 kepano (239), Meudon, France
Apr 1, 2008
My friend Garrett and I had been looking forward to our first taste of Jolly Pumpkin, so when the Michigan brewer finally landed in Colorado we had ourselves a double feature. La Roja was first up, pouring a hazy red-orange topped of lasting cream. The aroma is sadly vague. Though interesting scents are present, none of them are assertive enough to veritably grab the drinker. A slight earthy funkiness, asparagus, damp soil, these are the tones that quietly form La Roja’s nose. Hints of apple and sour pear, a modicum of brown sugar and leather; some grain, some grape and a sort of industrial steel-meets-concrete smell. Switching to the palate, the sourness gains in weight, a favorable development. Grassy and woody, the barrel’s influence is evident. The flavors of tobacco, pepper, black cherry and hay are well in tune with the creamy mouthfeel. A nice brew, for certain, but I was expecting a little more punch. (20/05/07)
NayTron (33), Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
Nov 3, 2009 BATCH 4 2009.Pours a dark cloudy amber orange. Smells like sugar, citrus and cork. Very light on the palate with plenty of carbonation. Taste of green apples and citrus, very dry finish. Really good stuff.
patrickfannon (274), Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA
Nov 1, 2009 Bottle. 25.4 oz. Pours hazy amber with a beige, creamy head. Aroma of apples, hops, malts, grapes, and hints of lemon. Full bodied with a smooth, tart mouthfeel. Long, slow finish. Excellent sour ale.
TheGrandMaster (1848), Auckland, New Zealand
Nov 1, 2009 Bottle (in NZ) - thank you yalnikim. Pours a hazy brown with a filmy head. The nose is full of sour granny smith apples and caramel. A short sourness on the palate, red wine like tannins. Fruity - both citrus apple - with toffee. Dry all the way through. Challenging and enjoyable. Perfect for forgetting a tough marathon earlier in the day.
polomagnifico (532), Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Oct 24, 2009 Bottle. Aroma has notes of sour fruity heaven with some oak, spice, caramel, and apples. Medium amber hue with a nice white head that mostly diminished. Flavor was awesome! Sour fruity notes that finished barnyard, dusty and dry. Palate is medium bodied and lively. Fantastic brew that blew me away. Can’t believe I hadn’t rated it before. Delicious!!
LtJudge (431), Muskego, Wisconsin, USA
Oct 21, 2009 Bottle (Blend 2,2009) Poured a nice copper color with a nice head. Great sour aromas with hints of oak peeking through.Flavor is of tart and sour cherry flavor and oak notes very present.Has a very dry feel,almost like a nice dry wine.Nice complexity’s here.Wonderful Brew!
yalnikim (776), Wellington, New Zealand
Oct 18, 2009 17/10/2009, 750ml bottle (Blend 4, 2009). With Steve. Hazy pinkish amber, fine light head. Sour cherries, oak and a hint of dusty wooden cellar. Sweet and sour. Assertively sour, with a hint of brett like dryness (but not as dry or horse-blankety as something like Orval, Cantillon, Boon). Mild sweetness lifts the quaffability of the beer, and balance the oaky tannin, without clashing against the sourness or dusty notes. Fun label. A very nice drop. It’d be great to have another bottle and see where this goes over time...
AlabastorJones (762), San Francisco, California, USA
Oct 17, 2009 tart sour nose with hints of brown caramel malts, thin head, deep mirky brown color, palate is quite watery which must be from the excessive dryness of this ale, flavor is acidic and tart but far from overwhelming, significant lingering bitterness, hints at fruit but far from complicated in the ester department, some dark malt flavor sticks around at the finish, very mild brett flavors... Far less complex and bretty than most other JP ales, but more sour than most of the others I’ve had
gyllenbock (240), Stockholm, Sweden
Oct 16, 2009 Bottle. The color was fine, reddish-brown and slightly cloudy with a foam that remained as long as there was beer left in the glass.
Nice sour notes in aroma, also hay, berries and apples were found.
The taste was both good and interesting. A nice acidity, however, far from extreme. Bit Cantillon-light maybe one could say? Also fruit, vanilla, raspberry, caramel and oak. A very pleasant beer.
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