Was this different than usual, or is this the first year you've grown garlic?
On a semi-related note, I believe onions tell us a lot about the coming winter. It does depend on the variety, but if your usual onions have thin walls/rings and a lot of the paper, expect a hard winter. If the rings are thick and the paper minimal, it should be mild. The Walla Wallas we had this year says east of the Mountains the onions expect a pretty easy winter
