Maracaibo Especial - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

merc7186

New York

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at The Ruck in Troy NY, poured into a snifter glass.

A: Brownish/Amber Hue, Passes Mild Light, Off White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Brett, Pears, Mild Green Apple, Mild Buckwheat Honey

T: Bosc Pear, Apples, Grainy Malt, Mild Brett

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Funky, Mildly Watery Finish

Overall, not a bad Wild Brown Ale, got some intermittent fruit notes throughout the glass.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2013 22:36:48 | More by merc7186

MarioM

California

4.34/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: dark Ted, almost mahogany in color maybe a dark red with a delicate creamy head with little lacing, lingered for a while. Light to moderate carbonation with small creamy boubbles.

S: Fruity, lift malty characterwith a little hint of Belgian yeast and dried fruits along with some brown sugar or dark syrup.

T: Tart, a tad sweet, fruity with a little alcohol and slight sourness from the barrel aging. A little but of floralness and some spices. Balance is more towards a tart fruitiness but well within the Jolly Punpkin style of brews.

M: Slight bitterness but still moderately sour character. A little fruty and phenolic but quite different and makes me want to continue drinking this ilunique brew.

O: A must try for the Belgian Brew Advocate who thinks he's/she's had all Belgian brews available. Not as strong as I would expect, abv wise but the flavor and experience is there. A must have for those Jolly Pumpkin fans, especially on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2013 07:38:29 | More by MarioM

Fanhitter

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Served at JP on draft, in a snifter.

Pours a nice, deep auburn-red color with a light foamy top. After a few sips, a light amount of lacing lingers and dissipates down the side of the glass. A nice ribbon of bubbles remains across the top of the beer halfway down. Looks like a nice cold-weather brew for a sour.

Smells sweet and sour with a nice spice-laden aroma as well. The citrus note takes a backseat to the sour cinnamon nose.

Tastes nicely seasoned, with a warm cinnamon burst. For lack of a better comparison, i liken it to a fresh cup of tea with lemon and honey after its sat on the countertop for a few hours.

Mouthfeel is very smooth. This is a no-brained for a breakfast/brunch beer. Easy drinking to say the least.

Overall, I'd say this is one of my favorite JP brews I've tried. Would definitely order it again. A great seasonal.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2013 20:20:43 | More by Fanhitter

kylehay2004

Florida

4.28/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Single finger head with excellent lacing on a murky copper body. Aroma of tart dark fruit, caramel and toasted malts, breads and candied citrus. Flavor follows very well with caramel, candied fruits, brown sugar and bready malts. Light to medium body, oily and light to medium carbonation. Almost has the sense of a brown blended with a sour beer. By the time I finished this one I loved it and wanted another. A very nice and complex brew. It's just a little too thin for me.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2012 03:45:32 | More by kylehay2004

57md

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -33.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance is brownish-copper with no appreciable head. There was some fine lacing on the glass, but not much.

The nose was too mild to discern much of anything - there was a touch of sourness, perhaps. The taste offers a quick shot of cocoa and then fruity sourness that was like biting into a beer flavored jolly rancher.

I've heard a great deal of good hype about Jolly Pumpkin, but my first try at one of their offerings was a complete disappointment. I will certainly try another of their beers, but I will certainly not believe the hype again until I taste the proof.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2012 04:26:37 | More by 57md

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First had: on tap at Capone's, Norristown, PA

Worthy of note: this did not come off as a brown ale in any regard whatsoever. I don't think "special brown ale" qualifies this as a brown ale...it wasn't. Labeled as a sour ale on the beer list.

Served in a 9oz. snifter, this beer poured some kind of orange-brown-pink hybrid color that I can only really otherwise describe as "imperial topaz;" hazy, with a thin cap of delicate bubbles on top. Aroma was a bit subdued: tart, but actually pretty mildly so, with soft notes of wood and leaves. Taste of cherries, orange pith and apple skins, again, like the aroma, tart, but not overly so, sour, but not lip-puckering, oak and leafiness, tannins, citrus, and light spice with the lightest dusting of cocoa powder. Very nice and complex. Medium-bodied, very drying, very easily drinkable, but nice to sip on slowly.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 15:04:33 | More by Rifugium

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Draft pour into a 10oz tulip for $7.50. Sampled 1/15/11.

A: Served with a quickly receding foamy white head of one finger. Thinnest of collars remain and there is no film to speak of. The body is hazy, opaque amber orange in color, and vibrantly radiant when backlit. Lacing is loosely strong in fair amounts.

S: The aroma has a light and pleasant lactic sourness which leads into a gentle bouquet of fruits. Sour apple and golden raisin plus light hints of fermented pineapple and tangerine.

T: The taste gives faint impressions of the cacao, orange peel and cinnamon it was brewed with. These flavors are very subtle, however, and I doubt I would have picked them out over the funk. Speaking of which, Ron sure does have a winner-of-a yeast strain, doesn't he?

M: Medium-light body with a wonderful effervescence and modest lactic sourness.

D: [DRINKABILITY] All of Jolly Pumpkin's offerings are supremely delicious and easy to drink - and Maracaibo is no exception. The light sweetness that rides out the palate helps to maximize this beer's drinkability. As always, masterfully done.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2012 14:18:23 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

ehammond1

California

3.65/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Light brown with orange and auburn edges. Thin light brown and creamy head. Regular lacing down the glass. Very pretty.

Spicy (peppery) and tangy aroma, dark fruits, some mild funk, and a light tart sourness as well. Interesting and unique--and distinctly Jolly Pumpkin.

I don't think the flavor marries quite as well as the aroma. The yeast, funk, and mild tartness dominate, hiding the dark fruits, and sweeter, maltier elements of the beer. Mild bitterness. Again, interesting, and distinctly Jolly Pumpkin, but not a beer I particularly enjoy drinking.

Light to medium mouthfeel.

An interesting wrinkle on the style, but not a beer I'm crazy about.

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2011 16:41:35 | More by ehammond1

smakawhat

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured on tap at Meridian Pint DC into a tulip glass.

A very nice glowing dark brown cherry/amber body is presented, with a light off brown very foamy one finger head. While drinking there is some minor sticky/spotted lacing. Looks good.

Bouquet is clean and fresh, with classic brett and yeast. Very airy, and hints of sour crisp apple.

Taste brings a powdery mild malt and just a bare sense of brown sugar. Mixed in with that on the palate is classic sour yeast taste with a very full bodied feeling. No unfortunate prickly carbonations or extremely off putting finish.

I think the thing that stands out the most for me on this one is the particular version of this style feels incredibly refreshing for such a dark sour. Very impressive beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2011 14:53:51 | More by smakawhat

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at Slow's BBQ in a pint glass. From notes.

Appearance: On tap this has a cloudy apple cider color with a darker brown middle. A wispy off white head contributes no lace, most likely from an honest pint's pour.

Smell: Cacao really jumps out from here, along with cinnamon, orange, and some funky sour cherries.

Taste: A touch of toasted bready sweetness up front, this is modest, yet complex and interesting beer. Tart cherry, coriander, and some orange are imparted on my taste buds with some sour Brett and a little wheat. A dose of funk exists throughout each sip. Fairly sour, but I am guessing it is less sour and funky on tap than it would be in the bottle.

Mouthfeel: This is dry, which is no surprise from the yeast used, fairly light, and smooth. The crisp carbonation works well with the body and flavors to create a light, refreshing beverage. Somewhat acidic.

Overall: This was different, complex, and very enjoyable. I will definitely order this again. Even a while after drinking it, it keeps popping back into my mind as a beer I would like to go back to soon.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2011 17:44:12 | More by KickInTheChalice

SeaUrchin

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

had this on tap on tuesday at Slows BBQ in detroit, served into a pint glass

appearance - poured a nice hazy light brown, with minimal head that hung around(pour mistake not because of the beer itself) noticeable carbonation

smell - upfront was a mixture of spices and lightly roasted malts, then there was a slight hoppyness with low amounts of chocolate and a bit of funk, makes em want to jump into this one, iv never been let down my a JP beer before

taste - follow the nose for the most part. first there was a pleasant mix of spices that quickly faded into sweet roasted malts and bitter chocolate, this quickly moved into a slight citrus with a bit of hops bitterness, then came a lemony funk, not too strong but enough to make me salivate a bit and want another sip. would have liked a bit more sour to this bad boy but it was on par with what fresh JP normally tastes like

mouthfeel - it was lighter than i expected on my tongue, thanks to the carbonation but still let a bit of a syrupy feel in my mouth, considering i like big stouts this was a very pleasant feeling

drinkability - easy to drink, makes you want to have another,would recommend to anyone whoa asked

overall - easy to drink, tasty, and strong enough to keep you happy, will have again

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2011 17:08:42 | More by SeaUrchin

FosterJM

California

3.6/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

441st review on BA
Draft

App- A darker amber orange with a good 1/2 in head to it. Very good cling to this one. For a brown ale the color is off to me, even with spices and cacao, I was pretty sure this would be a bit darker.

Smell- This was a bit of a mix of the spices, some chocolate and malts. Wanted to have more of the sour that this was but didnt get any of it.

Taste- This was much less sour than I had hoped. I didnt get much of the sour taste or notes of it. I got mostly the cacao and the cinnamon and other spices.

Mouth- Medium bodied and medium carbonated. Didnt leave too much of a taste except for the spices.

Drink- Nice beer but for the 1st beer I have had from Jolly Pumpkin, I was a bit let down. I wanted more sour and felt the taste was a bit tame. Probably wont come back to this one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2011 02:14:45 | More by FosterJM

ksarko

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev -13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: cloudy amber color. Thick head. Good lacing down the glass

S: Sour on the nose

T: Champagne burn on the tongue sour flavor. hints of sour apple and caramel.

M: medium body, big punch than leaves fast.

O: Great summer sit around the fire beer. Good to sip on. I really enjoyed this beer. Gives you that punch in the front and makes you wanting more. Great beer overall

Serving type: on-tap in a 23oz beer glass

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2011 21:19:02 | More by ksarko

JizackFH

New York

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on-tap at Sunswick 35/35 in Astoria, NY on 3/17/11
Reviewed from notes.

A - This beer pours a hazy reddish amber color. It has a smell white head on it. The head has decent retention, and it leaves behind good lacing.

S - It smells of coves, belgain yeast, and citrus fruit. There is also a bit of a funk smell, as well as some sweetness, caramel, and a touch of vinegar maybe.

T - There is a lot of orange zest present in the taste. There are notes of belgian yeast, hops, and sweet caramel malts. There is also a sourness that is very present, and gets stronger the more you drink. The finish is dry and sweet. I am also getting some notes of coriander and bread.

M - It has a medium body and lower carbonation. It is smooth and goes down quite easily. There is a slightly lingering bitterness in the finish.

D - This has good drinkability. It goes down easy and has a great and interesting flavor. I think this is a very easy going beer. I would recommend giving this one a shot. I really enjoyed it

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2011 14:29:34 | More by JizackFH

NorCalYeti

California

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

taste- citrusy hops, green apple, toasted oak

color- amber

clarity- pours clear and a little hazy in the glass

smell- green apples, charcoal, caramel, dill, oak

body- medium body, smooth on the palate, sour finish

appearance- active carbonation, slightly off-white creamy head, nice lace

overall impression- above average, good taste but i was hoping its character would be more pronounced

notes and comments- way overpriced for the quality

beer spy- the monk's kettle, san francisco ca, 3/19/11, $14.75, 11oz

glassware: tumbler

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2011 23:55:42 | More by NorCalYeti

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Al's of Hampden into a Bell's tulip.

A - Pours deep brown with a nice half finger tall white head leaving very faint lacing down the entire glass.

S - A nice mix of the typical JP funk, dark fruits like raisins and figs, nuts, cherries, and some faint chocolate sweetness. A bit muddled but still pretty good.

T - Not your typical Belgian strong. Roasted malts, both dark and light, dark fruits, tart cherries, muted chocolate, and the typical JP funk mix well to form one interesting beer. The funk never gets to the point of being overpowering, rather it just adds an interesting twist on a good beer. Not the best but still very nice.

M - Medium body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Nice mix of creamy and funky in the feel. Finish has some lingering funk but it fades quickly.

D - Pretty good. Not too bad, I liked it but I think it would wear me down over the course of multiple pours. Not the best I have had from Jolly Pumpkin but far from the worst.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2011 16:27:06 | More by orangesol

MbpBugeye

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Bodega. Served in a 10ozer.

Pale rust with an earthy tan intermixed. Small head, average retention. The smell is typical JP brett strain with a large dose of nuttiness. Plenty of spice and maybe a touch of honey. Taste is much the same. Very nutty with a nice sweet and spicy blend of yeast and spices. Plenty of oak echos the nuttiness. Some cinnamon-apple and brown sugar.

Not too sour, especially once acclimated. This is more of an earth, nutty brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2011 00:22:58 | More by MbpBugeye

droobacca

Delaware

4.35/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at henlopen city oyster house

reddish brown body, slightly white head with trace of lace, lighter medium body, very smooth slightly tart cherry presence. pleasantly surprised to find in delaware, only the second jolly pumpkin ive encountered on tap in DE.

myself and a friend were on a beer excursion hitting local places to try new beer. this was one of the highlights of the day. delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2011 02:41:34 | More by droobacca

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

10 oz pour at Lures in Crownsville, MD. Seriously, what's this doing on tap here?

Pours a chestnut amber, hazed and glowing against light. Quickly dissipating white head with delicate thin streaks of lacing. Aroma is an interesting blend of sour fruit and spice. Slightly musty and woodsy like, before a green apple sourness takes over with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Flavor is nutty and sour, with done green fruit and strong spices. Green apple dominates throughout with a cinnamon spice flavor on the finish and a light pervasive, prickly sourness. Finish is a little musty and bready, detracting from the otherwise enjoyable and unique body. Body is medium thick with strong, fine carbonation. Pleadsant overall but unremarkable by JP standards.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2011 22:45:57 | More by yourefragile

samyoung

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Friday night at Fourth Avenue Pub is a fun time especially when Jolly Pumpkin is involved. The Maracaibo Especial was served in a 12 ounce goblet.

A - Deep orange and red.
S - Fruit and spice, some notes of orange.
T - Extremely flavorful, detected chocolate and orange with a robust hoppy-sour finish.
M - Sticky, sweet and smooth, really clings.
D - One was all I could take; the flavor/body in 12 ounces was blew me away.

Great beer. Jolly Pumpkin makes exquisite, creative and wholly unique beers.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2011 01:09:50 | More by samyoung

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at rattle n hum in nyc

Pours a clouded cherry auburn with brown tones, a thinner off-white head, dissolves with a couple spots of lacing and film.

Dark fruit with some tangy cherries and a suggestion of currants followed by that recognizable JP funk.

Slightly tart and dry with sweet and sour cherry. Some earthy funk with woodiness. Bitterness and some more dark fruit with a touch of dates. Finished dry with some tart funk and very soft sweetness.

Lighter medium body, spritzy on the tongue, pretty dry throughout. Drinks nicely, the cherries are a nice touch and the alcohol is invisible once again. Not my favorite JP offering but another tasty one for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2011 16:57:01 | More by xnicknj

rfgetz

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a lightly hazed burnt sienna color with moderate cap of bubbles, gone quickly. Scent is bolder than many beers from Jolly, notes of carmel malt, nuts, bitter cocoa and bread mingling with the tart and funky notes. Taste follows scent and likewise is fairly bold for Jolly, there is a nice underlying beer below the funk and tart and those qualities actually take a back seat when they usually star in their beers. Medium bodied, again a nice moderate level of carbonation not found in their bottles. A nice beer which seems to do a couple things outside of the normal Jolly Pumpkin range.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2011 15:15:23 | More by rfgetz

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Tap at Armsby Abbey,

Fluffy 2 finger head off a very long pour, slowly fades wroth thick lacing, hazy golden peach orange color.

Nose of Belgian malts, light and dark, citrus and fruits, a light tart sour mash and light sour fruits, a little bready, light sweetness.

Taste starts a little funky with some light tart fruits and sour mash, bit of lactic, semi sweet Belgian malts, little bready and light wild yeast funk, bit of bitterness, light citrus and lemon zest, smooth and tasty. Finishes with more bitter lemon peel and some light tart funk, little lacto and flemmy.

Mouth is med to a bit lighter with decent carb.

Drink is good, not much abv and the tartness is balanced well with light sweetness and bready malts and light funk, the lacto and flemmy take away a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2011 19:33:34 | More by jlindros

Ralphs66

New York

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first review..and my first try of a Jolly Pumpkin offering. I'll review this beer for what it was, not what JP claims it to be. It's definitely not a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. The funk and tartness make it an American Wild, and in that context, it was wonderful. Having looked thru the JP website after trying this beer at the Peekskill Brewery (a thumbs up for that place!!), my impression is that JP is really pushing the envelope. They appear to be true non-conformists and are exploring some really extensive boundaries with their brewings. I'll be trying many more of their beers and recommend the Maracaibo without reservation.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2011 13:59:30 | More by Ralphs66

glid02

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Porter Beer Bar in Atlanta.

Pours an opaque and muddy brown color with a one-finger tan head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of muted dark malts with hints of pears and cocoa powder. As it warms very slight funk wafts out in addition to lightly tart green apples.

Tastes similar to how it smells, though more robust. Dark malt flavors kick things off and are joined almost immediately by overripe pears dusted with cocoa powder. Midway through the sip the fruit flavors become more tart with the addition of green apples. The fruit and light cocoa powder carry through to a mildly bitter ending. As with the aroma, hints of funk come into play as it warms.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I had no problems finishing my glass and could have another.

Overall I had been anticipating this beer for some time but I was let down a bit. The flavors are interesting and meld together well however nothing was robust enough to make me want to try this again. Worth a shot if you enjoy JP in general.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2011 02:44:00 | More by glid02