The first week of New Glarus Week has drawn to a close. We’ve seen some good ones, and some not-so-good ones but they’ve all been tasty in their own regard. There are plenty more to go, but until I make another trip into ‘sconsin, they’ll have to wait.
I end the week with NG’s newest Unplugged brew, Imperial Saison. The Unplugged series allows the head brewmaster at NG to brew whatever he wants and release it throughout the year in relatively hard-to-find 4-packs. These tend to be pretty wild. The Imperial Saison is no exception. Weighing in at 8.7% ABV, it’s probably best they only sell these in packs of fours.
It pours much darker than a standard saison, and the aroma is quite a bit deeper and richer. There’s quite a bit of orange and spice aroma, blended with a hefty amount of musk. It’s a very pleasant and unique aroma. I could really see buying an air freshener of this to plug into a kitchen outlet. I can’t say that about most beers, or most aromas for that matter.
It’s heavy on the tongue with a strong, musty orange flavor, ending with some spice – just like the aroma. This is a beer that could benefit from some aging. The alcohol is a little too apparent for my tastes. There’s little to no hop flavor as most of the bitterness seems to come from the spices. It’s a nice, mellow, warmth, but I keep getting the feeling that this tastes young. At 8.7% ABV, the feeling is fleeting.
Any interesting and brave entry into the NG lineup, I don’t expect this one to return any time soon, but it’s worth checking out if you can find a 4-pack.
