New Glarus Brewing Company Enigma

Enigma
(has 3 batches)

 

New Glarus Brewing Company in New Glarus, Wisconsin, United States 🇺🇸

  Flemish Red / Bruin Series
Score
7.64
ABV: 5.5% IBU: - Ticks (all batches): 105
A few times a year we cut Dan loose to brew whatever he chooses. Always handcrafted, the bottle you hold is brewed for the adventurous soul. This is a very limited edition and we make no promises to ever brew this style again.

A complex and intriguing original. The mystery began with wild yeast spontaneously fermenting a rich treasure of malted barley and cherries. Unlined Oak casks breathe deep vanilla hues and chords of smoke into this sour brown ale. Our Master Brewer has forged a smooth garnet tapestry that defies description. Wander off the beaten path.
 

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8.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
RBSG 2007 Grand Tasting. Hazy amber body with a small white head. Sweet caramel, molassas and fruit aroma. Sweet molassas and sour cherry flavor.
Tried on 28 Jun 2007 at 16:00

8.5/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 9
Bottle in the company of Doppelganger, Tracey and Loz. Vanilla and cherry dominated this most stunning of aroma’s, it really was the most lovely of scents that you just had to keep going back to. The beer poured a murky brown that had a slight rubyness to it. Taste was just great with a bitter cherry bite that whilst pleasantly sour was never ever overdone, the vanilla was also present in the mouth and worked wonderfully in taking the edge off of the bitter cherry allied as it was with a nice soft carbonation. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer and despite it being in the company of some very good beers this evening felt that it stood out as something quite special.
Tried from Bottle on 22 Jun 2007 at 02:08

7.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
A hazy reddish brown ale with a thin off white head. Brett hits you right away, as does nice little cherries, candy sugar. A nice complex horseblanket. In mouth, a light sweet cherry with strong organic notes, wood, bark, flowers. Rich and complex...more please! Tasted at "Montréal YeHA! Party 2006". Dec. 16 2006.
Tried from Can on 13 May 2007 at 07:19

7.8/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
sample from bottle at the Hampton tasting - This reddish-brown brew has an excellent aroma of oak, malt, fruit, and cherry. All of these elements come through well in the flavor, which is both sweet and tart. Medium bodied and mildly dry in the finish, this is really good.
Tried from Bottle on 05 May 2007 at 18:57

8.1/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
A big thanks to footbalm for sending two bottles of this one. I don’t know how well this fits the profile that a Flemish Sour should have, but I am really getting to like this style of beer and so far this has been my favorite of all of them. Small head over a muddy, orange- tinted brown body. Complex aroma of spoiling apples, the aroma of an orchard after a rain in the fall. Nutmeg spice? Tartness. Lightly tart flavor with smooth sweetness. Very very tasty.
Tried from Bottle on 01 May 2007 at 06:10

8.4/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
This is very good. I thought I tasted cherry and here I read it is part of the description. Interesting thy brewed this and the cherry stout at the same time; maybe they got a deal from their cherry supplier. Aroma is quite sour, with light yeast, just a hint of barnyard and some balsamic vinegar. Flavor is sour cherry and a hint of more vinegar. A little sugar. This beer is best when slightly chilled. The flavors and aromas are less vibrant when at room temperature.
Tried on 07 Apr 2007 at 15:20

9.1/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 10 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 9.5
Bottled. Hazy amber colour, not much head. Aroma is coconuts, cookies, alcohol, grapes and some slight touch of caramel. Flavour is sweet fruits, malts, caramel, alcohol and some plum. Though the sweet fruits, the overall is quite sour. Wellbalanced, and quite easy-to-drink. Very pleasant thing! WOW!
Tried from Bottle on 20 Mar 2007 at 11:28

6.6/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Bottle from CaptainCougar. Murky orange-brown body, thin off-white/buff head. Peculiar aroma of gym socks worn several times without a wash. Pepper, leather, and tart bile. Not offensive, but not immediately appetizing, either. The body lacks bite, instead displaying sugars and turned fruits, with a light touch of balsamic vinegar. I didn’t really pick up the cherries; the fermented fruits reminded me of peach, but part of that may be due to the buttery characteristics imparted by the oak. Interesting but not exactly appealing, Enigma lacks the sharp, puckering acidity that I crave.
Tried from Bottle on 12 Feb 2007 at 19:31

4.3/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 4 Flavor 4 Texture 4 Overall 4
(Bottle, thanks to Marsiblursi) Sampled at a tasting night at Marsiblursi’s place. I’m sorry, I just don’t like these types of beer... Anyway. Shady red and brown color, tan head. Scent is massive oak and vanilla, also vinous. Sour lactic taste, feels infected. All over just too sour! Lemon bite mouthfeel, low bitterness.
Tried from Bottle on 11 Feb 2007 at 14:10

8.2/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
Bottle courtesy of Monger: Poured a dirty brown/reddish color ale with a medium light foamy head with average retention and good lacing. Aroma consists of oak with some tart notes and some red wine characteristics. Taste is a very well balance mix of oak with some tartness and some acidic notes well balance by light cherries and some dry red wine. Body is above average with some low filtration and medium carbonation. Very well done and definitely something that I would like to try again. Re-rate (2008): A lot more sweetness then first rating with some disctintive smoke and less vinous and red wine notes then previously. Extremely complex but I still think that I prefer the non-aged version.
Tried from Bottle on 23 Jan 2007 at 10:47