Luciérnaga, The Firefly - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

mwilbur

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 750 mL bottle into tulip.
A: Pours a hazy yellowish orange with huge 3-4 inch rocky white head. Excellent retention and lacing.
S: Bright citrus, spicy Belgian yeast, white pepper, cinnamon, and a good dose of farmhouse funk.
T: Citrus, Belgian yeast, coriander, and minerally farmhouse funk.
M: Light body. Carbonated tingle, spicy, and a hint of dry sweetness. Lingers nicely on the palate (more funk and citrus here).
D: A solid brew and good example of style. Excellent sessionability.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 03:32:05 | More by mwilbur

ngeunit1

California

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Clear golden-amber with a finger of frothy off-white head. Fades normal.

S - Sweet caramel and grainy malts, oak, vanilla, Belgian yeast, coriander, pepper, other spices, lemon zest, tart green fruits.

T - Sweet caramel and grainy malts, oak, vanilla, lemon zest, Belgian yeast, coriander, pepper, other spices, tart green fruits, a bit of citrus hop.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a dry, tart, spicy finish.

D - Very nicely balanced BPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 03:39:27 | More by ngeunit1

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.58/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – The beer pours a slightly hazed golden amber color with a huge thick billowy white head that persist very well. The head fades very slowly leaving a fair level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is massively sweet of almost a candy variety. A big candy like sweetness mixed with a citrus fruit of orange are the heaviest. These are mixed with some yeasty and light spice aromas as well as a somewhat funky sour aroma.

Taste – The taste begins much more bitter and much less sweet then the nose would have let on. There is an orange citrus and somewhat wheaty flavor beginning the taste. As the taste advances some, it takes on some more sour notes of a sour apple and tart melon like taste. These flavors advance to the end where when the beer is cold the taste ends with a nice light bitter hop flavor which leaves a lightly sour and funky but enjoyable balanced flavor to linger on the tongue. Once the beer warms however, the sour and funky flavors dominate the end, with no real presence of the hop, leaving a somewhat unbalanced flavor to linger in the mouth.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the average side in terms of creaminess and thickness with a carbonation level that is a bit on the higher side. Both are rather nice for the funky and sour tastes of the brew, helping to keep it still rather drinkable in light of its funky sourness.

Overall – This was a rather interesting brew, although not one I would likely go back to again. As the brew warmed over time it seemed to lose much of the hop flavor that was present at the end of the taste, replacing it with a more puckering sour taste. A decent one to try and best to drink cold.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 01:09:26 | More by Darkmagus82

stephens101

Oklahoma

4.04/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A huge, fluffy, off-white head tops this sparkling reddish-orange brew.

Fresh light fruits (oranges, green apples, lemon), a bit of yeast and brett mustiness to the nose.

Crisp on the tongue with more oranges, green apples and lemon, as well as some banana notes. Later on a bit of chalk and grain are noticed.

This is a light bodied brew whose genius lies in its simplicity and ability to fuse all its individual parts into one easy to drink yet very tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 23:43:45 | More by stephens101

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Pours a medium-dark, slightly hazy amber color with a pretty big fluffy white head. Leaves tons of lacing.

Smells of brett, yeasty banana, hints of apple and grape.

Flavor opens with a mild tartness, pretty strong apple and grape, moves into some brettiness and light funk, finishes very dry and vinous.

Mouthfeel is excellent, great carbonation, nice full mouthfeel, very drinkable.

This is a pretty light beer and nothing especially exciting, but it's really nice. Not the best Jolly Pumpkin beer but really solid.

7.7/10

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 00:55:21 | More by AlexFields

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into tulip glass; batch 813/814, bottled on 6/6/2011. Pours slightly hazy golden orange color with a 2 finger fluffy off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of big tart apple, lemon, pear, pepper, clove, coriander, grass, hay, funk, floral, herbal, light leather, and earthy yeast spiciness. Damn nice aromas with great complexity and balance of fruity, funk, and spicy notes. Taste of tart apple, pear, lemon, pepper, clove, coriander, hay, grass, light leather, and earthy spiciness. Light earthy tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of tart light fruits, coriander, pepper, clove, grass, hay, light leather, and earthy spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice balance and complexity of fruity and spicy notes with funkiness; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a very smooth, crisp, and lightly prickly mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with nearly zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent spiced Belgian pale ale! Great balance and complexity of tart fruit, funk, and spicing; and very smooth and crisp to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 04:10:19 | More by superspak

wesbrownyeah

Florida

3.91/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Batch 1117 Bottled 8-13-2012 Luciernaga The Firefly, 6.5% alcohol Belgian Pale Ale. Thanks to Amanda at the local Cork and Keg for the find in Florida. A beautiful display of bottling by JPAA as usuall with a glowing fairy-like mast of a ship.

A- Like in the name firefly is excellent in explaining the burnt glow of the orange hue made by this brew. Light frothy head that seems to have some slight lacing on the pint glass used for this one... yes a pint... i've had a few of these JPAA in my time.

S- First to come to mind is the musky cellar notes of stag air with no circulation. Followed by a fruity mix of citrus and sharp hops tingling the nose.

T-M- The taste brings on the goodness of this one with fresh lemon and orange peels upfront followed by a tangy almost tart yeasty bite. Aftermath flavors include hint of unripe white grapes and earthy notes. Mouthfeel is easy and lightly carbonated with little to sway you from drinking this as a session but... the price is not right.

All and all a excellent beer from one of my favorite us made Belgian style brewers and I feel it gets the job done with the Belgian Pale Ale style.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 02:03:32 | More by wesbrownyeah

DelMontiac

Oklahoma

3.03/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Corked/caged bottled July, 2012. Shared and poured into Rose and Thorn nonic glasses. We were totally stoked to see JP in OK!

Poured a very pretty almost perfectly clear effervescent golden orange with 2 fingers of snow white cap that popped and fizzed to a thin layer in a couple of minutes.

Hmmm...what is this??? Steely and barely fruity. Maybe pears and bananas? Weak.

Well this is a bummer...is this a light beer? A very light synthetic fruitiness of pear and apple backed by a shakey backbone of ghostly bready malt. Most notable is sour apple - more sour than apple. Very lackluster compared to what I've read about it here. I'm really at a loss for words here...bland and uneventful.

I don't think feel is an issue now. Carbonation is good, but body is quite thin and lost.

Overall I have to say this is quite average. Hype is hype and it is what it is. I traded my Bam Bier after this. A very overrated brew quite honestly.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 00:00:23 | More by DelMontiac

sjccmd

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Batch: 802/804, Bottled: 6-1-2011

Pours crystal clear deep orange with a creamy white tan head. Bubbles consistently rushing towards the top. The head is quite persistent and the lacing is quite sticky.

Smells of oak, leather, barnyard, citrus, grass, some caramel sweetness, and tart apples as well.

Tart bright acidity at first in the flavor. This is followed with a slightly sweet nutty grain character. Still some hop bitterness despite the age. Tannins from the oak and a strong barnyard brett character. Earthy and funky, but finishes very clean. A solid amount of oak character. As the sourness fades the oak and malt characters come out more and more.

Decntly carbonated and very dry. Flavors clean out very quickly making it very drinkable despite the complex flavor profile.

Very nice beer from Jolly Pumpkin. These are beers I wish I could afford to always have in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 02:46:38 | More by sjccmd

jmaharaj

Maryland

3.81/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a hazy orange with a bright white head that recedes to a ring. there is certainly sour in the nose, along with some wet hay ad a hint of spicy hops. the tartness isnt as pronounced on the tongue but the brett comes through with a little dampness, although its cut with some mildly astringent urine flavors (weirdly, not really a bad thing) that give this beer some urgency. Some malt lingers through the finish. subdued, thinnish mouthfeel, but nice depth overall.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 02:19:41 | More by jmaharaj

flagmantho

Washington

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 750mL bottle into a tulip. Bottled 6/13/12.

Appearance: medium golden hue with a touch of haze to the body and a robust effervescence. Head is two thick fingers of frothy ivory foam; quite attractive.

Smell: sweet malt aroma with a little bit of funk and a hint of tartness. There's also an interesting lemongrass-type character in the mix. Interesting and alluring, if a bit atypical for the style.

Taste: lightly sweet malt with a nice, Brettanomyces-like funk and and just a mild hint of tartness. The lemony character persists from the aroma, and the overall effect is quite enticing.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a good level of carbonation and a very robust, mouth-filling creaminess. I guess that's the bottle conditioning, eh? I love it.

Overall: an interesting and tasty beer. Very refreshing and each sip leaves me wanting more. Perhaps a bit exotic for the style, but intriguing and quaffable nonetheless. I'd love to have this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 20:18:12 | More by flagmantho

uno99

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

April 2010 bottle.

Appearance: Bottle gushed upon opening (First time ever happening for me... very strange). Poured into a Tripel Karmeliet glass. Lots of residual yeast. Head is tall and sticks around a long time. bubbles are big and bright. Beer itself is like murky puddle water. Shades of brown and orange.

Smell: Quite complex. I don't detect the coriander as the label suggests. Spearmint, sage, rosemary, sea salt are some of the spices I can pick out though. Lots of fruity esters; on the lighter side of the scale. Apple and pear. Oak and funky earth tones also present.

Taste: Lots more oak in the taste and the hops are more present as well. Minty fruity, and I think I find the coriander on the finish with the oak and hop bite. Quite funky and barnyardy. Sour? Not a great deal of sourness. Finish is very long and a bit soapy tasting; points deducted there.

Mouthfeel: Would have liked this to be drier, but the body is just right.

Overall: Very interesting and recommended, might be better fresh though. It's Unclear what two years has done to this.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:10:33 | More by uno99

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On Tap at Memphis Taproom, served in a tulip.

The Firefly has a hazy bronze appearance with some gold trimmings. A whisp of off white foam on top that has pretty good legs, leaving some minor spots on the glass. Looks a shade darker than the standard Belgian pale ale. Smell is fruity, a lot of esters. bready yeast and some earthy hop aroma. I get a nice sniff of apple skins with traces of orange. Not sure if this is aged in any sort of barrel but some wood accompanies the pale ale, some floral aspect. Fruity in the middle with apple orange and coriander. A bready finish with yeast. Pretty light bodied, not as spritzy in the mouth as other Belgian pales, this could stand to be a bit crisper but im just nitpicking. A glass of this is ok for me, a whole bottle would be better shared.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2012 03:26:18 | More by onix1agr

malty

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served at about 45° with the look of a solid gold dancer; bleach blonde head with lots of movement down below. Tight, firm and smooth.

The scent is that of damp french oak barrel that just been drained of Sonoma valley Chardonnay, that accidentally rolled into a freshly mowed wheat field.

Taste is heavenly akin to Duvel with more acidic zing and lemony romping. So clean, refreshingly tart and ardently adventurous. Proudly made Michigan!

Mouthfeel is light on the tongue, but medium bodied in the gravity. Kinda like a middleweight boxer with one helluva right hook. It never will let down a true Belgian golden ale fan.

Overall this ale is stunningly adept and authentically astute. I'd be a damn fool to ever turn this down whenever/wherever it may present itself!

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2012 22:37:14 | More by malty

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml served in a snifter

A - Ruby grapefruit orange with a thick white head with good specks but overall average at best.

S - Smells like an an acid trip of dank wet basement, bright but old lemons, 60 year old man slacks(pressed) pineapple sprinkled with dust, woody orange, briny shellfish. Sounds weird until you read this while smelling it and go WOW!

T - Sour pineapple, cider apples, over ripened grapefruit, dry herbal character, basement funk creeps over but is subtle, a very pale malt resides under a wet church pew funk. The finish is very dry and dusty with the yeast standing out.

M - Light to medium feel, creamy carbonation, very wet but dry at the finish.

This is an excellent beer to pour and just explore the different flavors, textures, and strange characteristics of what wild yeast can do to a beer. Good citrus and tropical flavors a slightly tart and sweet character while the basement funk is subtle and bold at the same time. Good stuff here. Reminds me of an Orval redux.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 04:03:07 | More by StaveHooks

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours bronze/amber with a thumb of creaam colored head. Great head retention & lacing

S: Apple skins & sourness

T: Pears, a little bit of barnyard, some lemon peel & grapefruit up front. Oaky flavors impart themeselves as this warms along with tartness, a touch of pear. Finishes tart, sour & with much orchard fruit

MF: Medium bodied, slight carbonation, puckery

Super drinkability, a very approachable sour ale. I think I need to revisit some of there beer, I believe my tastebuds today appreciate these offerings more than a few years ago

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 23:09:26 | More by russpowell

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a glowing golden orange, moderate cap of prickly white froth. Scent leads with tart notes of fruit, apple, pear, peach... earthy and musty oak, fragrant floral and spice profile. Really nice taste, tartness and fruitiness more pronounced than in nose, solid earthy backbone and just the right amount of spice. Medium bodied, active and prickly, dry. Solid all around, definitely a touch more tart and funky than other renowned BPAs.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2012 14:29:46 | More by rfgetz

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 1105
Bottled 07-11-2012

P:  Pours a cloudy dark golden apricot color with airy white head that fades to billowing bubbles. 

S:  Aroma starts with barn yard funk, apricots, peaches, orange peel, white grapes, powdery yeast, pale malts, sourdough and timid b vitamin esters. 
Once swirled wet moldy paper, mint and subtle bubblegum presence. Bits of spicy alcohol, clove and pepper. 

T/M:  Aggressively carbonated medium body that showcases the fruit and spice characteristics in the nose. The spicy and funky yeast esters are strong and prevalent. Spices and herbs combine to create a more herbal and floral taste than the nose. Finish is dry and lingers bitter vitamins. 

O:  Huge fan of Jolly Pumpkin and this is this is no exception.  Complex and well blended. I love the fact that all JP brews are similar but very different depending on the style. This one didn't last long. 

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 05:37:44 | More by Hopswagger

brentk56

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy peach color with an impressive head that leaves a curtain of lace

Smell: Hay, wheat bread, stone fruit, barnyard funk, oak and spicy/herbal tones

Taste: Light and fruity, up front, with stone fruit, spices (grains of paradise) and herbs (coriander) that are joined, in the middle by the barnyard funk and acetic sourness from the Brett; the malts appear after the swallow, bringing a bready, fresh mown hay character; dry, tart and oaky, in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate to high carbonation; lively on the tongue

Overall: Another great beer from Jolly Pumpkin; not the most complex of their lineup, but one of the brightest and easiest to enjoy

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 22:19:53 | More by brentk56

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle, nice glowing hop seafaring metaphor depicted on the label.

This beer pours a cloudy medium golden amber hue, with a teeming amount of thick, puffy, silken eggshell white head, which sits in for a long spell, before leaving some very attractive webbed/chain link lace around the glass, as it gently abates.

It smells of tart lemon, wet hay, soft grainy malt, some tame earthy funk, and somewhat bitter leafy hops. The taste is gritty, grainy pale malt, sour aged lemon, a nice, even herbal funk, some soft coriander spiciness, and leafy, zingy weedy hops. A slight, sultry alcohol warming tickles the throat.

The bubbles are fairly robust and a tad sharp, the body on the light side of medium weight, and surprisingly calm in its overall smoothness. It finishes barely off-dry, as the pale, kind of biscuity malt is pressed hard by the lemon and orange citrus, with that nice earthy funk, and a bit of lingering leafy hop bitterness adding to the push.

A very well-rendered BPA, all inputs used in equally deft measures, giving us a full-flavoured version of an all too often underwhelming style.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 20:26:19 | More by biboergosum

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales branded short stemmed tulip.

Pours golden amber with a two finger bright white pillowy head that leaves splotchy lacing along the sides of the glass. Quite a bit of Brett-induced barnyard funk, fresh orchid, spice, and grassy hop notes on the nose. Fresh green tea, grass, flora, spice, and pleasant fruit including pear and light orange notes carry throughout. Finishes dry with coriander and white pepper joined by citrus blossoms and slight bitter grassy hops. Medium carbonation, heavier light-bodied to light medium bodied. Slick with a touch of creaminess, velvety mouthfeel. Overall, an impressive Belgian Pale Ale, refreshing & complex, exactly what I've come to expect from Jolly Pumpkin.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 04:24:05 | More by chanokokoro

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden yellow in color and very well filtered. A small amount of lacing in the glass wall. As with most Jolly Pumpkin beers there is a very forward sour smell and taste. In this one I get some kumquat and tangerine - almost a seedy flavor from those fruits on the back end.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2012 20:00:38 | More by Oakenator

confer

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

It looks more like a wit or hefe than a Pale ale. Pale gold and very hazy with a frothy head.
Smell is also like a wit. There is some sweet citrus fruit smell and banana. Small spicy smell.
Taste is much spicier than the smell. I suppose that is the grains of paradise creating that tartness. Small hop presence also in the taste.
Creamy wheat feel.
This beer really seems to be a wit or hefe but I guess it isn't. Overall a little underwhelmed at my first Jolly pumpkin especially considering the price.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 02:13:38 | More by confer

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.23/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz glass
On tap at Pinocchio's in Media, PA

A: Pours a cloudy pale orange color. Full finger of off white head. Lots of carbonation streaming off the bottom of the glass.

S: Lots of Brett funk on the nose. Horse blanket and wet hay. Some light citrus notes.

T: Right up front, you get that bite of tartness from the Brett. In the mid mouth, some fruitiness, maybe tart green apple and citrus. The close is dry and crisp.

M: Medium bodied.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2012 14:46:14 | More by inlimbo77

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

on tap at devils den

Pours a hazed pale golden color with a crop of white head resting on top. Patchy lacing stretches across the glass with a collar of foamy retention.

Scents of spice and citrus in the nose with coriander and orange peel. Touches of lemon and biscuit malt with funky tartness and Belgian yeast.

Starts off a bit funky and tart with spicy coriander. Orange and lemon peel with some slightly sweet citrus juiciness. A bit acidic and tart throughout, with a mellow biscuit/cracker malt base. Finishes brisk and tart.

Medium body, slightly higher carbonation, dry and bubbly on the tongue. Another nicely done beer from JP - it's expensive, but they rarely miss the mark.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2012 13:53:56 | More by xnicknj