Jolly Pumpkin La Roja

750 ml bottle poured a cloudy orange amber with a small lingering amber head. Aromas of sour orange, carmel, light earthiness and a hint of wood. Palate was light bodied and crisp. Flavors of wood, orange, carmel, and apple with a lingering lightly tart finish.

This poured a dark ruby red color with a small white head. Aroma was pretty sour and maybe some citrus fruits as well. Flavor was very sour but lacked any outstanding flavors behind it. This seemed like a very bland sour to me and not nearly as good as the grand reserve

This one has been sitting in my cellar for at least a year. A- Pours a hazy reddish brown with a nice, fluffy, 2 finger eggshell head. S- Smell is very malt forward, lots caramel, citrusey sour fruit at the end. T- A bit of a letdown from the look and smell. It’s about the reverse of the smell, with very muted caramel notes steamrolled by a slightly sour wave of bret. M- Medium bodied with quite a bit of carbonation. D- This one was looking like such a winner until I took a sip. I felt like I would either love to see it more sour or more caramel barleywinesque with just a touch of sourness but the balance that was struck didn’t quite do it for me. I’d love to try a fresh bottle for comparison.

Gusher, saved most of the bottle by bleeding off pressure. A moderately sour Fllemish Red. Oak character was subdued, decent residual maltiness

Sampled at Beerhawk’s Beer Gods in the Boro, aka 1000 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, By God Beer God Gathering, BG1K Tasting. Murky reddish brown pour with light tan head and lacing. Sweet tart aroma. Funky sourness that I associate with most sours. Moderate carbonation. Bottle 12 of 2008. Fun label. Not bad for what it was.

pours a murky red brown. Lots of funk and fruit in the nose. Smells like it’s been in a basement for a while. Flavor is tart sourness, sweet malt, some cherries. Dry finish.

La Roja poured a murky hazelnut with chestnut and dark brown hues while a collection of soft foam and delicate bubbles settle on top. A swirl produces instant lace that sticks like glue while her nose makes her way to mine. Sour funk. Tart cranberries and cherries tickle my senses while soft notes of dry wood, leather, and citrus blend together beautifully. If it wasn’t for the brew in my glass, I would swear I was biting into a sour, unripe cranberry or cherry, lips puckering beyond any conscious control. Delightfully clean in body and mouthfeel, crunchy plums and crisp tart plum skins mingle amidst their fellow sour buddies while soft wood notes leave a down-to-earth presence in the finish. Each quaff leaves my mouth dry and watering for more, and I sadly watch my La Roja diminish in presence while I find myself fully enraptured by her mystery. Dry with a soft backbone of wood and leather. Delightfully crisp and clean, she overflows with sour cranberry, cherry, and plum flavors. A light finish which is as clean as her body, La Roja is straightforward, leaving no question as to her beery intentions which allow me to thoroughly enjoy her from our first kiss to our last.

Well played, my friend. I may never know who my mysterious pumpkin visitor was, but what I do know is that he has led me to an innovative and skilled craft brewery which combines American innovation with Flemish and Belgian tradition. While sour ales may be an acquired taste for many, once the bug has bit, there can be no going back. Soon, like me and many others before, you will profess your undying loyalty to barrels and a little miracle known as brettanomyces.

amber pour with a nice white head. Aroma is oak and grapefruit. Flavor has more citrus fruit up front, dry dusty wood, and funk. Tart finish but nothing overpowering for the style.