Baudelaire IO - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From: Binny's
Date: Bottled 2/21/2012
Glass: New Belgium globe glass

Baudelaire IO is a very pleasant, generally subtle saison from Jolly Pumpkin, featuring notable Brettanomyces and berry-like fruit ester combinations. While I enjoyed the beer, I don't think it's one that I would pay the $16 for again.

Pours a towering head of very dense foam, made up of small, off-white (with a very light pink tint) bubbles. Retention is excellent, and the head leaves many horizontal bands of lacing with its decline. The head never fully dissipates, descending to a 1cm cap atop the body at all times. Body is a dark burn red and brown, nearly opaque, and with visible carbonation from the bottom of the glass.

Aroma is of fairly heavy Brettanomyces, with hints of rose-like bathwater and subtle fruity esters from the hibiscus.

Tasting opens with hibiscus (somewhat berry-like fruit esters), sweetness, and a hint of Brettanomyces composting hay meets burnt plastic. Mid-palate showcases more Brettanomyces influence, alongside slightly raspberry-like tartness from hibiscus and rose hips. Back of palate continues the Brettanomyces, but also has a substantial bitterness that I assume is from hops. Overall flavor is a mix of sweetness, mild Brettanomyces, hibiscus flavorings, and subdued bitterness/tartness/astringency.

Beer is medium to medium-light in body with high carbonation that creates an acceptably non-painful fizzy mouthfeel. Closes quite dry, nearly astringent.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 05:35:59 | More by falloutsnow

Gmann

New York

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a golden ruby color, a bit murky, with a huge off-white head that settles into a puffy cap leaving a good amount of lacing on the glass.

The aroma is of tart green apple skins and oak. A bit of farmhouse but nothing too strong. Some light floral notes from the rose and hibiscus but it is quite subtle.

The taste is not nearly as tart as the aroma. The flavor starts off with the rose and hibiscus, which provides a light sweet character. There is a sharp tartness that follows but it doesn't linger. Some lemon rind and green apple that goes well with a peppery hop.

Light feel with airy carbonation. Dry on the finish, and finishes clean. Quite a refreshing brew. Nothing overpowering, good balance.

An interesting saison. The flower presence isn't strong but it balances the tartness of the brew. Drinks very well.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 02:15:25 | More by Gmann

billshmeinke

California

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Purchased at Whole Foods poured into a tulip.

Pours a red/amber hue with a billowing white head of three or four fingers that has a pinkish hue. Great retention and lacing.

Smells of funk, dry yeast, floral, herbal, and the signature Jolly Pumpkin saison yeast fragrance.

Taste follows smell. Floral, funky, yeast, bretty, dry, rustic, herbal. Quite the layered saison.

Mouthfeel is dry and medium bodied, well carbonated. A good beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2011 18:05:02 | More by billshmeinke

scruffwhor

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very nice off-white head atop a rose, cloudy ochre color. Good lacing and bubbling.

The aroma is full of roses, flowers, and earth. Lets not forget a lovley carbonated seltzer splash in the nostril-feel aspect of the sniff.

The taste is full of roses, flowers, lightly toasted malt, green apples, and a little honey sweetness. Very nice, complex saison. Bubbly palate with a dry snap at the end. High marks indeed.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 03:50:06 | More by scruffwhor

BradLikesBrew

Missouri

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Cherry hued amber body with a dense white head and fine lacing.

Rose petals and hibiscus dominate the aroma with some light brett notes sneaking in there.

Tastes like a wild garden. My first impression was that the rose and hibiscus had taken this beer over, totally overboard. As I sat down with it and tried to dissect the glass, brett, mild acid, eucolyptus, bubblegum and other qualities began to appear. But...the rose and the hibiscus in particular still seem to strong. They seem to mask other flavors.

The mouthfeel is perhaps a bit thinner than a standard Saison, but overall not much to report here.

A unique beer that combines two very interesting Saison ingredients to form a very unique beer. I wish it had less floral character and more Brett and Saison flavor, but that's my only complaint.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 06:29:51 | More by BradLikesBrew

daveytheformer

Oregon

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

from notes.

Pours a bright auburn color with a huge bubbling white head. Fades to lots of sticky lacing on the glass.

Smells spicy and floral. Oak and green apples as well as a little bit of lemon and funk.

Tastes are only ever so slightly tart. Subtle apple flavor with the hibiscus certainly being noticeable.

Mouthfeel is light to medium with almost soda like carbonation.

Overall is really good. Different than other Saisons I've had but not in a bad way and still very enjoyable. A good first beer of the evening and great after mowing the lawn.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 19:06:08 | More by daveytheformer

shanblur

Indiana

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Blend 7/8. Bottled 2/4/2011. Poured from 750ml bottle into a tulip.

A - Pours a reddish copper color with a frothy pinkish white head. Extensive lacing retained.

S - Sour notes predominate. A blend of floral and citrus.

T - Sourness dominates the taste with a strong acidity. Some light citrus flavors.

M - Light to medium bodied with an effervescence.

Not my favorite style, however, I appreciate the uniqueness. Tastes, looks and feels like an extra brut rose but sour. Would pair nicely with the right food.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 17:39:02 | More by shanblur

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer looks amazing in it's glass full of texture with vibrant flowing head pink tinted with an ruby highlighted amber body (a bit hazed in a good way). Smells like a spicy floral Jolly Pumpkin saison, this one uses rose hips, rose petals and hibiscus...strikes down on the palate with a very dry flow of flowers and earthiness. I'm getting rose water with a light spice back end. Pleasant flavors present throughout the glass, a strong rose water aspect with other flowers, a tart wild fermentation is also playing it's cards. I enjoyed the entire glass from start to finish, simply enjoyable offering without hesitation I consider this great beer. Mouthfeel is full with rose water texture, minimal oily texture from the plant additions, effervescent carbonation flows fully throughout each sip, overall a nice complex medium bodied beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 00:56:14 | More by WVbeergeek

brystmar

New York

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours tons of fluffy, white head. Good retention. Aroma is funky and fruity; citrus complements the funky yeast well.

Taste is crisp and clean. Yeast funk is balanced with the other flavors. I'd happily reach for another bottle of IO on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 06:20:15 | More by brystmar

ianjsullivan

Maryland

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

ST: 750 poured into a wine glass. Blend 6, brewed 1-27-2011.

A: Two-fingers of creamy white head sits on top of light, clear, amber, toffee brown.

S: Sour fruit, citrus, hops, banana, crispy sour dough bread.

T: Sour stony orange, lemon, with earthy bread tones and bright zingy citrus on the finish with herbal rose and left over bread crust.

M: Medium, but dry.

O: A very enjoyable beer that uses unusual ingredients well. The ingredients do not take over the beer, but the rose petals and hibiscus are present. The rose parts and hibiscus adds an enjoyable herbal note to the sour, earthy, citrus tone of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 19:44:19 | More by ianjsullivan

tlazaroff

Virginia

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Sour apples, pear, and cherries. It is bold, and unafraid to show it's colors as a sour beer. I don't get any traditional saison aromas coming off of this beer, but it doesn't matter, my mind is puckering just smelling this.

Mostly clear with just a slight touch of haze. It's a deep red color with a slightly pink head. Sheets of lacing coat the glass as the liquid depletes from the vessel.

The first thing I noticed is how highly carbonated this is.. it almost immediately foams up when it touches my tongue. Body is medium and brings on flavors of pear, apple, and other light, crisp summer fruits. It is far less sour on the palate than on the olfactory senses, but that doesn't make it less enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 01:30:34 | More by tlazaroff

thagr81us

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gusher! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller oversized wine glass. Poured red-orange with an explosive off-whitehead that subsided to a one finger very slowly. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, tart, funk, fruit, spice and earth. The flavor was of sweet malt, earth, funk, subtle tart, fruit, and spice. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a good brew. I really liked the twist that JP took on this one with the nice funky note going on with a kiss of tart. This really kept it interesting and your palate guessing what was going on throughout the bottle. I need to drink more saisons from JP if this is how they do them. An absolute must try for any avid beer lover out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 15:04:41 | More by thagr81us

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Baudelaire iO
Blend 3, 1-18-2011
$17 @ Whole Foods "Cold Point Pub" in Plymouth Meeting, PA.

Appearance: A massive head of pink froth rises steadily as you pour. The initial pour is clear, and it's light ruby in color. The head retention is quite good, and it leaves broken sheets of lace about the glass.

Smell: The aroma displays Brettanomyces when I stick my nose in it, but when I hold the glass a little further away I smell strawberries. The Brett is sharp, almost metallic, and just a little dung-like. As it warms the fruit and Brett can both be smelled equally in the glass, and it becomes more floral. To be a little bit poetic, as the label suggests, it reminds me of a damp, late spring morning.

Taste: The flavor is really interesting. At first it displays straightforward golden malt notes with a touch of light spice and some floral character, but then a waft of light fruit floats in (might be from the hibiscus). Grassy and herbal notes appear at the swallow, and then it returns to soft spice and a bit of wet cardboard (must be the rose petals). It finishes dry with some light fruitiness and a bit of herbal character. At the outset I found it slightly medicinal in the finish, but as it warmed that faded and it became much more pleasant with some more fruit and less herbs.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light in body and kind of spritzy. It's zesty on the tongue.

Overall: I've had beer made with rose petals, and beers made with hibiscus, but I've never had one that combined those ingredients with Brettanomyces, and I'm excited by that. It's reaching; and it's succeeded. Of course now I'm sorry that I drank it because my wife knew I had it (she was excited by the rose petals and hibiscus), and it turns out that it's exactly the kind of beer a woman would love. If I could get another bottle I'd cover my tracks, but I'm pretty sure that's out of the question. If you can find it, try it.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 17:17:44 | More by NeroFiddled

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a chalice) Blend 4 Bottled 1-25-2011

A- This beer pours a dark slightly dense but clear body with microbubbles supporting a creamy foam that has a red hue to it and sticks to the glass after each sip. There is a sea of microbubbles that swirl around from the base.

S- The dry tart strawberry shortcake doll aroma with some dry rose petal notes in the finish. The cheese rind signature Jolly Pumpkin yeast character really comes through nicely.

T- The dry tart fruit hint has some hibiscus tartness in the finish and a nectar note. As the beer warms there is a lactic tartness that comes through in the finish aswell.

M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with a full fizz and no alcohol or astringency noticed.

O- The dry hibiscus blends with a beer that is not dry to give a nice contrast. This beer walks a fine line between a nice sessionable beer and a wild ale. It is almost astringent but not really and the yeast/funk character is just peaking through teasing.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2011 22:06:24 | More by rhoadsrage

wvsabbath

West Virginia

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving Type - 22oz bottle

Appearance - Copper tan/brown, killer 4+ inch creamy head and tons of lacing.

Smell - Classic spicy, yeast saison smell. Lots of floral fruits, rasins, date, pine, lemon, tons of spices, some sugar, cherries and a little malt.

Taste - Really light and crisp. Lots of flowery fruits and a yeasty, grassy feel. Hops are light and floral, not very citric, more flowery also. Sugars are mild and add some sweetness. Finish has a peppy, lemon bite.

Mouthfeel - Pretty light and easy on mouth. Tounge gets floral and flowery hops, plenty of spices and some spices. Palette gets more flowery/floralness along with some sugars and a little pepper. FInish is light and dry.

Overall - Pretty good, a little too smooth and light for its own good. Reminds me of a heather ale with the flowery additions to it. Alcohol is not very present either, so that adds some drinkibilty. Its well done and a nice beer, just wish it had more kick to it.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 19:51:37 | More by wvsabbath

rtepiak

Poland

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

first off... not sour. don't get it thinking that.

a pricy pour of reddish pink. i thought i was getting another augmented belgian american style that seemed to be heavily spiced. this was spice but equilaterally. Nice almost white head stuck around for most the drink.nose of husk of grain and bitter malt. Some wheat citrus floral additives of the herbs used. Palate was some not expected. At first husky and what one would make out to be a smokey bitterness. But this later expands into something a bit more floral vegetative. And here is where i think the beer is troublesome because it seems to compromise the meatiness. It would be meaty... Pepper and thyme sips along with the qualities of the flower and citrus bloom but it would at times get a sweetness that was a wit in nature. But the bitter funk would always finish it and it something i'm used with a nice zest of wheat but gritty bark almost. An interesting late spring feel with a ready for game latitude.

the only think i found somewhat strange about this beer is that it seemed like something that is just a regular make and mode of something i would have in montreal. i wouldn't say something that would really pick up there. just because they have a lot of augmented wits and this seemed to have a similar temperament but very different all together.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 05:13:28 | More by rtepiak

jamie2dope

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Kurt over at Gordons on Main Street for selling me his last bottle. I haven't had anything from these guys in a while, so I am looking forward to this. Poured in to a wine glass, the color is stunning. It is a blood orange color that gets lighter as you make your way through the glass. About a finger of white heading shows up, and stays till the end. The nose is juicy, with fruit such as strawberries and pomegranate. A little bit of mustiness comes through as well. It definitely drinks like a traditional rustic Saison, but there is a level of complexity there too which I am guessing can be attributed to the addition of rose hips and petals. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a nice dose of carbonation. I was sort of expecting this to be a gusher, as I have experienced that in Bam Biere, but this one came through with flying colors. JP hit a home run with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 23:12:47 | More by jamie2dope

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up at Julio's back in, I think March. This bottle is Batch 5 bottled 1/20/2010. Debated letting this sit for a few more months but couldnt resist cracking it. Poured into a Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice crystal clear copper pour with a good two finger head that faded to leave a nice semithick cloud and average side lacing.

S - Smell is nice and inviting, good sweet malts, grains, and yeasts with a very nice rose/floral background.

T - More of those nice sweet malts and typical saison barnyard funk/yeast notes. The big draw is the very nice floral notes that this beer offers in the taste. Good light almost perfumey flavors of roses and hibicus. Tasty.

M - Nice slightly higher than usual carbonation on this one. Very nice and sharp on the tongue. Prevents big gulps.

O - Overall this was a nice offering from JP. Theres the usual JP notes of slight sourness, funk, and good yeasts. On top of all that is a nice and tasty floral presence. Very nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 05:26:26 | More by rudzud

FosterJM

California

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

999th Review on BA
Bottle to Snifter
22 oz

2011
Batch 2 1-12-11
Thanks to Eric Marshall for this one

*Shared by those at MrHirschybars*

App- A nice darker saison with some red/orange/yellow haze. Very appropriate to call it Sherbet in a bottle with a good one finger larger bubbly head with some good retention and big cling.

Smell- Standard JP yeast strain with a lot of the florals shining through on this one. A bit less spice than most of their beers. A nice oaky feel from the barrel comes in lastly. A nice aromatic saison. I enjoyed this nose.

Taste- I was a bit reluctant to try this at the tasting. I just saw this as a novelty with the roses and other items and thought no. Towards the end of the night it was sitting alone and thought what the hell. It was a nice saison. Uniquely crafted with some floral notes and even some ripened darker tart fruits.

Mouth- Light light-medium bodied and medium carbonation. Residual dark fruits and a lightness behind it.. The bretty flavors linger only for a short time. I like the feel of this one quite a bit. Not too prickly. Not too dry. I like it just like this.

Drink- Like I said above, I was hesitant of this one. It was different with the little person staring back at me. I am glad I manned up and tried it. Unique, cleaver and flavorful. I'd give this one a go again. Was flavor and layered.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 18:43:44 | More by FosterJM

TenHornsProud

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy ruby with an absolutely huge white head that is rocky, self standing, and lingers and laces. The head on this beer is worth the purchase alone.

Smells of sour funk with some sweet apple, wood, and general tartness.

Taste is tart and astringent up front that goes into a more mellow cherry wood middle before finishing with a hint of bitterness and sweetness despite being dry.

Creamy, lighter body with high carbonation is spot on.

Really nice funky/tart beer with notes or wood and some apple. These rose hips, barely apparent in the finish, are not flowers of evil, oh no, they are flowers of joy.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 01:16:40 | More by TenHornsProud

khumbard

Indiana

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

thanks to badnewsbeers for this very cool extra! blend 5.

a - pours amber, but with a pinkish hue. Definitely can notice the colors from the flowers.

s - earthy, grassy, slightly vegetal. interesting.

t - the taste is interesting. solid saison flavors, but with some interesting vegetal tones. a slight tartness, but definitely not sour. finishes a little bitter.

m - light, lively, dry. very nice.

o - this was an interesting beer. the flowers add some characteristics that are a bit odd, but I kind of liked it. A solid saison that I would gladly have again.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 22:13:59 | More by khumbard

krisandajt

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Scored a bottle of this from the NEPA Beer Clubs latest case split. Cheers!

Appearance: Poured from the bottle, this brew is a deep, clear, ruby mahogany color. Even with an easy pour, there's still a good two inches worth of white fluffy head. Retention is pretty good, and the lacing is impressive.

Smell: Got some funk, a nice subtle yeast character, and flowers. Interesting, the rose characteristics really compliment the overall aroma of the brew.

Taste: A dry sort of funk, a little tart, and refreshingly floral. Really a good tasting brew, very refreshing and fits nicely to this reasonably warm spring night.

Mouthfeel: Plenty of carbonation, a nice easy drinking medium body.

Overall (Drinkability): A really tasty brew. Nice flavors, very refreshing. I would definitely recommend this one to anybody that's a fan of the Saison style, and if you're not this beer just may sway you to the dark side. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 23:24:14 | More by krisandajt

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Chris (of the Rhino), bottle labelled as "Blend 4 - January 25, 2011." Into a tulip.

Pours slightly lighter than chestnut brown, murky with some pinkish and peachy hues in there. A huge creamy offwhite head is procured; leaves behind great retention and lace. Nose is lightly floral (is this the hibiscus/rose?), wheat, light funkiness and hints to some sourness. Taste continues these floral notes, with some wheat and gentle tartness. Some definite funky qualities to be found as well. High carbonation that serves to quench, fruity, floral and tart all around. Pleasant and ideal for a summer's afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 17:36:51 | More by liamt07

mltobin

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at The Pony Bar.

The appearance is orange with a burning red sunset aspect tot the color with a rather frothy, that the kind bartender poured w/ attention. It has a nose with flowers, hibiscus makes a formidable presence and brett. Mouthfeel is tart, low-key carbonation, some of that funk lingers, very nice sensation. A great saison that I have had on my "want to try" list for a little while, glad I had it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2012 04:06:29 | More by mltobin

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Thirstybird for sharing. Pours a coppery/caramel color with a half-inch, loose, off-white head embedded with ringlets. Nose reveals tart cherries and also offers a suggestion of aging in a wine barrel. Taste reveals rose petals, with a slightly medicinal undertone, a little bit of cork and a hint of cinnamon somewhat reminiscent of dull atomic fireballs. Mouthfeel is light-medium, with a lively carbonation and a semi-dry finish. There's not much astringency to this beer; however, the salivary glands are lightly stimulated. All and all, a very drinkable beer, but not what I would consider a traditional saison - maybe more of a mild wild.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2010 23:18:52 | More by Jwale73