Bière De Mars - Grand Reserve - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

SaisonRichBiere

Michigan

4.79/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a stubby 11.2 oz bottle into a Jolly Pumpkin snifter.

Appearance- Pours a dark, cloudy reddish-brown with only enough bubbles to rise, and disperse to the edge of the glass. Looks very aged for a beer.

Smell- Tangy pungent sour fruit followed by robust oak, caramel, allspice, burnt Santo Marron wood, candied figs, red currant jam. Very complex aromas akin to a very long oak-aged spirit.

Taste- Tart citric acid blasts the palate- like sour candy. Followed up with cherry wine, sweet grapes, prune, tobacco, maple sugar, oaky tannins, earthy cinnamon and cardamom. This finishes quite dry for how tart it starts off.

Mouthfeel- Very dense and smooth with very little carbonation.

Overall- A very unique brew that has complexity written all over it. Justifiably so, given its lengthy aging. Reminiscent of a tawny port, or a fine cognac in all of its complex character. Not to be missed if you are afforded the rare opportunity to try this. I will look forward to future bottlings if they do them again.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 02:10:56 | More by SaisonRichBiere

tectactoe

Michigan

4.55/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap at Jolly Pumpkin in Ann Arbor for the '13 Biere de Mars Grand Reserve release. It pours a cloudy mix of deep copper that cascades from a dense and red-tinted brown at the bottom to a lighter, nearly amber color at the top. The thin, grey-hinted head is small, most likely due to the pour, but it still leaves some nice, wet, dripping lace in its path. Very interesting gradient of color, especially when held up in front of a light.

One whiff and mmm.... You can immediately smell the tartness of the beer. A good amount of acidity jumps out at the nostrils, attached with plenty of hearty vinegar notes all around. The vinous aromas with this one are strong, too; tons of grapes, oak, and tannin. Successive whiffs draw out more fruit aside from grapes; cherries and apple skins are relevant as well. There's a mild, horsey and barnyard aroma that prances in eventually, revealing a mild funk amongst the tart brigade. I would've like the aroma to "pop" just a little more than it did, but it still did a fine job of getting my taste buds excited to finally bring it to my lips.

The first sip stings the taste buds and gets the saliva glands working - quite sour, with a heavy initial tartness; it has got me puckering and smacking my lips right away. Vinous notes are even heavier on the palate with plenty of oak and barrel flavors, tannin, grapes, and a mild hint of alcohol. Vinegar is almost equal in strength as it comes charging in right away, contributing to the brash tartness of the brew. Acidic to the core while remaining devastatingly drinkable.

Just like with the aroma, allowing this beer to open up reveals some more complexity and more fruits; cherries, sour lemon juice, tart green apples. The problem is, I finished this one pretty quickly - very easy to put down. The tail end reveals some moderate funk; wet hay, soaked wood, and a slight musty barnyard, but it's safe to say that this beer is more heavily pronounced on the sour side rather than the funky side. Thin-medium bodied, lively with carbonation, giving an almost crispy mouth feel. The finish is bone dry, ending with a sharp tartness, lightly vinous oik, and very tame funk.

Phenomenal brew from Jolly Pumpkin. Excellent sour. I was sad to look down at my glass and find that it was empty so quickly. I couldn't keep this stuff away from my mouth. It's exceedingly sour and tart, but still to a highly drinkable degree - you won't have to worry about it burning a hole into your stomach. Light funk is a welcomed accompaniment to the complex tart and fruity flavor profile. The vinous and vinegar notes were lovely. I wish this was released more often, but I heard it spends 24 months in barrels... I guess you can't really argue with that.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2013 11:41:54 | More by tectactoe

chugalug06

Colorado

4.53/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Zero head comes from the caramel colored brew. Kinda boring. But it has nice clarity.

Spicy apple vinegar. Slight kick of peach. Black tea has a bit of a presence too.

Sour, but not as much as it's little brother... Very smooth and flat. Very few bubbles. Not sure I like BdM GR without carbonation. Very wet.

For what I expected, BdM GR let me down... I was expecting amazing-ness and it was only mildly great. JP nailed it, but it needs more carbonation and a bigger bottle ;) Overall-4.38

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 02:58:30 | More by chugalug06

biga7346

Michigan

4.73/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2011 poured into JP snifter

A - Really deep chestnut color, oil soaked wood like wood stain, firm like most JP beers, relatively flat.

N - Gourd or pumpkin, grape skin, wet cement, white peppercorn and spices like cinnamon, very vinous, tart apple, lemon juice and lemon zest, tanginess; as it warms there's some phenol-like, medicinal notes, wet hay, some nutty cheese.

T - Wonderful finish of soaked wood and tart grape skin, healthy punch of acidity, fresh citrus, more oily and acidic than La Roja GR; subtle floral notes, rose hips, dirt, soda water, oak barrel. Mouthfeel is dense, chewy for a JP beer, good carbonation after more than year in the bottle.

D - Great complexity, the color alone is one of the most unique I've seen.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 18:55:00 | More by biga7346

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark red almost brown with little head or lacing.

Aroma is apples, sour berries with oak.

Very sour up front with more apple and pear notes. A little bit of fruity sweetness creeps in and it finishes with a puckering dry oak presence. More sour than the typical JP offering.

On the lighter side in body with low carbonation.

Very enjoyable although the extreme dry sourness may limit drinkability. A small pour was excellent though. Definitely different than the typical JP offering and offering some surprising gueuze characteristics at times.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 16:49:54 | More by jmarsh123

DovaliHops

California

4.8/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle. Bottled 2-19-10...A tad bit over 2 year old. Pours an almost-clear, ruby-amber color with a hint of brown. Very minimal white head. Scent is...out of this world! Such a great smelling beer. JP always has a distinct aroma to them...that lovely barnyard funk they specialize in...with just the slightest tart aroma. This is that same scent, but kicked up a notch. A huge amount of oak with some sweet bourbon (I'm not sure if the Grand Reserve edition is aged in bourbon barrels, but I get a hint of it). Sweet cherries and some acidic notes. A bit of spice as well. Very lovely and complex. Taste is just as complex... Sour cherries up front. Followed by lovely wood/oak flavors and some lingering bourbon sweetness. ABV is so well hidden, it's ridiculous. Not as acidic as the nose is, but definitely leaves a sticky feeling on the gums and teeth. Mouthfeel is very dry with a sticky finish. Drinkability is very high. I could sip on this beer all night. Overall, this was such a great experience. It should be a crime to bottle this fantastic beer in such small bottles. This one is meant to be in 750ml and shared amongst friends. Amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 06:36:47 | More by DovaliHops

cbeer88

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2oz bottle poured into Duvel glass. 3/22/11 bottling (1 year old)

Appearance: Dark amber in color, almost no head to speak of, just a few bubbles. No lacing, and only a thin outside rim lasts throughout the drink.

Smell: Apple, cherry, nebulous sour fruit, and oak.

Taste: Very tart lactic bite up front with a smoother fruity blend on the aftertaste. Oak, a hair of sour apple cider, wood, and some brett-y/barnyard funk.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and low carbed. Very dry and puckering.

Drinkability: Low - it's delicious but this bottle size is perfect. 750 of this would be too much.

Overall: A very nice "true" sour. Whereas most JP beers are more funk than sour, you wouldn't think twice about it if somebody blindly poured you this beer and told you it was from Russian River. Tart and complex. This is JP's highest rated beer, and with good reason.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 00:29:37 | More by cbeer88

camil1mj

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the 3/2011 bottling. Shared by Tjohn2401.

A: Reddish brown. Slight amount of white head that quickly disapates. Minimal lacing.

S: Vinegar, funky cherries.

T: A good balance of sweet and sour followed with some fruity tones.

M: Medium body. Not a whole lot of carbonation.

O: A great beer. I think I like La Roja Grand Reserve better.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 19:54:25 | More by camil1mj

Sideswipe

California

4.72/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle dated batch 472/473, 3/22/2011

I received this in an incredible box from my friend AleWatcher. Thanks Jeff!

The beer pours a beautiful ruby hued, mahogany color. Little to no head. The nose is a mélange of oak, sour cherries and funk. The taste starts out incredibly tart. Sour cherries predominate up front. An intense puckering quality manifests itself mid-palate with oak and wet horse blanket at play in the background. The finish is dry with a sweet, tart aftertaste which lingers. The beer is light bodied with an evervescent level of carbonation that really adds to the experience. Overall this is a great beer. Probably one of the best sours I've had to date. The tart, sweet, funky characteristics flow from one to another flawlessly making for a supremely enjoyable experience. Wish I had a couple of more of these. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 06:56:33 | More by Sideswipe

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a dirty cloudy beige color ale with s mall bubbly head with limited retention and not much lacing. Aroma consists of sour and tart notes with light oak notes. Taste is quiet sour with some light oak and light funky yeast notes with a mild acidity level. Body is quite full with low carbonation. I tasted more funk then bourbon to be honest but very enjoyable beer from one of my favourite brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 18:16:09 | More by Phyl21ca

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -11%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

330ml bottle poured into a Bruery Tulip glass.

A - Pours a dark amber-brown with a thin tan head.

S - Funk, cherry, tart citrus.

T - Funky cherry, tart old fruit. The sourness overpowers most of the flavors here.

D - Mild carbonation, light body.

O - A good sour, bring on the tart.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 04:50:10 | More by HuskyinPDX

Urbancaver

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage
Pours a nice dark brownish orange. No real head to speak of. Smells tart. Almost fruitty cherry coming through. Sour and fruity on the tongue. Again I feel like the fruits are reminiscent of cherry but not distinctly. Very nice smooth sourness that melds with the base malts. A bit low on the carbonation but pretty enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 17:54:08 | More by Urbancaver

auroracrisis

Kentucky

4.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2oz into a RR tulip, this is Batch 472/473 bottled on 3-22-2011

Deep and clear crimson red, almost brown really, with a few bubbles on the pour, but no head. Lazy, spotty carbonation with bubbles that rise sporadically and slowly.

Dusty fruit qualities. Apples, grapes, and cherries with a touch of oak. Clean vinegar-like acidity as well with more oak. Very inviting.

Opens up with brash vinegar-like acidity, biting on the cheeks and tongue. Then moves into the fruity characteristics. Again, apples and cherries, with a touch of grape. Then more acidity and oak flavors follow through. Leaves a nice fruity vinous flavor in the mouth.

Biting and acidic, while drying out the palate upon swallowing. Medium bodied with way low carbonation.

Great fruity flavor with plenty of oak, with drying acidic qualities that leave the palate quenched and wanting more. A great American interpretation of the style, something I'm glad to have.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 03:59:43 | More by auroracrisis

Chriscrundwell12

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured on tap at The Great Taste of the Midwest 2011. 5 oz pour into a tasting glass.

A- Pours s murky dark red amber color, ½ finger white head that stays for a while, decent lacing.
S- The aroma is really nice, vinegar, sour fruity notes, berries, pear, peach, apple, oak, wild funk.
T- Taste very similar to the nose but a little more funky, really tasty, dark fruit notes, grapes, pear, sour apple, nice oak presence that adds a delicious element to this beer, vinegar, really sour.
M- Medium/Big Mouth feel, minimal carbonation but does not take away from the beer, mouth puckering, sour, dry finish.
O- Really impressed with this beer, one of the first Pours I had at the festival. I would say this is the best Jolly Pumpkin beer I’ve had, and it will be hard to top it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2011 08:14:14 | More by Chriscrundwell12

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.97/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had a kickass JP tasting a while back... finally getting my notes typed up.

I'm going to preface this review with this statement:
The Biere De Mars is my favorite JP beer I had ever had. I am going into this beer with VERY high expectations.

This is a 2008 bottling-- brewed in 06?
This is an orangey red color. Minimal head and lacing, but the legs are thick and oily looking.
The nose is apple cider vinegar and oak with a nice tartness coming through. The nose leads nicely into the taste, and they are both fantastic.

A great strong sour presence with just an incredible flavor. Lots of oak and vinegar... a near complete loss of any spices.

I love this beer.
We opened this side-by-side with the 2010 bottling, and while the 10 is good, the 08 DESTROYS it. I love the regular BdM, but the 2010 GR kills it... and the 08 GDM rapes the 2010. You do the math!

I want more of the GR here. I will be aging any of these for 2 or 3 years!

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 04:54:33 | More by AleWatcher

drabmuh

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shared by Huhzubendah in a side by side with the "regular" version of this. Served in a Fantom glass, and oh yeah AT THE TIME OF THIS REVIEW this is the #1, NUMERO UNO, the quitessential, the top dog Biere de Garde on the best of lists on beeradvocate.com. Thanks for sharing this Matt.

Beer is brown and mostly clear, darker than the regular version but only slightly. The head is wispy and white, tiny bubbles. Carbonation is low, no real lacing, looks pretty good.

The aroma on this beer is stronger than the regular, more acetic, more "burn" a little acetone flavors in the nose. The lactic and wood are still there, mild tannic, some Brett character obviously.

Beer is not as harsh as it smells. I don't mean to say that it smelled bad but the acetic character on the palate was more subdued than I assumed it would be when I originally smelled the beer. There is definitely an acetic character, but it more brightens the beer than makes it dry or harsh. The beer is sour but not tart on the finish. A little dry on the ending and a lactic creaminess with a nice bouquet of yeast on the midpalate. I am not sure which one I liked better, I think this one suffers from a solvency, but the flavor is better. I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 16:39:33 | More by drabmuh

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.47/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shared with Mike and Matt. Served side by side with Biere de Mars.

The beer appears a slightly darker brown than the Biere de Mars, with a bit less head and lace. The aroma is funky, with a strong lactic, acetic presence. It smells similar to Russian River Consecration, which is definitely a good thing. Oak, slight vinegar, tart, Brettanomyces, acetic. Definitely worth a try if you are a fan of funky, sour beers.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 19:55:26 | More by Huhzubendah

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

4.47/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to ahalloin for sharing this at a recent tasting.

A: Nice caramel look with some great lacing, not much head to speak of.

S: Some nice berry seeds maybe blackberry/raspberry with the classic JP farmhouse brett yeast and maybe even some cherry pie like notes. Nice malt in there to stand up to the brett.

T: Great fruit and taffy taste with some citrus tartness but not a ton of sour, just enough to get a berry tart kind of taste with just a touch of sugar. Plenty of dry yeast and straw malt. Very mature and complex taste.

M: Nice feel without a ton of carbonation, smooth over the palate and not astringent at all.

Nice beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 19:17:59 | More by Dreadnaught33

AgentZero

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - -Light brown colored beer with a bit of a white head that didn't rise very high or stay for very long. Looks a little red on the edges.

S - Dark fruits, yeast is fairly present, some funk, little vinegar.

T - Sweet caramel, some tartness with the normal Jolly Pumpkin yeast smell. Some funk and oak from the barrels. I get bored with JP beers, but this one is somewhat interesting.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation and a dry finish.

O - Decent beer, not amazing, but this one is pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 05:08:57 | More by AgentZero

tmoneyba

Ohio

4/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a clear dark brown color with a minimal frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with fair lacing. Moderate to heavy tart citrus, good funk and wood aroma. Medium to full body with a sticky texture and soft carbonation. Medium to heavy sour flavor with a medium to heavy sweet & sour finish of moderate to long duration. This is a standout beer for style.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 01:03:52 | More by tmoneyba

mdfb79

New York

4.2/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 06/25/11 notes. 2 330ml bottles shared by ahalloin; thanks Tony, always interested in trying new JP beers. Poured into my Bruery tulip. Batch 346/348, dated 02/19/10.

a - Pours a murky dark brown color with one finger of off white head and moderate carbonation evident. Spotty lacing left on the glass.

s - Smells of that distinct Jolly Pumpkin yeast and funk, oak, horse blanket, and light fruit. Very funky and enjoyable; really like the nose.

t - Tastes of funk, light fruity, yeast, that barnyard funk/horse blanket taste, and light oak.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Pretty creamy body, and not as carbonated as I expected.

o - Overall a really good beer from Jolly Pumpkin beer. If you like their style this is acan't miss. Would like to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 15:38:03 | More by mdfb79

ArrogantB

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

330ml bottle thanks to Auoracrisis. First off, this beer was fantastic, just wonderful but I am already biased towards the regular biere de mars which we rarely see in Colorado. Dark red with a healthy head at first that died quick. It smelled a lot like the regular version, sour flanders style beer. The taste however had a very pronounced and beautiful oak flavor to it that complemented the beer very well. Sour but full and not so much the lemon flavor I have detected in Biere De Mars. I was actually astonished by how much better it was with the extended oak aging. Fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 19:28:16 | More by ArrogantB

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Blind BIF #5, Blind beer #9 from abraxel. An 11.2 oz, I think.

A-Pours a clear amber, no head or lacing to speak of.

S-Lactic and oaky, sour and "bring it on". So bring it on.

T-Sour, moderately puckery but in the good range. Vinegar notes are present but nicely done. A really nice wild ale.

M-Bone dry, sour, little to no carbonation.

O-Pretty damn good sour.

HV

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 11:45:35 | More by sholland119

joshuaseresse

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from auroracrisis, thanks for the trade Ben! Batch #472/473, 11.2oz, bottled on March 22, 2011. Split with my girlfriend and poured into snifters:

A - Pours a deep, dark brown with ruby tints throughout. Semi thick foam ring around the edges with sworls of foam in the middle. Numerous bubbles cling to the sides of the glass. Light lacing.

S - Green apples, grape skins, pears, touch of peaches, oak and a bit of funk. Little bit of citrus notes like lemon and orange peel. Not as funky as I expected but what can I say, this is my first Biere de Garde.

T - Really smooth and nice funk tartness. Grapes, pears, peaches and a bit of lemon zest. Oak and a tartness usually coming from cranberries comes through nicely. Oak and mixed berries also follow, while green apples round out the flavors. Really well done.

M - Smooth and velvety. There is a touch of drying toward the end, but I think that comes from the tartness. The tartness also grips the jaw. I think this is the best part of the brew.

O - I'm really happy with the one. Great smell, flavor and fantastic mouthfeel. I've had a couple offerings from Jolly Pumpkin and this is by far the best one yet. I'd really like more to age...or just drink right away. A must try.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 05:54:01 | More by joshuaseresse

MrFootstones

California

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear reddish brown. Starts off with a centimeter of head which recedes quickly.

Sweet n sour in the aroma. Vanilla, oak, tart green apple, ripe berries, stone fruit.

Slightly sweet, a little tart. Slight phenolic spice, ripe cherries and soft cherry pits. Awesome vanilla and oak in the finish. Tastes like the perfect execution of a Flemish style sour.

Velvety smooth on the palate. Soft carbonation with a slight tingle in the back of the mouth. Could have more carbonation but the amount here works and it's very nice overall.

Damn. This is by far the best JP beer I have ever had. The flavor and aroma are killer. Good to know Jolly Pumpkin can really make something exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 04:21:50 | More by MrFootstones