Serendipity - New Glarus Brewing Company

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 25 ounce bottle into a wine glass.

Light orange red, active bubbles. No foam. Fruity smell, mixture of apples, cherries, cranberries. Malty backbone. Tart flavor throughout, fades out. Tart close. Light and flavorful. Super fruity. Really good.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:21:36 | More by KTCamm

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted 31 December 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours a medium-dark, slightly reddish amber. Very clear. Half-finger of yellowish head, decent retention and pretty good lacing. I really like the color.

Smell reminds me a lot of NG's other fruit beers, but has its uniqueness. I can't pull out each fruit. Get lots more cherry than anything else - syrupy, juicy bing cherry sweetness. Then apple, but apple pie apple, without the crispness or the tart. Very little tart in this, in fact - could use some more, IMO. Rich and sweet, without anything to balance that out (at least in the smell). Buoyantly fruity.

Taste comes on with syrupy cherries and sweet apple, followed by a touch of tart cranberry. The cranberry provides a bit of bite and tang here that are definitely needed, providing some acidic balance. But I wish there were even more of that, as I find it overly sweet.

Mouthfeel is spectacular. Light-bodied, buoyant and fluffy. Medium-high carbonation that flares up and gradually slows down like a right-skewed distribution.

Doesn't impress me as much as the other New Glarus fruit beers. Flavor feels a bit bloated and less clean because of the presence of all those fruits, and I really want some tart or sour to balance out that sweetness. Amazing mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 05:11:13 | More by zeledonia

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A: Poured a light pink with a dirty white head, some pretty good head retention and bubbles present on this one

S: Puree cherries, fresh red cherries, some Eathiness and perhaps a crnaberry or raspberry or two

T: Initial tartness with mainly red cherries, some of them a little green and unripened with a bit of candy sweetness, nice acidic sting with some Earthy notes. Tasted a bit like a childrens cough syrup

M: Someone mentioned smooth and wet on another review, yeah baby, thats it.Light bodied, high in carbonation but somehow it still provided a weird stgnant feeling on the palate. Sweet, tart with minimal booze

O: Not a fan of the style but this was pretty good and I can recognize a good beer when I see and taste one.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 15:23:31 | More by barleywinefiend

langchops

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle poured into FFF Teku

A - Pours a deep red/brown body with one finger of off-white pinkish head. Well carbonated

S - Cherries are the dominate scent going on. The apples are slightly noticed, but very subtle

T - Follows the nose but with more punch from the cherries. I was expecting more sourness from the charries, but it ended up being fairly sweet. Apples came in at the end, never got the raspberries.

M - Medium carbonation made for a light mouth. Coats well for the low ABV.

O - A smooth fruit beer that goes down well. I wouldn't want to drink more than two glasses of this with the sweetness factor. I wish it had more tartness to offset the sweet cherry/apple flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 16:35:01 | More by langchops

UCLABrewN84

California

4.21/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to GRG1313 for sharing this one at his tasting.

Pours a clear orange-red with a foamy bone head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is mainly a variety of sweet fruit aromas. Taste is much the same with slightly sour fruit flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of acidity on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with a nice fruity presence that makes it super drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 04:06:53 | More by UCLABrewN84

Trifecta1

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared a bottle with my roommate on Election Night 2012.
Pours a clear black-cherry red with a small pink head. Smells like apples, cherries, and cranberry juice, in that order of strength. Smells sweet. Taste is great. Starts like a sweet cherry pie, then tart, sour crisp apples and cranberries and finishes with a slightly malty finish. Very nice. Mouthfeel is acidic but not off-puttingly so. Clean, and refreshing. Will definitely buy another bottle or two before this beer disappears.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 00:33:49 | More by Trifecta1

brstls4drmrs

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - pours a foamy translucent red liquid with a heavy white foam. Very good lacing.

S - this is where it takes the cake for me. Lots of fruit in there with some heavy cherry and light apple. Some light spice along with blackberry and hints of raspberry and cranberry. Smells like a powdery berry sweetart.

T - a nice cherry, cranberry bomb with some sourness as well. The sour isn't overpowering which was nice for me. A good balance between sweet and sour.

M - medium to high carbonation with a nice tart finish.

O - not bad at all. I really liked this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 05:36:37 | More by brstls4drmrs

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

4.29/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

New Glarus Serendipity.

750 ml bottle split with my wife. She'll drink fruit beers, and that's it. Luckily New Glarus makes some good ones, and they're readily available. Served chilled in accompanying New Glarus glassware.

A) Cranberry red with two fingers of pinkish head. The head slowly dissipated, until none remained. No lacing...

S) I picked up a good amount of cranberry, blended with ripe apple juices. There is a faint cherry aroma. There is a sweet tart thing going on here for sure.

T) The flavor definitely follows the nose. The cherry is more prevalent in the taste, especially on the backend. Starts out sweet, with an aftertaste that is just slightly tart.

M) Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. It's pretty refreshing. Finishes a bit dry.

O) New Glarus knows how to make fantastic fruit beers. This is no exception.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 02:10:37 | More by RoamingGnome

iowabeerbaron

Iowa

4.3/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Leave it to Dan Carey at New Glarus to take a bad cherry harvest, an okay apple harvest, and a great cranberry harvest, mix all those together and get a wonderful beer accident that only he can produce! Behold, Serendipity! A sour fruit beer that shows the skill of the brewmaster and also makes the beer drinker yearn for more from this great brewery (www.newglarusbrewing.com). While Spotted Cow seems to be the most recognizable of the brews that New Glarus produces, and it definitely has its place, they push out much more great beer than that. If you’ve never had their Double IPA, Raspberry Tart, Belgian Red, Black Top, Moon Man, Enigma and many more, it’s time to run up to Platteville or even head to Madison or New Glarus itself to check out more of their products.

Serendipity is considered a fruit/sour beer and you can definitely get the tartness from this brew. The flavors of all the fruits really do a number on your taste buds, and the beer pairs perfectly with brownies, chocolate cake, or even makes a great dessert on its own.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 18:15:07 | More by iowabeerbaron

weonfire

Kentucky

4.31/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A - Light opaque burgundy, creme colored-pencil thin head. small bit of lacing.

S - Delightful! Wow it smells nice. Aged cherries, sour apple and cranberry- the bottle certainly does not lie. In combination: scents of peach and aged pear. Almost like opening a bottle of maraschino cherries.

T - initially: sour hits immediately. first cranberry followed by a mellow aged cherry and lastly sour apple. beautiful tart flavor bites the tongue. tart level 6/10

M - froth is excellent. immediately after- carbonation pops and tingles the tongue.

O - Wonderful sour. Nothing overwhelming in any flavor. blended excellently in the oak - perfect for an after dinner desert beer. My only downfall is I'd most likely only drink one of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 21:52:57 | More by weonfire

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a La Fin Du Monde snifter. The pour is crystal-clear and cranberry-red with some nice bubbles streaming from the bottom. There is 2 fingers of nice, fluffy head that dissipates rather quickly. The nose has lots of tart cranberry aromas. I also get the apples and, to a lesser extent, cherries.

The beer has a light body and a nice, bubbly mouthfeel. I get lots of fruit flavors, primarily sweet and sour cranberry and apple (cherries definitely take a back seat). The beer is quite sweet, but it feels like a natural sweetness and it is well-balanced by tartness from the cranberries. The finish is also quite fruity, puckery, and has a wine-like tannic feel, drying out the mouth and leaving flavors of cranberries lingering behind.
It is extremely drinkable and should be tart enough to please fans of spontaneously-fermented beers.

I just loved this beer. It was the first of 3 New Glarus beers I traded for that I get to enjoy and already it was the most intensely-flavored fruit beer I have ever had. It had such intense flavors, it was almost like drinking fruit juice. I suppose that might not appeal to some beer drinkers, but I really enjoyed it. I wish New Glarus beers like this one were available where I live (I had to trade for this one - thanks ABisonEgo). I wouldn't drink them all the time, but I would definitely crack one open every so often. One word of warning, though. Do NOT buy this beer if you don't like cranberries. Be warned!

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 01:11:05 | More by deadonhisfeet

hardy008

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours ruby red with a one finger off white head which fades quickly, leaving spotty lacing. Smells like apples, cherries, and cranberries. Smells like a nice combination of sweetness and tartness.

There is a nice combination of tartness and sweetness with apples, cherries, and cranberries. The fruit flavors always stand out with New Glarus beers, better than with any other brewery, and it's not even close.

Light to medium bodied with average carbonation. Has a slightly tart and sweet aftertaste, and finishes somewhat dry. Buy this beer, or trade for it if you get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 03:15:21 | More by hardy008

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to jegross2 for the bottle hook up.

Pours red/purple with a light pink frothy head. Little retention or lacing.

Lots of tart cranberry and cherry. Light malts. Mostly fruit aromas.

Tart berries and tons of fruitiness throughout although it never gets too sweet and syrupy like the other NG fruit beers. Not a lot of malt profile, but what's there is clean.

Smooth and somewhat creamy with spot on carbonation levels.

Very drinkable beer and the extra tartness helps keep the beer from getting too sweet which is my main complaint about the Belgian Red and Raspberry Tart. Miles better than either of those and I hope this becomes a staple.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 20:32:14 | More by jmarsh123

birchstick

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a toffee caramel rustic brown color with a nice white head that dissipates but doesn't fully disappear. Nose is apples, cherries, and the Belgian spicy notes similar to the Belgian Red. The taste starts with a little bit of lemon that moves on to the bombardment of fruits - cherries and apples are upfront and move on to a soft cranberry flavor, mixed in with the spicy NG yeast strain. Mouthfeel is full and creamy. Overall, this is another fantastic fruit beer from NG. Glad I got to drink up some Belgian Red this weekend, but this makes a fine substitute.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 23:58:33 | More by birchstick

kevanb

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle served in a stemmed New Glarus flute.

The beer pours a great garnet color, hues of burgundy and ruby red when struck by the light, a light and fizzy offwhite head appears but recedes almost immediately leaving behind no lacing or traces of film. The aroma is of strong cherries, almost medicinal with lovely tart apples and cranberries behind it, very well balanced and pleasant, a true celebration of the fruit, just wish the cherries didn't have that cough syrup element. The flavors are wonderful, great apple taste right away, crisp green apple and juicy red apple are showcased well, tart cranberry and sweet yet tart cherries at the finish. It really is like a perfect blend of Belgian Red, Apple Ale and Cran-bic. All of the fruit flavors are so fresh and vibrant, so easy to drink and very enjoyable. The body is great, medium to high carbonation that really dances on the tongue, really helps bring out the flavors.

Verdict: Another smashing success from New Glarus when it comes to fruit beer. They have a knack for this and this one is no different, I will miss Belgian Red for the time being, but this is a stand out beer and hopefully one that stays in production after Belgian Red returns!

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 20:40:00 | More by kevanb

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Robbie for this bottle. Poured in to tulip.

A - Translucent medium ruby colour with half a finger of cream coloured head and good lacing.

S - Tart cherries up front - reminiscent of WBR. Some sweet breadineess and a very light apple aroma in the background.

T - Tart up front with sour cherries that give way to a sweet bready pie-crust-like flavour in the middle. The finish has a touch of apple and tart cranberry. Not specifically getting the oak. After a while this becomes very sweet. Difficult to drink the whole 750 ml bottle but very tasty nonetheless.

M - Medium body. Creamy. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 01:58:39 | More by TheSevenDuffs

MaximalC

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a transparent, rose-amber color with a handsome head of fine, khaki froth. Splotchy lacing clings handsomely to the glass as the beer recedes. The aroma smells strongly of green apple and cherry, with a hint of cinnamon. The flavor is pretty comparable to the nose, with the sourness taking center stage up front before a mild, honey-like sweetness comes through on the back end. The first sip really is delightfully puckering. I don't taste the cranberry so much per se; rather, it synergizes seamlessly with the other fruits. The cranberry actually seems to come through a bit more as the beer warms. A tingly, ascetic sourness asserts itself in the finish, kept vital by the perky carbonation. A distinct cinnamon flavor adds an extra element that keeps the melange from becoming too fruity. In spite of the bold flavor, the finish manages to remain mostly dry. This really is a fantastic sour ale that never becomes cloying in spite of its flavorful character. Another winning fruit beer from New Glarus.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 02:42:07 | More by MaximalC

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serendipity pours a reddish color, with a large red head. Alot of sweet aromas, especially cherry. The taste has a blend of sweet fruits, cherry is profound, with hints of the apples and cranberries. Great full flavor, all the fruits blend together, there is no stages of flavors from the fruits. Not overpowering sweet. Overall a fantastic fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 06:42:07 | More by vette2006c5r

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

No freshness dating.

A= Pours a totally translucent deep amber color with a nice off white sort of reddish colored head that holds great retention and lacing on the side of the glass.

S= The smell is big on the apples. Upon opening the bottle I get a bit apple aroma. After the beer is poured and sits in the glass for a moment I get a lot of the cherries and cranberries. Not the sort of puckering cranberries but the cranberry jelly type cranberry aroma. It smells like a natural juice to me. A little bit of a tartness in the nose.

T= As the nose leads on it tastes like a great natural apple juice at first before a nice cranberry flavor comes through with a little cherry to make it just a tad sweeter. The apple still seems to be the main flavor. It almost tastes like a spiced cider. It's not really spiced and it may be the cherries and cranberries but I get a cider sort of taste to it. A slight tartness in there making it an easy going sour.

M= A little lower on the carbonation that works great.

O= This is a world class beer for anyone. From the most novice beer drinker to a seasoned vet this is a beer anyone can drink and say damn that tastes great. It's plain and simple quality ingredients used to make a quality beer. Seek this out and buy many in case they don't make it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 23:13:07 | More by jjanega08

Florida9

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Clear chestnut brown with a very red hue to it. Forms a moderate sized, bubbly, tannish colored head. Decent retention, as it eventually falls to a fairly thick surface coating. Leaves a good bit of lace on the way down.

S: Aroma is full of fresh, juicy fruits, redolent of Belgian Red. Strong cherry, summer berries, and some apple. The smell is sweet, almost candy-like, but not cloyingly so.

T: Flavor brings more of the same, but with more balance. Sweet apple, cherries and raspberry flavors mix with the slightly tart astringency of the cranberries. Finish is surprisingly quick considering the depth of the flavors present here, but the finish is also very clean.

M: Medium in body with a moderate slickness to it. Undeniably sweet, but the tartness creates a balance that ensures this beer is not cloying. Medium carbonation.

O: What can I say? Yet another excellent fruit beer from Dan and Deb.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 01:10:05 | More by Florida9

tectactoe

Michigan

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Another big thanks to Jeff for cracking this one - it was on my "wants" list for a long time and I'm glad to finally get a chance to try it. Pours a very clean and slick, ruby-tinted mahogany with pretty remarkable clarity for the deep shade it emits. A beige cap quickly foams up a recedes almost just as quick while leaving a few decent rings of lacing after the first few sips.

Holy smokes, the aroma is a huge explosion of fruit almost unlike anything else I've smelled before. A very deep, juicy, and raw black cherry aroma is first in command, heavily accented with sweet red apples on the edges. The fruit characteristics are so convincing and pure without the artificial and medicinal hints that oftentimes plague fruit beers and can evidently lead to their demise. This smells like a puree or freshly squeezed juice. Super convincing, mouth-watering, and honest to god delicious - can't wait to try it.

After taking one taste, I realize that I misspoke when calling the aroma a huge fruit explosion... because it's nothing compared to the flavor. Hot damn, the flavor in this is just incredible, if you're a fan of fruit, that is. Just absolutely delicious, pure, juicy, sweet, and mildly tart, all at once. I get hit with some Red Delicious apples up front, immediately following by the gushing onslaught of ripe, black cherries. Extremely juicy and overflowing with flavor. A tartness hits quick and fast before it fades into a sweetness that carries through to the aftertaste. Cranberries are heaviest in the finish, providing another small jolt of tart before they turn entirely sweet and savory on the palate. This beer is just on the cusp of the sour/sweet line at times, and it dangerously flirts with it so well. Lighter bodied with high carbonation, crisp and popping mouth feel.

This.... Now THIS is how you do a fruit beer. Throw an apple, some cherries, and a few cranberries into a blender, bottle it up and call it Serendipity. Almost perfect execution of pure fruit flavors while avoiding all of the off-putting side-effect that commonly plague this style of beer. New Glarus... I like them. A lot.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 16:39:45 | More by tectactoe

Vogie

Michigan

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Special thanks to my friend Matt from Wisconsin for this one.

P: Served in a Duvel tulip glass. Nice ruby brown color with about a two finger head the quickly disappears leaving some nice lacing around the glass.

S: A fruit bomb. Tons of cranberries, cherries, and apples.

T: Getting a mix of cranberries and apples with some cherry in there to. It's like carbonated fruit juice.

M: Fizzy carbonation like champagne. Light body and very fruity.

O: I think a lot of people that don't like beer would love this. I am not crazy about it but I appreciate all the hard work and craftsmanship in making this. New Glarus puts out some real good fruit beers. I liked Apple Ale slightly more.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 16:36:27 | More by Vogie

dogfishandi

New York

4.41/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750ml capped and waxed bottle, received in the gang bang BIF

Pours out a nice clear deep red color, fairly retentive off white colors head with good lacing.

Big fruit aroma, maraschino cherries seem to be at the forefront. A little apple juice behind that.

Wow, fruit juice! A great tasting beer, lots of fresh apple juice, with some cranberry juice behind. All about the sweet fruit. Just a touch of that new glares earthiness.

Good tartness, mildly sour, light to almost medium in body. Amazing drinkability.

On par with all of the other new glares fruit beers. All about the fruit with some good tart/ sourness, but little to no funk. If someone says they don't like this beer, their lying.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 03:35:06 | More by dogfishandi

scaliasux

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance - Medium/dark brownish-red. Clear. Medium tall pale red head. Quickly dissipates into a thin film.

Smell - Sweet-tart cherries. Hints of the other fruits - apple and cranberry.

Taste - Begins very sweet with the cherry very prominent and finishes quite tart with a suggestion of cranberry. Apple flavor lingers. Taste is utterly authentic, captures the earthiness of real cherries.

Mouthfeel - Medium.

Overall - This is another absolute stand-out fruit beer from New Glarus. They seem to have a gift for capturing the authentic flavors of local fruit.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 03:01:05 | More by scaliasux

umustdrink

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured a clear light amber with a pink tinge. Rocky beige head with a very slight red to it, settling at a film in the middle with a thicker ring around the rim. Appears to have been filtered. Very little activity around the nucleation site in the Duvel chalice.

S - Sour cherries, vanilla, oak with a very light funk in the background. Sweet apple notes meld with the cherry. Cinnamon spice much more apparent as it warms.

T - A sharp tartness at the beginning; it's nice, not overpowering. Tartness is mostly cherry flavored, but the oak aging has mellowed it out, taking away some of the bite and revealing the flesh of the cherry, which is earthier and more velvety. There's a bit of spice in here that shows up after the initial bite; clove, cinnamon and black pepper. Finishes with a lightly fermented apple, cinnamon and vanilla.

M - Carbonation is medium to low. Tartness burns less as the beer warms.

O - This beer works well both at fridge temp and closer to cellar temp. Poured cold it's reminiscent of sparkling wine, as it warms it gets closer to mulled cider with the spices becoming more pronounced. I drank the whole 750 myself over a period of two hours so I could see different characteristics of the beer evolve as it warmed. If you're going to share it, serve it closer to cellar temp. ABV isn't listed, but I would guess that it isn't very high, maybe 4.5 or 5.5%.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 01:15:47 | More by umustdrink