Oro De Calabaza - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Cloudy, with good head,yeasty, lace. Well carbonated though somewhat prickly on tongue. Drying. Understated spice taste - Its clearly there, but its Not as bold a spice taste as Jenlain. Not complaining, its a creamy and easy drink. It's a good one. Thanks Dr. Jay for sharing.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2005 04:49:44 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Minimally hazy golden pumpkin (oro de calabaza) containing a static storm of fine yeast that add a great deal of character. The crown of foam looks great as well. It's orange-tinted ivory in color, is heavily creamy and is impressively sticky. Gorgeous, shredded veils of lace adorn most of the available glass, putting the finishing touches on a wonderful look.

If I didn't know better, I'd swear I was smelling an authentic BSPA. It must the yeast, although I've smelled plenty of domestic, Belgian-style beer that uses a true Belgian yeast strain that didn't smell this good. The aroma consists of brandy-macerated golden fruits (apricots, ripe peaches) sprinkled with a fine dusting of ground clove. Very well done.

Prior to this bottle, I've reviewed 93 different styles of beer. This is my first biere de garde so I'm at something of a loss as to whether or not it's style accurate. What I am sure of is that it's some kinda delicious! Like the nose, the flavor reminds me most of a BSPA, or even an especially fruity tripel.

None of the three Jolly Pumpkin beers that I drank prior to this one prepared me for such an incredibly complex flavor profile. Puree of orchard fruit flecked with inviting, exotic spices lulls me into a contented complacency, while warming fruit brandy mixed with golden rum provides a breathtaking blow, like a velvet-gloved fist to the solar plexus. What in the world did these guys do to this beer that they failed to do in all the others?

I'll give most of the credit to the yeast strain; it's obviously an ass-kicker of the highest order. Even though Oro has the highest ABV of all the JP offerings, it's the least alcoholic in terms of flavor. That may be because it's been aging the longest, but I don't think so. I think it's simply a superior brew. It melds and mellows even more spectacularly with warming. The beer is becoming barely cool, I'm the one who's actually warming.

The mouthfeel is medium-full with a wonderfully lush silkiness. Or is that a silky lushness? Once the initially peppy carbonation settled down (by the second glassful), the mouthfeel came into its own and really began to impress. Any lighter and the flavor wouldn't be able to get comfortable on the palate. Any heavier and the sweet stickiness would edge over into syrupy, which would not suit the beer at all.

My three previous Jolly Pumpkin beers were disappointments, at least relative to the hype. What I expected from them is what I finally got from Oro de Calabaza. This is an outstanding ale and instantly joins the handful of great Belgian-style offerings that I've had the pleasure to drink, no matter the country of origin. A big thank you to deejaydan for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2005 22:47:19 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.13/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

another one i had been dying to try just never got around to opening. split between two snifters and enjoyed while feet where kicked up on the dock.

Rich with a good bit of haze and floating sediments throughout. Very nice color here. There was ample carbonation evident from the very beginning, with streams of bubbles rippling up to the surface throughout the glass. A nice even level of foam, perhaps two inches in height. Nice settle down to a respectable layer across the top which lasted throughout the session and gave off copious side glass lace.

The aroma was very nice. Rich notes of fruit, pears, apples, some tart cherries, but lots of caramel malt smell too. Nice touches of grain and bready tones as well. The flavor was very nice. Rich notes of caramel malts wrapping around and mingling with sour fruits and touches of grain. Some nice fresh grass like hops playing around in here as well as the little bits of fruit just danced around in the back. Interesting feel, well carbonated and a cross between medium and light bodied. I was seriously impressed by the drinkability as it did not come across with the deep funk, letting you noticeably take bigger sips of it even on a hot day.

Overall this was very interesting and a very solid offering

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 05:14:28 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.13/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer pours a lightly hazed golden orange color with a tall white head.

S: A very nice tart aroma of apples, pears, and peaches. Light grass notes to it and some wet oak. A little bit of earthiness and some lemon zest. Still a little bit of malt and a touch of pepper.

T: Some light spice, particularly white pepper. Hints of bready malts in the background, but the tartness really takes hold. Lemon zest, lactobacillus, grapes, and apples provide a nice complexity and tartness.

M: Medium in body with a medium to high carbonation.

O: Another winner from Jolly Pumpkin. This is a really nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 23:54:43 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to bmanning for opening this bottle on Election Day 2010.

Pours a straw-yellow color with a good white head. A bit of lacing. The is some light grain and straw with a good amount of funk and a slight dose of sourness. There is really great notes of straw and barnyard. The taste is the same, as there is just a light malt character and a really nose dose of hay and blanket. Feel is really fantastic between the funk and some slight sourness. Drinks really well and is a fantastic offering from JP.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 03:31:14 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.65/5  rDev -12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Batch #217

Appearance: Pours a cloudy, sunshine yellow body with a large, meringue-like white head.

Smell: Orange 'n' creme aroma along with sour lemons, spice, funk, and a fair amount of oak (and displaying the lactic sourness that awaits me).

Taste: Sour lemon juice, a squeeze of orange, and a dash of peach schnapps. Never too much sweetness sneaks by. Oh, but it is oaky. Hint of pecorino in the back of the throat. It's sour, tart, and even citric - then it's over.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation.

Drinkability: As always, it's another weird, wild ride from Jolly Pumpkin.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2008 01:15:37 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy honey color with a suitably Belgianesque head; lovely lacing, too

Smell: The oak and leathery funk jump right out, with undertones of lemon, lime, apple, pear and juicyfruit gum

Taste: Lemony/limey and tart from the start, with the oak and leathery funk character dominating; the beer is very dry and grows increasingly tart by mid-palate, with just a hint of the green apple and juicyfruit flavors peaking through; the fruit is more pronounced after the swallow, with a little sweetness, but the finish is very dry

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate to high carbonation; mouth puckering

Drinkability: Not my favorite sour, but a very interesting beer that is well worth seeking out

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 23:04:09 | More by brentk56

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of TheBeerCellar2: Poured a light hazy golden color ale with a huge foamy white head with perfect retention (bottle was a bit of a gusher when opened). Aroma of pepper is surprisingly quite dominating with some sourness (brett) and some traces of oak. Taste is real interesting mix between sourness, sweet malt some pepper and other spices though not as much as the aroma was suggesting. Carbonation was a tad too excessive and body was above average. Another impressive effort from this fine brewery.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2006 18:23:09 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Interesting brew. It takes on Belgian Blonde, Wit, Hefe, and chardonay characteristics. Big estery, fruity aromas with some, yeasty, bready, and muskiness. Looks lightly murky and straw with great head retention and lacing. Tastes lemon-ey, pear-ey, dough-ey, honey, spices, bananna, mangos, and a bit leather-ey. The hopping is not timid either--strong earthiness. The body is bubbly and medium to the palate. Mildly numbing and tingly. Finishes drying and with a slight bite--Almost astringent. A challange for the tastebuds.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2005 20:48:50 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep hazy burnt orange with a big creamy-like head that settles with not much lace behid nice aromas of tropical fruit,pineapple mainly and spice coriander is big along with a touch of cloves.Different intermingling flavors going on very ripe pineapple and cloves dominate with a faint grassiness but the overipe pineapple dominates here.Wow a big flavorful beer that takes no prisoners,killer beer that I will take back with me to NC for sure.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2005 03:30:16 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jolly Pumpkin Oro De Calabaza
Batch #756
Bottled 06/30/2011... just over a year old

Appearance: Looking at the bottle I can see that there's still yeast and proteins that haven't sedimented despite cellar time. Perhaps the bottle was banged around on the fridge door. The first pour is a hazy yellow gold beneath a short head of creamy bright white foam. The head drops readily to a thin collar with some minor foam across the middle, yet it still somehow manages to leave fairly attractive lacing behind with each sip. (As it turns out, the yeast was actually fairly-well caked, and even the yeast pour only became somewhat cloudy).

Aroma: As expected, but not as harsh as I remember it being. Obviously there's lots of Brettanomyces going on: leather, damp wood, basement must, etc. There's also a very nice thread of juicy fruit (berries, cherry, lemon), some floral/pine/grassiness, a touch of chalkiness, and a quick flash of funkiness that's more seemingly from the not-so-nice part of the muddy barnyard. It's well-rounded and welcoming, but perhaps a bit sweeter and less complex than I recall other batches being. In the big picture that's probably a good thing as it's a little more approachable and will probably sell better.

Taste: As is always the case because almost all of what we "taste" is actually smell, the flavor mirrors the aroma (well, except for the funky, not so pleasant bit). It's tangy, and sharp as if you had a little piece of metal in your mouth, and it appears citrusy with a lemon character. But there's also some red grape and dry or tart apple to it. There's soft, wet leather behind that, a bit of grassiness and some soft pine, floral notes, more chalkiness and mineral (think crushed granite), and a touch of oak. Subtle spices run from start to finish but never really stand out, although coriander and black pepper are suggested. It's sweeter than I recall, and some nice malt character comes through. It's not very bitter at all, but neither does it need to be as the tartness is enough to balance it. It finishes dry with some residual sweetness, a spritz of lemon, some wet straw, grass, and mineral, and a pleasant floral and minty/piney character.

Mouthfeel: In the mouth it's light-medium in body and surprisingly soft with a very-fine, median, natural carbonation that leaves it almost creamy once warmed a bit.

Overall: Almost always on the money, Jolly Pumpkin rarely fails to impress, and although this may be one of their more straightforward offerings, it's still a charm. Everyone should like this beer, from the newbie to the most jaded connoisseur.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 03:01:59 | More by NeroFiddled

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Very hazy golden orange coloration, big, puffy white head, well-retained.

Sweet, spicy, fruity aroma...orange, tangerine, a hint of ginger and coriander...

Taste: bold, yet smooth, ...nice, bright hops dance on the tongue...rich, delicious malt...a great golden ale. Huge yeast, bright malty-ness, vibrant hops...a wonderful thing. Ever-so tasty.

Not a whit away from the standards of the style...absolutely scrumptious!
Give it up for the happy squash, one and all...this is a top-notch tripel/golden ale...I'd have it again in a heartbeat...wait, what did you say? It's a "biere de garde"?...I guess it's a good one of those, too...
this is quite a tasty thing, and I have another reason to toast the fine town of Dexter...they're brewing good things there...oh,yeah...

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2005 10:59:40 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

3.95/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a pale gold color with a towering white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a light pale malt scent along with a boat load of fruit esters. It's tart with some earthy notes. The taste is good also. It has a nice refreshing flavor that goes down easy and finishes a bit earthy with a slight tart edge. It's light and boasts of pale malts with some peppery notes. The mouthfeel is decent. It's a medium/full bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a tastey beer with lots of character; a good drinker.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2007 02:04:46 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev -6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

At the time of this review this is the #6 Biere de Garde on the best of beeradvocate lists.

Beer is heavily carbonated, honestly annoyingly so. The initial pour is all head, the head creeps out of the neck and acts as a barrier to enjoyment of this particular beer. Otherwise after the head finally falls back revealing that I poured a beer rather than a glass of suds, I see a yellow, pretty clear heavily carbonated beer. Awesome, and away we go.

Well, we were off to a bad start but this is a good smelling beer. Mild oak, yeast flavors and a brightness to the beer that I really enjoy. The overall aroma is kind of like a weak temptation from Russian River. Nice job.

Beer is medium to light in body and heavily carbonated on the palate. The beer is interesting and sweet with a nice dry late bitterness to it. I guess the carbonation is thinning it out too much....I enjoyed it truly and I'd have it again, appropriately tart with nice bitterness and a decent backbone.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 01:44:18 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

4.22/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a bubbly, orange/amber color with a two-finger, bubbly, off white head of foam. It left thin rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled very yeasty with notes of orange peel and dried fruits.

T - It had a nice grain flavor with sweet caramel and dried fruits. Nice orange peel flavor.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a fairly dry finish.

O - This is a really good Biere de Garde. Jolly Pumpkin is consistently great.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 00:22:46 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.13/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A: The beer is clear light yellow in color and has a moderate amount of carbonation. It poured with a half finger high bright white head that died down and left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: Light to moderate aromas of sourness are present in the nose, which also has some hints of lemon citrus.
T: Like the smell, the taste has a mild amount of sourness with some oaky flavors from the barrel aging; hints of lemon citrus are also present.
M: It feels light-bodied and a little tart on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is extremely easy to drink—no traces of alcohol are perceptible in the smell or taste. It seems to have a perfect amount of sourness to make things interesting but this also keeps it very drinkable. It definitely tastes unlike a typical bière de garde.

Note: Batch #1075, Bottled 08-29-2012

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:56:27 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange copper color, and it is topped by a frothy thick tan head. The aroma is at first cidery, but then becomes musty and woody with spicy notes of orange peel, ginger, lemon, as well as hints of cobwebs, acetic acid. The mouthfeel of this beer is smooth and creamy up front but then moves to a sharp, almost astringent note through to the finish. The beer has a dominant note of spritzy apples and lemon peel, as well as a note of bitter pith. This beer is quite complex, and tasty.

This shares many of the characteristics of the Luciernaga and the La Roja, but for some reason it just seems to work quite a bit better in this beer. This beer is quite well integrated between the up front apple and lemon character, the soft spiciness and the barrel funk. There is a certain sharpness in the finish which seems to have notes of higher alcohols, tannic woodiness, and hot estery alcohols. None of the sharpness in the finish is overwhelming, in fact it adds sort of a balancing note to the soft creamy fruitiness. While this beer does not wow me quite like the Calabaza Blanca, it is incredibly well balanced and certainly tasty to boot.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2005 02:28:46 | More by Gueuzedude

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.33/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oak aged Batch 308 picked up at Liqour World In Fayetteville, AR

Pours an effervescent straw with 2 fingers of eggshell colored head. Murks a bit a the bottom as you'd expect from a bottle conditioned beer

S: Horse blanket & lemons, fades over time

T: Lemons, sourness, grassyness & funky acidity up front. Green apple peels , dirt & sourness dominates as this warms along with dryness, along with a touch of lemons & grapefruits & more tartness & acidity. Finishes with much citrus & acidity, grainyness, was close to a 5.0

MF: Pretty smooth, but the acidity does detract a bit up front. Medium bodied with hints of stickyness as this warmed, but the vigirous carbonation balanced this out

Drinks very easy for the abv & sourness & everything else going on. Probably the best JP bier I've had, by far ! Easily on of the best American sours I've had...

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2009 03:57:34 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

For the last couple years, i've had quite a love affair with this beer. It's one that i've always put off reviewing for a later date. This bottle has been cellared for close to a year (10+ mos.) Old oval label, with yellow border.

For anyone cellaring this, be prepared for the geyser. It's huge. The Brettanomyces have fully invaded, and this stuff is lively enough to sing and dance. I lost 1/3 of the bottle, since it wasn't over a sink...and the glass took on as much foam as it could hold. Best course of action would be to refrigerate overnight before drinking.

Color is a high-clarity orange with some suspended particles. It glows in the light, and has a particularly gargantuan rocky head. Aroma is of over-ripened tropical fruit in the sun. More specifically apricot, peach, and pear. The Brett is big in the aroma too, an unbridled, wild farmhouse funkiness that invades the olfactory sensors.

Taste is mildly sour, then residual grapefruit and spice washes over the palate and lingers for a good while. It's a great ale to savor and contemplate over an hour or so. Not especially dry like others in this style, it dances on the palate for a long time, with a well-carbonated, fairly rich mouthfeel. Get 2 bottles, one for you, and one for to share...

Best served at cellar temperature, the character is much more complex. Too cold and all you get is sour. Hardly got 2 glasses out of this bottle, and I feel cheated.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2007 02:11:43 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.1/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle,

A: Deep yellow orange, with a thick white head, excellent lacing.

S: Lemon, orange, anise, brett funk, lactic funk, wet wool, barnyard, and a bit of honey.

T: Lemony-tangerine flavor with a lactic feel. Belgian-style yeast esters abound, though not as strong as I would have liked. Also taste an herbal quality, tastes of rosemary, sage, and thyme.

M: Acidic, definitely acidic, but not something like Berliner Weisse, it is very pleasant and expected, as this is a Jolly Pumpkin product. Very smooth and creamy as well.

D: A very drinkable biere de garde, an interesting take on the style, I really feel that lactic acidity and bacterial presence added a lot to this beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2007 03:32:15 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a cloudy yellowish orange color with a nice 2" head. Decent lacing develops through the session. Tons of little carbination bubbles scream to the surface.

Smell: lemon zest, apples, musky bitterness, and some yeast.

Taste: biscuit, lemon zest, honey, tart green grapes, pepper spice, yeast, and mild alocohol tones. The funky earthy tones linger throughout.

Mouthfeel: very crisp throughout with a long citrus fueled finish. Medium bodied.

Drinkability: there is a underlying tartness, but overall somewhat refreshing. An interesting beer that must be tried.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2006 17:00:27 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a tulip glass.

Pours golden orange with a huge white foamy head that descends to a lasting, thin white layer. Plenty of lacing is left.

The smell is tart and citrusy - fruity, especially orange, banana, and other tropical fruits. An earthy breadiness is in the background.

The upfront taste is sugary intermingling of tartness and sweetness - reminds me of a Sweettart candy. Soon it becomes well-balanced by citrusy/tropical fruits - oranges, bananas, etc. covered with spices - black pepper and clove, esp. A slice of apple peel emerges in the mix. Very complex, yet not overwhelming - the tastes blend together wonderfully. Carbonation keeps the flavors lively. (In a way, it reminds me of a spiced Duvel.)
The alcohol is slightly noticeable, but non-interfering.

The feel is creamy, smooth, and champagne-like. The medium body holds up incredibly well, as do the flavors.

This is wonderfully delicious and too easy to drink. I was saddened when I got to the bottom of the bottle (unfortunately, some was lost at the start to excessive foaming), and wanted some more. I'll be sure to get more of this outstanding brew!

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2006 03:31:20 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle, batch 1023, bottled 05-22-2012.

This beer pours a slightly hazy, bright medium golden hue, with three fingers of dense puffy off-white head, which leaves a stellar honeycomb pattern of lace around the glass as it gently recedes.

It smells of bready, doughy, grainy malt, yeasty horse blanket funk, sour, acetic cherries, a bit of white pepper, some mild wood astringency, and prominent leafy, earthy hops. The taste is fairly tart, grainy bread, earthy yeast, a moderate funk, black pepper, a nice grainy woodiness, and soft earthy, weedy hops. That extra 3 points of booze renders just a wee warming sensation, like, um, uh, oh forget it.

The bubbles are soft, fine, and accommodating, the body on the lee side of medium weight, and yet a tad too crackling when it comes time to measure the smoothness. It finishes off-dry, the grainy malt proffering some lingering sweetness, against the still dense, complex yeast sourness and the leavening effect of the wood.

A lovely golden ale, the big wild yeast edges softened by the barrel time, and other farmhouse goodies chiming in. Tasty, and a commendable example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 07:38:25 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

To sum up this beer, I'd call it deliciously balanced funk. The funk, to be more specific, it's a measured palate full of milder barnyard notes, like earthy animal and hay, along with grassy, herbal hops, and a biscuit malt backbone. The wild yeast here isn't too strong and this beer maintains excellent drinkability for that.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2008 14:09:37 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 750 mL capped bottle. I pulled this one for a re-review because my taste for tart beers has begun to expand and I have come to appreciate the flavor they have.

A: The ale is a cloudy yellow color, goldenrod-like. The cloudiness is not a result of sediment, adding a layer of mystery to the ale. The head was explosive, slowly petering out of the bottle. It erupted in the glass, requiring at least four pours to fill up my Sam Adams glass. That thick head completely blanketed the sides of the glass.

S: The brettanomyces leaves its mark on the nose, creating a tart nose that really catches ones attention. Saison-like spices augment the tartness, lending some peppery licorice aromas.

T: The peppery body really stands out against the tartness, going so far as to tame that bitter bite of the brett. The peppery flavors are augmented by a strong alcoholic warmth that makes the ale almost hot. Dry fruit flavors meet the peppery heat, adding a strong barnyard element, slightly fruit with a definite funk. That funk is augmented by the wild yeast that has added a noticeably dry tart flavor that instinctively makes you want another sip.

M: The ale has a lot happening in the taste: fruit flavors, pepper, funky tartness and alcohol. The flavors are much more saison than the malt-dominated bière de garde (this is supported by the lighter color too), so a drinker should be aware of that. But that ale is quite enjoyable to drink.

D: The alcohol heat makes drinkability a little tough, as the alcohol is unable to hide. Despite that, the drink is full of vim and vigor (with apologies to WWS for that one).

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2007 01:54:48 | More by akorsak