New Glarus Brewing Spotted Cow Farmhouse Ale

Beer Name: Spotted Cow
Brewery: New Glarus Brewing (New Glarus, WI)
ABV: 4.8%
How sold: 12 oz bottles and 12 oz cans (6-packs, 12-packs, and cases); kegs; on draft
Where bought: N/A, received this in a trade
Price: Unknown

Date Received: May 10, 2018
Date Drank: May 12, 2018
When brewed? Year-round beer. The flagship beer of New Glarus Brewing.
IBU: 18

What's on the Bottle: "Every drop of Wisconsin's original Farmhouse ale is Artisan brewed and bottled by the hard working Employee Owners of New Glarus Brewing Co. right here in little New Glarus, Wisconsin. Spotted Cow adheres to the Reinheitsgebot purity law using only four hand selected all natural insgredients - yeast, hops, water and malted barley. We allow yeast to remain in the bottle to enhance the fullness of flavors, so it is naturally cloudy. Expect this ale to be fun, fruity and satisfying. You know you're in Wisconsin when you see the Spotted Cow."

What's on the Website: "Cask conditioned ale has been the popular choice among brews since long before prohibition. We continue this pioneer spirit with our Wisconsin farmhouse ale. Brewed with flaked barley and the finest Wisconsin malts. We even give a nod to our farmers with a little hint of corn. Naturally cloudy we allow the yeast to remain in the bottle to enhance fullness of flavors, which cannot be duplicated otherwise. Expect this ale to be fun, fruity and satisfying. You know you're in Wisconsin when you see the Spotted Cow." Read more here!

Food Pairings: New Glarus suggests many options, from BBQ to wings to nachos. I also recommend just about any spicy food.

Where distributed: New Glarus Brewing distributes just within parts of Wisconsin. Very hard to get unless you go to the brewery.

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Pours cloudy light golden into a pint glass. Unfiltered. White head, trace lacing. 4.25/5

Smell (25%): Tart, yeast/earthy, and slightly berry fruity. 3.75/5

Taste (40%): Follows the nose. The tart fruit complements with the yeast and earthy notes. Extremely refreshing. 3.75/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Light-bodied, some carbonation. Leaves a dry tongue. 4/5

Overall (20%): A great Farmhouse Ale. Admittedly, the Farmhouse Ale is usually not the type of beer I generally drink, but this is a major exception because New Glarus has been on my bucket list forever. Thanks to a beer trading connection, I was given this gem that would otherwise itself be amazing trade fodder. I found a good article that talks extensively about the Farmhouse Ale. I love that Spotted Cow is a refreshing beer that can easily pair with many foods, especially spicy food. Perfect for summer, but it can be enjoyed any time of the year. 4/5

Final Weighted Rating: 3.85/5