Brewed in collaboration with New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, WI.
For beer folks, Chico, CA, and New Glarus, WI, are must-see capitals on the U.S. brewing map, but getting between the two is no simple feat. There and Back is named for the planes, trains, and zeal needed to connect them. This classic English-style Bitter is a complex yet easy-drinking mix of toasty malt and a fruity, herbal hop flavor.
New Glarus is fiercely loyal to its home state, growing to one of the largest breweries in the U.S. without selling a single drop outside of the borders of Wisconsin. With those local tastes in mind, New Glarus has perfected traditional German styles and invented masterful versions of complex and intense fruit beers featuring Wisconsin-grown ingredients.
(Description provided by company)
Comments
There and Back: A Brewer's Tale
Pours a clear reddish amber, with about a half finger of head. The head only lasts for about 30 seconds, but it does leave some nice lacing behind.
As expected, a fairly hop dominated nose and taste. The nose aroma is mostly floral and citrus-y, with a hint of pale and caramel malts.
The hop flavors are a little more citrus-oriented than the nose, but still nicely balanced. The malt helps subdue the hops a bit, but both bitterness and hop flavors are still moderately strong. A fairly long but interesting and slightly bitter aftertaste.
A medium-light body and carbonation.
A nice and hoppy change of pace from the usual readily-available pale ales and IPAs that are so easy find. Especially nice since New Glarus beers are available only in Wisconsin. Hopefully this helps them reach a wider audience and maybe, just maybe, contemplate moving outside their home state!