Sobrehumano Palena'ole - Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

brystmar

New York

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Blend 7, bottled 5/16/2012.

A nice looking beer: copper body, good retention on its white head. Unique aroma has tons of grapefruit; fresh, juicy hops; funky yeast; even hints of weed. Mild sourness starts things off, backed up by a mouthful of fresh grapefruit. Tons of fruits and hops dance on my taste buds.

Tasty and refreshing. One of the better JP brews.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 02:30:31 | More by brystmar

Cocktailz37

Michigan

3.13/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The appearance of this beer was a lovely, slightly cloudy, ruby red color. Very nice to look at. It poured with a 1/2 inch head, with very little retention, and no lacing. The nose was very faintly of fresh sweet cherry, but other than that, lacked complexity. The taste was of cherry and tropical fruit, with a very light sourness, which I thought to be just the right amount. This beer was very refreshing and well balanced, but again, lacked much complexity. The mouthfeel was medium bodied, and pleasant. The finish was surprisingly long lasting, and displayed more sour notes, but was still a bit one-sided. I believe this beer would be well paired with a spinach salad with cranberries, almonds, and Gorgonzola cheese. Overall, I would say this beer is a refreshing, fruity, mild sour, good for quenching your thirst on a warm summer night, but possibly, slightly overpriced.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 23:04:35 | More by Cocktailz37

womencantsail

California

3.78/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours amber in color with a khaki head. Light tartness on the nose, somewhat acetic with balsamic vinegar, leather, and oak. A touch of malt sweetness, mild fruitiness, and faint funkiness. Similarly basic/simple in terms of the flavor. Tart fruit and a bit of vinegar. Light malt sweetness, oak, and maybe some leather. Dry on the finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 16:57:28 | More by womencantsail

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Doug's bottle. Not sure why three different listings for same beer. Tart cherry supported by sweet yet slightly acidic passion fruit. A good changeup on the sours, initially very good drinking, though a few ounces was enough. not our favourite wild/sour of the day as not true to the style, more of a fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 12:49:29 | More by northyorksammy

bbb099

California

4.23/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy dark orange amber with a wispy white-colored head.

S - Strong fruity sour aroma with mild hints of oak.

T - Tart grapefruit front with a nice almost sweet and bitter passionfruit finish. Slightly dry on the end.

M - Medium bodied with low to moderate amount of carbonation.

O - Nice and clean fruity sour beer. Stands out comparably well to other fruit beers.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 03:41:08 | More by bbb099

chugalug06

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Blend 5
Bottled 05-09-2012

Very subtle straw colored foamy head with a nice orange tint. Brew is foggy dark orange with red hues. No lacing.

Tons of Brett funk. Smells sour.. Fruity. Yum. Bready.

Very light and airy. Fluffy deliciousness. Light fruit and very little tartness. Carbonation is light and near perfect. Lots of passion fruit and sweet.

This brew could have been much more tart for my liking. A slight mess, but good nonetheless. Recommended for cellaring only.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 01:55:59 | More by chugalug06

kylehay2004

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: half finger head on a cloudy amber with slight golden hue body.

S: very mild dark fruit, mostly cherry and starwberry. Caramel malt base.

T:cherry tartness which is mild on a toffee and caramel malt base. There is a mild citrus presence as well. This is a very simple brew.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: this makes a better fruit beer than a wild ale. Its actually a little boring. I expected more.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2012 01:25:10 | More by kylehay2004

Momar42

Maryland

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

Blend 2 bottled 05-02-12
750ml bottle into Duvel tulip

A - dark amber/brown. Hazy. One finger off-white head vanishes quickly.

S - funk, barnyard, Brett, sour, cherries, tropical fruits. All the flavors are mild when compared with RR offerings and those from Belgium. Still a nice nose.

T - sourness is strongest up front and becomes subdued through the finish. Wish it had more legs and finished stronger but still quite tasty. This isn't huge flavors but well done.

M - medium. Tartness lingers and finishes medium as well.

O - while not on par with the heavy hitters this is a very nice offering. Light years better than the Maui offering. The price point is too high to justify a re-purchase. Great intro to American sours. It's cost prohibitive for the same purpose however.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 23:57:09 | More by Momar42

Beaver13

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle, blend 5 bottled 5/9/12. Pours a hazy reddish amber with a small off white head that quickly goes to a thin film and leaves some lacing.

The aroma is cherries and tropical fruit with some musty yeast and brett. Yum.

The flavor is tart acidic fruits (cherry, tropical fruit), some wood and some brett and sourness in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation.

Overall, wow! Completely different and so much better than the Maui version. Love the sourness and brett and it brings out more fruits and complements them. A bit pricey at $20 a bottle though.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 04:11:21 | More by Beaver13

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a Lost Abbey chalice.

A- pours a dark copper, almost amber color with a 2 finger tan head. Small walls of lacing rise from the surface of the beer.

S- nice citrus, dark fruits (cherry mainly), vinegar and some funk.

T- earthy, spices, slight dark fruit flavor, apple, not a lot of funk or sour at all. Very mild for a sour.

M- medium body and carbonation. Slight dryness at first but then becomes a bit lighter and smoother.

O- 4/10 sourness. Good sour and expected a really nice beer from the aroma, but the taste just didn't do much for me. Good intro to sours beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 20:18:22 | More by kawilliams81

drabmuh

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Thorpe, thanks. Beer is brownish, hazy with a wispy white head, no lacing, low retention, some carbonation.

Aroma is bright, fruity, mildly acetic, mildly lactic.

Beer is light in body, quite sour, nice fruits and secondary metabolic acids like malate are popping on the palate. No acetic but very bright and strong. A good sour and I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 17:54:37 | More by drabmuh

Brenden

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer is a dark red-brown, murky and thick, with a smallish tan head on top. Retention is fair, and the head that exists remains as a decently thick foam on top, leaving spotty lacing.
One thing that defines a good sour is complexity. What I like about the style is that it can take many different directions. While all have some fruity qualities, and, obviously, sour flavors, there are many directions to go. this one foregoes the wine-like and leans toward earthy and sort of raw, or at least what I'd consider natural. There's a cidery note, very slightly vinegar but in such a way that it's beneficial to the overall profile, with lots of tart and sour tropical as well as more domestic fruits; grape and particularly cheery come to mind along with something firm and fleshy of the lighter-colored tropical variety, something like starfruit. The wild yeast is evident, and some leafiness even sneaks in, though that may be more of a vinous element. It goes dry and woody without drying too much, integrating nicely in the overall profile.
The body is medium and carbonation is moderate, though the body itself gets a little inconsistent from time to time. Crispness remains but fades just slightly, and smoothness is in moderation but present.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 12:35:22 | More by Brenden

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.83/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a ruddy, slightly hazy amber with a fizzy whitish head that dies away to a thin ring of lace within seconds.

S: Aromas of cherries, must, pickle brine, cider vinegar, sea salt, passion fruit, papaya, cedar, and pineapple are strong on the nose.

T: Notes of pickle brine, must, cider vinegar, guava, soursop, papaya, unripened grapes, pineapple, passion fruit, tart cherries, minerals, and cedar smack the palate. The finish is predictably funky and tart with huge tropical fruit, vinegar, and must flavors.

M: Surprisingly light in body for a Jolly Pumpkin product. Carbonation is a little weak. This one feels a bit thin and watery. Needs to be slightly heftier.

O: Flavorwise, this is an excellent sour, and would be great as an introduction to this type of ale. Still, this beer could stand to be tweaked a bit more. The lack of head retention takes away from the look of the beer and the thin body takes away from its natural complexity. Despite these flaws, Sobrehumano Palena'ole is still a solid effort. It's just not Jolly Pumpkin's best work to date.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 03:26:22 | More by mrfrancis

emerge077

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 bottle served in a tulip glass. Reviewed from quick notes.

Murky reddish orangey color, an initial fizz and tight layer of foam, settling to a thin ring around the edges with random spotty lace in the glass.

Fruity acidic notes in the aroma, vague cherry and supposedly passionfruit, though no sweetness comes through. Crisp and somewhat complex with signature wild yeast and woody notes from JP's house barrels.

Tart fruity notes, somewhat indistinct but acidic and juicy, overall a vague tropical impression (which seems to be what the collaboration was going for). Mellow feel, aftertaste of light dry woodiness, typical of JP's output. Overall cohesive and pleasant.

Enjoyed it and would try again, though the pricetag was a bit high for what seemed like a slight variation in the standard spectrum of JP wild ales.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 15:08:09 | More by emerge077

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.55/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours with a lightly carbonated appearance of deep ruby fruit juices, rust, and with lavender and mauve highlights. With understated head character, the beer seems to carry the mature presence of blended lambics. A yeasty haze casts a shaddow over the beer in true Belgianesque fashion.

The nose carries a bouquet of apple cider, sandalwood, musty fruit, and lime which evokes a mouthwatering responses from smell alone. Undertones of passion fruit and rose hips faintly balance the "wiley" scent.

Tart with the taste of apple cider, fruit punch, and acidic fruit which takes command of flavor with firm strength. Grapes, cherries, and tropical fruit flavors give moderate acidity and fruit which counters against floral hibiscus or chamomile. Lime sourness and pithy bitterenss blend into the fruit and fauna with a resiny and astringent finish.

Soft and sharp with sweet impressions but low-lying astringency on the mouth- all allowing powdery dryness and a juicy quality to exist at the same time. Wood-like tannin and spicy alcohols hide its strength behind a stage of fruit and earth.

Beware: this is the second try at this beer after the first was retched with vinegar and nail polish remover. After examination, the first bottle cap was poorly seated, had no carbonation, and was seriously infected. It also had blotches of sediment along the bottle in the head space. Avoid these bottles if you recognize these traits. Unfortunately, this is a common problem with Jolly Pumpkin ales.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 18:35:19 | More by BEERchitect

Gobzilla

California

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: poured a bright brown in color with reddish highlights and a nice half finger of head that left a little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: definitely lots going on in the aroma but consisted of acidic, hints of berries, cherries, citric, a little vinous character, but had vinegar undertones and good funky oaky barnyard notes.

T: the fruity berry cherry character was more apparent on the taste with a bretty funky oaky backbone alongside acidic, citrusy and vinous accents.

M: the brew was medium in body with a fair amount of. Carbonation which had slight sweet, mild fruity, oaky, funky, citrusy, tart and dry finish.

O: very interesting delicious beer that is definitely going to be on my must get list. Somebody mail me one.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 09:57:45 | More by Gobzilla

TheoV

Wisconsin

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The appearance is a very cloudy copper color.
S: It smells strongly of grapefruit and passion fruit.
T: I was mildly disappointed by the taste. It is very sour and slightly fruity, but it doesn't stand out as amazing.
M: Slightly carbonated, tart and fairly dry.
O: This was a nice beer to try and I'm glad I had it, but at around $20 I won't be buying another one.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 01:54:57 | More by TheoV

ccrida

Oregon

3.4/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Blend 4, bottled 5/8/2012 poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, Sobrehumano Palena'ole is a murky, dull, ruddy chestnut with a tan head leaving scattered lace.

Smell is sweet and fruity, mostly the passion fruit, and some aectic acid.

Taste is honestly a little underwhelming. It's a little funky, some acid, a flutter of brett, a bit of cherry coming through. A little iron. Dry and mineral laden. The component flavors are there, but there more subdued than I would have liked.

Mouthfeel is dry, spritzy but loose carbonation, medium light bodied.

Drinkability is ok. Nothing wrong with this beer, maybe I could have used less chalkiness, but generally, it's just not that inspiring, and at $18 a bottle, not something I'll be revisiting.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 01:20:20 | More by ccrida

biga7346

Michigan

4.6/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Copper firm coloring, slightly turbid, very little lacing

S - Grapefruit, lemony notes like champagne, lemon skin, white peppercorn, great brett funkiness, oak barrel, leathery, some fresh strawberries, honeydew melon, sugar, vinous, grape vine; and a very, very slight touch of rye bread/carraway seed.

T/M - A real mellow tartness, smooth like fruit juice, grapefruit juice, white peppercorn, white wine, lemon, rolls over the tongue, acidic, mineral water; finishes with a real distinct vegetal quality, and IMO this beer comes the closest to that Cantillon-like barnyard, vegetal backbone, like fresh picked berries, again very vinous like grape vine, grape skin.

D - This is a homerun from JP, I would put only the grand reserves ahead of this beer. Just a wonderful sour beer, so good.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 04:04:10 | More by biga7346

Florida9

Illinois

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

A: Cloudy dirty copper in color. Forms a moderate sized light tan head that reduces down to thin, patchy surface coating. Some light lacing.

S: Passion fruit and lots of it. Slightly tart, juicy, passion fruit.

T: Tart, yet quite juicy with a strong passion fruit flavor. Light caramel malt with a bit of toast, a little lemon, and just a hint of oak.

M: Medium bodied, tart-sour, juicy with medium carbonation.

O: Take my review for what it's worth since I'm admittedly not a huge sour fan, but while I enjoyed this, I wasn't blown away by it (on the other hand, my tasting partners thought it was excellent). I will admit it was a very nice blend of tart and juicy with lots of passion fruit, but virtually no cherry, flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 02:42:39 | More by Florida9

kohoutek

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Obtained at the release party - downtown Ann Arbor pub.
1 pint 9.4 oz bottle. Bottled 4/26/2012. Blend 1. Price $18.
Bottle mentions that this beer is a collaboration between JP and Maui Brewing. It contains signature fruit juices from each state. From Michigan, tart cherries. From Hawaii, liliko'i.

This beer pours a hazy red/orange amber color. Very nice off-white head is explosive at first and then settles into a compact and finely textured cap. Lace is less sticky than I would expect.

Aromas of marinated cracked green olives, ripe mango, passion fruit, fresh Italian lemon juice, a hint of vanilla toasty barrel. Brett laden underworld of cob web clad barrels. Dusty, musty cellar, freshly turned earth.

Flavors of hibiscus, lemon juice, honeyed malt tones, wonderfully clean lactic brightness, geranium leaf, olive pit. In the finish there is a dusty, dry herbal flavor that lingers well with a soft refined bitterness.

Body is medium thin and it finishes dry and tart. Very nice. Very refreshing.

The draft version of this beer (served at the release party) was like Hawaiian Punch. Incredibly fruity, but less sour. The bottled version has more maturation of the JP funk and it is less fruity. I am glad I drank it young when it still had a bit of fruit left.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 11:15:42 | More by kohoutek