One local beer manufacturer is pouring in the profits as quickly as it can brew hometown-favorite Spotted Cow.
The makers of Spotted Cow Beer at New Glarus Brewing Co. saw a 39-percent increase in production in 2006.
New Glarus is a Wisconsin-based brewery that produces several beers, including Spotted Cow and Fat Squirrel, and only sells to bars, liquor stores and other establishments in the state.
Deborah Carey, founder and president of New Glarus, said this drastic increase did not come as a shock because the brewery had seen similar growth percentages over the past couple years.
She said New Glarus' success is due to the overall quality of the beer rather than any specific marketing or production strategy.
""I think that our beers sell well, along with the rest of the craft breweries in the state, because people are coming to understand beer as food and are looking for flavor instead of just the immediacy of the alcohol,"" Carey said.
Managers from popular Madison bars have said the fruity, sweet flavor and the lighter quality of their beers has enticed their customers to order New Glarus products, specifically Spotted Cow, more often than those of other craft breweries.
Furthermore, increased recognition of the beer is also a likely factor in its rapid growth.
""I think the increase may be a result of word of mouth,"" said UW-Madison senior Jerad Leigh, ""I'd never heard of it until earlier this year and once you try it, it's so well made that you tell people about it.""
Riley's Wines of the World Manager Andy Beaulieu said he agreed and also pointed out that drinking beer from craft breweries is the ""hot trend"" right now at his store.
""People are just looking for something else ... They want to try something new. Once something's popular, everyone just goes with it,"" he said.
Beaulieu added that Spotted Cow fans are quick to buy New Glarus' other beers once they discover their production is not limited to their token product.
Although Carey is ""happy that people in Wisconsin like our beer,"" she did not intend for the brewery to expand so much.
""The brewery is bigger than we had wanted it to be ... From a company standpoint, the bigger you are, the more you invest in people and machinery and the more days you work and the less vacation you get,"" she said.
According to Beaulieu and State Street Brats Assistant General Manager Tyler Kneubuehl, there is little difference in the number of college students as opposed to older adults who purchased New Glarus products. However, Carey and Wando's Manager Annie Canney said the beer was a better seller among post-college age professionals because of their higher prices.
""I would consider [our customers] to be people who are educated and generally well traveled,"" Carey said.
Regardless of New Glarus' cost, the brewery maintains many loyal UW-Madison consumers, like Leigh, who do not mind shelling out the extra cash.
""It's also kind of like a hometown beer,"" Leigh said. ""You kind of want to support your own.""
