The Beloved Beer You Have To Travel To Wisconsin To Drink

For years, the town of New Glarus in southern Wisconsin's Green County was known as America's Little Switzerland, thanks to a deep attachment to its European founders. In the 21st century, New Glarus is arguably more famous for being home to the Spotted Cow, a craft beer that, despite not being sold outside Wisconsin, attracts thousands of people to the New Glarus Brewery Company that makes it. The brew hasn't always been sold exclusively within the state's boundaries. Between 1998 and 2003, beer lovers in Illinois could get their hands on Spotted Cow, but founders Deb and Dan Carey realized they simply couldn't meet the demand.

The Wisconsin focus doesn't just extend to the range of beers. The cans, bottles, labels, and packaging are all locally made, and in 2015, 22 years after the business was created, the New Glarus Brewery Company became 100% employee-owned. But it's the iconic beer that keeps people coming back. Inspired by a trip to England, Spotted Cow is made according to Germany's Reinheitsgebot purity laws and contains only water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. The latter remains in the bottle to give the beer its cloudy appearance, and we think it would be amazing in scrambled eggs.

People come from across the United States (and beyond) for a Spotted Cow, a delicious farmhouse-style ale that helped kick-start the Wisconsin craft beer landscape. Over the years it has built up a devoted following thanks to its un-flashy nature. One Redditor said, "It's just a fantastic, flavorful easy drinking beer that's ubiquitous there. I think it's one of the best beers I've ever had at what it does."

The New Glarus Brewery Company may restrict sales to Wisconsin, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming the country's 13th-biggest craft beer producer, according to the American Brewers Association. Alongside Spotted Cow is a range of brews that includes the popular Raspberry Tart, award-winning Belgian Red, and Two Women, the result of a collaboration with another woman-led Wisconsin brewery, Weyermann Malting. There's also a smattering of seasonal beers, such as Staghorn Octoberfest (not to be confused with the German celebration), while the Thumbprint series are small-batch beers that may only make a single appearance.

The brewery has undergone several expansions since its launch in 1993, with the latest announced in 2024. The revamped Hilltop production site is set to reopen in fall 2026, but that's not the only potentially exciting news from the brewery. The renovations reportedly include equipment for distilling spirits, which the team had previously explored but didn't pursue because of legal restrictions. However, a 2024 change in the law, coupled with the aforementioned kit, could mean that the gang at New Glarus Brewery Company may be rustling up their own spirits. If it does happen, Spotted Cow fans are likely going to be over the moon.