little switzerland

We wanted to sail this weekend, but the air was completely stagnant. No wind at all! So, after paddling our sailboat back to dock, we decided to scrap the sailing and make a day trip to New Glarus, a small town 25 miles south of Madison.


Why did we choose to drive out to New Glarus, you ask? Well it all goes back to my brother and a beer. 


For our birthdays, my brother Andrew got us a book befitting our move to Wisconsin: 1001 Beers to Taste Before You Die. Before we left NC, I looked up the Wisconsin brews listed in the book and was particularly intrigued by New Glarus Belgian Red that is bottled like wine and tastes like cherries:



We tried it not long after we moved here and it is delicious! So why not go down to tour the brewery and try some more?


Upon googling the brewery, I discovered that New Glarus calls itself "Little Switzerland". It was founded in the nineteenth century by Swiss immigrants and it shows! Take a look:


Actually, the town was kind of kitchy. But the New Glarus Brewery was spectacular! The building is perched on a hill looking out on a valley of farmland.

We did the tour, 

tasted a bunch of great beers,


and even found their cornhole boards out in the beer garden!

All in all, a good day. Cheers!