Jolly Pumpkin La Roja

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

A hazy amber beer with an orange head. The aroma is sweet with notes of flowers as well as hints of coconut. The flavor is sweet and very flowery combined with notes of eucalyptus and pumpkin, leading to a dry end. It has a slight alcohol burn in the mouth.

(Bottle 75 cl) Reddish brown - almost Kriek colour. Hazy with a nice, creamy, off-white head. Incredibly lovely and very delicate nose - aromas of coconut! Delicious, lightly vinous and dry with a touch of acid. Good full body and very, very delicate. Jolly Pumpkin uses open fermentation which might explain the acidity, and they let their beer age on oak which explains the obvious notes of Bourbon and/or Rioje red wine. Yummy indeed. But a "Bière de Garde"?? Not really, this is far better. 240705

Bottled, thanks Immy! Cloudy dark amber, creamy head. Buttery ligtly acidic Brett aroma. Dry and light bodied with lively mouthfeel and notes of raspberries and oak. What a wonderful flavour explosion! Incredibly light and drinkable for 7.2%. Absolutely superb!

75 cL bottle. Pours hazy amber to brown with thick off-white head. Aroma is dry wooden, brett and mild wineous fruity. Dry sulphorish flavoured with a nice dry brett flavour to a smooth wineous fruity base. A bit light bodied yet nicely counter balanced by a lot of flavours rather than a thick malt backbone. Lingering fruity and sulphorish from the back of the nose. Ends dry and wooden.

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.

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.

Bottled. Cloudy orange coloured with a small beige head. Sweet fruity aroma with notes of alcohol and spices especially vanilla. Sweet fruity flavour with lots of spices and notes of alcohol.

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