Thumbprint Enigma
New Glarus Brewing Company

BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

4/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to FBarber for this one, from a ninja box during NBS BIF #12. 12oz bottle (no date) poured into 6oz NG flute (also courtesy FBarber). Poured a dark brown color, with some reddish hints at the translucent edges. There was 1/4 inch of tan head that dissipated quickly and left no lacing.

The aroma had nice malts, good wood scents, some cherry, and a touch of yeast spice/funk.

Pretty similar on the tongue, with the funk taking the lead. The fruit was noticeable but not dominant, and the wood added a nice counterpoint.

The body was on the thinner side, smooth and had a dry finish.

Drinkability was very nice, but it's a sipper, not a quaffer.

Overall, another great brew from NG. A must-try if you see it.

Oct 26, 2020

DavidR_9 from California

4.62/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

really nice brown/amber body and dark off white head with nice retention. Very delicate and smooth upfront sourness followed by dark cherries, slight sweet maraccino cherries, crisp green apple, earthy breadyness, and a long oakey vanilla finish that intensifies as the beer warms. Seeiously an amazing and uncommon take on the style.

May 16, 2018

WOLFGANG from South Carolina

4.09/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2017 Vintage Black cherry with lemon caramel. Fairly dry with nice acidity. Vanilla-raspberry and bright cherry lead to salty lemon... Just shy of puckering. Touch of bitter almond late.

Apr 23, 2018

Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota

4.02/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark red color. The head is 1 finger, off white, frothy, with decent retention . There's nice lacing on the glass.
The nose is slightly sour, tart.
Taste - tart, fruity. Cherry, maybe tart apple. The flavor is up front for the most part, though a bit lingers to the backside.
Feel - decent body. Some carbonation feel.
Delicious well made beer of this style.

Apr 20, 2018

farrago from New Jersey

4.49/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Modest finger’s worth of dark tan foam, not much density so it dissolves at a quick pace, no real lacing to speak of, just a momentary sheet if you tilt the glass. Given the relatively dark brown coloration of the liquid it displays good transparency, a bit more yellowish at the surface, a few tiny bubbles drift lazily upwards. Cleansingly sour nose of plum to prune, cherry fruit with a more general fruitcake character, coconut flakes, dark chocolate, glazed ginger, bit of a woody char, more vanilla and bubblegum accents as it warms, one likely wants to avoid serving this too chilled. Medium-bodied, has a creamier underbelly of vanilla, chocolate, caramel and coconut custard. However, it has so much acidic zing that you feel it rush through the mouth. The carbonation is mild but not all that needed for the beer to feel crisp. The cherries dominate but nuances of raspberry, golden raisin and apple appear in support. Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger play bit roles. Finishes with some earthy funk and cider vinegar. Extremely long finish, can’t wash it out of your mouth. Great complexity, harmony and drinkability.

Feb 17, 2018

vainosuomi from Virginia

4.09/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aged for one year.

Look: dark, mostly opaque brown. minimal tan head
Smell: Sweet fruitiness immediately apparent on pouring. Smell is interesting—tart fruit, bubble gum, faint spice
Taste: The tart fruit is front and center, but not overpowering. Cherry, green apple, raspberry.
Feel: Medium to heavy body, moderate carbonation, slightly astringent

Overall: Surprising and well done sour-like flavor profile.

Feb 05, 2018

Tsar_Riga from Indiana

4.34/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Dark brown body, with red highlights, a wispy light tan head, and minor line lacing.

S - The nose is all about acid and funk, lines of oak and earth, highlights of fruit.

T - Strong hit of acidity, bright and sour, a bit of lactic yogurt, and a strong core of berry-like pucker. Sour raspberries and a definite cherry hit.

M - Brisk as hell, with strong tart pucker, a bit of slickness, and a prickly close.

O - Very well done. Delicious and bright. Punchy and forward. Satisfying.

Dec 31, 2017

hoptheology from South Dakota

4.21/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Brewery only release 2017.

Dark mocha java brown with a creamy beige head of 2 fingers. Hilly lace left behind.

Aroma of sour crushed candies, the kind that tighten up your forehead and make your mouth drip. Some very slight chocolate/roast malts behind that.

Flavor is very fruity, and implements both bright and dark sides of the coin. It actually comes off like a sour Belgian dark ale. Very cool. It's got notes of banana, persimmon, dark cherry, lemon, salt, plum, apple, apple cider vinegar, and then some suggestions of chocolate, spice, cinnamon, and then coffee on the very tail end. It's like last year's Oud Bruin, but fruitier overall, much less complex, and more focused.

Feel is puckering, creamy, and soft. Very nice feel here.

Overall, I might like Oud Bruin just a touch better, but this is no slouch by any means. A fantastic dark brown ale that I'm glad I could pick up at the brewery (even if it was $5 a bottle).

Oct 12, 2017

drdiesel9483 from Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Look - really dark reddish brown color with a slight head and good skimming
Smell - dark red fruit like dark cherries and tart
Taste - funky dark candied cherries and apple cider vinegar
Feel - full body with low carb
Overall - fantastic dark cherry tartness!

Jul 30, 2017

Fordcoyote15 from Pennsylvania

4.39/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Love this. Frothy and creamy from look to finish. It's dry and tart with just a little funk and a little more sweetness. Its remiscent of unripened cherries with an apple cider vinegar like twinge. Ridiculously full, frothy and creamy mouthfeel. What a "big" beer for 5.5%. This is my first new glarus and I'm now itching to try others.

Jul 29, 2017

pat61 from Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

L: bright dark brown under a moderate light tan head with good retention

S: balsamic, prunes, dried fruit, fig, dates, faint light chocolate, and some dark sugar leaning towards molasses

T: tart around the level of a Jonathan Apple with cherry, alcohol, molasses infused dark cakey malt, balsamic, traces of chocolate in the background, and dark dried fruits

F: medium body and medium high carbonation

O: drinkable, interesting and world-class

Jul 11, 2017

GuyFawkes from Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Unknown vintage; drank 7/2/17 @ the Yarchives. Opaque plum appearance; champagne bubbles throughout. A rough pour yielded a nice khaki head; decent lace. Rich raspberry jam, mild sea salt & faint fresh earth notes in the nose. Medium mouthfeel. Rich raspberry jam & honeyed wheat flavors up frong; mild tartness & a hint of sea salt on the finish. Truly delicious & nicely balance. One of New Glarus' best....

Jul 03, 2017

Tilley4 from Tennessee

4.34/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Incredible... Not too tart or sour... The pucker is there but it blends amazingly with the sweetness of the cherries and makes this eminently drinkable. Wish I had more than one bottle of it... Love it!

Jun 17, 2017

ONUMello from Ohio

4.24/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a tulip
A: Dark brown with a thin head that settles quickly
S: Sour cherry with hints of oak & spice
T: Sour cherry, caramel, cinnamon, oak
M: Light-bodied, sour with a bit of sweetness and light carbonation
O: Mouthwatering from the sour & complexity. Enjoyable to drink and I look forward to aging my other bottles

May 05, 2017

Scott17Taylor from Iowa

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Very nice oud bruin, dark malts,oak and sour cherry with some vanilla flavors. The mouthfeel is perfect, it is medium with a nice lightly tart finish. It's worth seeking out.

May 04, 2017

mwilbur from Minnesota

4.27/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 12 oz bottle into tulip.
A: Pours a nice deep, dark ruby hue with 1 inch light tan head with decent retention...eventually settling to a thin skim.
S: Sour cherry, cinnamon, tart berries, fresh oak, and a hint of vanilla.
T: Sour cherry, tart raspberry, fresh oak, cinnamon, sweet malt, vanilla, and a hint of almond.
M: Light body. Sweet, sour, and tart...just as it should be. Lingers and matures a bit on the palate. In the end, nicely refreshing too.
D: Very drinkable, especially for style. Very fruit-forward which makes it very approachable. A solid brew with my only knock being I wish it was a bit deeper/more complex.

Apr 09, 2017

Bdubz94 from Wisconsin

4.92/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a very dark reddish brown. Clear, not cloudy, but almost entirely opaque. Minimal tan head that dissipates quickly. Some wispy lacing is left behind.

Aroma is mouthwateringly sour and funky. Definite cherries, with some oak and malts.

Taste is sour yet exceptionally refreshing. Very fruity and sweet but malty at the same time. Hints of vanilla.

Feel is medium with mild carbonation.

Such a complex beer! Strongly recommend picking up a four-pack of this one.

Apr 09, 2017

Blackop555 from Michigan

4.29/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours reddish-brown. Short, foamy, Light tan head Fades after a bit.

Smells tart cherry, brown sugar, vanilla, light funky sour.

taste okay vanilla, tart cherry, brown sugar and light vinegar. Finish is semi-dry with a fruity linger. Fuller medium body and creamy lower medium carbonation.

Mar 15, 2017

barczar from Kentucky

4.12/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Aroma is lactic, acetic, sharp cherry dominant initially, with notes of vanilla, oak, and deeply toasted malt adding depth.

Flavor is fairly sour, more lactic and seemingly citric bite initially, then acetic, with lightly sweet chocolate and vanilla notes surfacing late. Hint of oak in the dry finish. Sourness overwhelms the complexity a bit.

Feb 21, 2017

Bartleby91 from Wisconsin

4.8/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I've been wanting to try this for a couple years and it definitely met my expectations.

Poured a hazy reddish-brown with a small head that dissipated quickly.

The aroma is awesome with tart cherry, vinegar, oak, vanilla and some funk.

The tastes follow the nose with tart cherry coming through along with oak, vanilla, vinegar acidity and a lingering sourness.

The palate is medium minus with a lingering malt sweetness and sour bite.

Overall this is the best sour I've had from New Glarus so far. Now I need to get some of the r&d releases.

Jan 26, 2017

REVZEB from Illinois

4.21/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A fine Oud Bruin with a cloying dark cherry sweetness that sets it apart a little from the style in a nice way. The smell is rich with caramel, cherry, apple and other dark fruits. The taste rounds out with some more grain and almond. Nice all around

Jun 15, 2016

Slack from Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Amber brown in color and clear with little head and moderate lacing.

Vinegar, cherry, oak, and malt on the nose.

Taste is cherry, oak, tart, malt, and mild sweetness.

Mouthful is medium to light and full. Carbonation is on the higher end. Finish is tart and lingering.

One of my preferred styles. Easily drank with an even balance. Flavor profile is exceptional. Smell could have been a bit better. This paired well with a rich & creamy gouda. Seek this out.

Mar 06, 2016

Beginner2 from Illinois

4.34/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I'm going to be reviewing lots of these in my first year. (I've been working my way through a reprint of "Michael Jackson's Great Beers of Belgium" and find that I've been avoiding this style.)
I have always been guarded with this style because the sourness makes me shy.

But New Glarus gets my first review for two reasons.
First, they probably are my favorite brewer and do so much so well. (See my Place review.)
Second, I drank a 4-pack over the last two years and had the last in September just past. And only then did I figure out why I like Enigma so much. The sweet and sour balance falls to the side of sweet that, at least to me, causes it to finish dry... instead of just sour which is too typical of the style for my palate to like it naturally.

They just released an Oud Bruin and I hope to scoot north of the border, buy some and score some new buddies. (By April, I'll be old enough to trade.)

Feb 25, 2016

pagriley from Illinois

3.59/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz into a snifter

L - Pours murky ruddy brown with brief head
S - sweet and sour with hints of cherries and oak
T - More sweet and sour - too sweet for my preference with a sharpness to the acidity
F - A bit thick and sticky - almost a touch syrupy

Overall, nice, but not something I would want to try again. Too sweet for my palate.

Feb 04, 2016

stevoj from Idaho

3.63/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Bottle share (12 oz). Tart, venous nature. Definite sour characteristics. Aroma and taste right in the wheelhouse. Citrusy and tart, orange peel, some vanilla, some smoke

Jan 19, 2016