Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

UPDATED: OCT 24, 2007 One and only batch 1 750mL bottle sampled on 11/6/05 with the Montreal crew. Pours a dark brassy-copper with some deep strawberry-auburn hues and some darker browns swirling about in the middle. Fair amount of haziness and only a small, off-white head with low to moderate retention and some spotty lacing. Aroma is a real sniffer. Strong, rich dates, raisins, even milk chocolate, hints of creamy oatmeal with brown sugar and bananas in it and a strong dried cherry fruitiness. I like Goldorak’s suggestion of a MaiTai, there is definitely a cocktail sort of feel to it. But yet, it dosent get too one-sided in any note, nor is it too sweet. Aroma is long-lasting. The yeast is clean and works with the other notes without really asserting itself. I think, strictly as a dubbel, I wouldnt give this as high an aroma score, but I see no reason to hold this strictly to a traditional dubbel style.
The flavor starts out with a light bit of toffee and milk chocolate, with dry raisins, a hint of cinnamon and a touch of dry vanilla on the end. After a few more sips, alcohol rears its ugly head on the finish. Lightly dry, fruity citrus notes, a touch of chewy caramel and some candied prunes. A touch of grainy malts as well. Unfortunately, the texture has not seemed to hold up well even only after a year. Very loose, thinned out and watery on the end. Low carbonation and I can see where fresh, it probably had a tight mouthfeel, but not at this point. Another surprise is the relative lack of sweetness in the flavor. After taking in the aroma, I was preparing myself for a very sweet, malty, chocolatey/caramelly beer, but that it is not. Not too dry, however, it is well-balanced in that regard. High alcohol apparency knocks it down in flavor, though. If I hadnt had the same experience (high alcohol apparency in the flavor) with the Luciernaga, I might have been more apt to cut it some slack, but I have little patience for alcohol apparency, especially in beers in the 6-8% range. And one more complaint, while I’m at it, I really wish JP would cork their beers.
Rerate Had another bottle on 3/4/06. This one I poured out. Ron needs to seriously figure out where he’s going with these beers, because this lactobacillus and other wild yeast infection is attenuating the beer 100% and making it dry, rough, sharp and no fun to drink. Wood tannins and alcohol apparency only exacerbate the problem. This one used to have the maltiness, but it’s gone. And believe me, I need very little sweetness to keep me happy (none actually, see Cantillon), but when the texture suffers, and the wood and alcohol kicks in, then something needs to balance. 7/4/4/2/9

Had a newer batch on 1/18/07 and another one a month following that and I was blown away. Both bottles were easy mid-to-high 4’s for me. A wonderful barrel-aged wild ale that was so unique in its extremely bright, lively fruitiness. Tart cherry notes, lime, grapefruit, apples and strawberries, with a well-attenuated dryness, but nothing like the previous bottle that was obnoxiously over-attenuated from the lacto. Nearly perfect, and though I won’t assign the score completely based on these samples, I’ll greatly increase the score and chalk up the near-drainpour bottles to a poor aging candidate. I’ve got one more bottle that has been aged for a while now, so I’ll see i’ll be able to further test if that is the case.

Style et résumé: Wild ale américaine aromatisée au cacao, pelure d’orange et cannelle.
Comment: Bouteille de 750ml , capsule métallique, partagée avec slovaksniper. Batch 937 embouteillée le 19 décembre 2011 .
Description: Bière ambrée avec une blanche-beige durable. Le nez est classique pour un produit Jolly, il y a des levures sauvages contrôlées, des bretts et un côté fruité. La bouche est savoureuse, pleine de saveurs de brett. Le cacao se fait discret mais il offre probablement cette finale astringente. Il y a une touche boisée fort agréable. Une autre bière réussie par cette brasserie américaine.
Note: 7+/10

(75 cl dans deux verres. Merci Yan!) Batch 937. Embouteillée le 19-12-2011. Un liquide qui présente une robe ambrée. Une mousse beige qui se dépose avec la ferme intention de perdurer. Un nez de JP avec des petites fleurs épicées et des agrumes sucrés. Des saveurs rafraîchissantes touchées par la levure et par une certaine douceur maltée. Des épices plus évidentes lorsque le liquide devient chaud. Un fond fruité, des notes acidulées, aigrelettes et asséchantes. Un corps de moyenne densité avec un pétillement actif et une texture finement huileuse. Une finale parfumée, jamais agressante et sèche.

På fat på Mikkeller. Kopparfärgad disig öl med lite skum. Doftar omogna äpplen, ek och lite funkighet. Fruktig öl med en avslutning som drar lätt i kinderna. En trevlig amerikansk version av belgisk öl.

Bottle. Game 1 Stanley Cup Finals. Pours chestnut brown with off white head. Nose/taste of wild yeast, cinnamon, orange peel, cocoa and malt. Medium body. Dryish finish.

(bottle) clear amber colour with very tall tan head; aromas of bread, spices, citrus; clean balanced flavour with refreshing acidity and bitterness, quite good

CBC. Light hazy amber with an off-white head. Aroma is sweet, malty, fruity and light tart. Flavor is quite sweet and moderate acidic. Dry and moderate acidic finish. 110512

LOVE THIS. JP is becoming one of my favorite brewers. Aroma of chocolate, spices, funk, citrus, and spices. Taste is mild tartness and light funk with a chocolatey roasted backbone.

Draught at CBC. Presented as ABV 6,1, Hazy dark reddish amber, small off-white head. Aroma is caramel, light sourness, oak, fresh dark fruits. Flavor is fruity, malty sweetness, dry herbal hops, kinda dusty, tart finish. Rather light body - I am a little disappointed, I have come to expect a lot from Jolly Pumpkin, this wasn’t up to standard.

On tap at CBC, enjoyed with beerbiker and evil stepdad. Clear orange with a dense white head. Light fruity framboose aroma, seawater salt, spices and with light fresh coffee. Balanced ligt acidic, fruity sweet and spicy.

Bottle @ Haand festival. Pour murky brown, with no head. Aroma is slightly funky and slightly hoppy. Pretty standard in my opinion. Taste is slightly bitter. Average body, with an average carb.