New Glarus - Laughing Fox

End of the line!  Last stop on my New Glarus journey!  Well, at least for a little while until I start breaking out all the Thanksgiving-esque beers (*ahemCran-bic*cough*).  I think the bottle does a fantastic job at explaining this beer's namesake, and so I'll reprint it here.

"In playful pursuit of butterflies a Red Fox danced across the brewery hill.  His joy so pure it bubbled through our hearts and into this beer.  Laughing Fox is a sparkling Kristal Weizen brewed in the Bavarian tradition with 50% Wisconsin wheat in our open top fermenters.  Tickle your nose (sic) notes of spicy close and cinnamon abound.  Dan's inspired Weizen interpretation reflects the deep bittersweet color of our Fox's red coat."


Frankly, that sort of imagery and simple appreciation of wildlife is why I moved back to the midwest.  It's the kind of scene that makes you take a deep breath and smile.  The description is almost straight out of "Dances with Wolves," but it's better because there's a distinct lack of Kevin Costner and noticeably more references to beer.  Agreed?  Good.  Let's pour!

Botte art image user without permission for educational purposes only.

Aroma 12/12
Aroma is always one of Dan Carey's strong suits and this beer is no exception by a long shot!  Straight into the tulip glass, this beer is an absolute powerhouse of banana-y Belgian yeast and cloves.  It is so strong at times that it almost smells candied.  The cinnamon is definitely riding in the back seat on this one, but does round things out a bit more as the beer warms.

Appearance 3/3
True to its "Kristal Weizen" form, this beer has as high a clarity as is possible in a beer this color.  It is a bright copper color, with tones of dark honey and amber.  The head is lasting, tall, and proud with soapy sides and a whipped, fluffy top.  Top marks!

Again, sorry for the pink hue.  Even after setting the white balance,
my phone insists on tinting everything.

Flavor 19/20
Initial sips are also true to the Kristal origins with a light malt that almost tastes like cream.  Roasted malt is present, but not the showcased flavor.  That honor belongs to a bright, slightly tart/sour citrus flavor that floats high above the earthier malts, balanced spices, and a subtle vanilla sweetness.  The finish leaves little of the citrus backbone and focuses more on a woody, earthy note.  It is fairly drying and has a light bitter.  This beer tastes almost nothing like it smells.  In this case, it is a good thing because as it stands it is very style appropriate and the the bolder, sweet flavors of the aroma would have no place in the style.  They certainly have their place (a very delicious place), but it is not here.  Lots of restraint used and it is not misplaced.

Mouthfeel 3/5
This beer feels a little heavier than it should, but it can be largely attributed to the large quantities of Kristal (and Pils?) malts present.  Carbonation is crisp, but not prickly.  It fills the mouth nicely (thank you wheat), but eventually finishes with a wetter more "fizzy" feel.  The carbonation is lasting to the end.

Overall Impression 8/10
This is a superbly crafted beer.  The smell is outrageous, the look is desirable, and the flavor is spot-on stylistically.  Even though this beer is exactly what it is supposed to be, I do confess a small bit of disappointment that the flavor didn't borrow more from the aroma.  I know!  I know!  It's not supposed to!  But with a smell like that, and a flavor that's appropriately sour/tart it can be a bit of a let down.  Frankly, that's not much of a criticism at all.  Did I mention that this beer smells good?  It does.


Total 46/50
It can be hard to get excited about a beer that does not wallop us with some new or bold exciting flavor.  Is that the beer's fault?  No.  Does that make this a bad beer?  I believe the score states otherwise.  Is this beer solid?  Absolutely.  Does this beer show craft beer drinkers a variety on a popular style?  A style that they might not have seen outside a bottle of Weihenstephaner or Tucher?  You better believe it.  It's also a quality version of the style that remains remarkably drinkable.  Some people might be disappointed that they're not getting their "witbier" experience after experiencing the aroma, but this beer needs no apologies for not pretending to be something it's not.

I'm pretty sure this makes my Indian name "Drinks with Foxes."
Wait, the wife might not like that one...

Sand Creek Brewing Co. - Lilja's Wisconsin Heifer Weizen

Time to honor one of the foundations of craft beer, drinking from a small brewery of which I have never heard.  Now the label of this beer has a lot of jokes/puns on it (Heifer Weizen, "Brewed Behind The Cheddar Curtain," a cow saying "Got beer?", a tiny caption reading "ylnevaeh spoh"), but it is all rather distracting.  Besides the fact that Cheddar is a English cheese in origin (yes, I am aware of Wisconsin's dairy prowess) and that "ylnevaeh spoh" is simply "heavenly hops" spelled backwards (not exactly an inside joke), I had a hard time finding the name of the actual brewer!

At first I thought "Lilja's" would be correct, then I found something that listed "Pangeabeers.com," and THEN I had to read the part of the label way off to the side that read, "Brewed by Sand Creek Brewing Co."  I like a joke on the label (and clever marketing) as much as the next guy, but how are you supposed to promote your brewery when I can barely find the name on the bottle?

Anyway, rant aside, I love a good beer.  Especially hefes and especially good beer from Wisconsin.  This beer has the excellent potential to be both.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 6/12
Not what one comes to expect from a hefe.  In fact, the "banana-y" smell is almost nonexistent.  What the aroma does provide is more sour than sweet.  This leads one to believe a high citrus base, but without the sugary goodness that normally accompanies it.  The sour mixes with a grassy hop smell with the wheat showing up from time to time.  It is dominated by sour and grass.  An odd combination which is not to style and makes me a bit wary.

Appearance 2/3
My initial "sniffing pour" (2-3 oz) poured  crystal clear.  This had me very concerned until I poured the rest of the bottle and it clouded up accordingly.  In fact, there was a lot of tasty sediment at the bottom and I made sure to get every last drop.  It pours a cloudy earth-tone yellow with a sound amount of cream white head to top it.  No lacing, but the head stuck around long enough to not let me gripe about it.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 12/20
The first flavor to arrive is that of spice.  Unfortunately, it is not coriander and clove (though those are present), it is a more pepper and clove mix.  This, when combined with the bitter of the hops, give the main palate of this beer a very unusual flavor for the style.  The sweetness is almost completely overpowered and is only shines through in the finish and aftertaste.  When it does, it tastes like a hefe should: sweet, banana, wheat deliciousness.  Until you get to that point, you are in for a bit of a surprise.  The only sweetness I detected in the primary flavor was that of lemon and even that may have been based in coriander and the sweetness of the wheat itself.  Not to style.

Mouthfeel 3/5
Body was adequate and the carbonation was a bit high for the style.  Not exactly the creamy treat one usually hopes for in a hefe, but it also had a hint of warmth.  I am seldom disappointed by warmth when I find it, even if it is only a bit.

Overall Impression 5/10
This particular brew is not appropriate to style in several categories.  The smell is not sweetly inviting and intoxicating, the flavor is spicy, barely sweet, and almost bitter, and the mouthfeel eliminates the creaminess which so often compliments the fruity, estery goodness that is a good hefe.

Total  29/50 (Good)
I appreciate a good variation on a style as much as the next man, but I am not even sure what to call this particular style.  It has all the spiciness of a winter seasonal (though different spices) and the (albeit muted) fruity taste and cloudiness of a hefe.  It is definitely an odd combination and not entirely pleasing.  We drink hefes because they are also everything we want in a life-mate: sweet, smells nice, and goes down easy.  I feel that this brewer tried to make a more balanced version of a hefe (of which I would approve), but overspiced it and got a little to proud of their "heavenly hops."  I sure their hops may just be heavenly, but that does not mean they get to maintain their lofty position in this particular style.

I'll definitely pass on this offering if I found it again, but I'm more than willing to try more brews from a small brewer who is trying to make something different than the norm.  Keep trying, Sand Creek!

Ayinger - Braü-Weisse

As with most folks, my first dive into craft brewery (or any beer with flavor for that matter) was a witbier, with weisse beers and hefe-weizens not far behind.  These are the styles of beer that I have drinking the longest and I am always excited to try a new one or revisit an old friend.  Today's sample was Ayinger's - Braü-Weisse.  I was a bit more excited than usual because this appeared to be a more authentic offering than most; there were proper (not popularized spellings), it is German-made, and (I cannot stress this enough) there were umlauts on the bottle.  It is also important for me to note that the 2 of the 3 english phrases on the label were:

1.  Brewed in accordance to the "Reinheitsgebot" Purity law of 1516
2.  Authentic Bavarian hefe-weizen

Those are good signs!  Let's dive right in.

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only

Aroma 9/12
The hops are the first thing to jump out at you.  They are, of course, citrusy and sweet; greeting the nose but not overwhelming it with sweetness.  This lack of sweetness, everpresent with the style, is to be the theme for this beer.  There was not the smell of "banana" or "bubblegum" with this beer, but instead a sweet more acidic aroma associated with apples.  This is the first hint that makes me think I may not have received a fresh bottle from my retailer.  An aroma is still certainly present, but not the rich, sweet smell of an authentic hefe-weizen.  For the style, its a bit thin and acidic.

Appearace 2/3
A lovely, golden cloud filled my glass.  What more could you ask for in a weisse?  A head, it turns out, is the answer.  The ivory-colored head was fair in size (1 1/2 fingers), but it disappeared extremely quickly (especially for the style) and I was disappointed.  For a good hefe-weizen I expect a thick, rich foam on the top which reeks of the aroma beneath and remains with me for at least half the glass.  This was not the case; there was no lace and no retention.  This is the second hint that suggests I may not have received a fresh bottle.  You can see it ranks about a 20 EBC.

Picture my own.

Flavor 14/20
I am conflicted on how to evaluate the flavor of this beer.  One part of me says, "Its not as sweet as the style should be!  Where is the smell you love?  Where are the distinct flavors?"  The other part says, "Wow.  This beer did not try to overwhelm you with sweetness.  Its very well-blended and a more 'mature' entry of the style."  While, I was able to detect some floral hops, fruity esters, and a nice even balance to me the entry was almost sour in the mouth.  This is the third hint that I may not have received a fresh bottle.  I understand if a beer of this style would want to try something a little less candy-ish and more toward other European styles of cloudy beer.  But sour?  That taste has no place in a weisse and has been dudected points accordingly.

Mouthfeel 3/5
A light-medium body with ample carbonation.  I should like a heavier body in this style (complimenting the creaminess of the head and the sweet flavors in the beer), but having it a bit lighter does add to its drinkability.  As it stands, I could have had several of these if exclusively based on the mouthfeel.  No real warmth, but a bit of astringency.

Overall Impression 7/10
While I still certainly would not mind buying another pint of this beer, I cannot help but shake the feeling I have been swindled.  I have been swindled out of the beer-tasting experience that I expected.  I expected the most from an authentic variety of this beer, however the taste was not only muted (subtlety can be nice) but incorrect to an extent.

Total 36/50
I have mentioned it several times in this review and I'll say it again; I feel I may have received a bottle that was not at its peak freshness.  Several factors from the aroma and head, to the flavor and mouthfeel were just not right for this beer or this style.  As it stands, it is still a "very good" beer ("Generally within style parameters, minor flaws"), but it could definitely be delivering more.  A good Paulaner would kick the tail out of this sample.  That said, I will be more than happy to give this beer a second chance.  I even look forward to it.  Be assured that next time I will be asking the date when the shipment arrived.