New Glarus Brewing Company

Bowers-Brew

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +3.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.25 | $$

I can't go more than a few months without a visit to the brewery/town.

New Glarus is my everyday beer of choice. I drink, dabble, and am always looking for a great new beer, but I keep New Glarus beers in stock at all times.

If you love beer New Glarus is somewhere that you must visit/drink/enjoy.

Only in Wisconsin!!!!

05-10-2013 22:09:53 | More by Bowers-Brew

guityler83

Wisconsin

4.73/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75 | $$

After signing the list for the Hard Hat tour a few months prior, I was reminded that my ticket date was coming up the Monday before.. best way I can think of to get you through a work week.

The tour started out at the old brew house on the bottom of the hill with a small group (20 if I recall). The guide was a brewer in this facility, which he explained the ins and outs of answered any and all questions ranging from "what are hops" to what mash efficiency are you pulling from these copper mash and lauter tuns.

After we were finished in the old facility (every nook and crany) we went to the behemoth brewery up the road, which is the cleanest place I've been in that makes beer. Deb Carry greeted us (the owner!) and fielded a few questions, then we toured the big plant.
The final stage was the beer tasting and cheese pairing the the upstairs dining room. Anything from spotted cow to moon man to three different sours where available along with exotic WI cheeses.

We did get rushed through the last part 'slighly' to go through the gift shop/cellar but overall it was a brewery tour I'd recommend to anyone... beer drinker or not. Awesome.

05-07-2013 17:58:41 | More by guityler83

1Nrwyscotch

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev -12%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4 | $

I visited the New Glarus Brewery on 9/28/12 and the brewery is on a hillside outside of the small town of New Glarus WI. It was a sunny 80 degree day and the place was packed with visitors. This was likely because of the unseasonably good weather and the Octoberfest celebration going on in town.

The selection of beers on this day was somewhat limited, the Staghorn Octoberfest, Fat Squirel, Rasberry Tart, Spotted Cow and Two Women.

There is an indoor tasting room but it was mainly empty. A wood stove pizza maker, La Fortuna was on site and was cooking pies. We tried one and it was enjoyed by all.

They have a decent size gift shop and the Brewery was built with an enclosed hallway so you could tour the brewery by your self, though one employee was around to answer any questions you may have. They have a seperate area to buy beer to go but I did not vehture in that shop.

A great experience and we will defintely return.

11-08-2012 00:43:35 | More by 1Nrwyscotch

czfreeman

Michigan

4.69/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

What an idyllic setting to enjoy some brews!
Drivining up from Chicago got a bit boring at times, but beautiful scenery helped.
Arriving at the brewery, I was reminded instantly of Ommegang.Remote location, European style building.
They are currently adding on 15,500 square feet of additional space to include a larger tasting room, and perhaps a restaurant.
I tried a Fat squirrel, Moon Man, and the Spotted Cow. My companions enjoyed a Raspberry Tart and the Black Top bock.
All beer truly stood out. Every one had a great balance and flavor profile the were extremely enjoyable.
I really respect their philosophy of not sacrificing their excellent quality to ensure the beer is up to their high standards.
Afterward my father purchased an entire mixed case of beer because he was so impressed.
I am looking forward to returning

10-25-2012 22:39:44 | More by czfreeman

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev -6.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Managed to take the self guided tour of this brewery a few weeks ago. This place is huge! I never expected it to be nearly as big as it was. The building is beautiful inside and out. The gift shop was really nice lots of very nice stuff to purchase ranging from Glassware to Clothing. The tour was self guided but there was at least one employee there who was mingling with people and answering questions for the guests. The brewery is spotless clean.. I feel like I could eat off the floor in this place. The visuals in this place were great too, pipes and and tanks and a furnace are just a few things that stick in my mind just from walking around. The bottle shop they have is loaded with many of the beers they make there. I left with 7 New Glarus beers I had never tried before in addition to a bottle of Moon Man and Raspberry Tart. Overall it was a great place to check out. Very good all around, I would go back here in a heart beat.

10-03-2012 13:23:26 | More by Knapp85

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.28/5  rDev -3.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Visited August 31st (Hard Hat Tour), 1:00 - 4:00 pm-ish

I've tried a number of New Glarus beers over the last 5-6 years, thanks to traders and friends in the area - but never at the source. I learned about a business trip I'd be taking to Iowa around Labor Day weekend all the way back in June; wheels turning in my head, I decided to extend the trip to Wisconsin and Illinois to see family and friends. Even in mid-June, the August 31st tour was booked solid (the 'Hard Hat' tour is only offered once weekly -Friday afternoons- and limited to 15 people). Oh well, I'd still visit and go on the free self-guided tour... until, that is, a phone call on Wednesday 8/29, just as I was leaving Des Moines, informed me that *one* person had cancelled and that I could have their spot (I'd asked to be put on a waiting list in June, even though I was told 'nobody ever cancels'!). Hell, yeah!

I showed up at the Riverside ('old') brewery a few minutes before 1:00pm and was greeted by brewer Stephen and Alyssa... after a short snafu over my reservation and some impatient waiting for a late-arriving group of six we started the tour. I've been on a couple dozen brewery tours over the years; this was among the largest and most impressive. Even though I feel knowledgeable about beer and the brewing process, it was fascinating to learn about how New Glarus does it and about their growth/expansion (no plans to expand beyond the Wisconsin borders, even though it appears they could quite easily). We thoroughly toured both the Riverside and newer Hilltop facilities, including brewing tanks, packaging lines and R & D labs. The tour concluded with a 30-minute tasting of several beers (bottles) and six heaps of tasty local cheeses. We also learned a little of the Swiss heritage of the neighboring/namesake village and why the building had to designed in the 'chalet' style to keep with the aesthetic and of a scale to not be an eyesore nearby housing developments. For $20+tax, I was very satisfied with the tour; my only disappointment is that Deb & Dan Carey (who usually greet the tour) were away for the Labor Day weekend. I'd have liked to have met them and shaken hands.

Afterward, I had just a few minutes to stroll the grounds and shop at the bottle shop. Didn't have room for much, so I bought a 4-pack of the seasonal Thumbprint Saison and a 750ml of Raspberry Tart. Prices are about the same here as they'd retail for elsewhere. Of note, there's some ongoing expansion of the gift shop/bottle store and also of the 'Sensory labs', so expect some construction fencing and minimal disruption in the next year or so.

All in all, a very good experience - one I'd recommend.

For the record, what we tasted:
* Beer: Totally Naked, HomeTown Blonde, Laughing Fox, Thumbprint Saison, Staghorn Oktoberfest and Raspberry Tart.
* Cheese: Aged Cheddar (Voegeli Farms), Petite Frere (Crave Brothers), Limburger (Chalet Cheese Co-Op), Raspberry Bellavitano (Sartori Foods), Baby Swiss (Alp & Dell) and Dunbarton Bleu (Roelli Cheese)

09-12-2012 15:51:19 | More by msubulldog25

mobius387

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | $$

First time at the brewery for the sour Ale release. This place is just a gorgeous brewery, inside and out. Great atmosphere, very clean inside. Great gift shop with lots of cool brewery related and Wisconsin related items. Went on a self guided tour, but they do have guided tours too. Great outdoor space for drinking the beer. The only criticism is that they only had their regular stuff on tap, not that those beers aren't great just don't expect anything special.

Overall, loved the brewery and the city is very cool too.

08-11-2012 23:28:15 | More by mobius387

mrelizabeth

California

4.45/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | $

We have been wanting to visit New Glarus for quite awhile. Couldn't make it on a Friday for the "hard-hat" tours. If you are planning on booking one, do so months in advance, for they sell out quickly!

Amazing location. About an hour from Madison in the middle of some really beautiful rolling farmlands.

Facilities are top-notch. A self-guided tour lets you wander the brewery. You will be amazed at the organization of this brewery. Great engineering.

Decent selection of merchandise. 6-8 beers on top for tasting. Would have liked a few more "rare" beers on tap. Good selection in bottle shop, but would have loved one or two more incredibly rare beers to bring home to Cali.

Bottom line- do NOT skip this brewery. If you are anywhere in the Chicago/Milwaukee/Madison area, make it a priority. If you love beer and find yourself a little further away (Minneapolis, Urbana, etc) plan a visit.

06-05-2012 18:19:53 | More by mrelizabeth

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

My wife and I drove up for a visit in late May. Having never been there before, we came across the original brewery first which did not look like it was exactly open to the public. We then found a sign with maps inside that gave directions to the new Hill Top brewery which is where the tour and gift shop is. The hill top brewery is only about a mile down the road and it beautiful. Since it was a Tuesday, we found easy parking.

We took the self guided tour and got to see Dan hard at work. It was pretty simple, but very interesting. We also did their 3 samples for $3.50 and got some New Glarus gear. I had to make a stop downstairs at their beer depot before I went home. I was surprised there was only one brewery exclusive beer, the rest I have easy access to at work. No food on site but plenty of bar and grills to choose from in their downtown district. Nice folks and would love to visit again!

06-05-2012 04:57:01 | More by Lemke10

FakeDeniro

5/5  rDev +12.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

A great town to visit with an amazing brewing Company! You will love the town. You will really love the beer and you will miss the beer once you are not in Wisconsin. I have family in wisconsin to keep me stocked up!

Each beer they make you can tell is made with love and art! They make more lagers then Ales so that may throw some people off. But its Wisconsin so it makes sense.

Dan knows and loves beer and he shows it with each beer that comes out. Even the beers you may not like you enjoy trying them becuase how well made they are!

05-29-2012 15:28:53 | More by FakeDeniro