La Roja - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

wedge

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Blend 16 | Bottled: 8-30-2011

Murky reddish-brown color under a bubbly beige collar of a head. Acidic, woody cherry aroma. Earthy spice, wild yeast, caramel apples, and vinegar. First sip: solid fruity tartness upfront...sour, spicy cherries and berries, and some phenols lingering in the back. Less acidic than the aroma. Dry and pretty crisp; sweet, but not too sweet. The spiced, wooden earthiness continues through to the flavor and works well with the fruit. This is tasty stuff. I dig the sourness, though the astringency is a bit much in the nose and detracts from the more pleasant aromas. All around though, a fairly smooth, lip-smacking, tart experience and one that I will likely have again at some point.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 02:34:37 | More by wedge

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml served in a Duvel Tulip.

A - Pours a rusty amber with an off-white cap. Specks of lacing left behind.

S - Oak and cherries dominate. A perfume potpourri aroma. Hints of caramel malt, sweettart candy.

T - Acidic and woody, tart grapes, lemon, cranberry juice, apple skins and spice. Bready malt resides underneath. Finishes woody and very dry.

M - Light to medium body, acidic, slightly sour, crisp and dry finish.

Wood is upfront and works well with the cherry tartness. Nice balance of lactos. Great rustic aroma. The first beer I've had from Jolly Pumpkin and won't be my last.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 00:04:13 | More by StaveHooks

spicelab

Australia

3.85/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber thanks to Adam@Platinum Liquor.

Burnished mahogany with a moderate white head that falls to a slight ring and film.

Kriek-esque nose of tart cherries and balsamic with a smorgasbord of rotting organic material (in an appetising way) behind it, notes of musk, grassy funk, candy sugar and some snappy herbs. Very bright and lifted.

Flavours show more intense pithy tartness, before gradually opening out into sour cherries, sherbety dark fruits and lots of tannins.

On the lighter side of medium with vibrant carbonation and a suitably tart, drying finish.

Impressive wild ale with charisma plus. Complex but well contained. Close to a kriek stylistically but with a little more yeast and malt action.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 08:49:46 | More by spicelab

maximep

New York

4.15/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a great beer. the perfect intermediate beer if you're trying to get someone who doesn't necessarily like sours into sours. theres two reasons i say this. first, the sour upfront punch is countered by JP's incredible balancing of this initial sour with a pleasant sweet ending. the mouthfeel is near perfect. i often feel that JP gets their mouthfeel off, it always feels a bit too thin but this one is rich and silky at the same time... a real treat. not much hops presence, a bit in the middle of the taste, it's a more citrusy taste than an oily resiny one, which fits well for the style. worth seeking out if you're into the sours.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 05:23:25 | More by maximep

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 oz bottle poured into a tulip glass at cellar temperature. Watch out when opening this one; the damn thing started fizzing like champagne.

L - Cloudy amber-brown color with a 1 finger bubbly tan head that rapidly dissipated. Surprising after the geyser that I experienced opening this thing. Nice lacing, though.

S - Almost wine-like. Definitely darker fruity notes, like dark cherries, and vinegar acidity. Some oak aromas can also be picked up and maybe the slightest bit of caramel. A touch of alcohol aroma here as well.

T - Follows the aroma. Sweetness of cherries, grapes, and caramel suddenly leads into sour acidity. The trademark barnyard mustiness of Brettanomyces can be picked up towards the finish.

F - Medium-bodied with a sharp, extremely dry finish. Slight tingling from the carbonation, nice warming sensation from the alcohol, and slightly sticky mouthfeel but the highlight here is the intense dryness at the finish.

O - I can see this being one of those beers that you give to someone who’s not that into beer and they say, “This can’t be beer...I actually like this!” It definitely is a nice representation of the style with both sweet fruity notes and sour acidic notes. Not my favorite because it smells and tastes too much like wine for my taste, but still a nice offering from JP.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 02:21:06 | More by BlackBelt5112203

jgagne

Kentucky

4.13/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Deep red/brown body. With a substantial light brown head.

S- Intense cherry and citrus smells permeate off this beer. You also get a nice under lacing of bready sweet notes.

T-prominent sour tropical fruit flavors. Nice malty flavor that finishes with a clean grapefruit flavor.

M-medium body with high carbonation.

O-very good sour. Not to intense but just enough sour flavor. Great brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 21:40:37 | More by jgagne

Pintofbrown

Iowa

4.23/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I love the Puss in Boots pirate character on the bottle. I enjoyed the beer in a tulip glass.

Appearance- There is a solid two-fingers of egg shell colored foam, falling slowly and leaving behind a little sheet of foam. The body is golden-amber with much darker hues of brown and red at the sides of the glass.

Smell- A big punch of sour cherries and a slight funk that smells of soaked wood. Not much more is going on than that, but it smells good.

Taste- Heavy dose of sour at the front of the drink. Some sour cherries, white grapes and unripe raspberries. I also get some red wine qualities from this one.

The finish is earthy and has a little bit of the funky wood character. And man is it dry! This one is pretty complex, and for being over 7% ABV it is impossible to tell.

Mouth feel- This one is fairly creamy, almost no carbonation noticeable. It also goes slick over the tongue, a more medium body than light.

Overall- This wild ale has plenty of sour fruit qualities and woody funk to spare. I would have appreciated maybe a little more sweetness, or even some heat.

The caramel malt is more earthy than anything else. However, the complexity already inherent in this beer makes it a wonderful drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 02:46:55 | More by Pintofbrown

dbrauneis

New Jersey

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

Served in a bottle at DBGB Kitchen & Bar in New York, NY

A: Pours a lightly hazy dark amber to garnet red in color. The beer has a half finger tall off-white head that reduces to a thin ring at the edges. No lacing is observed.

S: This beer definitely has some light vinous notes along with the aromas of sour cherries, tartness, light sourness, and just a hint of mustiness.

T: The tartness of the sour cherries definitely comes through in the taste as well as some light vinous sourness. There is a hint of mustiness and a very light bitterness in the finish. Very nice balance and complexity.

M: On the lighter side of medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation.

O: I really enjoy this beer and it pairs so well with pork. I really like the tartness and the light sourness, making this beer very enjoyable to drink and certainly one that I could enjoy multiple glasses over a meal. I need to pick some more of this one up at some point soon.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 13:36:09 | More by dbrauneis

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

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

Poured from a bomber into a tall Against-the-Grain tulip. Sticker on the bottle says ``Blend 18 Bottled 09-30-2011''. The bottle gushed just a bit upon opening (good thing I was holding it over the sink). The beer was a reddish-amber color with a nice level of carbonation and a thin off-white head. The nose had faint notes of tart tropical fruit with a tiny bit of barnyard funk that seemed to fade with time, leaving only the sour fruit notes.

The flavor was acidic, tart, and very refreshing without being sour in an overpowering way. Medium body. At mid-palate, I get some of the contributions from the oak-aging, but it's kept in-check by the tart character of the beer. The beer claims to be ``brewed in the Flanders tradition'', but it lacks the accompanying, balancing sweetness of, say, a Rodenbach. Still, whether this beer is an American Wild Ale or a Flemish Red Ale, it is a nice example of one of the most refreshing styles of beer one can find. I am overjoyed that American brewers are not afraid to produce beers in the Belgian tradition. If you like sours, don't pass this one up.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 20:42:59 | More by deadonhisfeet

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Blend 12 (Bottled 7-11-2011)

A - A vigorous pour yields two fingers worth of densely packed, slightly fluffy, audibly fizzy light khaki colored head... Impressive retention, especially for the style... Once faded, what's left is a full veil of lacing and a moderately thick collar... The color is a light brown with a distinctive ruby red hue... Some sluggish to moderate paced small bubbled carbonation... There's a bit of a glow to this one...

S - A bit tart... Some light vinegar notes... Cherries... Strawberries... Even some raspberries... Perhaps some light tannins as well...

T - Some faint strawberry up front... Lots of wood notes - possibly more than any other beer I have ever tried... Potent vinegar... Actually this one is a bit bland...

M - Light to medium bodied... A bit thin... Very very light carbonation... A touch of dryness...

D - This one is a mixed bag... Excellent aroma and appearance... The taste and the mouthfeel are a bit sub par... I have a love hate relationship with Jolly Pumpkin... I keep trying their offerings to find something that rivals the wonderfulness of Oro De Calabaza and most, like this one, leave me greatly disappointing...

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 01:50:59 | More by philbe311

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle with sticker "Blend 2, Bottles 1/29/2012" to a Duvel tulip the beer pours a deep rich amber color with a decent 1 finger white head, some retention but not much, not much lacing. Like so many of these wild ales, it almost appears flat. The aroma is a blend of a sour tart cherry with hints of oak, vanilla, and vinegar. Lightly fruity. The flavor is much the same with an initial taste of the sour tart cherry from which a grape fruit character builds, vinegar flavors, hints of oak, vanilla. Mild bitterness, no hint of alcohol. Very pleasing. Finishes a bit dry with a lingering sour cherry on the tongue. Overall, very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 13:14:42 | More by hopfacebrew

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours hazy red with a spotty shortlived head. Lace trails on the glass are intermittent. The aroma is of lemon and earthy notes, malt too. Sour notes upfront in the taste, doughy caramel malts and herbal notes build over time providing fantastic balance to the moderate sourness. Kiwi and tropical fruit notes also show. The mouthfeel is full and creamy with carb bubbles. the finish is sweet and sour pretty much equally, with sour lingering longer. Alcohol is impeccably well hidden for 8%.

This is a fantastic Belgian Red Ale. I wish I tried it sooner. Seek this out.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 02:40:07 | More by CAMRAhardliner

chocosushi

Oklahoma

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Melbourne Bros. Glass
A ~ Eruption! But after a couple minutes, the pour is deep Amber with effervescence that forms into a head all but for a couple seconds. Spritzy mineral water carb.

S ~ Tart cherries with layers of oak long beneath. Slight artificial grape. Vinegar & a splash of alcohol on the end.

T ~ Cherry following through with a berry/vinegar note with a strapping oak middle fading into a whiskey mash/boiled barley note. Splash of Salinity before the dry finish.

M ~ Tart. Not pucker tart, or Sour, but very good! Oakiness is mid-palette & it lingers for awhile. Heat is there which is the only drawback on the feel.

D ~ A good Wild! Easy drinking. Heat would probably diminish with age. Check it out!

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 14:40:52 | More by chocosushi

emsroth

New York

2.48/5  rDev -38.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750 ml bottle

App: a great red orange but a cloudy body. Being a brewer I've come to appreciate clarity. Low carbonation so a small head but that us acceptable for the style.

Smell: a strong scent of sour, unripe fruit and acid. A strange touch of cinnamon. Occasional scent of alcohol.

Taste: an almost fall harvest taste throughout. Strong flavors of sour apples and cinnamon. A bit of hop dryness and lactic sourness in the finish, but the apple cinnamon dominates.

Mouthfeel: medium body with appropriately low carbonation.

Not a bad beer, I just can't get past the fake apple cinnamon taste.
I feel like I'm drinking my generic cold medicine or a harvest time snapple.

It's got interesting characteristics from the wood maturation.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 00:41:37 | More by emsroth

scottfrie

California

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle into HOTD tulip. Blend 10, bottled 8/27/2010.

A: Pours a murky burnt cherry color with a couple finger of light tan head that quickly faded into a thick film and fuzzy collar. Soft streaks of laceing were left down the glass after every sip.
S: Big notes of musty cherry skins, cherry pits, and damp earth. Oak is woody and noticeable with even a slight hint of vanilla. There is a light amount of barnyard funk as well as some sour smelling vinegar and acid.
T: Follows the nose with dominating notes of cherry skin and pit tannins, woody oak and earthy funk, and just a hint of caramel and sweet cherry juice in the finish. I get notes of cranberries as well. The aftertaste contains notes of leather and just a hint of dark fruits and vanilla.
M: Tart and refreshing but not acidic or overly vinegary. The body is medium, carbonation is soft and frothy, and the mouthfeel is slight and heavy. Finish is drying with a bit of gritty tannins but I wouldn’t call this beer a desert.
O: A very solid and easy to drink sour. Fruits flavors are definitely “red” and refreshing. I’ve never had this fresh but it certainly is drinking well with a little bit of time in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 20:32:46 | More by scottfrie

stephens101

Oklahoma

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Almost shiny reddish-orange in color with an airy tan head that disappears quickly. Smells of light sour fruits among some plums and cherries. Caramel, beer bread and taffy are noticed along with a bit of musk. Taste is almost as complex as the aroma with more sour and tangy fruits, orange peel, a vinegar afterthought and a distant oakiness. Slightly puckering, but not overkill. Goes down dry with a medium body. Wild ales haven't always been my thing, but this one works well on many levels.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 23:59:39 | More by stephens101

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Hazy, yeast filled pour with a red body. Off white head forms and fizzes out but I see that with most sours, it had a silky texture. Nice webs of lace after the head dies.

S- Nice fruit and sour tart funk. Like a mix of sour dark cherries, grape skins, citrus and oak.

T- A great mix of dark cherry, green apple and white grapes, general yeast/bacterial funk, oak barrels, lemon citrus, barnyard straw and a bit of caramel malts.

MF- Light body with high fizzy carbonation I find in most sours, on par. Silky and smooth.

Love the dark fruit and slight sour funk interplay. On par with the good fruity funky wild ales.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 06:19:17 | More by cbutova

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.38/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 11/29. One of the younger La Rojas I've ever had.

Pours a ruby red with a faint white head.

Aroma is not overly sour, but you can tell it's there. Notes of cranberry, apple and a bit of underlying funk.

Very smooth flavor. The sourness is there, but it takes a back seat to the other flavors. Taste like a funky apple cranberry juice with light hints of oak providing a nice dry finish. All flavors blend nicely and everything was very smooth.

Lighter mouthfeel with medium carbonation levels.

For a beer this young, it is amazing how smooth it is. I'll definitely be stocking up on more of these next time I'm in Michigan.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 14:44:33 | More by jmarsh123

ludachris

Ontario (Canada)

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

Just shy of a finger's worh of cream coloured, whispy head rests on top of its rich rusted orange body which looks very enticing. Dots of lace slowly slide down the sides of the glass.

Well rounded and soft is the nose. A pronounced but unoffensive sour tartness is the first thing I pick out which can most likely be attributed to the brett. Candied sour cherries and tart green grape skins give the nose a spritzy fruitiness. Wet hay is spread thinly in the background.

Sour and tart sensations quickly center themselves on the middle of the tongue. Just like the nose, these attributes aren't offensive in any way. Sour cherries, green grape skins, dried apricots, and plums make for a tasty and refreshing fruit melange. The sweetness from the fruit fades in the finish allowing for the sourness from the brett have the final say with a swift dry kick.

Well rounded, prickly, and dry are all fitting adjectives when it comes to describing the feel. With the 7.2% ABV I was expecting the body to be a tad heavier but light to medium, where it naturally sits, adds to its drinkability.

A well crafted beer but for me, not overly impressive. It was well rounded, tamed, and easy to drink which make it perfect for an intro to the style. I wanted a bit more "umph" in the flavour department but I still found it enjoyable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 01:50:04 | More by ludachris

Etan

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Blend 22 (bottled 12/12/11).
Poured from a 750ml bottle into a Spiegelau tulip.

A: Dark, murky reddish-brown (more on the red side) with a lively tan head full of large bubbles.

S: Mild horsey wild yeast, vinous oak, sour grape, ripe cherry. Smells nice.

T: Quick oak-laced fruity sweetness gives way to a moderately-puckering sour grape and cherry, which builds and then fades, leaving a pleasant lingering sourness along with smooth lactic yeast and oak in the finish. Ghostly breath of sweet caramel malt in the finish as well.

M: Medium-bodied with a nice bit of carbonation pushing up the sourness.

O: A very nicely balanced American sour. Very drinkable without sacrificing that nice flash of puckering sour fruit. The malt profile could be better expressed, but otherwise delicious.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 02:49:15 | More by Etan

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle poured into a flute. Blend 17, bottled 9/16/2011.

A: Hazy orange with tinges of red. One-inch finely bubbled head never yields. Web-like wisps of lacing stick to the glass.

S: Fruity and floral on the nose underneath a stiff acidic tartness. Cherry blossom, apple blossom, orange peel. Hint of white vinegar. Underlying scent of sweet, sugary caramel.

T: The palate is greeted with a strong punch of sour acidity right off the bat. Orange peel dominates, but tastes of sour cherries and pears are perceptible too. Sweet caramel malt tastes provide a nice contrast to all the sourness. Perhaps a hint of biscuit too. Tannic oak sweeps through toward the end with woody vanilla in tow and has an immediate drying effect. Quick finish of vanilla, wood, and some lingering tartness.

M: Light in body, has some of that acidic coca-cola feel that makes it seem as though your teeth are dissolving. Moderate carbonation picks it up and makes it a little more lively.

O: A solid American-made flanders red. Not quite as complex and well balanced as some of the better examples of the style, but it's easily worth a buy. After all, not too many brewers over here even attempt a beer like this.

Notes: It felt a bit too oaky. There is a tad more astringency than I'd normally like, but this is a minor quibble. The whole back end of this beer is dominated by oak and barrel though. I would have preferred to see a more subtle integration. A slightly more skillful blend would probably yield better results.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 02:47:30 | More by ryan1788a5

IIKaRuII

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Arnolds Carry out for this Cellered 5 year old La roja

Pours a Deep Copper red, with tight tiny khaki colored bubbles. When I opened this it wouldn't stop overflowing out of the bottle. Cloudy with alcohol legs sprouting up quickly. Retention is great.

My oh my this smells fantastic. has a bite to it. You can smell the alcohol almost making it boozy. dates, figs, cherries. certainly sweet.

Taste is amazingly sweet, and tart. Then turns a stinging sour that grabs and won't let go. The cherries linger, been leave almost a red wine taste.

Certainly a full bodied beer. The carbonation helps with the sourness, but has an amazing quantity to leave you grasping for more.

This is a phenomenal Aged Amber Ale. Certainly in my top favorites.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 03:28:48 | More by IIKaRuII

LittleDon

Texas

3.98/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Blend 18, bottled 9-30-2011, opened 2-19-2012.

Beautiful amber color and clear, despite bottle conditioning. Very short lived head and no lace. Sour fruit and sweet caramel aroma with the sour fruit predominating. Medium to light body Carbonation is perfect, lively, but not overwhelming. Lots of sour fruit and a medium amount of oak, but with enough sweetness counterbalance all this. Bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 21:41:48 | More by LittleDon

TenHornsProud

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a murky red/brown with a small, fine white head that lingers and laces.

Smells of oak, sweetness, almost cherry, with some darker fruit notes, tartness, some funk. Typical Flanders aroma but really nice in this beer.

Up front wood/fruit character that goes into a big sour note that is tart and somewhat sweet in taste. Again, fits right in with the Flanders red description. There is some more malt character in this beer than others I have had, which I think works. Really nice...some lingering lighter fruit notes and oak character.

Lighter body and high carbonation work well for the style.

A fine representation of the style with a few unique characteristics. This is the first, out of four or five, Jolly Pumpkin beer that I've had that I've been completely sold on.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 00:19:25 | More by TenHornsProud

ChugginOil

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared with my homie Wesside89

Pours a cloudy reddish/amber with two finger of attractive, off-white head. There is some wave-like lace that sticks to the glass. Deep look that invites the soul.

The nose is full of funk, vinegar, horse blanket, leather, tart lemon and some more funk.

The taste is pretty funky with just a tad bit of tartness. There is some of the citrus zest involved that is blended with some leather and earthy funk. The flavors are a bit muddled and could possibly be amplified for style's sake.

The mouthfeel is certainly light-bodied with an evenly light amount of carbonation. Dry. Crisp and refreshing.

Overall, decent sour with some good flavors that could be slightly amplified just a bit. However, I like this representation and would recommend this to someone interested in getting into sours.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 08:36:36 | More by ChugginOil