Calabaza Blanca - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Imaginative name and bottle. I liked this mellow wheat beer, but only as a share of a one-time bottle. Carbonation on tongue, with lemon and bitterness in there. Corriander, ginger and spices moderated by malt dose. Thanks to Wohlfs for shlepping to Doug Shoemaker's super tasting.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2004 15:52:26 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Lightly foggy lemony amber with a huge number of bubble streams firing off the bottom of the glass. The head is cumulus cloud white, pillowy and very large. Despite the massive bubble barrage directed at its underside, the foam falls more quickly than it should. The surface is nearly featureless, indicating a lack of stickiness, also apparent in the complete lack of lace. Room for improvement.

The nose is decent for a witbier, but it doesn't overly impress. Sour orchard fruit is dominant with coriander as the most promient style-specific aroma. A faint suggestion of bitter orange peel is evident as well. While there's plenty of power, the nose isn't as integrated or as characterful as I'd like.

It's a little on the flavor-deficient side; an impression that is accentuated by an airy, ultra-light mouthfeel. The flavor profile is made up of tart, unripe fruit (green apple, pear), coriander and a bitter citrusiness that's as much lemon peel as it is orange peel. There isn't much malt sugar present either. The beer is as dry as they come and the back end is positively arid.

Calabaza Blanca is both evanescent (mild, fleeting flavor) and effervescent (reminiscent of Champagne). I usually have a fairly low tolerance for excessive carbonation, but this beer isn't as annoying as it might be due to the fine nature of the bubbles. The mouthfeel is active, but it's more of a low buzz than a soda-like fizziness.

If the body were any lighter it would cease to exist altogether. To be fair, it does acquire a fraction more gravitas once some of the carbonation has exhausted itself. It does, however, come dangerously close to watery on the swallow. The bottom (yeasty) portion of the bottle delivers more flavor, different flavor, but not better flavor.

Mild. Light. Highly carbonated. These aren't usually characteristics that find a great deal of favor with me. Having said that, this is a pretty refreshing beer and is insanely easy to drink. In the end, 'White Gourd' isn't as impressive as its (very impressive) bottle and label would lead one to believe. I still have high hopes for the other Jolly Pumpkin ales though. Thanks to deejaydan for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2005 00:47:06 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Always a favorite and welcome one to see on the wall. I could not resist grabbing a pint of this one again.

Wonderful pour, light golden yellow in color with great cloudiness to it. A big white head caps the the top of it nicely before settling down with nice lacing coating the sides of the glass. Aroma is light, slightly tart with hints of citrus and grassy notes, cloves and bananas. Really well done aroma as it seems to get even more complex the further into it you dive. Smooth, coating feel here. Not that crisp and clean feel you would expect from the style, it is fuller with a much more coating feel to it. Again really well done and just a great example of the style. Nice banana and clove flavors play off each other with light peppery spice and lemon zest tacked on for good measure. You could really just drink this one all day.

Overall this is one of the smoothest and easiest drinking beers you can find. Great job here,

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2010 02:07:52 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle from 2010

A: The beer pours a rather clear golden amber color with a massive white head that is very well retained.

S: A rather strong note of green apples and apple skins to the aroma. There is a light spice character to it as well as some musty oak and a little bit of grass and pear.

T: The flavor is sort of muddled. There are some of the same apple and pear notes with a light lemon zest tartness. Musty funk is there, as with almost all Jolly Pumpkin beers. Very light spice notes on the back end.

M: Light to medium in body with a rather high level of carbonation and a drying finish.

O: Good, but it didn't impress me as much as other Jolly Pumpkin beers.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 04:18:39 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle picked up somewhere a month or two back. Served in a SAVOR wine glass.

Pours a clear light golden color with a thin white head and some spotty lacing. The nose carries some really great wheat character along with a light touch of oak and funk. Slight acidity there as well. Reminds me a bit of a berliner. Flavor confirms that last point. The wheat and bugs combine for a really pleasing dryness. Great balance and supreme drinkability. Light body with crisp -- yet not over the top -- carbonation. Slight acidity to the finish. Extremely solid. Beautiful beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 03:42:03 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

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

Batch 279.

Appearance: Pours out a cloudy, straw-colored body with a frothy, tall, white head.

Smell: Pleasant mixture of tangy wheat with tart-scented fruits, earthy, freshly-ground spices, piquant oak, and some punchy lactic notes.

Taste: Soft white wheat with a scant, brief honey-like sweetness. Tart fruity flavors of pears, white peaches, and, lastly, some tastes of sweet and bitter orange peel. Then, in comes the spice hints of coriander and powdered ginger. Relatively smooth, but still slightly puckering oak wood hints. There's sort of a ubiquitous lactic sourness throughout. Finishes rather dry with lingering, lasting touches of oak, spice, and tartness.

Mouthfeel: It's just a hair under medium-bodied. Well carbonated, no question there, and quite bubbly from beginning to end.

Drinkability: To help "set the mood" for this beer, I stepped out into the unpleasant, grotesquely humid, hot Atlanta weather for a few minutes. Though it ultimately lacked the body and creaminess of some witbiers, I felt it excelled surprisingly well in terms of both refreshment and enjoyment (at least with Batch 279). With some beers, clearing through a mere twelve ounces is a chore, but finding the end of this 750ml was a breeze!

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2009 22:22:06 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a coudy golden color with tons of frothy white foam; icebergs rather than lace stick to the side of the glass

Smell: Surprisingly tart nose (almost like a Berliner Weisse); clear elements of wheat biscuit, coriander and, to a lesser extent, orange

Taste: Flavor burst of wheat, coriander and orange/lemon bitterness followed by a less sour, but more yeasty, finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied but full of carbonation

Drinkability: A very nice brew for the warmer weather; having picked this up on a recent trip to Orlando, I was hesitant to keep it until next Summer; a very intriguing wit from a brewer I will seek out in the future

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2005 23:20:23 | More by brentk56

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle courtesy of Thebeercellar2 : Pour a yellow ale with some white haze and a big foamy head with perfect retention. Aroma of brettanomyces was overly dominant and left little space for the coriander and orange peel that were advertised on the label. Taste is also dominated by the brettanomyces with some hints of coriander and wheat. Body is definitely above average for the style and that made it pretty enjoyable. I’m not sure what to make of this beer since I’m not sure the brett was planned to be there but it didn’t stop my enjoyment of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2006 18:59:53 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

A very complex and experimental Witbier. A lot going on. Aromas are very spicy, citrusy, yeasty, bready, and musky with a touch of tartness that boarders on sour. Looks a hazy straw with an abundance of carbonation and laces very well. An alternating play of tart lemons and grapefruit with sweet oranges and wheat malt swirl around a solid dosing of hops. A moderate base of barley malt gives a bready, yeasty, and a light grain flavor. Spices of corriander and curraco play on the toung. High carbonation gives a creamy texture. Less thin than expected. Finishes dry and quite chardonay-like. Muskiness continues. Lightly sweet and bitter with a light grainy bite in the throat, still, refreshing. A very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2005 19:19:57 | More by BEERchitect

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The "white pumpkin" pours a hazy yellow-gold body beneath a fluffy head of bright white. The head retention is great, no doubt buoyed by the effervescent bubbles rising from beneath, but the lacing is limited. The nose is oaky with some orange/lemon and non-descript spice beneath. It's light bodied and zesty in the mouth with a very fine-bubbled, effervescent, natural carbonation from bottle conditioning The flavor is oaky and dry upfront, followed by a spritz of orange/lemon and a touch of ginger-like spice. Coriander becomes apparent in the finish. Tart, refreshing, dry. It has a low bitterness to it, but it's still very dry in the finish, no doubt in great part to the oak-aging. Delicate. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2006 16:30:02 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a tumbler at ChurchKey.

My first JP brew, and an endorsement from the bartender here at CK. Let's go. It pours a hazy golden straw topped by about two fingers of white froth. The nose comprises light lemon, orange peel, coriander, cinnamon, and some very light pepper or cardamom. The taste is pretty much the same, but there is a stern force of citrus peel bitterness and a slight cedar flavor added to the proceedings, spinning things a bit out of control. It just doesn't taste right to me, is all. The body is fairly light, with a light carbonation (that's barely there) and a crisp finish. Overall, an underwhelming offering, hopefully not all that indicative of this brewery, which I have heard such good things about.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2010 05:09:42 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pale yellow hue, edging that near-white that epitomizes the style, with an able, attractive cap of creamy foam.
Zesty nose, alive with spice, yeast, and citric fruit, lemon and orange.Very lively and likeable, and again, fully in the witbier paradigm.
Tenderly trips on the palate, sleek and slippery, awash with coriander, ginger, and fruit. So light, it dances along the tastebuds, but keeps them happy with delicately delicious flavors.
A top-notch effort from a brewery to keep your eye on!

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2005 09:46:27 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Another witbier, this one was more interesting. Beer is yellow and hazy with a tiny white head that leaves some lacing on the glass. Carbonation is high. Looks good.

What is this? Acetic nose? This is going to be sour my friends. Very flowery.

Beer is pretty oaky, medium body but thin in flavors. Late dry sourness, oaky tannicness, moderate carbonation in mouth. Its an interesting attempt at souring a wit but it fell a little short in execution.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2010 19:46:30 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch 298.

The beer pours a straw gold color with a huge white head. The aroma is classic Jolly Pumpkin. I get a lot of wheat and lemon/orange notes, as well as a ton of brett character. There is a little bit of funk as well as a lot of leather notes in the aroma.

The flavor is great. I get a lot of leather notes as well as some orange citrus. There is some nice wheat and lemon notes mixed in as well. The beer is very dry overall and is very drinkable. As the beer warms I start to get some cherry notes in the flavor.

Medium mouthfeel and low to medium carbonation. Outstanding overall.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 02:55:47 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is hazy pale yellow in color and poured with a thin film of bubbles covering the surface and a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of sourness in the nose along with some hints of citrus and spices.
T: The overall taste has a light to moderate amount of sourness with flavors of wheat and notes of spices.
M: It feels light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is very easy to drink because the sourness is subdued. It’s a very light, easy to drink and refreshing witbier with a twist.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 00:01:48 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a light to straw yellow color. Fairly cloudy with a small, white, fizzy head.

S - It smelled of corriander, wheat and yeast.

T - It tasted very spicy. The spiciest wit I've ever had. Nice blend of wheat, citrus and lemon flavors.

M - It was sharp and crisp. A light to medium-bodied beer.

D - This is a very interesting wit. It tasted like nothing like any other wit I've had. Pretty good, too.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2008 02:25:25 | More by zeff80

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.9/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a hazy gold-orange color, it is topped by a frothy off white, creamy head that is held up by an ample carbonation. The aroma is spicy with orange peel dominating, but there are notes of ginger, pepper, a hint of musty cobwebs, earthy coriander, and a bright citrus acidity. The aroma is quite nice.

The beer is nice and light on the palate. It starts with a citrusy orange character and finishes with a bright acidity, that moves to an herbal perhaps woody tannic note. There is a nice light wheat character here that mixes well with the other refreshing components of this beer. This really is quite well done actually, at first it seems like a straight up Belgian Wit, but there are subtle notes of complexity here, and I do believe that there is perhaps a bit more acidity than is typical of the more simplistic Witbiers out there. This beer has lots of good spiciness to it as well, I get notes of ginger, pepper, coriander. I like that the coriander is used correctly in this beer, it is not too strong and the earthy-herbal note that is typical of overly-spiced versions is held nicely in check.

This is definitely one of the best Belgian Wits that I have had, I am a sucker for a good Wit, but I think that this has struck a really nice balance. It is bright, citrusy, and quite refreshing, yet it has some subtle complexity to it, but not so much that it gets in the way of this beer being refreshing like it should. Hopefully the barrels that this beer is aged in will be properly inoculated, because this could use a bit more funky complexity to it, that would definitely make this beer perfection in the glass come late spring to summer time. This is by far the best beer from Jolly Pumpkin that I have had, This is in fact just a world class example of this style, and I hope this brewery can get their Barrels going such that all of their beers can get to this level.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2005 02:06:21 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle (Batch 313) into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a bright yellow color, with a short white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains sour citrus, Belgian yeast, some spice, light malts and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with tart and acidic flavors of lemon and other citrus fruits that are quickly followed by wild Belgian yeast and a thin malt character. There is some mild spice in the background along with a faint but complementary hops presence creating a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sour and slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and very crisp, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is very clean.

D: Tasty, goes down quite easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a very solid, poundable, light, Belgian-style beer worth drinking for a long time.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2011 23:54:52 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.53/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Batch 323 pours an effervescent light gold color with 3 fingers of cream colored head. Some yeast sludge clings to the inside of the bottle top... Hazes a bit as the bottle drains, superior head retention & & insane lacing

S: Grainyness & sourness, coriander & lemons in lesser amounts

T: Follows the nose, some lemon zest as well & chalky dryness up front, a touch of coriander & white pepper as well. Lemon zest & sourness as this warms, plus dryness, Finishes zesty, citrussy, with a touch of lemon grass

MF: Light bodied, creamy & a slight grainyness

Very drinkable, not a fan of all Jolly Pumpkin offerings, but this one is very refreshing, a great example of the style & maybe my favorite from these guys

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 06:32:25 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured very slowly into a pint glass, resulting in massive, pillowy foam. Multiple tiny streams of carbonation course through the liquid. Head is slow to fall, looks like a whipped merengue.

As the last dregs of wheat & yeast are swirled then poured, the body becomes increasingly opaque. Watching the yeast fighting against the upward carbonation is like witnessing some primitive chemical reaction.

Smells of coriander, earth, lemon, and fruit pastille candy. Taste is earthy belgian yeast, mildly tart citrus, not much hint of alcohol. Pretty zippy overall with the carbonation and citrus taste. Yeast/wheat delivers a smooth mouthfeel without being soapy or heavy. Tart, tasty, and thirst-quenching.

Ranks among the best and most unique US versions of this Belgian style, in my humble opinion.

Edit: The first time I tried this, I didn't think much of it. By the 2nd or 3rd time, it's subtlety was clearly it's strong suit, and I find myself returning to it again and again for a good thirst-quencher. This ale has expanded my understanding of this style.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2006 00:46:08 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

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

750 mL bottle, batch 406,

A: Pours a hazy yellow to burnt orange. Very thick long-lasting white head, thick lace, though it was a bit of a gusher on the opening.

S: Coriander initially, but is overtaken with sweet orange peel and lactic acid. Bit of semolina wheat.

T: Definite orange peel which I like in a wit is the predominant flavour with light notes of lactic acid. Coriander and peppery wit flavours are there but understated. Lemon/citric type acid in the finish. There is some acid, but the barrel aging is nowhere near as evident as in some other Jolly Pumpkin beers, but it provides a good overall backbone, coalescing all the flavours together and giving a hint of vanilla on the finish making a lemon custard note which is quite enjoyable.

M: It's so overcarbonated at the beginning, I have to dock it for that, but sometimes it can happen in bottle-conditioned beers. A little coaxing fixes this and leaves a nice spritzy light-bodied ale, mild acid, creamy and dry.

D: This is truly wonderful white ale. The oak aging adds a lot of complexity and the flavours are dynamite. I think I would like this even more with a bit more funk and acid, but it's great as is. One of the more expensive wits on the market, about $5 for 12 oz., but you get something special.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2010 01:46:30 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

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

750 ml bottle:

Pours golden (hazed after the last of it is poured). Very little lacing sticks.

The smell is tart/sour with orange peel and coriander. The JP sour/tart/funk is there, but meshes well with what is there, creating a "different" but pleasant smell.

The taste of malty sweetness peeks through, but is cut by a yeasty dryness and tartness/sour. This again, has the sour/funky house character of the brewery, but in the taste it comes close to overpowering. Not that it is necessarily "strong", but the other flavors aren't either. Orange peel adds zest and coriander some pepper, but the main characteristics are a sour character and a yeasty dryness. I was hoping that the last of it would make it better - it doesn't really.

The feel is appropriately light-bodied. It is effervescent with a creamy touch. Refreshing.

A tart/sour version of the style. I know that this brewery likes that sour character - it's a bit too much for me here. A problem I have with this style in a large bottle is that you don't get the "real deal" until you get to the bottom, so you miss "part of the show" if you are drinking it by yourself, especially. In this case, enough yeast character was present enough (though not in the appearance) that it didn't improve it much (though did change it a bit). I can appreciate sour/funky brews, but it was a bit too much for this style, for me, with just not quite enough else "going on" to really love this one. A nice, "something different" brew, but that's about it.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2009 21:42:08 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

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

Picked up a bottle while driving through Kalamazoo

This is what a great, but delicate beer tastes like. Highly carbonated, yellow body with a tall white head and great lacing. Smells of subtle sweet malts. Taste is mellow, but complex. Smooth malts give way to corriander and vanilla followed by citrus and hop bitterness. Light on the palate and very satisfying. A different, but amazing wit.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2006 00:38:24 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I am drinking a 750 mL capped bottle, poured into an Ommegang Three Philosophers goblet. The ale is chilled.

Appearance: The ale is golden in color and pours with a hazy finish that does not dissapate. There is little head that condenses at the top of the beer in a think white ring.

Smell: The beer's coriander and curacao peel aroma is evident on first whiff. The spices give the ale a wonder aroma that makes me want a sip.

Taste: My biggest problem with Jolly pumpkin (and I say this after having had only three different bottles) is the insistence on open fermentation. The spice character of the ale makes itself known briefly on first sip before giving way to the yeasty factor that the open fermentation gives it. The ale tastes quite dry (without consideration of said spontaneous fermentation), giving it a certain pucker factor that I've not found in other witbiers. Interesting take on the style, but it seems to fall a bit short.

Mouthfeel: The ale is VERY dry, stripping the taste buds and forcing one to take another sip.

Drinkability: The ale is relatively low in alcohol and would be perfect for a hot summer day. You may want something sweet to go with it though.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2006 00:30:43 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appears a light golden cider with clouded yeast particles suspended throughout the head is a bit spritzy but overcarbonation doesn't come through at all in the texture. Bright white head dwindles quick with minimal thin lacing. Aroma complex coriander and citrus notes with heavy tart acidity really piercing the senses. Tart oak barrel aging really brings about some cider notes, not the overly sweetened versions but those drier in nature. Flavor brings out perfume like layers of coriander with other possible spices, citrus tartness with bitter pith notes come through. Bready wild yeast notes play their role so nicely adding to the ever growing complexity of Jolly Pumpkin beers, artisan ales at their finest. Dry soothing finish with the spices really leaving a coating on the palate. Mouthfeel is light bodied spritzy carbonation with that slight oil like composition of the dryness blended with oak and spice great mix wonderful finish. Drinkability is so sessionable at 4.8% and in addition it's complex enough to keep one refreshed and intrigued throughout each bottle excellent and don't hold back on any of the yeast sediment. Oh and I get some creamy bubblegum chalky finish thing going on that I really dig. Like stale bubblegum with cardboard accents from a pack of baseball cards, nice.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2007 05:03:46 | More by WVbeergeek