New Glarus Brewing (2019)

No mas 750's. They released some for the holidays last year and it was a one time drop. Haven't seen or heard of any coming this year. Last year was also a pre buy so we knew a few months in advance it was coming.

The answer to question 2 is yes. Serendipity is back too.

 

Thanks guys I appreciate all the info. Never considered they just didn't make them anymore. I always keep a 4 pack of Belgian Red in the fridge but wanted to tuck away a few 750s for a rainy day. Anybody tried bottles 3-5 years old and have good things to say? I've heard both good and bad things and even some say they taste exactly the same. I love these beers so it had me curious.

 

I currently have a 3 year old bottle of Raspberry Tart that I really want to let go another 2-5 years. But I don't think I've ever had any "patiently aged" New Glarus fruit beer.

 

Raspberry Tart, along with the rest of the old 750ml fruit beers, is pasteurized. It's not really gonna do anything other than oxidize (a little) with age.

 

hmmmmm....interesting point. Maybe I have something else to open on Thanksgiving now.

 

From limited experience.... the big 3 NG fruits don’t get better or worse with age

 

Agreed. I have had multi-year old Strawberry Rhubarb multiple times--the fruited I'd expect the most variation from--and they remained shockingly consistent. I did a side by side once with a fresh vs a couple year old bottle, and only the slightest hint of additional malt was present in the older one, and I actually preferred that bottle. It's kind of amazing, actually.

 

There was a post a few years back about a guy who found something like a 10 year old Belgian Red in the basement of a closing bar and brought it to New Glarus to share with Dan....apparently there was almost no difference between the old and fresh versions.

 

I don't think that's true and its the reason why I sat on the Raspberry Tart. I swear I remember him describing it as a changed beer. We should dig this post up.

 

Here's the post https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-glarus-belgian-red-1996-vintage.30191/

And here's the quote "So, on our way up to the Great Taste this Friday, we stopped by to open up the bottle marked '1996 Vintage' to see how it has held up after all these years. The verdict - it appeared to have been properly cellared, and it took on a Sour Flanders type taste as the Lactobacillus ran wild inside the bottle over the 15+ year period. It was funky, and actually quite delicious. You can see a noticable difference in color from the fresh Belgian Red and the 1996 Belgian Red in the pictures below. (Brown vs. Red color difference is quite clear)"

 

I just found that thread as well....I stand corrected! I guess that whole theory about losing brain cells from drinking is accurate

 

I left a bottle of Serendipity in a cabinet in my kitchen for a year+, and while I'd say it was still a similar beer, the fruit flavors had mellowed and blended together a bit.

 

So the real question is “when did NG begin pasteurizing their fruit beers?” I can’t imagine they would have been already doing that in ‘96.

 

Just had a 3 year old Belgian Red 750ml the other day & it tasted the same as it does fresh