Jolly Pumpkin Fuego del Otono (Autumn Fire)

Super hazy golden beer with a fizzy head - typical JP funk in the aroma, with some cool minty and herbal qualities - a lot of earthy funk up front, followed by a moderate acidity - a bit of nuttiness and vegetal character - probably the funkiest JP beer I’ve yet had - the acidity cuts it a bit, and gives it a more lambic-like character - there is some odd vegetable-like flavors far in the back that make it less enjoyable, but this is still another interesting JP offering.

This bottled brew from Indianapolis, IN poured a medium sized head of foamy finely sized off-white colored mostly lasting bubbles that left behind a softly carbonated transparent light orange brown colored body and a good lacing. The aroma was mildly funky with lambic malt notes. The mouth feel was strongly tingly and bubbly from start to finish. Very lambic like. The flavor contained notes of lambic like musty slightly sour tart mild hop malt notes. It gave me gas. Overly carbonated.

Bouteille verte de 750 ml obtenue via Importations Privées Bièropholie. Le contenu a completement explosé lors de l’ouverture de la bouteille ne laissant que la moitié du contenu. Arôme: Odeur d’épice avec une pointe de caramel. Apparence: La couleur est ambrée voilée avec une moyenne densité de bulle. Présence d’un large col mousseux et d’une large dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût d’épices avec une pointe d’agrumes et de gomme. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement minérale. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Arrière goût fruité. (Rating #1759)

Bottle and labeled Bottling 3, 2007. Medium sized off-white frothy and fizzy head that mostly diminished, hazy, one ring of lacing, visible carbonation, and a golden hue. The aroma was sweet, sour, tart, spicy, malt, some caramel, acidic, lambic like and brett. The flavor was sweet, acidic, fruity, spicy, sour, some malt and light caramel. Spritzy mouthfeel and medium bodied. I had a hard getting this beer rated as I was turned off by the aroma and the flavor as well as I just couldn’t get into the taste of this beer for some reason. This is definitely a beer I could not drink an entire bottle by myself. Next!!

Thanks to Drew for this one. (Batch 244, 245) Hazy golden color with a frothy tall white head. Aroma is tart fruit at first, along with some bretty funk, then also a touch of sweet spices in the background and some yeast and honey. Tart and bitter flavor up front, like a lemon rind, followed by some sweet malts and a nice touch of spices. A bit of bretty funk is present all the way through. The finish shows a bit of nuttiness, or wood. Very nice, very pleasant.

6/05/2008: Fuego del Otono (Autumn Fire) pours a mostly clear, light copper color with a HUGE, dense and rocky light beige head. There is a substantial amount of carbonation that sustains the perpetual thick head that creates puffy lacing on the glass. The aroma and flavor contain the tell-tale Jolly Pumpkin funk and spice. Some spiced (cinnamon) apple cider notes are also apparent in the aroma. The flavor is lightly malty, fruity (like apple sauce and white grapes), spicy (nutmeg, clove?). It also has the wonderful, subtle but not so subtle combination of sour, tart, and acidity. These subside a bit as the beer warms and combines to form a warm, lightly chocolately and nutty-like flavor. I also pick up some faint ginger notes toward the finish as well as a really, really light nuttiness if I hold the beer in my mouth for a bit. This beer has a medium body, yet it feels light and airy on the palate, and even soft and mellow. Overall, this is another good Jolly Pumpkin brew, but it seems to be missing the complexity - no, that’s not the right word - maybe uniqueness is what I’m looking for - to really differentiate it from many of the other Jolly Pumpkin offerings...

1 pt. 9.4 fl. oz bottle (6.1% Alc/Vol) from River’s Bend Wine and Spirits in Maineville, Ohio ($8.99+tax). Rating #217 for this beer...

OK, it’s official, I’m not a fan of Jolly Pumpkin beers. The last one was classified as a Sour Ale, and I didn’t like it. This one is classified as a Belgian, and it tasted again like a Sour Ale. 750ml bottle, poured a nice clear amber with a foamy off-white head. Very nice looking beer. Aroma was of tart, sour apple. Taste was tart, sour, and biting. Poured this one down the drain.

foamed right out of the bottle. cloudy amber color. nose that was sour and had a hint of vanilla. tastes of the sour vanilla as well.