Matt: This beer is very aromatic- with a bright hop blast right up front. It smells citrusy, a bit resiny, bright and hoppy. Pours clear, golden color with a nice foamy head. The first sip is absolutely delicious and afterward you realize you have in your glass a sessionable, super tasty pale ale. Not skimpy on hops- and by no means malty. But balanced, smooth, flavorful and drinkable. The ABV is just right- you can feel it but its approachable and casual. It tastes so crisp and fruity and it’s well carbonated so the flavors dance on your tongue. Moon Man actually “replaced” Hop Hearty- NG’s IPA, in the 2010 brewing schedule. I believe this lineup is based largely on fan votes / poll numbers. As much as I liked Hop Hearty and do not like to see it scratched from the lineup- Moon Man is a great beer and fills a role in my mind that NG was missing. An American Pale Ale that is hoppy and drinkable. For a guy that’s drunk way too many Spotted Cows (is that possible?) Moon Man is my new New Glarus go-to. When in Wisconsin, pick some up, you will not be disappointed. And due to its extreme drinkability and excellent flavor, better grab an extra 6 pack, you will not regret it. Grade: A
Tom: Sometimes a little road trip can add adventure to a boring week. Such was the case last weekend when I decided to drive up to Lake Geneva, WI. While there I had to pick up some local brew I had been craving. Moon Man was just that brew. Named after a brewer’s cat, this beer is a wonderful creation of what a Pale Ale should be. A bright golden-straw colored clear beer that boasts a fluffy white head. The bottle says that it contains a “bright bold blend of 5 hops that flirt obligingly with a smooth malty backside.” I could not agree more. The aroma was very citrus-like with nice grapefruit and orange notes, a slight floral honey highlight, and a lightly pungent pine hop quality. My guesses on hops used are: Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, Amarillo, and Nugget or Simcoe? It was refreshingly crisp and had a nice punch to it that was not overwhelming at all. The taste was one of a kind. A light pale malt body that had a light resinous hop character throughout. It excited my senses while retaining an APA approach. It is not heavy or too hoppy, but just right. A definite crowd pleaser for any occasion that will appeal to both hop lovers and smooth lighter ale folk alike. Grade: A
Taylor: Thanks to Tom, I was able to get my hands on one single bottle of this incredible brew. It is my new favorite Pale Ale. Seriously. It is aromatic, crystal clear, brilliantly carbonated, über hopped, consistent, and drinkable like a Pale Ale should be. It is so refreshing. It finishes crisp and bittersweet, but not in any way overpowering. Such a sessionable beer. I echo everything Matt and Tom have to say about the beer … right on. I plan on getting more of this next time I am in Wisconsin. Looking forward to that big time. Grade: A+
Noel: This beer is a must try because it accomplishes exactly what it claims: it doesn’t try too hard. Part of the label reads, “In Wisconsin you do not have to be extreme to be real. Just be.” Moon Man is not extreme, but it definitely is real…real good. Seriously refreshing, crisp and flavorful, sessionable through and through; this is a definite winner for New Glarus. I’ll admit, I almost wanted to give it a lower grade because everyone has raved about it so much…you know, bring things back to reality a bit. But if I’m being purely objective and honest, this is one of the best pale ales I’ve had. And it has appeal for both beer newbies and beer enthusiasts. Kind of makes me want to move to Wisconsin… Grade: A
ABV: 5.0%
Final Grade: A
I wonder if this was dry hopped at all?
I read in an article, Moon Man is dry hopped 2 and a 1/2 times as much as is commonly practiced in dry hopped beer.
This PA is absolutely the tops. Smells amazing, looks amazing, tastes amazing. So refreshing. Wow.
Probably need to make a trip up to WI pretty soon, then. This sounds great!
I had this again last night and then wondered why I stopped short at giving it an A+. I hereby formally change my grade to an A+…this sucker is good enough to be considered a standard.
Absolute favorite Pale Ale. New Glarus needs to expand outside of WI so I don’t have to go without for so long.
Moon Man is my favorite Pale Ale. I live in Wisconsin so I’ve been drinking alot of this since I first found it 6 months ago. Hopefully New Glarus keeps this brew in their regular brewing schedule.
Moon Man is just okay. The Hop Hearty IPA was much better and more distinctive. Hop Hearty did not need a west coast influence where Budweiser is the “King of beers”. Moon Man fits the more popular tastes (Crisp=Miller lite) which may be good for the brewery, but bad for people who love great IPAs. Keep Wisconsin beers tasting like Wisconsin beers, and not like beers from Los Angeles.
Thanks for your thoughts Robert. I know a lot of people that loved Hop Hearty and were sad to see it go. I agree with you in that it did not need that west coast influence. New Glarus makes great beer and I’m proud to have them in the Midwest.
I will note that Moon Man is a Pale Ale and not an IPA (or a cheep adjunt lager for that matter). Therefore it should be critiqued as such. While a good number of APAs seem to blur the line between APA/IPA, I found this one to be a great representation of its style. It was crisp due to the hopping.
Nothing about this beer had Miller on it. I’ve found that adjunct lagers are “crisp” because they are cold not because of the ingredients used. Moon Man is straight up craft beer.
You made a few fine points there. I did a search on the theme and found nearly all people will go along with with your blog.