'd honestly be hard pressed to find other notes. Moderate strength.

T - Awesome tart cranberries and apples. Follows the nose closely. Definitely tart, but far from sour. Buried crystal malts and indistinct yeast. A cough-syrupy like taste, but in a good way. Fruit stars, somehow without being overbearing. Impeccable balance between sweet and tart fruits.

M - Highly carbonated and dry. Almost perfect. Could use a little more body.

D - Obscenely drinkable. A great beer from New Glarus. I'd gladly have it again if I'd be so lucky.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 00:32:05 | More by blakelive784

Soozy

Tennessee

4.13/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Appearance - pours a light copper ruby red. The head has a slight reddish hue.
Smell - At first there's a hint of coffee syrup, followed by a slight tart smell, but overwhelmingly cherries. Smells great.

Taste - This is a fruit explosion in my mouth and everyone is invited. Overwhelmingly sweet cherries at the start, heavy tones of apples juice in the middle, and a very tart finish. I don't taste the cranberries, but the tartness is definitely there. Very enjoyable. Doesn't really taste like beer, but more just like juice. It really tastes more like juice than cider even. Absolutely enjoyable though.

Mouthfeel - very carbonated, great for the style.

Overall this is is a great beer. My roommate picked it up for me; definitely a good choice. I guess this was a one-off because of the drought and low crop of cherries this past season...but it's a great one-off. Way to make lemonade out of lemons New Glarus...or Serendipity out of apples (ahhh get it?)

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 03:13:07 | More by Soozy

kojevergas

California

4.13/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1 pint 9 fl oz brown glass bottle with waxed-over pressure cap served into a Guinness goblet in me gaff in high altitude Castle Rock, Colorado. Reviewed live. Expectations are through the roof.

Served straight from the refrigerator. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a half finger head of light pink-khaki colour head, decent cream, fair thickness, and bad retention. Body colour is a vibrant ruby.

Sm: Obscenely tart, cranberry, raspberry, cherry, cough syrup taint, and clean malts. A pretty strong aroma.

T: Tart fruit, cherry, raspberry, candy, clean malts, ovarian cough syrup notes, and fruity as hell esters. A bit juicy. Impeccable balance. Incredibly well built.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Complements the flavour profile brilliantly. Perfect carbonation and thickess.

Dr: One of the best beers I've had period. An incredible brew from New Glarus. I'd buy this by the case. Obscenely drinkable.

A-

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 04:19:31 | More by kojevergas

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.11/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to StayWhatYouAre2 for sending me this one in a past box! Thanks Alex! Shared this one at a recent Random Sunday Tasting! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller taster flute. Poured a deep ruby red-orange with a one finger off-white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, fruit, apple, raspberry, cherry, and cherry cough drops. The flavor was of sweet malt, fruit, apple, raspberry, cherry, and tart. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. I am a really big fan of New Glarus’ other offerings and this one was no exception. Tons of sweetness without being too sweet. Tons of fruit without being too fruity. There is just so much going on in this one with a nice balance to top it off that it makes it incredibly easy to drink. A true must try if you have not done so already, especially if you are a fan of Raspberry Tart or Belgian Red. You won’t regret it.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 11:20:56 | More by thagr81us

emerge077

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks Justin for sharing this at the 3rd annual chili showdown.
Poured into a pint glass, the beer was a dark reddish amber color with bright clarity and a frothy head that left a halo of sticky spotty lacing around the edges of the glass. Big fruity aroma of cherries and cranberries, possibly apple too. The fruit is obviously natural with a light tartness to it. Flavors of cherry are most noticeable at first, then the supporting notes of the apple and cranberry blend in afterwards. Also in the mix is a nicely dry wood tannin in the aftertaste that balances the sweet tart quality of the fruit forward notes it leads off with. It's light body is reminiscent of Cranbic a little bit, so is the moderate tartness with a slight sharpness to it. Overall it's very drinkable, worth trying if you enjoy New Glarus' fruit beers, though it's not far off from the existing range.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 03:44:39 | More by emerge077

yamar68

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

But looking forward to this one for some time now. Love the concept.

Beautiful looking beer - cranberry reds and darker pinks, stuffed with slow and steady beading and capped with a frothy pinkish white head that laces consistently from start to finish.

The lush tart red fruit notes are showcased in the nose, not as aggressively sweet as the others. Just piles and piles of fresh fruit juice aromas, berries and sweet apple, pear.

Fresh, crisp cranberry plays the lead role, blueberry and apple type flavors beneath that. It's fruit and it's beer. It's delectable.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 01:30:20 | More by yamar68

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

a lovely treat from new glarus. this one was made thanks to a cherry shortage, so cranberries and apples are added to account for the diminished cherry crop. the result is quite pleasant, and perfect for holiday season. the pour is raspberry looking pink in color, maybe a little darker, with a few fingers of fizzy white froth. the nose is remarkably sweet, like fruit candy, but also tart, a sour beer for sure. yeast is interestingly balanced out by the fruit, smells like sour granola. the taste is cranberry and sour yeast tartness at first, and then gently gives way to a holiday spice complex of apple and cinnamon and warming mulling spices, the spice then dies out and a ton of residual sugar is left over. this exacerbates as it warms. great feel with a ton of carbonation, made even lighter and more airy by the thin malt profile and the low abv. a lot like the raspberry tart in the sense that i dont need a whole 750ml bottle of this for myself, but it was a joy to try. i hope for plentiful cherry crops, but i also hope this beer stays in the lineup, a really nice compliment to some of their other fruit beers. the champaigne mouthfeel goes perfectly with the fruit and the sour. well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 20:25:29 | More by StonedTrippin

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle generously shared at the Peg's tasting on 3/8/13.

A- Pours a clear reddish magenta, produces almost no head.

S- Nice aroma of cherry, jam, other berry flavors. Lots of sweet berries and fruits. Smells pretty nice.

T- Moderate tartness with nice cherry and berry flavors, some oak, it's just a bit light and sweet, has a sort of fruity soda pop thing going on.

M- Light-bodied, high carbonation, very spritzy.

O- A solid fruit beer, the cherry/berry flavors are very nice, it's a bit sweet for my tastes but still worth picking up.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 04:03:01 | More by WillCarrera

BeardedBoffin

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This spin-off of the famed Wisconsin Belgian Red is an apple, cranberry and cherry concoction from New Glarus. The beer pores a nut brown with red highlights and sports very little foam. The cherries pull through the aroma along with a heavy dose apples. The yeast also contributes. The flavor highlights the fruit: in many ways it reminds me of carbonated fruit juice with an emphasis on apples and a twist of beery goodness. The cherries nicely compliment the apples. The cranberries contribute tartness. The palate is left dry. This beer is complex with unique character.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 23:45:38 | More by BeardedBoffin

Jparker37

Wisconsin

3.98/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1pt. 9fl. oz bottle poured into an oversized tulip.

A - Small cap of off-white foam. Perfect clarity, red color with orange highlights.

S - Ripe cranberries right up front. Nice sweetness to it. Really bright, clean fruitiness.

T - I get a nice tart tingling taste on my tongue right away, some sweetness comes in. I get unripened red apples underneath the cherry sweetness. Sweetness lasts into the finish but smoothes out to a super clean fruitiness.

M - Light to medium bodied, medium carbonation, sweet.

O - Cranberries seems to be the main focus of this beer. Carbonation help stimulate and imitate the tartness of the cranberries. Glad to have another fruit beer mixed into the usual lineup of New Glarus barrel aged beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 22:08:18 | More by Jparker37

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.98/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 11.22.12 Thanksgiving 2012

A - Pours a clear pinkish brown with a one inch light tan-pink head with good retention.

S - Cherry and sweet.

T - Cherry, apples and sweet. The cranberry finishes in the drink.

D - Good carbonation with a light body. Sweet, but not overly so.

O - Fruity and sweet. Cherry and apple fruit salad. This was a great choice for after dinner.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 07:19:43 | More by HuskyinPDX

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.98/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Cheers to Goblinmunkey7 for sharing this beer.

Consumed 3/16/13

Appearance: Deep red, garnet - impressively clear for the color - small, off-white head, fades to some wisps of a cap - leaves a few spots of lacing

Smell: Sweet, with a distinct New Glarus fruit beer aroma -lightly tart apples and cranberry take center stage, cherry is secondary - fruit sugar sweetness, basically smells like fruit juice

Taste: Beer? This be fruit juice - lightly tart but mostly sweet apples, more like apple juice than apple cider - lightly tart cranberries as well - cherry flesh rounds things out - like NG Wisconsin Belgian Red, this kind of tastes more like fruit juice than beer - not really much to say about malts or hops, as they appear to be missing, but it works for the style - sweet overall, but in a nice, fruity way

Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky fruity sweetness, minimal carbonation

Overall: Part of a complete breakfast

New Glarus performs fruit alchemy. This is fruity and sweet without being overly sweet. It's like fruit salad with apples, cranberries, and cherries... except better. This is certainly worth a try if you can find a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:35:16 | More by angrybabboon

joedevivre

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer tastes an awful lot like the debut album from the B-52s to me. It's definitely fruity, but also has a nice sourness to it as well. It's an album I enjoy listening to on occasion, but I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to to it very often.

All three fruits involved in this beer are immediately recognizable and full of robust flavor. I was hoping for slightly more sour, but it's a great beer nonetheless. Just not necessarily my particular style of choice.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 20:25:51 | More by joedevivre

merc7186

New York

3.88/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bomber into snifter glass.

A: Dark Amber Hue, Passes Some Light, No Head, No Lacing

S: Cherries, Apples

T: Cherries, Apples

M: Mediocre Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Mildly Tart

Overall, Nice fruit flavor but weak of the carbonation, decent.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 23:04:14 | More by merc7186

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.88/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

750 mL bottle to a snifter.

Appearance - Bright red with a nice off white head. Settles to an offset collar.

Smell - Lots of cherry. Like its more standard brothers, it's all fruit juice in the smell. Apple and cranberry standout surprisingly well.

Taste - Follows the smell exactly. Carbonated fruit juice. The cranberry and apple dominate more. Dry in the finish.

Mouthfeel - Well it's drinkable as hell. But it's juice. Medium carbonation.

Overall - These New Glarus offerings blur the line between sodas and beer. I can't in good conscience rate it as a great beer, no matter how tasty it is.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 00:45:37 | More by Alieniloquium

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Traci for sending this one out for me to try. The beer poured out as a vibrant red color with a fizzy white colored head on top. The head settles and doesn't leave any lacing or retention behind on the glass... The smell of the beer smell like pure fruit with a little bit of oak in there to give it more of a natural essence. The taste of the beer is like fruit punch, it's got the cherry and the apple and the cranberry all in there at different times. The flavors mix well but really give off a juice-like flavor. The oak is a little on the hidden side, I feel it could have been aged a bit longer to possibly give this one more of that wooden flavor. The mouthfeel of the beer was highly carbonated, it was sharp, tart and crisp. It's was also light bodied for having such a large amount of flavor. Overall I can't complain it's a good brew much like the Raspberry Tart and the Belgian Red from New Glarus. This one just adds a new outlook to what they're able to pull off when nature throws them a curve ball. This beer is enjoyable, it's sweet and juicy and loaded with fruity flavors. It's worth trying if that is what you're into.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 04:50:28 | More by Knapp85

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Big thank you to Steasy66 for the killer brews. Going to give this guy a big uncomfortable man-hug if I ever get the chance!! ;-)

Appearance. Pours a really deep amber, getting close to brown with almost a finger of fluffy, off-white head.

Smell. Apple and cranberry juice with some tart cherries and a very very light, dry musty funk.

Taste. Fresh cranberries and cherries and bit of that distinct New Glarus dry dusty, lightly woody funk.

Mouthfeel. Lighter body with medium , fine carbonation.

Overall. A nice fruit brew, but I do enjoy the fruits in RT and WBR more. More a personal preference thing than the quality of the brew...

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 00:28:49 | More by Rutager