Spotted Cow | New Glarus Brewing Company
Brewed by:
New Glarus Brewing Company
Wisconsin, United States
newglarusbrewing.com
Style: Cream Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.80%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 02-02-2002
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 3,655 | Reviews: 833
4.76/5 rDev +26.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Outstanding ale. One of my favorites by far! I used to live in Wisconsin, and always had access to it. Now in Michigan, anytime I go home my girlfriends uncle’s always ask me to bring them a case or two because I got them on the Spotted cow train and they don’t want to get off. Delicious beer and ever better on tap in a chilled glass
339 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Outstanding ale. One of my favorites by far! I used to live in Wisconsin, and always had access to it. Now in Michigan, anytime I go home my girlfriends uncle’s always ask me to bring them a case or two because I got them on the Spotted cow train and they don’t want to get off. Delicious beer and ever better on tap in a chilled glass
339 characters
3.72/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.26/5 rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Poured from a 12 ounce can into a glass. Drove through Wisconsin, I had to pick some up.
Look - Gorgeous cloudy gold body with a strong pillowy white head that cooled down into a thin layer of bubbles.
Smell - Slight malt sweetness with a bit of creamy tones. Everything is pretty mild though, it's not a strong scent at all.
Taste - A mellow creamy sweetness with tangy yeast character. No noticeable hop or major bitter flavors.
Feel - An appropriately fizzy carbonation. Drinks easily.
Overall - An alright beer that isn't challenging or all that interesting, but has no negatives. Can easily drink these throughout the night.
634 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Poured from a 12 ounce can into a glass. Drove through Wisconsin, I had to pick some up.
Look - Gorgeous cloudy gold body with a strong pillowy white head that cooled down into a thin layer of bubbles.
Smell - Slight malt sweetness with a bit of creamy tones. Everything is pretty mild though, it's not a strong scent at all.
Taste - A mellow creamy sweetness with tangy yeast character. No noticeable hop or major bitter flavors.
Feel - An appropriately fizzy carbonation. Drinks easily.
Overall - An alright beer that isn't challenging or all that interesting, but has no negatives. Can easily drink these throughout the night.
634 characters
4.69/5 rDev +25.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
5/5 rDev +33.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
You gotta know what you’re getting into when you go for a Spottie. This is nothing fancy but it is absolutely best in class. The Cow is a balanced, drinkable ale. Are there more complex and flavorful beers available from New Glarus? Absolutely! But when the occasion calls for something accessible, there is no better beer than Spotted Cow. BEST. IN. CLASS.
359 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
You gotta know what you’re getting into when you go for a Spottie. This is nothing fancy but it is absolutely best in class. The Cow is a balanced, drinkable ale. Are there more complex and flavorful beers available from New Glarus? Absolutely! But when the occasion calls for something accessible, there is no better beer than Spotted Cow. BEST. IN. CLASS.
359 characters
3.73/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A Wisconsin exclusive that I enjoyed at a hotel bar. Nice feel, creamy(as implied), no hop taste. Was happy to try.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A Wisconsin exclusive that I enjoyed at a hotel bar. Nice feel, creamy(as implied), no hop taste. Was happy to try.
115 characters
3.75/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.56/5 rDev +21.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.62/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Spotted Cow is famous. They are selling it at the Madison airport, as we leave Wisconsin, implying that it's like chile ristras in Albuquerque, or smoked salmon in Seattle.
But, truth to tell, it's a very middle of the road beer. It's a solid cream ale, with slight sweetness and no detectable hops. It really doesn't have much distinctive character at all.
Why is it famous? It's a memorable name, evocative of a big dairy presence in Wisconsin. Pure marketing genius.
Don't get me wrong. New Glarus is a great brewery. But they make much better beers than this.
572 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Spotted Cow is famous. They are selling it at the Madison airport, as we leave Wisconsin, implying that it's like chile ristras in Albuquerque, or smoked salmon in Seattle.
But, truth to tell, it's a very middle of the road beer. It's a solid cream ale, with slight sweetness and no detectable hops. It really doesn't have much distinctive character at all.
Why is it famous? It's a memorable name, evocative of a big dairy presence in Wisconsin. Pure marketing genius.
Don't get me wrong. New Glarus is a great brewery. But they make much better beers than this.
572 characters
3.76/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.29/5 rDev +14.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.84/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Here it is, my first beer of New WisCANsin Beer Sunday (Week 686)! I received three (3) new CANs in a trade with Bert00 & I have been awaiting this ocCANsion to break them out. Today is also Game 3 of the 2018 NHL playovs between the PGH Pens & the PHL Flyers & a Navy buddy of mine is from Wisco. My dream is to earn a Po.D from the U of WisCANsin & it does not take much to get me to visit.
From the CAN: "Employee Owned"; "Only In Wisconsin"; "Drink Indigenous"; "Cask conditioned ale has been the popular choice among brews since 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 famers. 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. Vielen Dank! [undersigned] Daniel & Deborah Carey".
The Crack! was nice & loud & I just could not CANstrain myself from an inverted Glug! This led to the quickfast formation of two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, bone-white head with good retention. Color was a slightly hazy Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5). Nose had an oddly surprising vanilla & corn sweetness to it, kind of like a vanilla milkshake, but the corn was also quite evident. Ah, sweet corn, especially in the summer. Mouthfeel was medium, but oh, so smooth! Miss MooCow is having an effect on me. The taste was quite sweet, more towards corn than vanilla, but still evocative of vanilla ice cream. It was sweeter & less sharp than Genny Cream Ale, which I CANsider to be the standard bearer of the style, but it was very pleasant. Easy drinking? Try crushable! This seemed to simply evaporate from my glass. Finish was sweet, but not sugary or cloying. This could easily be a lawnmower beer or the one to take to The Dells for an outing on the WI River. They have duck boats there! I CANnot wait to relocate to the Midwest.
2,047 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Here it is, my first beer of New WisCANsin Beer Sunday (Week 686)! I received three (3) new CANs in a trade with Bert00 & I have been awaiting this ocCANsion to break them out. Today is also Game 3 of the 2018 NHL playovs between the PGH Pens & the PHL Flyers & a Navy buddy of mine is from Wisco. My dream is to earn a Po.D from the U of WisCANsin & it does not take much to get me to visit.
From the CAN: "Employee Owned"; "Only In Wisconsin"; "Drink Indigenous"; "Cask conditioned ale has been the popular choice among brews since 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 famers. 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. Vielen Dank! [undersigned] Daniel & Deborah Carey".
The Crack! was nice & loud & I just could not CANstrain myself from an inverted Glug! This led to the quickfast formation of two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, bone-white head with good retention. Color was a slightly hazy Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5). Nose had an oddly surprising vanilla & corn sweetness to it, kind of like a vanilla milkshake, but the corn was also quite evident. Ah, sweet corn, especially in the summer. Mouthfeel was medium, but oh, so smooth! Miss MooCow is having an effect on me. The taste was quite sweet, more towards corn than vanilla, but still evocative of vanilla ice cream. It was sweeter & less sharp than Genny Cream Ale, which I CANsider to be the standard bearer of the style, but it was very pleasant. Easy drinking? Try crushable! This seemed to simply evaporate from my glass. Finish was sweet, but not sugary or cloying. This could easily be a lawnmower beer or the one to take to The Dells for an outing on the WI River. They have duck boats there! I CANnot wait to relocate to the Midwest.
2,047 characters
3.58/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Used to drink this a lot in college. Pick some up whenever I pass through Wisconsin. Straw-to-yellow color with lemon and floral scent. Crisp, light citrus, almost pilsnery flavor. Light-to-medium mouthfeel. A very tasty, drinkable, but not outstanding beer.
258 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Used to drink this a lot in college. Pick some up whenever I pass through Wisconsin. Straw-to-yellow color with lemon and floral scent. Crisp, light citrus, almost pilsnery flavor. Light-to-medium mouthfeel. A very tasty, drinkable, but not outstanding beer.
258 characters
3.56/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.48/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Beer is the only thing I love about Wisconsin. Like really.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Beer is the only thing I love about Wisconsin. Like really.
59 characters
3.75/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.53/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.93/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Absolutely nothing objectionable about Spotted Cow. Light and easy-drinking. A great option when in Wisconsin!
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Absolutely nothing objectionable about Spotted Cow. Light and easy-drinking. A great option when in Wisconsin!
111 characters
4.09/5 rDev +9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
Dangerously drinkable. First New Glarus beer and it's shocking how crisp and refreshing it is. Here goes:
A: Nothing to marvel at. Pours a straw-colored, hazy yellow (not so hazy, however). Head and lacing are light.
S: Getting better. Lots of straw and lemongrass. Also a faint hint of lime. Besides the hops and malt, one can also detect the presence of biscuit from the baker's yeast. Practically pilsner-scented.
T: Good. Very much like a German pilsner. Flavors of straw, lemon, wheat, and bready yeast. I like it. However, there is somewhat of a corn aftertaste that's reminiscent of Bud Light.
F: Most wonderful thing about the beer. Smooth and crisp. Dangerously drinkable.
O: A good beer. Will have again. However, I wonder if it's worth the drive up to Wisconsin to obtain.
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look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
Dangerously drinkable. First New Glarus beer and it's shocking how crisp and refreshing it is. Here goes:
A: Nothing to marvel at. Pours a straw-colored, hazy yellow (not so hazy, however). Head and lacing are light.
S: Getting better. Lots of straw and lemongrass. Also a faint hint of lime. Besides the hops and malt, one can also detect the presence of biscuit from the baker's yeast. Practically pilsner-scented.
T: Good. Very much like a German pilsner. Flavors of straw, lemon, wheat, and bready yeast. I like it. However, there is somewhat of a corn aftertaste that's reminiscent of Bud Light.
F: Most wonderful thing about the beer. Smooth and crisp. Dangerously drinkable.
O: A good beer. Will have again. However, I wonder if it's worth the drive up to Wisconsin to obtain.
809 characters
Spotted Cow from New Glarus Brewing Company
Beer rating:
3.75 out of
5 with
3,655 ratings
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