New Glarus 2024

I had the exact same thoughts. I mean, not distributing to IL is clearly working for them (and doing the opposite would potentially ruin their mystique), but I'm blown away that they're 12th in the country following not only a WI-only model, but without a lot of flashy beers.

 

Maybe this will help.

"Will include space for... retail and 'beer depot.'"

Beer depot?

 

That's what they call their on-site spot where they sell their packaged beer.

 

So, the "retail" space is probably separate? T-shirts, glassware and the like?

 

Yes, that's the gift shop.

 

That's correct.

 

Yeah, the current beer depot is on the ground floor facing their parking lot, the gift shop is in the same enclosed space as the tasting room, which is on the second floor (or whatever you'd call it) facing the patio area. Either way, excited they're expanding, and if we can't get weekend hours (which I figure is probably also a staffing issue), maybe I can convince them to use all this extra firepower to distro some of those cool non-R&D beers that never leave NG (Edel Pils being an example).

 

Not only that, but that 90% is from Spotted Cow sales!

 

“We receive thousands of visitors, but our current paved visitor parking holds 53 stalls. This has created congestion on our site and has forced us to be closed on the weekends,”

It looks like this is at least part of the reasoning behind the expansion.

 

Is that saying that they had too many visitors for the small parking lot on weekends, so they decided to close instead? I don't have my MBA, but that's some interesting business practice.

 

I think it's more of a staffing issue (or even other issues possibly) than strictly a parking issue but NG are using the latter as the reasoning. The 53 spots were never an issue pre-pandemic causing them to close on weekends then. Heck, their R&D releases back then drew significantly more visitors than what they likely see on a 'typical' weekend day and their parking situation was apparently fine enough to continue with these.

 

When I went for R&D releases we'd park in a field on top of the hill behind the brewery and there seemed to be plenty of space there for everyone although it was unpaved grass parking if I remember correctly.

 

Yeah I remember parking at the bottom of a hill in the grass, actually. Seems like a pretty wild investment during these otherwise difficult times for many other breweries. The "closed on weekends because we're too busy" bit also has me scratching a hole in my head.

 

I'm in agreement with others in this thread on the barleywine. Solid but nothing special. Probably hold onto one more can for science and give away the rest of my 4 pack.

But can we talk about this batch of Blacktop for a second because god damn this is a tasty black IPA. I'm thinking it's either been forever or I've somehow never had this beer because it is a stunner. Great dank piney aromatic presence from the hops and it never gets too malt-heavy to crush even after sitting in the glass a while. Fantastic stuff and my favorite example of the style in recent memory. If you like black IPAs then get all over that one while you still can.

 

It's always been an underrated black IPA. But I love it. I think it won a gold medal for it's style at GABF back in the day?

Edit: Indeed it did, if you look in 2011 under American Black Ale. For some reason it's always fallen under the radar.

https://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/the-competition/winners/

 

I just picked-up a 6 pack of the Blacktop. It is solid!

Glad to see this one back in the rotation!!

 

IS NG doing that fantastic doppelbock they did a few years ago? Thought I saw they were but can't seem to find any verification of that now.....

 

https://newglarusbrewing.com/pages/beer-schedule

Looks like it should be out any day now.

 

Anyone seen the Gyrator yet?

My brother asked the "associate" at Woodman's Kenosha on Friday. Guy had never heard of it.

 

Have you tried the strip clubs?