Jolly Pumpkin La Roja

Date: April 06, 2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Ale Atlanta
Appearance: clear dark amber, whispy beige head
Aroma: sweet carmel malt aroma with light spices
Flavor: nice complex malt flavor with lots of spices, light touch of funk in the background, hint of tartness

Date: May 16, 2006
Mode: bottle
Appearance: thin head that can easily be stirred up to leave some lace behind
Aroma: nice funk of musty moldy cobwebs in the aroma
Flavor: nice light lip smacking tartness in the flavor

Date: April 03, 2008
Mode: bottle
Source: Ale Atlanta
Vintage: 2006
Appearance: huge frothy head needing to be degassed
Aroma: aroma is still musty as ever
Flavor: caramel sweetness is coming through in the flavor along with a lighter tartness and a backend earthyness

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.8/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Bottled. Hazy amber colour with beige head. Aroma is spicy, fruity hops and some slight hints of alcohol. Flavur is spices, alcohol, very sour fruits and also some wood.

Bottle @ GBBF 2007, London. Hazy medium amber color with a average to large, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, sour fruit, oak, wood. Flavor is moderate sweet and light acidic with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.

Bottle at GBBF. Hazy amber with a lasting medium sized off-white head. Fruity aroma, mostly grapefruit, and an Orval-like funk character blending perfectly with an oak note. Smooth, with tartness, and very drinkable. Fabulous subtle oak character all the way through the tasting experience. A beer I really wish I could try at home with plenty of time. 9-4-8-4-17=4.2 Which is what I can now, re-rating a full bottle one year later. Same notes, same numbers. Delicious! Another update, this time a JP tasting session: Even more complex than its brothers, with spicy notes standing out, especially white pepper and cardemum. The tartness is very fruity and berry like.

Dark amber pour with nice big head. Nose of fruit and sour candy. Flavor is big fruity, sour and woody. Finish just sucks the moisture from your mouth like a tanic merlot. Loved it!

750ml $7.99 Binnys Orland La Roja pours a dark and murky amber with glowing but also murky ruby highlights when backlit. Tiny carbonation bubbles rise furiously to the 2+ finger ivory head. This strong carbonation keeps the head big and creamy. Leaves creamy lacing that slowly slides back into the body. I like the looks of this beer, it has that murky mysterious look. The malt comes in the form of light caramel but there are many aromas layered over the malt. There is a mild dusting of spice (although I can’t put my finger on what spices). Mild berries come forth as well, some raspberry here some blackberry there even some sour cherries(actually a bigger part as it warms). The final layer is a direct cause of the barrel aging. Deep aromas of oak mingle perfectly with all the other components. Mild hints of vanilla occasionally and every now and then a drop of spicy alcohol. Flavor is spot on with the aroma although the flavors seem to be a little more muddled and harder to determine. It is deep and complex but the flavors run together a little to quickly. There is that pleasant sour/tart cherry flavor. Light bodied with a frothy mouthfeel. The high carbonation creates a great frothiness when La Roja hits the tongue. For a barrel aged beer and somewhat of a sour ale this is pretty refreshing and drinkable. Another interesting solidly crafted beer from Jolly pumpkin. I love picking up a bottle of Jolly pumpkin. You never know what you’ll end up with but it will always be good.

Bourbon is main smell and taste for me. Sour just doesn’t show. Pretty red amber color. Lots of head. OK, but wouldn’t buy again.

6/30/07 From bottle at the Seattle International Beerfest. Aroma is sweet, fruity malt with fruit skin esters. Appearance is light copper with an off-white head. Flavor is sour malt forward followed by some interesting pear notes. Mouthfeel is light bodied and textured with a good carb feel. Overall, just too cidery for my tastes and not too exciting.