If you follow this blog you very well know that I love New Glarus brewery in Wisconsin. Those fine people sure know how to make beer and they know how to work with fruit and wild yeast. Cran-bic , the beer I'll be reviewing tonight is a great illustration of the magic the brewer at New Glarus creates with the latter ingredients.Moreover, Cran-bic is pretty much a fruit lambic brewed using... of course cranberries. This beer is drinkable and delicious that one can easily drink the four pack of twelve ounce bottles it come in. Like all New Glarus stuff, Cran-bic is priced so cheap for the quality of beer you are getting. At $8.99 to $9.99 this beer is priced to sell and for you to buy tons of it! Furthermore,What makes this beer amazing is that you can age this beer. You can let it sit around in your closet or fridge and it will continue to develop like most lambic's do. When drinking this beer make sure to use the proper glassware as it will allow for all the complexity of this beer to shine. I recommend to use either a flute or tulip style glass. At 4.8% abv Cran-bic doesn't really have a serving size. Depending on the size of your flute or tulip you can probably pour yourself 6 to 9 oz of the 12 oz bottle, so feel free to enjoy with a friend or consume it on your own. If you wanna pair this wonderfully fruity and sour beer with a food paring I suggest you get some chocolate dessert or smokey and stinky cheese. To light to pair with a lunch or dinner. This beer is truly a pleasure to drink, and if you are a fan of this style do not hesitate to either buy this beer or trade for it, it will be worth your while.
Color: A pale pinkish red. A nice white one finger head forms at top of this brew after the pour. It slowly reduces to a dime sized ring around the edge of the glass. Little to lacing, some minor head retention is left behind.
Nose: What else.... cranberries. Also evident as the beer warms up are a mild oakiness, barnyard funk, and some minor raspberry scent.
Palate: Sublime! This beer is very drinkable and the carbonation is spot on. This beer is light in body, but it packs plenty of texture and complexity. Full of ripe fruit. The cranberries coat the mouth with a pleasant sourness. The oak texture, funk, and wild yeast/bacteria add to the character of this beer on the tongue.
Finish: Delicious and please can I have another. It finishes a a tad on the dry side, but totally like the style. The cranberries linger a bit as does the sourness of the beer, but its welcomed. An achievement by New Glarus. well done.
Rating: 96 out of 100
