Calabaza Blanca - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

clayrock81

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Maybe the cask had something to do with it, but poured a cloudy light orange with fizzy head and a sour grape and tart fruit smell. While smooth and light-bodied and with a hint of sweetness, this beer is mostly sour but not in a complementary way but just a tad offputting as it overpowers the fruit flavors and the minor spicing in there. Finishes dry and is an alright beer.

Serving type: cask

07-08-2010 11:20:02 | More by clayrock81

Cresant

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served this 25.4 oz brown bottle in a Tripel Karmeliet glass. Batch 835, bottled 7-7-2011. The body was a pale golden/white/yellow. There was a hearty, bright white head that left a film throughout.

The smell was Sweet-Tarts and lemongrass (?).

The taste was tangy and tart. Fruity. Citrus and white pepper. Drying finish. Not my favorite style but a pleasant surprise.

The mouthfeel was filling/expanding with fine carbonation. Overall better than expected.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 18:03:54 | More by Cresant

rand

California

4.64/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 250 mL bottle into a Mikasa pilsner glass

A: Looks like a creamsicle...orange and opaque with white hues, and forms a frothy 2 inch head on a gentle pour that never fully recedes.

S: The nose is lemon pepper and yeasty pastries and a touch of grassy funk. A little barnyard-y, kind of reminds me of something Fantome would brew and call a Saison.

T: The flavors follow, with a tart, honey sweet aspect quickly dried by lemon pepper and orange zest. Maybe a touch of coriander. The yeast yields a touch of funk that carries throughout the sip and accents the drying aspects. Finishes short and dry and refreshing.

M: Light and crisp on the tongue, plenty a carbonation that adds to the levity.

Another ace from JP. This has got to be one of the tastiest, most original takes on the style. I love the session-able approach as well, pretty much nailed this one on all aspects.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 04:03:19 | More by rand

bum732

Maryland

3.41/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.25

S: Oak up front with some orange, slight funk. Spicing somewhat hidden.

L: Hazy, golden yellow, not much head.

T: Slightly tart, fruity malt with orange and lemon. Low bitterness with additional tartness. Finishes fairly dry with residual tartness. Traditional orange and coriander pretty well hidden, more as it warms.

M: Medium think bodied, medium carbonation. Quite crisp and refreshing.

The Brett has definitely taken a hold in this botle (2011). Pretty good overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 01:38:14 | More by bum732

Petcha

Minnesota

4.01/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A - Cloudy golden orange

S - Lemons and subtle witbier style spices, bit of standard JP funk as well.

T - Nice dry, non-puckering tartness, lemons and green apple, dominate without being overpowering at all. The traditional witbier spices are present but in a subtle, balanced way.

M - Crisp, dry, nice carbonation

O - Love how the tartness adds a different dimension to a traditional wit. Not incredibly memorable, but a solid JP offering. Would seek this out again.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 18:42:48 | More by Petcha

flagmantho

Washington

3.81/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from 750mL bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: nice silvery-gold hue with a light haze and a strong effervescence. Head is two thick fingers of frothy white foam. An attractive witbier indeed.

Smell: lightly sweet, lightly wheaty aroma with a pretty pronounced citrus tang. Quite lemony, something you don't see too often in the style. A little bizarre, but mostly I like it.

Taste: same lemony, wheaty flavor as in the aroma. Light and refreshing, as the style should be, but just a bit on the weird side for me. It's well-crafted; just a bit unusual.

Mouthfeel: light body with a big carbonation and a refreshing, rocky creaminess. I like it.

Overall: a tasty and drinkable beer, although a little weird for the style. I'll give it points for originality, though. This is a beer I'd have again.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 20:51:04 | More by flagmantho

kojevergas

California

3.29/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

A barrel aged witbier? Why? I'm skeptical but optimistic. Especially since it's Jolly Pumpkin. Batch 1043. Bottled 03/07/12. 1 pint 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into an Odell 90 Shilling pilsner glass in me friend's gaff in high altitude Fort Collins, Colorado. Reviewed live.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Not paired with food.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger white colour head - quite thin - of no real cream but above average retention. Body colour is a cloudy pale yellow. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Looks typical of the style.

Sm: Lemon, orange, clove, pale malts, fresh citrus zest, and cilantro (but I wouldn't say coriander, if we're being technical. I don't detect any oak or barrel notes. A fresh aroma of moderate strength.

T: Orange and lemon citrus fruit, with some grassy hops throughout. Lemongrass in the body. Cilantro. Citrus zest. Orange peel. Pale malts are well integrated in the body. It's nicely built for a witbier but lacks the subtlety a better offering would feature.

Mf: Too heavy on the palate for a witbier, which is supposed to be fleeting, light, and refreshing. Still, it's nicely smooth and wet but with enough coarseness to coax out the flavour, and sound dryness on the finish to encourage the next sip. Thickness is troublesome but well executed.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable, but stops short of refreshing. It's pleasant, but lacks the feel of a solid witbier. I think the barrel aging meated it up too much; it's lost its subtlety. I don't know that the slight aging did it any favours.

Low B-

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 22:37:52 | More by kojevergas

blakelive784

Colorado

3.2/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

1 pt 9.4 fl oz brown glass bottle served in a snifter, reviewed live:

A - Pours a cloudy lemon golden color with a fizzy white head of 2.5 fingers. Retention is bad and the head leaves no lacing.

S - Lemon zest, spice (coriander?), pungent yeast, spicy phenols, clean pale malts, and light floral hops notes. Moderate strength. Smells fantastic.

T - Tart, spicy notes open over a sweet, fruity body. Floral and grassy hops counter the pale malts nicely. Yeast is prevalent, but not overpowering. I'd never guess this is barrel aged. It's pretty well built, if a bit simple.

M - Highly carbonated, crisp and very dry on the finish.

D - It's a solid wit, but that's about it. Nothing special, but very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 22:33:31 | More by blakelive784

mudbug

Oregon

4.43/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 939
From the C&C 750 into a tulip results in a pale , clear, yellow body topped by a snow white fluffy head that drops pretty quick down to a thin cap with slight lacing.
Aroma is subtle with lemon zest, wet hay, grapes. Nothing overpowers anything, quite a nice blend.
Taste is very good, lemony zest, coriander, wet hay funk, very juicy. Begs to be gulped down.
It very sprightly and live on the tongue and nearly impossible to sip, this 750 is going to be a gonner very soon.
Put this one on the Dinner table, would pair with a wide range of flavors, little aftertaste and just so slightly dry on the end.
I will drink this one again soon!

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 01:08:00 | More by mudbug

tut2528

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch 590/591 Bottled 7-21-10 Consumed 11/10/2012

A: pours a murky yellowish-gold color with massive carbonation that creates a monstrous 2-3 fingers worth of dense head formation. In fact, as I opened the cap, there was head beginning to form within the bottle even prior to the pour. The lacing is huge as well. The body is very transparent and you can see the thousands of bubbles that rush to the top of the brew that supports the long head retention.

S: first and foremost, a big funk and sourness is noticed but i also pick up on slight coriander, lots of spices, orange peel, lemon zest. The barrel aging characteristics are present as well and sit in a very nice balance with the rest of the brew. For this style, I'm surprised by its complexity and depth

T: wow...definitely did not see this one coming. Mega funk and sourness dominates the palate initially but then I get a very nice blend of orange peel, vinegar, slight lemon zest and coriander. This is easily the best brew for this style that I've had to date.

M: nice and light on the tongue. leaves a beautiful funkiness and tartness that causes me to continuously salivate and want to take another sip. and there is just enough fruit aspect left on the palate to keep it all in check

O: I raise my glass to Jolly Pumpkin on this one...well done. This is only my second offering by JP and I must admit that I have thoroughly enjoyed both of their offerings. As mentioned previously in this review, I was shocked with the complexity and depth of this brew (for this style). The sourness is so well balanced with the spices and fruit that it allows all other aspects to make their presence known as well. Solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 03:17:31 | More by tut2528

impending

California

4.18/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A-

750ml into a tulip. Pours a hazy pale yellow, minor head didn't last, little lacing.

Aroma is rich and vibrant, the orange peel and coriander are obvious but additionally lemon grass and the cusp of sour.

Flavor is muted yet complex, lemony citrus. Just minor tart which stops short of sour. Perfect dry finish, the aftertaste is wheaty, a little acidity, quickly fades to a minor echo, pairs well with food.
Thin bodied mouthfeel. Shares little with a traditional wit.
delicious
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 07:07:17 | More by impending

Brenden

Ohio

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The extremely clouded, unfiltered-looking pale gold I expect is the color. A soft, fluffy white head grows to between one and two fingers high, sits well, and deposits patchy lacing as it goes.
The Belgian aspect is just a little subtle in this one, though certainly still detectable. It's very bready with the earthy and spicy touches and the expected tartness to it. There's also a nice citrus element in the foreground and the very lightly soapy /herbal /spicy note of coriander. The touch of funk balanced well with the dry malts, the light sweetness, the sourness, and the gentle hops bitterness. A light grains note lingers underneath the whole way through.
The feel is nice, a gentle but firm carbonation setting the pace in an appropriately light body. It's drier than many wits, but not too much as the feel is balanced well. Smoothness is there under a good, firm crispness.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 22:14:09 | More by Brenden

mocktm

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Clearance shelf for $5.99 at Riverhead Beverage, NY. Blend 810, bottled 5/31/3011.

Over A year old, but, for a barrel aged JP wild ale, that's nothing, right? Poured into a Belgian chalice

Bubbly and effervescent on the pour, like champagne. Sparkling white head on top of a hazy, light golden color. Lousy retention though...

Sour lemon, orange and vinegar dominate on the nose. Slight floral presence and mild sourdough bread.

Typical JP funk in full force, orange and spice dominate with a hint of sourness, although not as puckering as I had hoped. Tad bit of of bitterness on the back end.

Relatively light bodied, this is what 4.5%? Really easy drinking and a nice summer beer.

Another solid beer from JP, although at the regular price tag of $12 or so, I wouldn't bite again. It's a great beginner sour though.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 19:29:21 | More by mocktm

atr2605

New York

3.65/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-pours a hazy yellow straw color with a white head with exceptional retention
S-citrus, coriander, pepper, hay
T-Sour citrus/lemon flavor followed by the coriander and pepper flavor, tart bitterness, and finishes very clean on the palate
M-light-medium bodied
O-Not a bad brew, distinguishing flavors of a witbier with a bit more tartness. Wouldn't get it again but nice beer to try

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 02:10:48 | More by atr2605

laituegonflable

Australia

3.98/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased grey-market from Platinum Liquor; but I suspect if there's any brewery that shouldn't worry too much about grey-market imports it's a Brettanomyces-heavy joint like Jolly Pumpkin. Age will not weary their beers.

Pours a pale straw colour with fluffy white head, sinks slowly without leaving a lot of lace. Decent cloud. Not bad.

Smells funky, quite saisony really. Mild sourness with a slight citric twang, but pretty organic and barnyardy really with Bretty acidity. Refreshing, though, and pleasant.

Taste is funky and sour from the get-go, with nice citric notes building with a touch of champagne, orange peel and some sultanas. Dries up a lot towards the back, with a mild puckering sensation. Crisp and refreshing, with not a huge amount of flavour but plenty of interest and a nice mix of acidity and bitterness. Generally and expectedly interesting take on the white beer style.

A bit puckering, but padded well enough, doesn't sharpen too much. Not bad, quite a presence.

Pleasant beer, interesting take on the style. Not too exciting but nice.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 07:09:12 | More by laituegonflable

andrewinski1

Maine

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a wine taster. The color is very light straw and hazy. There is a small spritzy head.

The aroma has a nice dose of lemon zest with lots of clove spice. There is mild malt sweetness. The aroma is nicely balanced.

This is immediately light and refreshing. There is mild malt flavor, with an emphasis on zesty tartness. The finish leaves some pepper and clove spice.

I can't believe it took me so long to getting around to trying it. This is delicious and perfect for Summer.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 03:40:55 | More by andrewinski1

edwino

Arizona

1.5/5  rDev -61.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

I'll be brief. Maybe I got hold of a bad bottle, who knows. But this is the first beer in a long time that I have poured down the drain. Absolutely tasteless. Nice bottle design though.

I really expected something more here. I've been a fan of Celis whitefor a long time and thought this might be something along those lines but it is like they took a good white beer and sucked the soul out of it.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 03:31:30 | More by edwino

hagbergl

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sticker on the back of the bottle reads "Batch 867, Bottled 8/11/2011." Despite having three-quarters of a year of age on it, tastes fresh and has not a hint of oxidation on it. This ale is aged in oak casks, so obviously it's going to hold up well as long as it's stored properly. This is my first Jolly Pumpkin beer from the bottle and a departure from my usual IPAs, Saisons, and Belgian strong ales, so I'm very excited. They have a reputation for making weird ales...and I like weird.

Appearance (3.5/5): Pouring the bottle into my Dogfish Head snifter produces a three-finger bubbly foam head that dissipates rather quickly to a small ring that sticks with the beer until the end. The beer is a translucent goldenrod color, what you would expect from a Belgian-style witbier. With all the bubbles rising, you can see that the beer is highly carbonated. Appearance-wise, nothing amazing, and probably the most ordinary aspect of this ale.

Smell (4/5): The beer's aroma is very interesting for a witbier, since it has a little bit of citric sourness and Brett-like funkiness going on (not sure if the brewers added Brettanomyces) that is counterbalanced against the sweet aroma of peaches. Did I say this brewery had a reputation for weirdness? It's a good kind of weird aroma though–one that calls to mind Rodenbach and not a beer like Allagash White, which technically belongs to the same style as Calabaza Blanca.

Taste (4/5): The beer has a light lemony tart taste that is balanced by the spicing, wheat, and hints of sweet peach in the taste. No hint of alcohol. The beer's tartness dominates with each sip leaving a dry, lingering sourness on the palette. It doesn't get cloying though, and I had no problem finishing the full 750 mL bottle on my own. I felt the light tartness encourages the drinker to continue drinking. I recommend not babying it; feel free to drink at a good pace! The one downside of ripping through this beer is that it actually warms nicely.

Mouthfeel (4.5/5): I really enjoyed Calabaza Blanca's mouthfeel. It has a nice, vigorous carbonation that really lends a brightness (for lack of a better term) to the beer and enhances its flavor in a big way. The beer feels pleasantly light on the tongue. Every sip of this tart brew creates a lightly prickly sensation.

Overall (4/5): This is one unique witbier–it doesn't remind me that much of others I've consumed in the past, and that's great. I particularly like the odd approach of barrel-aging a witbier, a good idea that works in this case and sets it apart from other beers in its family. This is an odd but approachable beer that's great for drinking on a warm summer night. With plenty of those around the corner, you should consider buying a bottle or two of JP's Calabaza Blanca.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 22:41:14 | More by hagbergl

warnerry

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Batch 518; Bottled 3/4/10, into a tulip

A - A slow motion slight foamer after uncapping, but not too bad. Pours a hazy golden brown with three fingers of white head and an intense stream of rising carbonation. Head has very good retention and leaves quite a bit of lacing.

S - Coriander is the first smell I notice, followed by yeast funk and orange zest. Has a bit of spice beyond the coriander as well.

T - A sharp tartness, with orange zest and a bit of lemon to start with, followed by coriander, faint pepper, and a nice funky yeast presence. Pretty refreshing, with a lingering lemon taste.

M - Light, crisp, and intensely carbonated.

O - I haven't had a fresh bottle, but aging doesn't seems to have bothered this beer one bit. A bit simple compared to other JP brews, but it is refreshing and tasty, so no complaints there. The lemon aspect is very nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 20:16:51 | More by warnerry

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy, but surprisingly clear pale yellow colour. Head is frothy, voluminous and perfectly white. Some sprightly carbonation through the body. No lace left behind on the glass. Light body. Looks like a decent craft pale lager, but not much like a witbier.

Nose is sprightly and vivaction. It's light and fresh with a touch of acidity. Some sharpness, and a bit of soft citrus. There are some spicy notes as well, which tends almost to a type of barnyard funk. As expected, it's a slightly funky witbier.

Taste is light and refreshing, but ultimately quite thin and flat. Some funk and a touch of acidity, like a single shot through the centre of the palate. Some metallic crispness on the back. Very light in flavour and body.

Overall, despite (and because of) its lightness, it's very refreshing and very sessionable. In fact, I'd be really happy drinking this as my regular go-to beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 03:43:24 | More by lacqueredmouse

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 964 Bottled on 12-08-2011

A: Pours a cloudy pale to medium yellow in color. The beer has a finger tall fizzy white head that reduces to an extremely thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer as a single patch and a thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Light lacing is observed.

S: Overall this beer has a rather mild aroma. There are notes of citrus and spices along with the sourness I usually associate with brett.

T: Like the smell, the taste of this beer is rather mild with a light presence of wheat, citrus zest, and coriander/spices. Also, there is a pleasant amount of sourness, like what I normally associate with beers that have brett. Very tasty.

M: Light bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Slightly prickly on the tongue due to the sourness combined with the carbonation.

O: I really enjoyed this beer, the combination of the brett-like sourness with a witbier. The sourness contribution makes this beer strangely refreshing. Very easy to drink and definitely one that I could have a few during a session.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 00:03:39 | More by dbrauneis

cps98

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A – Straw yellow in color with a very airy bright white head. Disipates very fast into a small ring of bubbles. Good lacing was present.

S – Very lacking in the smell department. Very light hints of wheat and very small hints of lemony citrus.

T – The flavor was a little lacking from what I expected. Very lite wheat flavor, along with some citrus along the lemon front. I didn’t get any coriander or orange as described on the bottle. It did have a nice acidic quality.

M – Nice acidic quality, very dry finish. Really good carbonation.

O – It was a nice sour beer from Jolly Pumpkin but from the description on the bottle I was expected a little more in the flavor department.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 12:47:36 | More by cps98

onewetpaw

Tennessee

4.38/5  rDev +12%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip.

A. Subdued spice. Pepper

A. Light golden. Clear when poured from a rested bottle. Thick slightly off white head that persists.

F. Beautiful mix of mild sourness, tart wheat character along with some very mild barnyard flavors from the the Brett. This has been described as what a Belgian White would have tasted like in the past. If that's true than our elders were lucky!

M. Silky with a nice tang/crispness from the higher carbonation.

O. A great beer. Highly drinkable and awesome. This is the type of beer I am always wishing I had more of. The availability at Whole Foods is awesome with this low volume specialty producer making it possible for me to get this special beer even in TN.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 12:48:38 | More by onewetpaw

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance. Pours yellow gold with a little haze and a big fluffy white head.

Smell. Sour apples and a little funk and lemon.

Taste. Sour red apples, a little bit wheaty, hints of fruity belgian yeast and spice.

Mouthfeel. Lighter body with pretty strong carbonation.

Overall. Really easy drinking and nicely sour. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 03:02:01 | More by Rutager

DovaliHops

California

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Batch 964. Bottled 12/8/11. Pours a slightly hazy, golden straw color with a large white head that disappears quickly. Scent is quite earthy with some oak notes and orange peel. A bit of lemon along with typical JP farmhouse funk. Hints of wheat and coriander with peppery spices. Taste is initially like a traditional witbier...with clove, coriander, Belgian yeast...slight banana and orange...but JP puts their twist on it with their famouse barrel aging. Lovely tart farmhouse funk and oaky, white wine characteristics come through. Mouthfeel is light bodied, crisp, and very dry. Drinkability is very high. Overall, I feel like a broken record when I talk about Jolly Pumpkin...they can do no wrong. They have perfected the art of barrel aging. They don't go for the "extreme"...they just do Jolly Pumpkin.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 07:39:52 | More by DovaliHops