Beer of the Weekend #248: Cabin Fever
I still have eight different beers from New Glarus in my fridge. Six of them are from the custom sixer I built in their sales room (or whatever it is called), and I decided to start into it tonight. Most of the beers are seasonal, so I need to drink them now since I have no clue when they were brewed.
The beer tonight is Cabin Fever, brewed by the New Glarus Brewing Company of New Glarus, Wisconsin.
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle. New Glarus’ typical and indecipherable batch code is printed on the neck. Being a seasonal brew, it should have a freshness date somewhere on it. But nOOOo.
Appearance: Poured into a pilsner glass. The color is gold. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head dissipated slowly to leave trails along the glass, a spotted lacing, and a ring around the edge.
Smell: The aroma is very faint, though it is lager-like. Lightly toasted malts, hay, honey, buttery biscuit, and a little bit of blackberry or perhaps dark fruit, brown sugar, or molasses.
Taste: Lightly toasted malts give it a smooth, caramel backbone, which supports flavors of hay, toffee, honey, biscuit, and a little of the mysterious dark fruit (or whatever it is) from the smell. There is also a faint spiciness, though I cannot pin down exactly what it tastes like. Maybe freshly ground pepper.
Drinkability: Far from an in-your-face high-gravity bock, Cabin Fever would definitely be a good choice if I were stuck in a cabin during the late-winter. It offers a tasty and satisfying complexity without providing a serious buzz.
Fun facts about Cabin Fever:
-Style: It is listed on the New Glarus website as “Pale Wisconsin Honey Bock.” BA classifies it as a “Maibock/Helles Bock.”
-Price: The custom sixer was the usual $8 at the New Glarus Brewery, so I do not remember what the price was for one bottle. Probably around $2.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The beer’s New Glarus webpage recommends “Brats, Lamb, Curry, Graham Crackers, Ham, Pork, BBQ sauces.”
-Nerdy verbage from the brewer (keep in mind: Cabin Fever is available January to April):
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
The beer tonight is Cabin Fever, brewed by the New Glarus Brewing Company of New Glarus, Wisconsin.
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle. New Glarus’ typical and indecipherable batch code is printed on the neck. Being a seasonal brew, it should have a freshness date somewhere on it. But nOOOo.
Appearance: Poured into a pilsner glass. The color is gold. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head dissipated slowly to leave trails along the glass, a spotted lacing, and a ring around the edge.
Smell: The aroma is very faint, though it is lager-like. Lightly toasted malts, hay, honey, buttery biscuit, and a little bit of blackberry or perhaps dark fruit, brown sugar, or molasses.
Taste: Lightly toasted malts give it a smooth, caramel backbone, which supports flavors of hay, toffee, honey, biscuit, and a little of the mysterious dark fruit (or whatever it is) from the smell. There is also a faint spiciness, though I cannot pin down exactly what it tastes like. Maybe freshly ground pepper.
Drinkability: Far from an in-your-face high-gravity bock, Cabin Fever would definitely be a good choice if I were stuck in a cabin during the late-winter. It offers a tasty and satisfying complexity without providing a serious buzz.
Fun facts about Cabin Fever:
-Style: It is listed on the New Glarus website as “Pale Wisconsin Honey Bock.” BA classifies it as a “Maibock/Helles Bock.”
-Price: The custom sixer was the usual $8 at the New Glarus Brewery, so I do not remember what the price was for one bottle. Probably around $2.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The beer’s New Glarus webpage recommends “Brats, Lamb, Curry, Graham Crackers, Ham, Pork, BBQ sauces.”
-Nerdy verbage from the brewer (keep in mind: Cabin Fever is available January to April):
Cool days draw us close to the warmth of home fires. This is the season to sip away the chill and embrace quiet evenings with friends and family.
You hold a Wisconsin Style Honey Bock, easy going and more approachable than its traditional dark German cousin. Bock beers have existed in Wisconsin for over 150 years. This pale bock is brewed with an exclusive blend of Wisconsin two row barley that balances seamlessly with our special European hops. Naturally sweet Clover Honey was added in the kettle accenting warm flavor notes on your tongue.
Whether you reminisce the passing summer sun or thrill to squeaky steps through drifting snow one thing is certain about winter in Wisconsin, this too shall pass.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
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