Is New Glarus Beer Overrated or Just That Good?

If you know anyone from Wisconsin, you’ve likely heard them talk about the New Glarus Brewing Company.

Heck, if you know anyone from the Midwest, New Glarus beer has likely crossed their lips at some point.

Is it really worth the hype, though?

I get into all that and more in this guide to whether New Glarus beer is overrated, including thoughts from Brian, a local from these parts!

Is New Glarus beer overrated?

New Glarus beer is overrated, but only because Wisconsin has SO much good beer today.

Spotted Cow isn’t the best beer, either. It’s not even the best New Glarus beer. Brian, a local, agrees. It’s fine.

The fact that it’s probably the most well-known beer in Wisconsin does bring out some haters, but that’s only because they’ve probably tried more of what the state has to offer.

If you love beer, both Madison and Milwaukee have excellent beer scenes and breweries arguably better than New Glarus.

The Popularity of New Glarus Beer

The brewing company’s flagship Spotted Cow is the most popular craft beer in the state. If you need an initiation into New Glarus beer, start there.

From there, some of the brewery’s appeal is its mythology. You can’t get New Glarus outside of Wisconsin.

If you can’t make it to the brewery, use the brewery’s Beer Finder to locate bars, restaurants, and retail vendors that carry New Glarus beer across the state.

Fun fact: Several bars have been raided and fined for illegally selling New Glarus beer outside of Wisconsin. Those include pubs in New York City in 2009 and a bar in Maple Grove, Minnesota, in 2015. Don’t buy kegs in New Glarus and sell ’em at your house party in Peoria. (That’s a town in Illinois, by the way.)

Why is New Glarus only sold in Wisconsin?

New Glarus is only sold in Wisconsin for two main reasons:

1. They just don’t have the capacity to sell outside of the state. They tried it at one point. New Glarus beer was sold in Illinois from 1998 to 2002 in spots throughout the Chicagoland area. The move made it difficult to meet the demand for their beers in Wisconsin, so they scrapped those plans to focus on their home state.
2. They’ve embraced their mission of “Only In Wisconsin.” The New Glarus Brewing Company has used its status as beer made by Wisconsin folks for Wisconsin folks a main part of its mission statement. They’re here to open their tent to new friends outside of the state, but you have to visit Wisconsin for a taste.

The New Glarus Brewing Company: A Brief History

As the story of the New Glarus Brewing Company is a love story at its heart, let’s get into the story of Dan and Deb, the pair we have to thank for New Glarus beer.

The two met at Kessler Brewing in Montana decades ago. On their first date, Dan arrived at Deb’s trailer with multiple six-packs of beer.

Alarmed at first that her date thought they’d be getting hammered that evening, Deb breathed a sigh of relief when it turned out he was here for a beer tasting, instead.

He poured a splash into the glasses he brought along and asked Deb to taste them. He’d make notes about what she said, which was surely a turn-on.

That’s where the seeds of love — including a love for beer — were born.

They spent the next few years helping others start breweries and working at large beer corporations like Anheuser-Busch, on top of growing their own family.

They always knew they’d want to work for themselves someday, though. That’s when Deb had a lightbulb moment.

She told Dan she’d like to open a brewery and hire Dan as her brewmaster.

Note: Dan had the chops to do so. He studied malting and brewing science at the University of California at Davis and worked an apprenticeship at a brewery in Munich, Germany. He then worked at breweries across the country for the decades that followed. He’s won a number of awards since, including many with Deb at his side.

The location mattered to Deb, too. She drew a circle around Madison and told Dan that was their target audience.

As a Milwaukee native, she knew the area well and knew how thirsty those Wisconsin peeps were for some good beer.

READ MORE: Milwaukee is great, by the way. Check out my Milwaukee guide!

She also knew she wanted to get back home.

Her dreams were realized. The New Glarus Brewing Company was founded at its first location in 1993.

The brewery operated out of an old plastics factory with used equipment to start, but the couple had grit. In 1997, Dan got his hands on a set of German copper kettles from a brewery overseas that was closing at a cost much lower than he’d ever imagined.

The couple was doing well enough in those early years they decided to expand to a new location shortly after.

The New Glarus brewery has been at its current hilltop location since 2008.

Fun fact: That expansion has allowed them to welcome up to 150,000 visitors per year instead of just 25,000 at their old site.

Production has nearly tripled thanks to the additional storage and brewing capacity.

You could say business is good.

Is New Glarus worth visiting?

Despite the fact that it may not actually be the best beer in Wisconsin, New Glarus is still worth visiting for its storied past in beer-making and connection to Wisconsin.

You can only get New Glarus beer in Wisconsin.

That fact alone is what gets people so amped about New Glarus beer. It’s the idea that you won’t be able to get it wherever you want, whenever you want.

Is it the best beer in the country? No. The beer is actually just OK.

If you’re in San Diego surrounded by more craft breweries than you can count, you may not be super impressed once you sip on a Spotted Cow for the first time.

Just enjoy the fact that while you’re doing so, you’re sipping on something unique to Wisconsin. Be cool.

You’re supporting local beermakers.

The beer you’ll get in New Glarus is about as local as it gets. Deb, the founder, is a Wisconsin native.

While her husband was born in California, he’s the one who compared New Glarus to Bavaria and suggested the pair start brewery operations in the town. The rest is history, as you’ve already learned.

New Glarus is truly Wisconsin’s craft beer, and it sounds like it’s going to stay that way for as long as they’re operating.

It’s a fun place to hang out.

It was a rainy afternoon on our visit, so we spent most of our time indoors. On a sunny summer’s day, I can see myself having quite the time on their expansive outdoor patio.

Climb down into their garden space and you’ll have excellent views from up there of the town of New Glarus.

Unfortunately, the brewery is closed on weekends — I know, it’s shocking — but if you’re here on vacay, you’ll have to do your best with a weekday afternoon.

Things to Do at New Glarus Brewing Company

You’re here to drink beer. At least, I think you’re here to drink beer.

If you’re not, there are other fun things to do in New Glarus that may be more appropriate for you.

READ MORE: Planning more time in New Glarus? Check out my guide to Little Switzerland.

For the beer drinkers out there, you’ll want to head over to the tasting room to see what they’re offering on tap. Just make sure to do so while the brewery is open.

New Glarus is only open from 10am-5pm Monday-Friday.

I know. I don’t get it, either. Somehow business is still going gangbusters without being open on nights and weekends.

Taste New Glarus beer.

Let’s get back to what you’re here for, tasting New Glarus beer.

There were six beers to choose from during our visit. You can either order a full pour or get three tastes. The pricing on both is the same.

If you opt for the taster, you’ll get a baby beer glass to bring to and from the tasting room when you’re ready for more.

Here’s what they had on tap during our visit:

• Spotted Cow: You can get their flagship farmhouse ales pretty much anywhere else in the state if you so desire. Opt for one of the more unique pours if you’re only getting a single beer or your three tastes while you’re there.
• Totally Naked: This Wisconsin lager is one of the lightest beers you’ll find on tap at New Glarus. I didn’t try it at the brewery, but I did have a pour at a bar after. It was the closest to an ideal summertime beer you’ll get while you’re there.
• Staghorn Octoberfest: It was that time of year for German beer, and their version gives off those classic Munich vibes. As you sip, think about how the brewery’s founders compared New Glarus to Bavaria that one time and smile in amusement.
• Two Women: This was my favorite beer at New Glarus. They describe it as a classic country lager. I’m a big fan of the story, too. It’s a collaboration between New Glarus Brewing and Weyermann Malting, both led by women.
• Moon Man: Five different hops pack a lot of punch in this pale ale. I wasn’t a fan, but Brian loves his bold beers and finished up my taster for me. If you’re into IPAs, you’ll like this one.
• Wisconsin Belgian Red: I wanted to love this cherry ale, but it was just way too sweet thanks to the Door County cherries. Ironically, this one has won all kinds of beer awards, so try it for yourself to see if it’s something you’re into.

Depending on when you visit, you may run into any of their other seasonal or fresh specialty beers, like:

• Pumpkin Pie Lust: This spiced ale is in honor of brewmaster Dan’s love for pumpkin pie.
• Coffee Stout: New Glarus sources cold-pressed coffee from the Madison-based Just Coffee Cooperative for this special blend.
• Fat Squirrel: This nut brown ale boasts one of the most recognizable labels for fans of Wisconsin brews, even though it isn’t a year-round beer.
• Cabin Fever: You should be able to recognize the clover honey in this honeybock. They add it right to the kettle.
• Snowshoe Ale: Taste winter in a glass with this Irish amber ale, a blend of American and German malts. 

No matter what you choose to sample, you can bring your beer with you as you explore the grounds. Drinking isn’t all there is to do, people.

Learn about New Glarus at the mini-museum.

Add to your trivia knowledge with a visit to the modest museum at the brewery. You’ll read about the brewery’s beginnings and see all of the awards they’ve won over the years, some more whimsical than others.

It’ll set you up nicely for the brewery tour you’ll go on next.

Go on a self-guided brewery tour.

You don’t need to book a New Glarus brewery tour. It’s all free and self-guided.

As long as they’re open, you can take yourself on a walk through the New Glarus beermaking process. You’ll see the giant copper kettles used as beer brewing vessels and watch the brewery staff in action as you peek into various rooms closed to visitors.

Climb what’s labeled as the “Stairway to Heaven” to a landing area where you can watch fermentation at work. Watch machines on an assembly line as they can and bottle seasonal beers for sale and distribution.

Take a deep whiff of all those hops that surround you. Who doesn’t love a brewery tour?

Visit the New Glarus gift shop.

You must exit through the gift shop at most tourist attractions. If you want to take a self-guided New Glarus tour, you’ll have to pass through the shop to get there.

It’s worth a stop anyway to convince yourself or your partner that you need a new zip-up hoodie.

Yes, Brian went home with a new hoodie. Was it cute? Yes. Was it overpriced? Also yes.

They have all kinds of additional apparel, stickers, mugs, and glassware to add to your beer collection back at home.

Drink more beer off-site.

Whether you got a full pour or a series of tasters at the tasting room, you’ll get a coin to take with you for a free pour in the town of New Glarus.

Visit their Trail Map to see participating bars and restaurants.

Our pick was Puempel’s Olde Tavern on 6th Avenue. I can’t pronounce it, but the service was quick and the beer was cold. The cheese curds were dusted with some kind of cajun seasoning which I didn’t love, so I’d stick to drinking here.

Additional options for your free pour include:

• Dirty Dog Taphaus
• Glarner Stube
• Rusty Raven

You can also take your coin to a few spots in Monroe or Belleville if those are more convenient for you.

Just don’t forget you stuck it in the back pocket of your jeans before you started drinking.

How to Visit the New Glarus Brewery

This guide assumes that you’re already in New Glarus. If you’re not, you’ll need to get there. New Glarus is a 40-minute drive from Madison or a two-hour drive from Milwaukee.

As always, make sure there’s a designated driver involved in your adventure.

Once you’re in New Glarus, you’ll need to either walk to the brewery or drive all the way up to the plentiful parking area at the top.

Your winding approach will take you past an apple orchard and scenic views of New Glarus below.

Note: If you walk, you’ll need to climb about 100 feet in elevation gain from the brewery’s signage at the bottom of the hill to main entrance. Wear comfy shoes if this is how you’re tackling your approach and take your time if you’re visiting during the muggy summer months.

Once you’re there, you can walk around the brewery to your heart’s content. If it’s a nice day, I can see all that lovely outdoor space taking up quite a bit of an afternoon.

Where to Stay in New Glarus

You’ll need to stay outside of town and commute into New Glarus for traditional hotel-style rooms unless you’re staying at the Chalet Landhaus Inn or The Blanc Chalet.

We visited on a trip from nearby Madison. If you’d like to do the same, check out the map below:

Visit New Glarus once, then taste the rest.

I can’t deny that New Glarus should have a spot among Wisconsin’s must-visit breweries if only for the lore around its beginnings.

Start in New Glarus, then head to cities beyond for more of Wisconsin’s best beer. Central Waters Brewing Co. and Lakefront Brewery are two of our favorites, and both have Milwaukee taprooms. The state is lousy with options!