and half-barrels. From 1998 to 2002, the company's brews were also sold in Illinois, with a majority of its sales in the Chicago area. New Glarus actually pulled Spotted Cow from Illinois shelves in 2002 because the company was struggling to meet demand for it in Wisconsin. Deborah Carey also said the often messy "pay to play" approach, sometimes the only route to get a beer on bar/restaurant taps in major U.S. markets, further supported the brewery's limited distribution. In 2009, a New York City bar was raided and fined for illegally selling Spotted Cow. In 2015, a bar in Maple Grove, Minnesota, also was caught illegally selling Spotted Cow after the establishment's owner allegedly purchased kegs in Wisconsin and took them back to Minnesota for retail sale. Awards New Glarus Brewing Company has been one of the most award-winning brewers of its size. It won two bronze medals at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Spotted Cow has won a variety of awards over the years, including Best Drink in Wisconsin in 2009 by Bon Appetit magazine. See also List of breweries in Wisconsin Barrel-aged beer References External links New Glarus Brewing Company American beer brands Beer brewing companies based in Wisconsin