E. S. Bam - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.3/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This is one of the best looking pours I"ve seen. Used my Chimay glass and the head is what wowed me. Off-brown/tan, creamy, rocky, great lacing. Yum!

For a saison the aroma misses the mark, but still not bad. It's more of a sour than spice blend. Not that I mind, but when I was craving a saison, this isn't what was expected.

Not nearly as complex and delicious as Bam (but of course, not many are). I think this beer is predominately yeast, water and hops. Malt is gone after a very brief appearance by some biscuit. Some spice surfaces and is beat down by sour, same with some earthy and citrus hops.

Not a bad beer at all and quite drinkable. Misses on the style marked here

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 07:47:38 | More by Mebuzzard

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 1058. Bottled on 04-02-2012.

A: Pours a very hazy to cloudy dark golden yellow to orange to copper in color. The beer has a three finger tall dense foamy light beige head that slowly reduces to an inch thick cap towards the center of the beer - this beer has great head retention properties. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: There is a light to moderate amount of earthiness along with yeast spiciness and some notes of sour. The strength of the sourness in the aroma gets much stronger as the beer warms.

T: The taste starts out earthy with quite a bit of yeast spiciness. After that the sour notes set in, and persist through the finish. The sour flavors are stronger than those in the smell and also strengthen as the beer warms. Light hints of some grainy/wheaty malts.

M: Just heavier than light bodied with heavy amounts of carbonation. Very dry, especially in the finish.

O: This beer is delicious and refreshing - the spices, sourness, and dry finish make this beer a very easy drinking beer. While it is a big bottle, the low ABV and easy drinking feel make this one no problem to put away.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 18:50:53 | More by dbrauneis

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Capones for a saison event, this is from old notes.

A- A copper, honey gold with some white stickage on the glass. Islands of foam.

S- An oak bomb, I guess this stayed in the barrels for a long time. Oak is number 1 with some vanilla, funk, brett and some dark fruits.

T- It's not all that sour, slightly tart, but oaky as hell. A bit to much for me. I like the vanilla coming from the wood but the amount of oak drowns out other flavors here.

M- Rich and malty, above medium, nicely carbed, a big aftertaste.

D- This is huge on flavor, but not a mix that im digging so much, i'll take regular bam all day everyday.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2010 15:22:18 | More by onix1agr

superspak

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into tulip, batch 749/750, bottled 3-9-2011. Pours hazy golden orange color with a huge 4 finger off white head with incredible retention that reduces to a thick lacing cap that lasts. Some nice lacing on the glass with tons of carbonation coming from the bottom of the glass. Aromas of big grass, spices, lemon, bread, tart apple, and some funk. Nice aromas with good strength here. Taste of lemon, grass, bread, pepper, spices, and a bit of tart apple in the back with some funk. Lingering notes of big spice, bread, and grass that last. Medium-high carbonation and medium body, with a very smooth mouthfeel. Fantastic drinkability with no alcohol noticed at all. Overall an excellent and enjoyable saison as expected.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 02:05:54 | More by superspak

ArrogantB

Colorado

4.47/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

$9.99 750ml bottle. I gave this a shot based upon good experience with bam biere and a disappointing experience with bam noire. This was the best bam in my opinion. Nice vinegar and dill smell. My friend said it smelled like pickle juice, nice! The flavor was grassy, oddly funky but not sour at all. It was very zesty and refreshing without really being spicy. I really couldn't discern the hop flavors but this was a very good beer. I went back a couple days later and bought another bottle which I promptly drank. This is good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2008 05:36:52 | More by ArrogantB

Floydster

California

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pint at Beachwood BBQ from the handpump for seven dollars today, had never even heard of this brew from Jolly Pumpkin, do not know the ABV either

A-Came out of the pump a lot darker than I thought it would be, light brown, 3/4 fluffy white head, went away pretty fast though, not much retention, only minimal lacing at the beginning

S-Smell was all over the place and that was not necessarily a good or bad thing, lots of earthy tones, saltine crackers, floral hops, lemons, grapefruit, green apples, a variety of spices but black pepper stuck out, cherries, a little wine, tiny bit of funk, and herbs

T-Started off chewy to my surprise, then had some signs of brettanomyces in the middle, finish was slightly sweet and sour with a bit of dryness, lots of spice later on, more fruity accents came out as it warmed as well, beer went down really easy throughout, could taste a hint of apple in the finish by the end, mostly faint cherries, bready malt, and pepper, nice variety and complexity mixed well, very enjoyable

M-Slighty sweet and sour mouthfeel, also fruity and bready, light regardless, medium bodied, not much carbonation because of the serving type but this probably would have changed a lot if was cold and full of bubbles

D-Could drink a few pints of this, light on the stomach, flavor is complex and keeps you coming back for more, alcohol percentage did not seem too high, smooth

Not as funky as other JP beers but the cask could be to blame for that, nice refreshing beer though which is surprising because it was served at room temperature, would have liked to be more tarty but that would have changed it entirely and made it less of a farmhouse ale, would drink again, recommended

Serving type: cask

05-29-2008 23:19:15 | More by Floydster

ehammond1

California

2.8/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

A hazy auburn. Bubbling white head. Nice lacing.

Incredibly tart and tangy. Spicy and biting yeast. Really nice...

...though the flavor seems off. It's way too bitter, and not in a pleasant way. It hides everything else in the beer, and I'm sure there's a lot of wonderful funk, but it's all hidden by this murky, muddy one-note, unpleasant bitterness.

Medium bodied. Highly carbonated.

Perhaps a good beer somewhere hidden behind an unpleasant, murky, dirty tasting bitterness. An unfortunate miss.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2011 02:16:42 | More by ehammond1

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a lightly hazed burnt orangy/amber color with soft dense slightly off-white head. Scent is quite sweet, light fruity tartness, very earthy with grassy and piney notes, all backed by a solid barnyard funkyness. One of the bolder flavored farmhouse ales - full clea, lightly sweet malt profile, solid earthy hop profile, light fruityness - im getting notes of everything from orange to cherry. The funk on this is much bolder then others in the style and gives good charachter to the beer. Medium bodied, dry finnish. Overall a bold and well executed farmhouse ale.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2011 14:41:54 | More by rfgetz

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

sampled may 24/08 as part of biegaman's annual summer saison tasting, with a mix of BA/RB represented. mike/MDS shared this one, so thanks mike!

750ml bottle. batch 267,268.

pours light brown with a small very fine off-white head. the head drops fast and leaves spotty lace.

aroma is great. big fresh hoppy blast. grapefruit. bit of orange. light alcohol. crackers and white bread. just a hint of funk creeping in at the edges.

taste is good. medium-high bitterness level. grapefruit. bit of orange. bready malt. slightly toasty. caramel. bit of yeast. hint of alcohol.

mouthfeel is good. medium-low carbonation level. light body.

drinkability is great. nice balance. good malty base. makes me think ESB more than saison, but good.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2008 19:27:21 | More by grub

cjgator3

Florida

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

Batch 278

750ml bottle poured into a tulip glass. Pours a dark brown color with hints of amber with a huge light tan head that has amazing retention. The aroma is bit sour with malt, oak, spices, leather, funk and yeast. The taste features malt, oak and peppery spices and an earthy almost leather like flavors with a bone dry and hoppy finish. The mouthfeel is light bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Overall, E.S. Bam is another solid beer from Jolly Pumpkin. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2008 03:47:23 | More by cjgator3

tigg924

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: cloudy, dark tan in color, 1 inch head, high carbonation

Smell: pepper, hay, and lemon

Taste: pepper, funk, hay, some small hops, and lemon

Mouthfeel: medium carbonation, light bodied, dry, sweet start with a more bitter sour finish

Drinkability: I really enjoyed the flavors in this one and could have several glasses. Not as hoppy as I expected and very well blended. I would look for this again.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2010 20:22:51 | More by tigg924

prototypic

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Batch 267, 268

E.S. Bam pours a caramel color that has a nice scarlet hue when backed by a little light. It's a little hazy and features a few yeast particles floating around. A very impressive tan head tops it off. It's over three fingers deep and leaves a substantial amount of sticky lace clinging to the glass. Very impressive.

The nose is a little weak. It could definitely use more strength. It's spicy and earthy initially. There's pepper and a mix of other spices I can't identify. There's some orange, lemon, and perhaps even plum fruit scents. Smells a little funky and grainy. I can't say that it smells like Brett, but is funky. The label suggests an infusion of more malts and hops than (Bam Biere), but I'm not appreciating either. To be fair, this bottle is over a year old now and I'm sure that the hops have faded to a large degree. Oooops. It's above average, but isn't stunning by any means. It's a little too weak and the elements don't seem to entirely mesh very well.

The flavor profile is pretty consistent with the nose. Pepper and other ancillary spices kick it off. They're not very strong, but warrant mention. It's a little fruity and features some lemon and light orange. I'm not getting any dark fruit here. It's definitely earthy and grassy throughout. A funky, yeasty flavor is noted and is rather prominent. It doesn't taste like Brett to me, but has a funky quality. There's some light malt sweetness and perhaps a floral hop flavor, but bother are faint. I'm sure the hops have fainted due (in part) to my procrastination. Perhaps I should've jumped on this one sooner. Nonetheless, the flavor never really comes together well and comes across as a few individual flavors rather than a medley. It's above average, but not quite good.

The body is light and not at all smooth. Carbonation is very active and doesn't work well at all here. The feel is very average and probably contributes to a few of this beer's issues. Drinkability is a little above average, but that's probably a little generous. The flavor's alright and it goes down easy.

E.S. Bam is disappointing at the end of the day. The nose could use some work, the flavor doesn't come together well, and it suffers from overcarbonation and a thin body. Now that I've gotten through all that, I certainly feel that the score is very generous. It needs work. Jolly Pumpkin has a nice run of disappointment going here. I'm hoping that one day (soon) I'll be blown away by one of their beers. Today is obviously not that day.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2009 01:35:46 | More by prototypic

atsprings

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Being a hophead that also loves Saisons, I wasted no time picking up a bottle when I saw it on the shelf. Pours a deep amber, almost brown with a decent off-white head that was lasting and left decent lacing. Aroma is a nice balance of biscuity malts and nice floral hops. The taste is an interesting blend of hoppiness and Belgian spice, there was even some wild yeast funkiness. The beer was light and crisp with low carbonation. This was an enjoyable unique beer to say the least.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2008 02:51:40 | More by atsprings

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

pour is a dark hazy copper. Head is fluffy off white and lace left behind. The nose is nice, decent hop presence, citrusy and fruity with a nice citrusy Brett presence. The flavor falls of a bit, hops aren't quite there as much, Brett is still citrusy and nice but a hint of oxidation. Body is light and good carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 13:39:23 | More by cpetrone84

claspada

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very hazy medium copper with some orange tints. Initially a massive khaki-colored head that slowly settles down into a small foam cap and leaves a decent amount of lacing behind.

Aromas begin with some earthy, floral and citrus hops reminiscent of orange pith. Alongside this comes a good amount of rustic Farmhouse funk. Some toasted pale and bready malt in the background emerges as it warms.

The tastes follow the nose with the hops being a little little less pronounced. Main flavors are earth, Farmhouse yeast spice and funk and a bit of toasted Enlgish style bready malt.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium to high amounts of carbonation. Finish has a solid dryness accompanying the funk, with a substantial body for much a low ABV beer; something I always greatly appreciate.

Overall this was very flavorful and complex; a lot going on and certainly enough to keep me occupied for half the bottle that I split with a friend during our Sushi BYO dinner.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 15:35:18 | More by claspada

sweemzander

Illinois

2.98/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

On tap pour at Barley House into a snifter.

(A)- Pours a caramel colored amber. Produced a nice cap of off-white foam. Good retention behind it too. Lots of lace left behind.

(S)- Wow, a big dry earthy floral; almost citrus-like aroma blast up front. Hints at a Brett funk in the far background.

(T)- Similar to the smell. A big dry earthy Brett funk up front with a subtle caramel-like sweetness.

(M)- Very funky, dry, and bitter. At the same time its actually almost a bit thin feeling; it totally drops off the palate.

(D)- An alright Saison. A bit one dimensional; heavy on the dry earthy Brett profile with little else going on.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2011 15:00:46 | More by sweemzander

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Ecstatic to see this on-tap at Datz Deli in Tampa

A - It pours (is served) an amber hue and hazy with a huge white head and streaky, splattered lace.

S - The aroma is tart JP funk, pale grain and herbal-floral hop; also saucy tomato notes. As it airs out, the hop becomes more prevalent. Very interesting and complex.

T - The taste is excellent; a great balance of hoppy and tart-funky. Like a funked-out Belgian IPA. Dry and tart; guava and exotic fruit flavors are available, and they meld with the tropical-fruity hops.

M - Feels thinner, refreshing and dry, perhaps loses carbonation a bit too quickly.

D - I wish that I always knew where some JP was on-tap, this stuff is a great luxury.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2010 21:19:44 | More by ktrillionaire

wagenvolks

Texas

3.73/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Batch 288/289, poured into a Foothills pint glass.

The bomber dumps a dark amber body stratified with sizable chunks of yeast. A buff-colored head builds to a decent half inch and slowly drops to a wisp of foam. The aroma on this thing was sublime: funky wooden earth paired with yeasty esthers and a citrusy, spicy hop note.

Like most of Jolly Pumpkin's brews, the flavor of ES Bam had that signature "sourness" to it. I can't say I was wildly impressed with the way this one tasted, but it certainlyw as intersting: Wooden oakiness, sour notes of lime and cherry, and a backbone of biscuity, toffe malt. Mouthfeel was on the high side of medium bodied and with a dry, sour wood finish. Although I appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into each JP beer I come across, I have yet to find one that really hits it out of the park form me. Maybe I'm just not a sour beer lover :(

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2008 10:50:19 | More by wagenvolks

armock

New York

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

A - Poured a copper color with an off white head that leaves lacing behind

S - Has a fruity sour yeasty funk nose

T - Follows the nose with yeasty sour fruit flavor and some hops

M - This beer has a lighter body with active carbonation to it

D - This was the first Jolly Pumpkin beer that I've had and it has really turned me on to the brewery I found it to be an enjoyable brew worth trying

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2009 17:36:56 | More by armock

Brenden

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The color is a thick burnished copper, hazy and opaque. An off-white head is nearly two fingers tall and holds its form for a good while. Lacing is left on the glass in patches with plenty of consistency and quantity.
This is a pretty raw beer. Lots of earthiness and a spicy bite set the tone along with a pithiness to the lightly bitter element but also seeming to stem a bit from the funkiness and the tart elements. There's enough caramel to add some balance from sweetness along with a bit of citrus. There's lots green apple skin and some vinous, more grape-like character. Going into the flavor, the finish brings out some interesting notes, with something almost smoky but also a little metallic and slightly charred riding off the crackery-dry malts. Maybe a touch of a medicinal note lingering there?
The feel is pretty good but shifts a lot in an odd way. The crispness is tingly but comes in and out a bit, though smoothness, while not exactly creamy, is consistent. This is an extremely interesting beer and a unique take on Saisons.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 22:24:50 | More by Brenden

homebrew311

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at whole foods. Pours a hazy orange with generous amount of fluffy white head. Tons of lacing. The aroma is somewhat subdued featuring waves of clove spice along with some earthiness and funk. The taste is more pronounced with waves of tart citrus and spIcy cloves. The body is light with high carbonation. Overall, a nice and refreshing Saison with a moderate funk level.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2012 00:29:31 | More by homebrew311

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml. Pours a dark copper to amber color. Off-white rocky head holds together very well for a while, and leaves a great amount of lace. Lots of tiny bubbles streaming from the bottom.

A bit of funk, fruit, floral and perfume aroma in the nose. Some earthy spices near the end. Hints of caramel. Nice aroma.

A bit of caramel with earthy spices, along with just a bit of funky flavor. Not as much funk as I expected. Good dose of earthy and floral hops.

Medium body with a good amount of carbonation. Alcohol very well hidden. This was enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2008 10:37:15 | More by Bierguy5

orbitalr0x

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

750ml brown bottle. Batch 267,268.

Pours into my glass a dark auburn, red with almost a brown hue to it. A big, thick creamy, rocky eggshell head sits atop the brew and leaves thick lacing as it falls. Aromas of roasty, somewhat toasted grain malts along with a ribbon of caramel as well. Spicy notes that move into earthy, herbal hop tones. Tea-like in a way as well. Fruity tones mix in along with yeast and a slight woody scent. Rather mellow overall though.

First sip brings a crisp, toasty grain malt upfront that moves into herbal, fruity notes with a touch of caramel. Tea flavors along with a mild woody aspect. Earthy, herbal hops move in and bring a slight bitterness. Quite dry on the way down, the overall flavor is mellow as well. Mild sourness on the finish as well. Kinda boring.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a nice creaminess from the fast moving, lively carbonation in the brew. Goes down quite easily overall. In the end though, this one fails to really grab me. The flavors seem somewhat muted and it doesn't keep me coming back for more. I'll be interested to thy the Bam Noire I have in the cellar, but for now the normal Bam Biere is my choice.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2008 01:04:53 | More by orbitalr0x

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours clear, dark copper with a ruby tinge.
A massive four-inch head swelled up to the brim with a gentle pour.
The dense, bone-colored foam slowly receded to a rocky mass, and eventually to a solid skim coat. Lacework aplenty throughout, with loads of ripped sheets and clingy webbing.

Aromatics lead off with tart fruit, grassy hops, biscuity malt, and earthy funk. Cherries smashed on cut grass in a farmyard.
Menthol-like brett follows through along with mature cheesecloth.

Medium bodied, creamy with a crispish edge. Drying and tart.

Dried fruits, wet hay, and earthy hops start off the pallet. Lemon pith, grapefruit zest, and green straw.
Some bone-dry malt follows through along with a mild peppery note and lingering earthiness.

Finishes with a firm bitterness, drying funk, and fading tart fruits.

Less tart and intense than most of the other JP beers, but it's got a great balance. Certainly subdued in the hops though.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2008 00:43:52 | More by brewandbbq

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Two fingers worth of densely packed cloud like white colored head with a bit of a rocky top... Excellent retention... A lot of small bubbled very rapid paced swirling carbonation... The color is a pale golden copper... A bit of lacing clings tot he sides of the glass...

S - Fresh apples... Golden raisins... Pears... A slight vinegar component... A little bit of funk... A little bit of Belgian yeast... Bread pudding... Very pleasant and fairly complex aroma...

T - Surprisingly bitter and tart... Lots of grassy notes.. A bit of Belgian yeast... Some farmhouse funk... Some light tannins... Some lemon zest...

M - Medium bodied... Slightly lush... Limited carbonation... The finish is a touch dry... Very interesting mouthfeel and as complex as I've encountered...

D - The whole doesn't quite equal the sum of the parts... There's lots of good going on, but the it doesn't quite come together in a coherent fashion... Is it a sour beer... Is it a Saison... I'm quite not sure and that takes away from the overall experience...

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 02:57:34 | More by philbe311