New Glarus comes to Chicago!!!

Recently seen at D&D liquors, New Glarus Cherry Belgian bombers, and Black Wheat 6 packs. It's not cheap, both were $14.99, if I recall correctly, but I decided to treat myself with a 6 of the Black Wheat. The label says that this is one of their winter brews, but I'm really enjoying it, despite the weather. (I wear white before Memorial Day sometimes too. Or after Labor Day, or whatever that stupid rule says.)

Would you mind please letting us know where this D&D Liquors is located?

New Glarus does not distribute their beer outside of WI. I wonder under what circumstances D&D is selling NG Beer?

Yikes, I picked up a bunch of bottles of the Belgian Red for $7.99 each at Woodman's in Kenosha and Black Wheat 6 packs were like $7.10 or so.

Probably cheaper to drive to WI

champs2005 wrote:Would you mind please letting us know where this D&D Liquors is located?

New Glarus does not distribute their beer outside of WI. I wonder under what circumstances D&D is selling NG Beer?

Given the price D&D is charging, and the fact that they are selling winter beer, I'm guessing that this is not "authorized" distribution, so to speak. New Glarus' website still says that they only sell in Wisconsin.

The Woodman's in Kenosha is the closest and best place to buy. They have an extensive selection of Wisconsin beers that are not available in Illinois, including the full line of New Glarus beers. Their prices are excellent. Our favorite Wisconsin beer is made by a company called Furthermore.

Darren72 wrote:Given the price D&D is charging, and the fact that they are selling winter beer, I'm guessing that this is not "authorized" distribution, so to speak. New Glarus' website still says that they only sell in Wisconsin.

Black Wheat is a spring not winter beer (March - May). Woodman's still had plenty of it over July 4th.

I was just going by the OP, who said it was a winter beer. In any case, I would be very surprised if this beer went through the normal distribution channels.

Jamieson22 wrote:Yikes, I picked up a bunch of bottles of the Belgian Red for $7.99 each at Woodman's in Kenosha and Black Wheat 6 packs were like $7.10 or so.

Probably cheaper to drive to WI

Agreed. We usually go up most weekends & I've brought Spotted Cow back for a friend on occasion. I don't think it was any more than $7. I never liked beer, but had heard so many fabulous things, that I had to bring this back for someone to enjoy & they did.

I don't know why they won't distribute in Chicagoland, they have lots of fans.

While there are a ton of fans in Chicago, yes, they have as many in Wisconsin it seems. I think at their current production levels, moving product to Chicago would take it away from Wisconsin. As they say on their website:

Sorry about the limited distribution, non-Wisconsinites. There are only so many hours in the day to make beer and we can only keep up with the local demand.

danimalarkey wrote:While there are a ton of fans in Chicago, yes, they have as many in Wisconsin it seems. I think at their current production levels, moving product to Chicago would take it away from Wisconsin. As they say on their website:

Sorry about the limited distribution, non-Wisconsinites. There are only so many hours in the day to make beer and we can only keep up with the local demand.

They used to be in Chicago years ago. Maybe we'll get lucky and get them back though I do enjoy the mystique of a beer not easily attained

Jamieson22 wrote:...though I do enjoy the mystique of a beer not easily attained

Yeah, I think the rarity/black market status did make me savor this fine brew even more.

Hey phredbull...where is D&D liquors?

champs2005 wrote:Hey phredbull...where is D&D liquors?

If it is the one I'm thinking of, it is at the corner of Damen & Division in the little strip mall at the North West corner of that intersection.

D & D Liquors
2006 W. Division
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 252-3012

I was recently at the New Glarus Brewery, and they restated there are no plans to distribute outside of WI. The gleaming new facility they just open to the public allows them to keep up with local demand.

While I would love to have New Glarus available locally, heading up to New Glarus, WI for a weekend to see the brewery, stock up on all their brews, and make a side trip to the Mustard Museum in Mt. Horeb and some of the cheese places in the general area is always welcomed.

I was in Philadelphia at the South Philly Tap Room about a month ago, and I was surprised to see that they had New Glarus Belgian Red on tap. I didn't get a chance to ask how they they got it, but I was surprised to find it there as I was under the impression that they didn't distribute outside of Wisconsin. Didn't see New Glarus anywhere else in town (Philly is an excellent beer town, BTW). Maybe it was a one shot deal, but perhaps a sign they are testing the waters of expanding outside of Wisconsin. Didn't they recently open up a new, expanded brewing facility?

Unauthorized distribution of (overhyped) New Glarus beer:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1904 ... 09.article

Darren72 wrote:Unauthorized distribution of (overhyped) New Glarus beer:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1904 ... 09.article

I wonder if New Glarus is like Fat Tire was back in the day -- overrated/overhyped because of its unavailability. I had my first taste of New Glarus a few weeks ago when a friend brought a variety 12 pack that included three each of Dancing Man, Crack'd Wheat, Fat Squirrel and Stone Soup. Of those four, I thought the wheat beers (Dancing Man and Crack'd Wheat) were pretty good and the others just average, but none of them were really much to write home about. Perhaps I just did not get the best New Glarus offerings, but I was not terribly impressed.

Matt wrote:

Darren72 wrote:Unauthorized distribution of (overhyped) New Glarus beer:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1904 ... 09.article

I wonder if New Glarus is like Fat Tire was back in the day -- overrated/overhyped because of its unavailability. I had my first taste of New Glarus a few weeks ago when a friend brought a variety 12 pack that included three each of Dancing Man, Crack'd Wheat, Fat Squirrel and Stone Soup. Of those four, I thought the wheat beers (Dancing Man and Crack'd Wheat) were pretty good and the others just average, but none of them were really much to write home about. Perhaps I just did not get the best New Glarus offerings, but I was not terribly impressed.

Fat Squirrel and Stone Soup are certainly far from being the best of New Glarus. Crack'd Wheat is one of my favorites. Never had Dancing Man. Their Unplugged Series of beers are usually top notch as well as the 2 fruit beers. Belgian Red (cherry) and Raspberry Tart are excellent examples of fruit beers.