Jolly Pumpkin Bam Noire

Brewed by Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Style: Saison
Dexter, Michigan USA

750ml bottle from BevMo! La Mesa. Pours pure black, until held up to the light, when you see it is actually a muddy dark brown, with some significant haze. Aroma is dark fruits, with the musty, earthiness you expect from a saison or farmhouse ale, only this one is dark. The is also some tartness in the background of the aroma. Flavor is tart, musty and fruity, with very little malt. Some hop character, but subdued. Finish is complex, with a tartness and some fruit and must. A black saison, very interesting change of pace.

6/11/2008: Bam Noire (Dark Farmhouse Ale) is a light cola brown color with a large, fluffy light tan-colored head. The usual funky and tart Jolly Pumpkin aroma is accompanied by roasted malt and balsamic vinegar. The flavor is roasty and a bit on the dry (ashy-like) side. The sourness/tartness and acidity qualities are more supressed in this Jolly Pumpkin brew compared to many if not all of their other mainstay offerings. There is a touch of red wine, port, and subtle balsamic in the flavor as well as a dusting of cocoa powder. This beer has a medium body and it is crisp on the palate. Overall Bam Noire is quite good and very refreshing. It may not be quite as complex as some of the other Jolly Pumpkin beers, but it is a solid offering nonetheless and perfect for those new to Jolly Pumpkin beers or those who might be afraid or dislike some of the other more funky and sour ones...

1 pt 9.4 fl. oz. bottle (4.3% alc/vol) from jsh12bama via trade. Thanks Jason! I appreciate it. Rating #218 for this beer...

Another winner from jolly pumpkin. Got this from Pantanap. Thank you, Kan! Had some good roasted malt and chocolate characteritics mixed in with the JP house funk. Very smooth and tasty. I think I liked this better than the regular bam.

Pours murky brown with thick tan head. Aroma is what you expect from JP, funky sour. Taste is also the sourness expected from this brewery. Spices, apples and dark fruit are present, but there is just not much here. Just OK.

750 ml bottle from Bevmo. Pours a light chestnut brown with a big sudsy head with good retention and magnificent lacing. Aroma is that of a sour; the nose is rich with funk, sour apples, sour grapes and some dusty white pepper. The flavor showcases more tart apples and a good spice profile consisting of pepper, thyme, and nutmeg. The mouthfeel is silky smooth and light. The finish is long and dry but just a bit harsh. Overall: I found this beer really refreshing. Very nice. But, I don’t think its a saison. This is a sour.

My bottle (750ml) shared at ’Biegaman’s Second Annual Saison Tasting’. Pours a murky amber-copper with some sediment and an average size diminishing creamy off-white head. Good lacing. Awesome aroma of funky yeast, plenty of hops, toastiness, spices, coffee and dark fruit -- fresh and refreshing. Flavour, also refreshing, is funky and sour along with fruit, toasted malt, hops and spices -- so easy to drink. Dry finish. Average to medium bodied. Fantastic stuff!

(bottle, thanks Tytoanderso!) Pours brown with an off-white head. This beer has a really great smell, and is ver gueuze-like, with sharp tart and funky notes. The taste is pretty much non-existent, with only a light tartness and lingering yeast showing up in the finish. This was an anomalous beer, the aroma was great, but the flavor is not even there.

[Batch #250 Bottle, thanks Tytoanderso!] Pours reddish-brown with an off-white head. Aroma is funky and reminiscent of a gueuze, as Guerde pointed out. Taste is really lacking up front, as there is almost nothing there. A little sourness and apple shows through after awhile, but it is still weak and pretty unappealing. A little thin with a short finish. This was a big disappointment, since when it is on, the regular Bam Biere is really great stuff. I’ll have to try a fresher bottle some time and re-rate that.