Bam Noire - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

srhoadsy

Florida

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Served chilled into a tulip.

Pours a rich mahogany color with an inch+ airy beige head that quickly recedes leaving a moderate surface layer and light lacing.

Aromas of tart berries and cherries.

Tart and sour flavors of berries, cherries and grapes with a musty, peppery background.

Medium bodied with a crisp, dry finish and a lingering sour aftertaste.

Overall a decent beer, but couldn't help but think something is missing.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 23:57:44 | More by srhoadsy

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.26/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Batch 1130 - Bottled 7-9-12. Dregs went into homebrew porter...
Poured from bottle into Chouffe tulip.
Pours a barely seethrough deep brown with huge tan bubbley head; actually started slowly erupting from the bottle. This brew smells awesome!
Really funky woody sour malts...some ever so slight hop aroma. wow...smells so good. Super woody malty funk. Some nice sweet malt backbone and bright saison farmouse light finish. Its nicely dry and slightly tart.
This brew is just awesome...closest thing to Fantome ive ever had. Deff recommend this brew to anyone who likes a funky tart sour.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 23:20:26 | More by DrinkSlurm

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.24/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Batch 1013, Bottled 1-31-2012 (hmm... just purchased today and looking at the ABV, I ain`t waitin` on this puppy):

Into a pint glass (this is supposedly a saison):

A: dark brown body with red tinges at the edges, one finger white foamy head that dies a bit leaving some concave lacing, super foamy all around as I had to hold the bottle over the sink so not to waste any of it as it tried to spill over

S: tart funkiness up front with an earthy/musty woody yet sour cherry (this is a saison, huh, ok, smells closer to a wild ale, ok, no worries, I`ll proceed

T: tart/sour/ funky with the same earthy/musty/woodiness

M: medium, though a lower ABV-ed beer - not feeling the love of decent drinkability - probably one and done; tart, yet sweet aftertaste, sticky finish

O: welcome to Maine, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan, not a bad beer, just wondering if this is mis-labled or if I need to try this one fresher, unsure if I would have this again....??

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 18:38:13 | More by kangarooAdam59

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.24/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

750ml bottle - $8.99 at Bullock's Wine & Spirits in Marietta, Georgia.

Batch 1013 - Bottled 1-31-2012.

Appearance: Pours a hazed, dark russet-toned body with a tall, well-frothed, airy, off-white head.

Smell: Funky, phenolic aroma, first and foremost, sporting notes of leather saddle, decomposing tree bark, ultra faint cocoa, slight dark fruitiness, spicy-scented gentian and ginseng root, and, well, a hint of musty, ole ass.

Taste: Leather-bound raisins with heavily toasted, nutty malt and a little touch of chocolate powder. Very low sweetness. Shredded gentian, a touch of mentho-lyptus. Soiled wooden note, hint of citrus. Extra spice. Splash of stomach juices atop old straw. Some of those early malt hints try to come forth on the back half. Dry with a tongue-coating lactic funkiness on the heavily sudsy, positively gassy finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Highly carbonated, foaming in the mouth with each sip.

Overall: As always, it’s another weird, wild ride from Jolly Pumpkin.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 23:05:24 | More by ChainGangGuy

MRsojourner

Massachusetts

3.66/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml served into a snifter. a very dark brown color with a off white creamy head that is super thick and rocky
The small is not intense but you get some sort of wine barrel and a bit of vinegar
The taste is a mix of hops and unripe apple with just a touch pine earthiness. it finishes really dry and you get some barrel character.
overall this beer is interesting but not nearly as much as the other releases. its a easy drinker and teeters on going sour but just not quit there. it is balanced

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 00:22:28 | More by MRsojourner

AltBock

Ohio

3.54/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle with a cartoon drawing of Jolly Pumpkin's Jack Russell Terrier, Bam. This label is darker than the other Bam versions and this one even has Bam with small bat wings. Flanking Bam is the mandatory Government info and a description of the beer. On the back of the bottle, there should be a white sticker with the batch number and bottled date. My bottle was from batch 895 and bottled on 9-26-2011. It has a little age on it.

I poured this Dark Farmhouse Ale into an Ommegang tulip. It poured an extremely murky dark cola brown color. It was so murky that light could only shine through this beer at the bottom. On top was a dirty white almost beige 1/4 of an inch head of foam. It had decent retention that left behind a string of foamy rings and a spot or two of lace. Not a bad appearance. The color grew on me as I drank on.

The aroma had a little barnyard funk to it. Not too much. It was also a little sour. Not a bad sour, but a good sour. I didn't get a wide range of fruits in the aroma. My nose was able to pick up some green grapes, green apples, red raspberry, a faint whiff of orange peel and a pinch of oak. Nice lightly funky aroma.

The taste was dry and lightly funky with that barnyard funk that was in aroma. The barnyard funk gives way to the beer's minor sourness. The sour part of the beer didn't last long. It was filled with fruits like green grapes, green apples, and red raspberries. This sour fruit taste was then washed away with a dry oaky taste. It basically had three short lived tastes. I wish it let out the middle sour part a little longer.

The aftertaste was a light bodied, easy drinking due to the low ABV%, and slightly sour and oaky. There was barely an aftertaste to this beer. It was so faint that I could only detect a little sourness and oak.

Not a bad lightly funky Farmhouse Ale. Not my absolute favorite from Jolly Pumpkin, but it's another stand up beer from them. Would I drink another one? I wouldn't mind another one.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 04:12:44 | More by AltBock

BeerAsAStoryteller

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bomber. Drank at home.

Nearly exploded from the bottle when I popped the cap. Lots of carbonation, like a warm champagne.

A: Tons of foam. Poured an inch and the glass was full. That said, the foam is a gorgeous, thick off-white, but fading quickly. Beer is dark, nearly black, amber.

S: Some citrus, with a hint of barnyard funk. Slight copper aroma.

T: Overpowered by a slight tartness that I can't quite call sour, which mixes well with the mild sweetness of the malts. Very little hop bite, and almost no hop flavor. Still getting the citrus, but no funk.

M: Very crisp, lots of carbonation. Medium body.

O: A nice, crisp farmhouse ale that takes a few steps outside the normal boundaries of this category. I wish the funk in the aroma came through more with the tartness in the flavor, and would probably make this a regular if it was so. As is, I will probably seek out funkier and/or sourer farmhouses.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 04:13:44 | More by BeerAsAStoryteller

MarcatGSB

Michigan

3.99/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from 25.4 oz. bottle into Brasserie d'Achouffe tulip. Batch number 1079, bottled 04-23-2012.

A: This guy was a definite gusher...in fact I had to grab an extra glass to dump it into because it just would not stop. It poured a very murky brown color, with a huge white frothy head. The head was almost 4 times the size of the pour, and slowly sank back into the beer. Honestly, after the head drops, it looks pretty amazing. Awesome lacing all over the glass, with big glops of white foam sporadic. Pretty cool.

N: The nose is obviously dominated by that JP yeast. Some bread, little bit of citrus like spice...lots of funk. No sour tartness to be found, and also a bit of malt coming thru.

T: The taste has a good amount of tartness to it, but I couldn't call it sour really. Has some really nice barnyard notes to it. A bit of tart cherry and maybe some apple cider vinegar. Has a nice maltyness to it.

M: Nice, sweet followed by a dry cherry sensation.

D and O: It's a very interesting beer. It separates itself from the Bam Biere by the rich malty body. It's a really nice beer, dominated by the JP yeast strain. It's a solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 22:20:36 | More by MarcatGSB

tectactoe

Michigan

3.4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a murky copper, dark brown hybrid color with an extremely fluffy beige head; cloud-like and lasting nearly all the way down the glass, the head is one of the most unique ones I've seen. I love the way this beer looks and I love the way the head seems to pillow up forever.

Slightly fruity nose with a touch of funk, cork, and barnyard hay; berries, apples, grapes, and peaches seem to fill out the fruit bill. Can't quite put my finger on whether or not this beer is going to lean more towards the funk side or more towards the tart side. Warming up lets the funk get a bit stronger, but the fruits never recess too much.

The taste hits tart and sour at first, which mellows out rather quickly from sour to sweet in the form of light berries and drenched peaches. The barnyard funk hits halfway through and lasts until the end, also leaving the largest impression in the aftertaste. Murky, funky, corky; think of hay, wet wood, and funky, old cheese.

On paper, the flavor profile sounds gross, but works for this type of brew. However, it's a little too dominant here. The sweetness and sour element of the beer just isn't strong enough to balance the heavy funk; I'm sure some funk-lovers out there will enjoy the crass funkiness of this brew, but I would like to see a bit more tart/sour balance. Thin-medium body with a heavy dose of carbonation.

A little lacking in the flavor department from the sweet and sour sides, making the funk stand out a little more than it needs to. Not a bad beer, but this likely won't be a revisit for me, mainly because JP makes so many other delicious beers.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 22:34:36 | More by tectactoe

SLeffler27

New York

3.6/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear, dark copper with some clinging carbonation in a fisheye pint. The head reaches four inches of off-white foam that ranges from meringue to sea foam and leaves a thick patchwork of lace.

A light barnyard funkiness accompanies pinesap while light mustiness and some apples are also discernible.

Opens very sweet and in quickly followed by a one-two punch of bitterness and tartness. The finish reprises the bitter/tart duo for a long while. Overall this is quite acidic with notes of lime and pineapple throughout.

A light, effervescent body with needle pricks of alcohol that is surprisingly present in this watery-textured beer.

This is a very different take on the style. It is refreshing and better suited for a warm summer day than a cold wet autumn day.

Batch 1089, bottled 07.Mar.2012

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 12:28:00 | More by SLeffler27

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is similar to a 'bock' beer, in my opinion, a translucent auburn hue. The aroma was interesting, reminding me of pot pourri, and apple cinnamon pie. For the flavor, I found it to be pleasantly sour and tart, like apple cider vinegar, and with plenty of that farmhouse funky yeast taste. It was very fizzy, light-bodied, and crisp, almost enough to make me pucker in the end. The only slight criticism I had was that I noticed a slight vegetal/herbal hint intermingled deep within the other flavors that I was not so sure about. I definitely want to have another though, and would highly recommend this to those that like sours.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 22:26:32 | More by Neorebel

Phelps

Arizona

3.15/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Enjoyed in a tulips at World of Beer tulip. This here's a dark saison made with the usual JP yeast.

Deep copper, mostly opaque. A two-finger head of light tan leaves thick spatters of lace.

In the nose, I get a touch of sweet balsamic mixed with dark fruit. A hint of toast, some lemon, some caramel, some raisin.

Very different flavor. Tart notes are a whisper, a memory. Just a touch, with a little pepper and cracker. Very dry throughout. Could use more oomph at the finish.

High carbonation. Pinching. Light, fizzy, soft. Whipped as it moves.

Needs more strength. Weak.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2012 17:52:15 | More by Phelps

Number45forever

Vermont

3.2/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Heard some intriguing things about this beer, was looking forward to it. Poured from bottle dated 1/23/12...so this bottle is about 10 months old.

Appearance: amber, very clear, light passes through without issue. Appears to be a filtered beer..surprising in a saison? But, a good looking beer. Almost like a hoppy amber IPA in appearance.

Smell: Tart, some slight funk and slight dark fruits. Not getting any kind of pepper or spices. Nice.

Taste: Much more funk than the smell. Some tartness, some cherry taste which I wasn't expecting in the style. Tons of funk, almost missing more sourness to balance it out. If you like the hay/horse blanket, taste - this is your beer!

Mouthfeel: Nice. Prickly carbonation, but I could have used a touch more carbonation.

Overall. Solid. Not bad at all. A good, funky saison. Will I get through the whole 22oz? Shouldn't be an issue. Not sure I'll be chasing this one down in the future though.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 02:26:11 | More by Number45forever

metter98

New York

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: The beer is hazy brownish red in color. It poured with a half finger high beige head that has excellent retention properties.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of oak and sourness in the nose along with hints of cherries. The cherries become stronger as the beer warms up.
T: the taste is a little sour nd tart and has light notes of cherries and dark fruits.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a low to moderate amount of carbonation.
O: this is a very interesting beer that is very easy to drink and quite flavorful for being lighter in body.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 13:06:53 | More by metter98

OSUBeerStudent

North Carolina

2.53/5  rDev -33.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottled 10/18/2011, into a Lost Abbey glass.

A - pretty nice if not spectacular. Fairly thick head on pour, sticks around reasonably well but only a thin layer. Nondescript dark brown body.

S - faint. Smell is some light lactic/acetic acid, very tiny bit of funk. Nothing at all from malts or hops. Slight bit of grass in the background. Mediocre at best.

T - acidity, again a bit of funk in the taste. Again basically no hop/malt presence at all. Overwhelming impression is dry and slightly acidic, with very little else. It's just not very pleasant.

M - extremely dry, highly carbonated. Bone-dry. The carbonation is too high for it to be easy to drink, though.

Overall, this is not a very good beer. It has little to no complexity, little/no malt presence to play with the acidity, light funk even after being a year old, pretty one-note acidity. Disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 19:43:36 | More by OSUBeerStudent

Murrhey

Montana

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 1pt 9.4 fl oz bottle into a pint glass. Bottled 7/12/11.

A- One finger cream-colored head, middling retention. Auburn color with high clarity. Good looking carbonation and some sticky vestiges of lacing.

S- Brown sugar, raisins, dates, some caramel, gingerbread, molasses, cinnamon. Very complex smell that points out all sorts of sugary and dark treats.

T- Acidic and tart. Some of those dark fruits in the smell appear here as well. Soda pop taste with some dark but mild malts and a bit of a hop-oil tie-in. Some strange flavor (not unappealing) I can't put my finger on.

M- Bubbly and medium bodied. Wet finish.

O- Above average, but not a knockout. I am excited to try more Jolly Pumpkin Ales though.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 03:18:19 | More by Murrhey

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a ruddy brownish amber with a creamy white head.

S: Aromas of cider vinegar, roasted grain, must, oak, and pickle brine are fleeting on the nose.

T: Notes of cider vinegar, roasted grain, must, oak, pickle brine, unripened vine fruits, minerals, spices, and slightly burnt toast wash across the palate. The finish is clipped with notes of oak, must, roasted grain, and vinegar.

M: Light-to-medium in body, dry, and chalky. Carbonation is firm and crisp. Quite drinkable, but feels a bit heavier than it is.

O: I'm not a fan of Jolly Pumpkin's regular Bam Biere, but this version is far from bad. It's not one of my favorite Jolly Pumpkin offerings, but I am glad I tried this one. I could see myself serving this as a table beer at fall gatherings.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 23:23:34 | More by mrfrancis

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

an interesting dark reddish/brown (almost black) pour with about 2 inches of frothy off white head leaving behind copious amounts of lacing. smells like a typical saison (pepper, funky, lemon peel, cilantro) with a very unique herbal smell in the finish that i can't figure out! a smoked flavor.. slightly sour, hints of chocolate, spicy black pepper, a bit tart/sour like lemon.. this is a very strange tasting beer.. i can imagine this pairing PERFECTLY with a piece of grilled fish or maybe chicken.
the carbonation is constant, body is very light.. the first few sips felt almost as if i were sipping on flavored air.. threw me off a little bit honestly, you see the dark ale, you taste a saison..you feel a frothy head which feels like it's disapperaing as soon as you touch it.. almost like cotton candy. i'm giving it a high score for its uniqueness.
overall, i think i scored this a bit higher than i should have, but i can justify it by saying this is my first ever dark saison. to me, it was very unique - even though i personally feel like it wasn't one of my favorite beers, i scored it a little higher for that reason. don't get me wrong - it's tasty, and looks/feels great, but i'm not TOO impressed considering the price tag on this one. it's also my first beer from this brewery, and if this is any sign about how the rest of their beers are, i can't really see myself spending close to $20 a 750ml bottle again.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 06:43:15 | More by facundoCNB

UCLABrewN84

California

3.65/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Batch 927. Bottled 10/25/2011.

Pours a murky brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small bubbly patches of lace form quickly fade off the sides of the glass. Smell is sour and tart with some fruit and spice aromas. Taste is pretty much the same with the spices lingering slightly on the finish. This beer has a very high level of carbonation with a very crisp and prickly mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the flavor is a bit thin and I think it smells better than it tastes.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 06:18:23 | More by UCLABrewN84

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled Nov 21, 2011

Beer is very dark brown, hints of red. Large off-white head. Decent retention.

A bit sour in the nose, cherry, oak. Good.

Taste is a bit sour, roasted malt, brett, oak, a bit of fruit. Tastes good, though not super complex. Oak is particularly strong in the finish.

Light bodied, low to moderate carbonation. A bit thin but good. An easy drinker.

Overall, pretty good. A bit thin in terms of flavour, but enjoyable. The mix of roasted malt and sour is not common and is a nice change, but isn't a perfect combo.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 18:46:49 | More by jrenihan

champ103

Texas

3.33/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a murky brown color. A massive beige head forms that sticks around forever. Rings of lace are left behind.
S: Funky, earthy slightly fruity, some wood aromas. Pretty much just that unmistakeable JP yeast. Which in and of itself is something I really enjoy.
T: Follows the nose. Funky, earthy, fruity. There is a bit more acidic sourness than in the nose. Besides the color, this could be packaged as generic JP beer X.
M/D: A medium and dry body. A bit under carbonated and thin though. Very easy to drink. The bomber will be gone in no time.

This seems like the basic, base Jolly Pumpkin. The completely unique JP yeast is very apparent. Just not among their elite IMO.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 01:46:32 | More by champ103

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

found this little gem on sale today at Total Wine.

I see a more brown than black body with a thin white head. I like it.

I love the way every single Jolly Pumpkin beer smells. Strong oaky smell with a bit of Brett funk. Hint of Belgian candy sweetness.Very slight hint of roasted malts muddled in there somewhere Smells much more sweet than other funky saisons.

Now this is a unique JP beer. Very light and flaky. Sourness really isnt pronounced as is with their other offerings. a bit more shallow than the other JP offerings. I get more of the malt here. Light body reminds me of GI Matilda. I can feel the strong roast of the malt, yet it does nothing to the body at all. Its like watered down, oddly. The oak barrel is dry, yet refreshing.

I like it in terms of drinkability (which is awesome), but in terms of overall flavor its a bit underwhelming. I think Ill have the rest of the bottle.

3 words to sum it up - oaky, roasty, light.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 21:27:51 | More by VncentLIFE

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

this is definitely not rated high enough on here. a perfect example of a dark saison, bordering on a sour. beautiful pour, light translucent brown with a lasting tan head. smells like brett, lots of funk, perfect nose for a saison. flavor really features the brett, the darker malts used, and some really interesting yeast. almost a wild ale. maybe it is a wild ale actually. seems like it. i like the dark malts in this beer, not a common style as far as i know. feel is good, a little thin on the body and on the alcohol content too, it could have been like a 7.2% beer pretty easily, and for the price maybe it should have been. still, its light and drinkable despite its complexity, the carbonation is good, and the aftertaste is delicious. overall this might not be as good as the la roja, but its a realy good beer. jolly pumpkin is moving up my list.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 20:47:54 | More by StonedTrippin

daledeee

Iowa

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I thought I had tried this one, but no.

A 750 ml bottle poured very dark brown with very large off white head.

Nose is really appealing at first but becomes less intense. Very funky with hints of dark fruit and black licorice.

Taste is quite hoppy, in a Belgian way. Once again, there are dark notes such as prunes or raisin. Very carbonated and a dry finish. This is a distinctive beer. As usual, Jolly Pumpkin makes good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 22:56:05 | More by daledeee

Auracom

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On-tap at Poor Phil's. 10 oz. poured into a tulip on April 29th, 2012.

A - Deep violet-mahogany coloring. Soapy, clingy, one-finger white head. Good retention and lacing.

S - Smells like a soft sour brown ale. Light sour cherries, granny apple skins, raspberry vinegar. Quite simple.

T - Unfortunately it's pretty laid back here too. Carbonation, vinous, herbal sourness, and a light bready malt note in the aftertaste.

M - Light body, high carbonation, semi-dry finish.

D - This is certainly sessionable, but it's just not got enough of a flavor profile. It's somewhat unique and more acidic than I'd expect for a Saison.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2012 02:49:18 | More by Auracom