The house that Spotted Cow built is expanding, and boy howdy, it’s a sight. There was something of a celebratory reception in the bucolic splendor of New Glarus this past Friday. Through a combination of guile, wit, deviousness, and (mostly) dumb luck, I managed to weasel my way in.

I’d heard, rather vaguely, about New Glarus’ expansion, but assumed that it was something rather straightforward -- knock down a wall or two, add a couple of fermenting tanks, maybe a few throw pillows, and you’re done. This, it turned out, was wrong. In fact, the expansion wasn’t even at the familiar brewery. I was directed down the road, past a red barn and up a gravel road. A few minutes later, there it was, and not just any old barn -- this was a massive, spiffy new building, with a sign proclaiming it as the New Glarus Brewery’s water purification facility. (Of course, if I actually bothered to read the local paper more than twice a year, I wouldn’t have been surprised by any of this.)

I drove further up the winding road, and then rising from the hill, there it was: the new New Glarus Brewery, looking for all the world like a castle built by a mad Swiss billionaire. It’s like a ski resort that smells like yeast. This is where the Pope’s beer would be brewed. You get the idea. (Photos, by the way, can be viewed on the New Glarus website .)

So that’s the outside. The inside, for beer geeks, is far more impressive. I’ve seen breweries with fancy-pants gear, but they’ve been smaller facilities. I’ve seen massive breweries, but they tended to be older, industrial setups. This is the first time I’ve seen something this brand-spankin’ new at this scale. And man, it’s something. The massive copper kettles have windows, allowing one to see the swirling, aromatic wort do its thing. The hallways are wide and open, with an army of silver pipes twisted about in ridiculously complicated patterns. And the kegging line, chugging along, looks like something Darth Vader would commandeer for a quick carbon freeze.

Oh yeah -- there was beer to be had, too. Several brews were on tap, but I kept coming back for the Organic Revolution. It’s a smooth, hoppy pale ale brewed with organic Hallertau hops (thank you, Germany), and it was perfect for a sunny afternoon.

The original brewery will remain open, with production focusing on Dan Carey’s “Unplugged” series of beers. Meanwhile, the new brewery is scheduled to open to the public this fall, and it’s definitely worth a look. No Oompa-loompas, but this is about as close to Willy Wonka’s brewery as you’ll get.