R&D Sour Ale
New Glarus Brewing Company

R&D Sour AleR&D Sour Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
New Glarus Brewing Company
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
95
Avg:
4.3 | pDev: 9.53%
Reviews:
41
Ratings:
148
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 02, 2018
Added:
Aug 11, 2012
Wants:
  157
Gots:
  30
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

3.16/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Semi-clear reddish orange with a quickly disappearing fizz.

The nose is funky, woody whisky with caramel, sharp cherry and peppery horse blanket, as the thin crisp body reinforces the woodiness with a sour, peppery spiced red crab apple, finishing dry.

I believe this "Sour Ale" label stated it was brewed in 2012 and bottled in 2015.
Apr 02, 2018
 
Rated: 4.28 by Bowers-Brew from Illinois

Sep 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by Sweffin from Wisconsin

Jul 16, 2017
 
Rated: 4.17 by HeartofMiami from Florida

Dec 25, 2016
 
Rated: 4.33 by halo3one from Georgia

Jul 07, 2016
 
Rated: 3.98 by Rollzroyce21 from California

Apr 07, 2016
 
Rated: 4.33 by IrishColonial from Texas

Jan 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4.1 by vinny21bal from Illinois

Aug 25, 2015
Photo of popery
Reviewed by popery from California

3.85/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
The beer is a deep amber color. Lots of yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle and the liquid is fairly cloudy. Small yellow-white head, a bit fizzy. There’s a little but sweet and sour malt flavor but it’s mostly nice sour and funk. Smells like a pale sour with a little bit of oud bruin-ishness. Taste is lightly sweet and medium sour. Moderately dry. Some lemon, a little under ripe nectarine. A bit more of that oud bruin character. There’s a hint of legitimate lambic funky depth but it’s fleeting. Medium body. Nice sour. I prefer the peach by a hair but it’s better than the kriek and geuze for me.
Aug 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.73 by WI-Beer-Man from Wisconsin

Jun 15, 2015
 
Rated: 4.43 by Zuidman from Illinois

May 02, 2015
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Brewed Dec '09, bottled March '12, thanks to rudzud for sharing.

Pours light fizzy head that fades med pace with streaming bubbles, hazy candy reddish orange color light lacing and nice legs.

Nose is great, nice sour funk, lacto and some nice sour Brett funk, lactic acid and vinous notes, fruity sourness and tangy, nice mild vanilla oak, very tart and berry skin like tannin.

Taste blends nice sourness with buttery oak and lactic acid, nice Brett sour funk, nice lacto like creamy sourness, with tangy tart juicy fruit and nice acidic level. Nice toasty oak vanilla buttery oak, light bready note, nice tannic berry skin and vinous like with touch lemony funk.

Mouth is med bod, lighter but decent carb, sour lacto.

overall awesome, great all-around.
Apr 03, 2015
Photo of rudzud
Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Received in a trade long ago. Shared with JLindros.

A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice hazy amber hue with a thin head that fades to leave light wisps.

S - Aromas of lovely lacto sourness, light oak and tannins, nice brett funk. Creamy light vanilla with oak. My minds eye likens this almost to beatification due to faint lemon berry skin.

T - Taste is similar to the nose, loads of lacto, light brett funk, faint vanilla oak tannins, light lemons and green berry skin. Not overly sour, just sour enough. Really really pleasant.

M - Mouthfeel is a touch weak, lightly carbonated.

O - Overall this beer was really tasty, very complex. Was scared that time works have affected this badly but man oh man was this tasty. Glad I held I to this as it was from one of my first trades way back when.

Serving type: bottle
Apr 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by mrebeka from Michigan

Mar 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by mrn1ceguy from Illinois

Jan 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4.4 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Dec 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4.17 by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

Dec 05, 2014
Photo of Knapp85
Reviewed by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

4.36/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This poured out as a slightly hazy golden color with a fizzy white head on top. The smell of the beer has a lot of earthy oaky funk. The taste is very similar to the nose. There might be some citrus in there as well. The feel is dry. Overall this beer was fun to try, not their best Wild Ale though.
Dec 05, 2014
Photo of Stevedore
Reviewed by Stevedore from Oregon

4.42/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
500ml bottle from the August 2012 release. Poured into a snifter 11/28/2014.

A- Medium copper-amber body, half finger white head that quickly dissipates into a medium collar. Nice lacing, not much retention overall. [4]

S- Rich oak flavours, tannins, lots of funk. Followed by lactic acid, vinegar, slight hint of sweet wheat. This is definitely living up to the billing. Not as much citrus as Beatification would bring but certainly a ton of oak and acidity. Smells rich and sour, and surprisingly funky. [4.5]

F- Lactic acid, vinegar, oak, funk. There is quite a bit of strong funk that I did not expect. Rich, lactic, funky, leathery with a good Brett contribution. Nice complexity, a step below Beatification in terms of what it brings, but it is drinking really nicely right now with that similar level of complexity minus the lemon and citrus flavours. [4.5]

M- Medium bodied, nicely carbonated, soft and refreshing at the same time. Nice leathery sourness that lingers on the palate. This is drinking great right now; very easy to drink. [4.5]

O- This was a real treat to drink. It's another example of why Dan is one of the best brewers out there, and he's been doing it even before sour beers became the big fad that it is now. Rich, sour, funky and once again, sour. Very tasty and well worth what it takes these days. [4.25]

Final score: 4.42
Nov 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Shawner from Minnesota

Nov 10, 2014
R&D Sour Ale from New Glarus Brewing Company
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 148 ratings