Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week:" New Glarus Abt

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Oct 8, 2010 9:05PM

Today's selection is a road trip beer from New Glarus. Flemish monks brewed beer as a means to assist in their living expenses. They lived spartan lives and sold enough beer to maintain their humble existences. Abt (Dutch for "Abbot") refers to the head of an abbey. The Abt generally was a quiet sort, but instead led the abbey with a quiet force.

An Abt beer is akin to a Belgian dubbel. It's dark ruby in color with a nose of raisins, cloves and dark sugars. Carey used Belgian candy sugar in the brewing, which makes the beer dry on the finish, with rich flavors of caramel and a pilsner malt sharpness on the palate.

Abt isn't as bold and extreme as others in New Glarus's "Unplugged" series. But it is a beer worth making the trip to Wisconsin.