Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Rating #905
I am finally getting around to actually rating this beer, even though I have drank many a bottle in the past. This bottle happens to be from a more recent batch, which I noticed is very different from what went before.
The beer pours with a body as golden as a summer sunset and as lively as the winter winds. A tall rocky white snowdrift rests enduringly atop. The aroma and flavors from this batch of Ora are filled with fruity esters of apples both green and red, ripened green grapes, bananas, plums, and passion fruit. Nice spicy suggestions of black peppercorn, with a hint of coriander in the finish. The wild yeasts are most prominent. Lots of zesty and mildly tart brett flavors intermingle with some gentle lactic flavors… adding tons of depth and density. Pulling out lots of biscuity suggestions, a hint of yogurt and buttermilk, rather dry and vinous in the finish. The body is spectacular. Carbonation is largely from an in bottle secondary fermentation…adding a very fine and silky texture. This is a splendid beer… I am glad I have multiple bottles on hand; as I might just have another after this… WOW!

UPDATED: MAY 29, 2012 Bottle from Siciliano’s in Grand Rapids, MI. Pours clear golden, with white lacing. Aroma is tart, with slight malt and green grapes. Taste is very tart and dry, while also being slightly salty with olive hints. Tastes fairly Gueuze-like, due to the wild yeast. Enjoyable.

Bottled. Pours slightly hazy golden with a off-white head. Leaving a fair lacing. Nose of caramel, vanilla and citrus. Sweet flavor with citrus, orange and caramel. Medium bodied, oily texture and soft carbonation. Ends up more dry and bitter.

Bottle at Oliver Twist, Stockholm. Somewhat hazy pale golden with a small offwhite head. Fruity woody aroma, grassy, citrus. Sourish flavor, woody, fruity, citrus, bready notes. Citrus finishwith some wood, a bit sourish.

Slightly spicy aroma. Orange appearnce fairly cloudy with white head. Slightly sweet taste. Citrus finish. Overall pretty good for a golden ale. Easy to drink.

Such a great warm weather beer. Spicy with some pepper. Just a hint of hops. I could drink a ton of this.

Murky gold with white, quickly dissipating head. Nose of sour cherries, funk, bubblegum, confectioners sugar, and plum. Medium body with lots of carbonation. Musty apples mixed with bright sour cherries, grass, and bubblegum. Lasting tingly tongue, but otherwise mostly clean finish.

Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a two finger head that sticks and laces nicely. Aromas of citrus, funky brett peppercorns, and a hint of astringent soap. Initial flavors of sour peaches, lemon zest, undertones of black pepper and bitter hops presence that all balances out nicely with a tropical malt sweetness in the lingering finish.

Bottle 750 ml. Pours hazy blonde with a little white head. Aroma is of brett, citrus and malt. Taste is great. Very sour at first (due to the brett) but becomes gradually more sweet (malty). The body is a little thin and this beer is dry on the palate. Overall, a really good beer, highly drinkable. Bouteille 750 ml. Robe blonde trouble, un léger collet blanc. Arôme de levures sauvages, d’agrumes et de malt. Le goût est intéressant. Très sûr au début (levures sauvages), puis de plus en plus sucré (malté). Un peu mince en bouche, cette bière assèche le palais.. En somme, une très bonne bière.

Bottle 750 ml. Hazy pale golden with almost no head. White lacing. Aroma of brett, malt, fruits, woods, and citrus. At first, brett is very present but malt aroma become more and more present during tasting. Taste is malty, with some sourness (brett). Body is thin and palate is dry. Overall, the balance of this beer is great. Nice complexity and lot of similarities with Buteuse Brassin Special.

Pours a hazy golden color with a thick white head...good lacing and retention. Aroma has a subtle vanilla with some sweet maltiness and a touch of funk. Flavor has a tart lemony citrus with a musty funkiness....straw with a barnyard funk. Mouthfeel is light with a dry leathery/funky finish.