Thumbprint Imperial Weizen
New Glarus Brewing Company

Thumbprint Imperial WeizenThumbprint Imperial Weizen
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From:
New Glarus Brewing Company
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Weizenbock
ABV:
9.6%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.05 | pDev: 12.1%
Reviews:
351
Ratings:
688
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 03, 2020
Added:
Feb 11, 2008
Wants:
  105
Gots:
  53
Do not waste time attempting to box this brew into some esoteric guide to styles. This is Dan's bold creation. His passion for unfiltered Weiss collides with Cascade Hops inventing our Imperial Hefe-Weizen. Dry hopping boldly rules over Wisconsin red wheat and our special strain of Bavarian yeast. At almost 20 O.P. this is the super mac daddy of Weiss beers. Decoction mashing was followed by excessive dry hopping to create a fierce onslaught of clove, cinnamon and citrus all in this living beer. Don't bother waiting to enjoy - the time is now.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Flyer:
Photo of Flyer
Reviewed by Flyer from Wisconsin

4.21/5  rDev +4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
New Glarus's string of disappointing entries in its Unplugged series ends with this baby. It's very tripel-ish, yet with a wheat backbone that sets it apart. Pours with a massive, scultpable French-vanilla-colored head, with ridges and valleys that would do the topography of Colorad proud. Color is hazy orange. The aroma is clove, with lots of clove and spice and detectable wheat notes in the first tasting, followed by some bitter apricot. Full and round in the mouth. Clean but not light on the fnish. Wonderful beer.
Feb 27, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.02 by EMH73 from New York

May 03, 2020
Photo of Buck89
Reviewed by Buck89 from Tennessee

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a pint glass. A slightly hazy golden color with a thick and long-lasting off-white head. Aroma was was expected with wheat, banana, clove, pine, and citrus. Taste followed for the most part. I was expecting a muddled mess but I enjoyed picking out each element. Bright carbonation per the style and a medium feel. Did not feel like a 9.6% beer. Overall an unusual beer but I found it interesting.
Feb 12, 2020
 
Rated: 4.06 by ian_graf from Minnesota

Jul 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by Shy5 from Oregon

Jul 25, 2019
 
Rated: 4.05 by tmryan21 from Illinois

Jun 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.37 by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

Mar 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4.27 by morrowd3 from Vermont

Feb 17, 2019
 
Rated: 4.07 by nmann08 from Virginia

Jan 27, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by Nurt20 from Illinois

Jan 26, 2019
Photo of Lucular
Reviewed by Lucular from Maryland

3.47/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
This is the most disappointed I've been in a New Glarus beer. A Cascade dry hopped imperial hefeweizen? That doesn't sound very good and despite my desire to give NG the benefit of the doubt I have to give my opinion that it isn't. It is easy too boozy and the citrus/pine notes clash jarringly with the weissbier. This is unfortunately my least favorite NG beer to date and it's not even close.
Jan 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.47 by -hr from Minnesota

Dec 23, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by RJFeldhausen from Wisconsin

Dec 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by Chilmer from Iowa

Nov 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.15 by StanleysCup from Maryland

Nov 11, 2018
Photo of steveh
Reviewed by steveh from Illinois

3.92/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Found this on one of my recent trips over the border to the Dairy State. Just reading at the NG website that this was distributed between April and June of this year -- could be good or bad news, let's see.

No real dating or ABV info on the bottle or at the web site, so I'm not sure where the 9.6% was found (I've contacted NG about the ABV in their beers and they always remain tight-lipped). I see the 20 O.P. (original Plato), but that would calculate to 8% (1° P = 0.4% alcohol -- give or take), not near 10%.

Poured into a tall Becher -- my usual Weizen glass being too large for a 12 ounce bottle.

L -- Hazy, deep golden-peach color with a dense, sticky white head that holds up very well and leaves great lacing.

S -- Bready malt, clove, light banana and citrus, peppery alcohol back.

T -- Very spicy hit of alcohol and/or hops up front. Sweetish, bready malt folds onto the palate with clove spices and peppery alcohol along with an underlying, light vanilla character. Finish and aftertaste is bitter to spicy hops with a touch of citrus cascade.

F -- Mouthfeel is soft to dry in the finish with a medium-robust body.

O -- I think I recall someone mentioning this beer when the Weihenstephaner-SN Braupakt Weizen collaboration was being discussed. The NG has a similar character, but I think the high alcohol skews the balance in this beer -- it's just not as easy to drink as the Braupakt was for me. Nevertheless, this is a well-brewed beer with an intriguing blend of styles.

I still have a Braupakt left in my stash -- maybe a side-by-side tasting is in order.
Nov 02, 2018
 
Rated: 4.73 by stucat from Illinois

Oct 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.28 by Krusader from Wisconsin

Oct 15, 2018
 
 
Rated: 3.75 by rossracing from Illinois

Sep 21, 2018
Thumbprint Imperial Weizen from New Glarus Brewing Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 688 ratings