Worth savoring

By Ben Rodgers

Every bottle from New Glarus is a something special and uniquely Wisconsin.

Maybe you’ve been lucky enough to have enjoyed their flagship, a Spotted Cow. But they also offer a wide variety of everything else from barley wines to brew only available on site.

Apple Ale seems to be somewhere in between. It’s part of the Thumbprint series and is only available in four-packs. This brown ale is made from apples fresh from Door County and is a little harder to find than Spotted Cow, which is everywhere here.

New Glarus is actually a village located about 40 minutes south of Madison. The brewery is a mecca of sorts for beer lovers and definitely warrants a visit if you are in the area.

Just as New Glarus is to Wisconsin, The Hold Steady (THS) is to Minneapolis. Even though the band left the Twin Cities for Brooklyn, most of their albums include tidbits about places and people they used to frequent.

“Boys and Girls in America” was released 10 years ago, and since then the band has become the definition of middle-aged party rock.

Let’s see how two distinct flavors from neighboring states play along with each other.

Apple Ale just flows into my pint perfectly, THS starts off as a lyrical nod to Sal Paradise from Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road.” I have to admit THS is comfort music to me. Some people have comfort food, I’ll take Craig Finn’s bar stool prophesizing any day.

The beer is as close to perfect as I’ve had in a long time. The apple isn’t overwhelming, it isn’t sweet and there is a harmonious balance between the brown ale and flavors. This is the first time I’ve laid lips on this beer and it’s beyond delightful.

THS is not too heavy, not too light, just music you can lose yourself in. Plus any band with horns and pianos on tracks with lyrics about getting blotto and finding the “Hot Soft Light” in Minneapolis speaks to me.

It’s a tough contrast with Apple Ale. The beer is almost too good, every single sip must be savored. But the A-side on this album is begging me to slam cheap beers and lose myself in a “Party Pit.” It’s a sipping beer because it would be a sin to drink it fast. This is a drinking album because everything falls into the right place.

Things finally slow down now on the last track of the A-side, “First Night.” It’s a sad song because life can’t all be uppers with no recourse. Apple Ale, however, is one of the finest beers I’ve ever had, so it will be a downer when all four are gone. It’s too good to drink, but alas.

The one thing I find amazing about Apple Ale is it doesn’t taste sugary at all. It just tastes crisp and refreshing. The B-side of “Boys and Girls” opens up with crisp singing that mentions the Grain Belt Bridge in Minneapolis and closes with the hook “going to walk around and drink some more.” The music is perfect but would lend itself better to a review of 12 cold cans of domestic, not this artisanal Apple.

It’s a crying shame, two things I enjoy on deep levels, don’t gel together as well as they do alone. But bahgawd! Either the album or this beer could amplify anything.

Rumor has it that “Boys and Girls in America” plays out like a murder mystery when listened to from start to finish. It’s one of my favorite albums but with this beer it’s hard to concentrate on connecting songs and the characters contained therein.

Just like “Chillout Tent” talks about two kids who indulge too much at a festival and come find and lose each other with IVs in their arms under medical supervision. “They had the privacy of bedsheets, but the other kids were mostly in comas.” It sounds like a weird premise for a song, but THS makes it work, major chords and piano can make anything catchy.

“Southtown Girls” in typical THS fashion. “Southtown girls won’t blow you away, but you know they’ll stay.” It needs to be noted that this record could never click without the driving guitar of Tad Kubler. It’s most evident on this track, as it’s the one with the most jam potential.

It’s a shame to have to finish this beer. I have never wanted a bottomless pint glass more in my life than right now. “Boys and Girls in America” should also be about three beers longer. But all good things must come to an end.

If you ever find yourself in Wisconsin, you will not be disappointed with anything from New Glarus. Just like if THS ever tours again, you will not be disappointed if you are in the crowd.