Not a beer that I would normally go for or buy, but given New Glarus’s 25+ year record of excellent fruit beers, this deserves at least one 4-pack of attention. Paid around $11 for 4, 330 mL cans in Madison, WI.

Color is an extraordinary, raspberry red with great clarity and a pink head.

Quite a strong strawberry nose.

Tastes are a very nice, strong fruit base, with some tartness up front (presumably the rhubarb) that fades to a sweeter mid-palate and finish. Good fruit depth of flavor, and for me at least the strawberry beats the rhubarb in terms of intensity. It ends up being really rather quite sweet.

In the end this is pretty drinkable, but for me this isn’t really ‘beer’! It’s way too fruity, too sweet, and generally too ‘RTD cocktail-like’ to be taken that seriously. And yes I am fully aware of the history of New Glarus and fruit based beers.

Take it for what it is, use it as a novelty, and you’ll likely quite enjoy it. Look for a sophisticated beer and I think you could be disappointed, perhaps better to seek out some serious Lambics for that job. That sounds a little harsh, but it’s not meant to be a knock, rather just an honest assessment of a quirky beverage.