Porcupine De Amore collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak brewing

July 8, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged jolly pumpkin, Julie-su, North Peak brewing, Porcupine De Amore, Sally, Sally Acorn, Sonic The Hedgehog | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Porcupine De Amore collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak brewing is an 8.1% ABV American Flanders Red Ale Oak aged with a Passion fruit wheat IPA

Label:
Love Hurts

In the early fall, twin time travel technicians were diagnosed with a rare and fatal condition rendering them invisible to mortal humans.

Now they are forced to spend eternity in the shadows of immortals with only the company of each other to assuage the pain that comes with mortal invisibility. Gazing log into the abyss, until theabyss gazes back at them.

And, yes. I used the last part on an earlier label. Ouroboros. Life, death, rebirth. Rinse and repeat. Etc.

Commercial Description:
“Despite sharing a brew house, building and employees, Porcupine de Amore, is the first “collaboration” brew between Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales and North Peak Brewing Company.
Porcupine de Amore is a blend of an oak aged version of North Peak Brewing Company’s Perilous IPA, a passion fruit American IPA brewed with wheat, and Jolly Pumpkin’s Rosie del Barrio, a foeder aged amber ale. Perilous was first aged in new oak for 1 month then masterfully blended into another foeder to age for 5 months with Rosie del Barrio where it picked up the classic Jolly Pumpkin funk.
Passion fruit and funk make up the nose, bright tartness melds with the passion fruit then fades to light notes of cherry and finishes with lingering layers of oak.

==Introduction==

Obtained this one at Mr. K’s Liquor near the Bruery. Just like the Jolly Pumpkin No Ka Oï, I really liked the artwork of the label and the ingredients it brought forth here. Essentially, a tropical beer at that. Jolly Pumpkin has been what got me into sours so long ago and many of the super tat sours I have had to this day, some are just as good but JP seems to be king with them. This beer is essentially a cuvee with a Flanders Wild Ale and an IPA. I have had a passion fruit IPA in the past or a couple of them but it sure seems interesting to see how this one turns out. Let’s have a look at this one, cheers!

Aromas:
Stone fruit peach, tart apricot, mango, wild flower honey, grapefruit juice, honey dew melon, lemon peel, Dragon fruit, Passion fruit, Lychee, kiwi, strawberry, cherries, raspberries, pomegranates, blackberries, maple hints, pecan pie, oranges, sour apples, farmhouse hay, mushrooms, floral hibiscus, lavender, roses, peppercorns, coriander, wheat, and banana clovey hints.

Flavors:
Forward Tropical Fruit like Dragon fruit, Passion fruit, Lychee, kiwi, strawberry, cherries, raspberries, pomegranates, blackberries, maple hints, pecans, almond notes, walnuts, trail mix, caramel, vanilla, mild toffee, oak, funky brett, stone fruit peach, tart apricot, mango, sour apples, farmhouse hay, mushrooms, floral hibiscus, lavender, roses, peppercorns, coriander, wheat, banana clove hints, pink peppercorns, wild flower honey, grapefruit juice, honey dew melon, lemon peel, lime peel and orange preserves.

Aftertaste:
Finishing rich with peppercorn spice, tropical and stone fruits, funky farmhouse hay, flowers, honey and lots of nutty and oak characteristics. No alcohol in the taste, Honey amber medium to full body, smooth, crisp, refreshing and effervescent mouthfeel along with an easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Tropical and nutty! This sour is perfect using a very nice blend which makes up for a sour that is also sweet and nutty. Yes, somehow the combination of the Flanders Oak with the IPA creates an interesting mix and is something that is very pleasant. It is not an amber by any means but the sour of the Flanders and IPA flavors make it that way. In addition, the tropical and hoppy parts of the beer shine very nicely. This one is a high recommend on my list.

Anime Corner:
Julie-Su and Sally Acorn from the Sonic franchise are essentially the love interest of Sonic and Knuckles. The reason I chose both of them is to represent the breweries collaboration respectively and the ghosts in the label. Since the beer is using a porcupine, Julie-Su the Echidna was close enough especially since she fits the colors of the label perfectly. I also chose Sally to represents the Red/amber aspect of the beer but also the nutty flavors.

Sources:
https://static1.comicvine.com/uploads/original/5/57845/1906991-unaltered009.jpg
http://i67.beon.ru/59/62/2436259/51/89324351/z_7bd8c0521.jpeg
http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/26300000/Julie-Su-3-sonic-the-hedgehog-26301227-553-735.png
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/78/08/0d/78080decd924c4082e9f85f4c5f2d395.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a2/62/28/a2622847e77968ba56a948a4ccd50330.jpg

No Ka Òï collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Anchorage

June 10, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged Aile, american farmhouse, Anchorage, is the best, jolly pumpkin, lime peel, Megaman, Megaman ZX, Michigan Hops, No Ka Òï, Raspberry | Leave a comment

Rating:5/5

No Ka Òï collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Anchorage is a 6.3% ABV American Farm House ale brewed Michigan hops, raspberry puree and lime peel.

Label:
A birthday is just another today.
Today will be just like yesterday, tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be the same as today, just completely different.
I brewed this special beer for my friend Gabe’s 40th birthday on the suggestion of his wife Jacenda. Two finer people the likes of which I have never known.

Òhana

==Introduction==

No Ka Òï, in reference to Anchorage, means “is the best!” In this case, Anchorage is the best! I obtained this beer at Mr. K’s Liquor store in Placentia California. It has been a long time since I had a Jolly Pumpkin beer but since I saw this one, the label artwork really stood out to me with the crazy cat skeleton carrying the pumpkin and the animals that follow. The other thing that really caught my eye was the use of raspberries and lime peel and this was so damn unique I wanted to bring it to the site. So let’s have a look at this one, cheers!

Aromas:
Stone fruit mango, peach, tart apricot, sour apple, flowers, hibiscus, roses, Raspberries, Lime peel, Lime zest, funky oak notes, wine grapes, tropical fruit dragon fruit, passion fruit, kiwi, strawberry, honey dew melon, brettanomyces, grapefruit, honey, herbal, grapefruit and grassy hop notes.

Flavors:
Rich flowers, hibiscus, roses, Raspberries, Lime peel, Lime zest, Lime juice, biscuit bread, stone fruit mango, peach, tart apricot, sour apple, tropical fruit dragon fruit, passion fruit, kiwi, strawberry, honey dew melon, funky grapes, mushrooms, farmhouse hay, banana hints, citrus, orange peel, grassy, piney and earthy hops, white wine notes, tomato hints, pink peppercorns, wild flower honey, brettanomyces and grapefruit juice.

Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with stone fruit, tropical fruit notes, lemon, lime, floral notes, peppercorns, funky notes, farmhouse hay and rich raspberries. No alcohol in the taste, hazy pale medium body. Crisp, refreshing, effervescent and smooth mouthfeel along with a moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Jolly Pumpkin always makes some of the best and flavorful sours and this one is damn perfect. That and I am a sucker for raspberry beers. While it is tarter than anything, the fruit sweetness is minimal but still balances well with the overall brew. I think my favorite thing over all is the ingredients like the hops though as they actually come through in the beer where as some sours this typically is easier said than done. You can definitely do no wrong with this one. Highly recommended

Anime Corner:
Aile from Megaman ZX was used in this pairing as I found a really nice art piece that shows Aile with pumpkins and the colors fit so well with the colors of the label and the ingredients as well. The pinks, reds and oranges are the ones that stood out so overall it was the colors that won the pairing for me.

Sources:
http://orig10.deviantart.net/dea9/f/2009/347/0/4/trick_or_treat_by_just_spectator.jpg
http://img02.deviantart.net/7090/i/2013/137/f/8/blue_summer_by_tomycase-d65kfp6.png
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/f4/b0/a7/f4b0a79f475569a659c628bac84f6aa2.jpg

2016 La Parcela No.1 by Jolly Pumpkin

February 2, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, Bleach, cacao, Ichigo Kurosaki, Inoue Orihime, jolly pumpkin, Kakashi Hatake, KON, La Parcela, La Parcela No.1, Matsumoto, Naruto, pumpkin ale, pumpkins, Rukia, Rukia Kuchiki, sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, sour, sour pumpkin ale, Spices, Tsunade | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

2016 La Parcela No.1 by Jolly Pumpkin is a 5.9% ABV American Wild /Sour Pumpkin Ale brewed with Pumpkin, Spices and Cacao.

Label:

Ok, so the joke was that “Jolly Pumpkin doesn’t brew a pumpkin beer.” Well, now we do. Packed with real pumpkins, hints of spice, and a gentle kiss of cocoa to liven the soul. An everyday easy way to fill your squashy quotient. Guess now folks will have to find something else to joke about…

==Introduction==

It’s been years since I have last tried this beer. The first and I think, still the best pumpkin sour for the longest time. Since they started releasing new labels for their beer, I wanted to bring some of them back to the website. This one caught my eyes especially due to the artwork. So naturally, I had to seek it out and bring this brew back to the website. Even if it is past Halloween, these beers are awesome anytime of the year. Which reminds me how I wish sometimes that they brew them all the year round. So let us see how one of the, if not, the best pumpkin sour beers in the world is since I last tried it. Cheers!

Aromas:

peppercorn, vanilla, caramel, Stone fruit peaches, apricot, pumpkin pie, brown sugar, cinnamon, chocolate notes, piloncillo sugar cone, nutmeg, passion fruit, mango, oak, citrus, wine grapes, hibiscus, sweet potato pie, bananas and clove spice.

Flavors:

Rich Stone fruit peaches, apricot, pumpkin pie, pumpkin flesh, cinnamon, Dark chocolate, white chocolate, sweet potatoes, sweet squash, flowers, hibiscus, honey, waffle cone, bananas, piloncillo sugar cone, clove spice notes, brown sugar, funky oak, cane sugar, citrus, tangerines, kumquats, wine grapes, white grapes, nutmeg, phenolic notes, peppercorn, vanilla, caramel, sour apples, mango notes and passion fruit.

Aftertaste:

Finishing with rich stone fruit peaches, funky sour white grape notes, pumpkin flesh, chocolate, lemon peel and flowers. No alcohol in the taste, Golden amber hazy body, smooth, crisp, and effervescent mouthfeel along with a moderate to sipping drinkability.

Overall:

Still the perfect pumpkin sour. With a name like Jolly Pumpkin for a brewery, you would definitely want to make a really delicious pumpkin beer and this is it. For the brewery that started my sour path in the beginning, this was one of the best ways to go. Since their focus is on sours, they can really get brews to taste very delicious and not strictly lactic sour. These funky tart beers are amazing and this one in particular is full of pumpkin goodness which really balances out the tartness overall. Highly recommended like other JP beers.

Anime Corner:

Naruto and Bleach characters for Halloween as well as Succubus/Devil Rukia Kutchiki were chosen for this review since the first review of this beer. So I wanted to bring them back to go with the new beer label. I think Rukia makes it better especially the one where she is inside the pumpkin and has the cat like and devil features that fit the label.

Sources:

http://orig06.deviantart.net/7716/f/2011/304/3/a/___happy_halloween_2011____by_arathar-d4em95e.jpg
http://img13.deviantart.net/5462/i/2009/297/3/9/devil_rukia_by_gray_fullbuster.jpg

http://static.zerochan.net/Kuchiki.Rukia.full.1653356.jpg

HAMAJANG collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin, Evil Twin, Mikkeller and Leelanau brewing

May 20, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged American Wild Ale, Bro, Daena, evil twin, HAMAJANG, Innovatorman Sour Ale, jolly pumpkin, Kisha, Leelanau, Legend of Mana, LOM, Mephistopheles’, Mikkeller, Sea Buckthorn Fandango Sour Ale, Seaberries, SeabuckThorns, Shinra Banshou, Shinrabansho, Sierra, Strawberries, That's Messed Up | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

HAMAJANG collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin, Evil Twin, Mikkeller and Leelanau brewing is a 5.8% ABV American Wild Ale Blend with SeabuckThorns/Seaberries and Strawberries.

Label:
That’s Messed Up, Bro.
That’s right, I blended them.
So sue me.
Legal@Nubco.net
Ron Jeffries
Founder and Chief Squeegee Operator

==Introduction==

This brew is a blend of “Sea Buckthorn Fandango Sour Ale” which is a sour ale with Sea Buckthorn Juice and was a collaboration with Mikkel Bjergs of Mikkeller Brewing and Jolly Pumpkin. The other being “Innovatorman Sour Ale” which is a sour ale with Strawberries. This collaboration was with Jeppe Bjergs of Evil Twin Brewing and Charles Psenka from Leelanau Brewing Company. I do believe there has been a rivalry between the twins (Mikkeller and Evil Twin) so in order to make this brew which shouldn’t even exist, Jolly Pumpkin blended those 2 beers together and now we have the Hamajang Sour Ale Blend. Sneaky sneaky but awesome. I really wonder what the twins thought of this or even if they agreed upon it. It doesn’t matter though. We have the beer here now. Hamajang is Hawaiian slang that translates into “That’s messed up bro.” So it fits so damn well in the context of the collaboration. For the first time a brew with both their names. Let’s see how it is, cheers!

Aromas:
Stone fruit apricots, peaches, peppercorns, honey, farmhouse hay, strawberries, grapes, tropical fruit kiwi, guava, passion fruit, dragon fruit, mango, lychee, lemon peel, lavender and hibiscus flowers.

Flavors:
Funky farmhouse hay, peppercorns, bananas, clove spice, floral hops, hibiscus flowers, lavender, oranges, lemon peel, Strawberries, Cranberries, grapes, wine grapes, tropical fruit kiwi, guava, passion fruit, dragon fruit, mango, pineapple notes, lychee, honey dew melon, prickly pear tunas, stone fruit apricots, peaches, honey, coriander spice and clove spice.

Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with Tropical fruit, honey, funky hay, wine grape hints and stone fruit. No alcohol in the aftertaste, pale gold clear body, effervescent, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A perfect saison in my opinion with enough sour and funky notes to make it interesting. The variety of berries and complex fruits make this quite the unique brew. The label alone was enough for me to get it but just having it, I would definitely want to try it over and over again. I wonder what the brothers would do if they really did do a true collaboration. Only time will tell. For now, do yourself a favor and get this possibly once in a lifetime collaboration!

Anime Corner:
Mephistopheles from Shinra Bansho, Daena and Sierra from Legend of Mana and furry character Kisha were all used in this pairing to represent the devil and the red cat from Jolly pumpkin. With Daena and Sierra representing the twins as well. In the case with the dark cat, I like how some of the colors go along with the hop demon and the red for the red cat.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/eCVpif9.png
http://i3.pixiv.net/img-original/img/2010/08/27/09/55/03/12840366_p0.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/161379fa17ecc31ce01a44a859c2c04c/tumblr_ntyb3esoK71sf1787o1_1280.png

Rojzilla by Jolly Pumpkin

October 2, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged american oak barrels, Flanders, Flanders Red Ale, Godzilla, jolly pumpkin, La Roja, Michigan Sour Biere, oak barrels, Polly, Polly Ester, Polly Esther, Pururun, Rojzilla, Samurai Pizza Cats | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/6

Rojzilla by Jolly Pumpkin is a 7.4% ABV Michigan Sour Amber/Flanders Biere aged and oak barrels.

Label:

‘Twould Fill With Joy, and madness Stark

The Hoi Polloi!

That’s a quote – Can’t remember from whence at the moment.

==Introduction==

Finally, the king of all Flanders beer monsters has arrived. This beer is essentially La Roja but aged for a year-and-a-half in a 100-bbl oak foudre then split into regular oak barrels at varying ages which basically creates a mutated, radioactive giant red cat that’s pissed! Not the average Puss N’ Boots or the General Cat of La Roja Du Kriek. This is what happens when that very red cat is pumped full of catnip to levels over 9000! Seems legit to me and as a Godzilla tribute, Fuck YEAH! This beer was damn hard to find online until I found the K&L Wines that provided 1 per customer purchase. As much harder to find that La Roja or even the elusive Roja Du Kriek. Time to take on a beast decades in the making!

Aromas:

Stone fruit tart apricots, peaches, apples, mango hints, Rich oak caramel, toffee, dulce de leche caramel, rye bread, lemons, wine grapes, Chardonay, Cherry yogurt, Tart raspberries, cranberries, Strawberry Danish hints, Concorde grape hints, tejuino maize drink, tart orange peel, coriander, minor hints of tropics like dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee and musty earthy notes.

Flavors:

Deep oak, vanilla hints, dulce de leche caramel hints, wine grapes, Cherry yogurt, Tart Raspberries, lemons, Strawberry Danish, floral notes of hibiscus, lavender, dark fruit raisins, plums, dark cherries, figs, cranberries, peppercorn, coriander spice, butterscotch hints, rye bread, rose petals, Stone fruit tart apricots, peaches, apples, mango hints, tejuino salted maize cocktail, rye bread, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee fruit, chamomile, musty earthy notes, puckering tart oranges, biscuit bread, toffee hints, ginger spice and honey dew melon hints.

Aftertaste:

Super Dry finish with lots of oak, cherry notes, wine grapes, earthy notes and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste, smooth and creamy mouthfeel, Amber medium body and a moderate drinkability.

Overall:

Damn crazy sour amber with a variety of super complex flavors that I think many who love sours will come to appreciate. While La Roja is a strong component in this beer, the complex oak by using different barrels makes this one pretty crazy. I do not think I have ever seen that done for any beer really. It makes this one unique and well definitely worth a pick up if you love sours, but only if you love sours really. Love me some sours and those that do, go get this one!

Anime Corner:

Pururun/Polly Esther from Samurai Pizza Cats returns here for this pairing as I wanted to represent how La Roja went even more wild than before to the point that it became a beast as Polly unleashes! As a Tribute to Godzilla, I added the Female personification of the raged nuclear Godzilla and also the Samurai Armored/Gundam version of Polly as it represent the other love for robots! The pairings pair with the label mainly but also the Gian 100BBL barrel that they had used to ferment this great beer.

Sources:

http://i.imgur.com/mmPpgnK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7HFT2hc.png

http://img09.deviantart.net/9801/i/2014/172/2/5/burning_godzilla_by_gamerag3-d7nao3z.jpg

La Roja Du Kriek by Jolly Pumpkin

July 15, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Kriek, cherry juice, Flanders, Flanders Red Ale, jolly pumpkin, Kriek, La Roja Du Krie, oak barrels, Polly Ester, Polly Esther, Pururun, Puss N' Boots, Samurai Pizza Cats, Sour Amber Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

La Roja Du Kriek by Jolly Pumpkin is a 7.5% ABV Sour Amber Ale brewed with Cherry Juice and aged and oak barrels.

Label:
3,100 gallons of 2013 La Roja meets 50 gallons of Michigan tart cherry juice to combine in a melliflous melody of sour and tart Joie De Vivre! Sip, Savor, Enjoy!

==Introduction==

The Tale of Puss N’ Boots returns! From the original La Roja and La Roja reserve which I tried oh so many years ago. The Puss has come back to bestow some honor to the original showing what it truly means to be the bearer of the cherry goodness. It is hard to explain exactly how this works but I am here to bring this forth and see how the cherry juice and aging the beer again can really change it into something more of a true honorable warrior. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich pungent and funky cherries, lavender, hibiscus, rose petals, Sakura cake, cherry ice cream, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, stone fruit peaches, apricots, apples, rye bread, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee fruit, Oak, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, Black Cherry yogurt, Cherry cobbler, Tart Raspberries, chocolate hints, Cherry cordials, wine grapes, Strawberry Danish, Rye bread with cherry preserves, biscuit bread, and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Tart Cherries, Cherry ice cream, Lemon peel, lemon juice, Oak, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, Black Cherry yogurt, Cherry cobbler, Tart Raspberries, chocolate hints, Cherry cordials, wine grapes, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, stone fruit peaches, apricots, apples, rye bread, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee fruit, coriander spice, lavender, hibiscus flowers, rose petals, Sakura cake, oatmeal cookies, Irish cream, Strawberry Danish, Rye bread with cherry preserves, biscuit bread, raspberry Chambord liqueur and Belgian Candi Sugar.

Aftertaste:
Tart cherry yogurt, wine grapes, dark fruits, stone fruits, oak, cherry and strawberry cream, vanilla, caramel, lemon peel and hazelnut. No alcohol in the taste, smooth, creamy, Crimson Amber medium body and a moderate drinkability. It is meant to be enjoyed.

Overall:
Wow, the whole Kriek aspect with La Roja elevates the original so much. A sweet fruit and wine tart combines and explores into realms that I have not seen with this one before. Realms that the Flanders beers of Belgium and even Kriek fusions into that cherry balance that some do better than others. I love the sweeter aspects but some of the sour aspects too of those Belgian beers. This one has learned to gracefully land on it’s feet of balance and carry both the sweet and tart while still showcasing so much. A must try for sour beer, flanders and kriek lovers alike!

Anime Corner:
Pururun/Polly Esther from Samurai Pizza Cats was used in this pairing since I wanted to pair with the noble return of the great Red Cat Puss N’ Boots. Polly being Red and an awesome and powerful character at that was the best to show case this beer and pair. The best part was the awesome Japanese art that so closely fits with the style of the Jolly Pumpkin art that I was blown away and had to take a step back at such a melding masterpiece. You would think that there was nothing Japanese about the label as the Cat has a general coat in like a French setting and yet you look at the pink leaves floating around. Pink Leaves? More like Sakura leaves… Puss N Boots is an honorable french knight, musketeer and samurai. An honorable beer for an honorable cat just like Polly!

Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/71/35/9b/71359bf3498a09dc5124e4f972f8672d.jpg
http://livedoor.4.blogimg.jp/jin115/imgs/1/6/161f18e2.jpg

Forgotten Tales of the Last Gypsy Blender Series 1 Volume 1 collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Celina Tio

July 15, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged american farmhouse, Celina Tio, collaboration, Farmhouse Ale, Forgotten Tales of the Last Gypsy Blender, jolly pumpkin, Julian and the Belfry, mango, Oak, oak barrels, Ruby, Rwby, rye bread, Saison, Tamarind, Tamarindo | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Forgotten Tales of the Last Gypsy Blender Series 1 Volume 1 collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Celina Tio is a 5.7% ABV American Farmhouse Ale/ Saison brewed with mango and tamarind and a touch of rye aged in oak barrels.

Label:
A JP collaboration with Celina Tio, Chef/Owner of Julian and the Belfry in Kansas City, MO.

Chef Tio and I designed this beer together through a running series of texts while planning a beer dinner . We would hold at her place in Kansas city.

Wandering Conversations detailing layers of flavors flew fast and jumbled through the ethersphere

I think we will become great friends – I wrote. And We did. She came to Dexter ad we brewed this beer together.

Laurie Jokes and now insists Celina and I must be long lost brother and sister.

Enjoy This Beer!
Ron Jeffries
Founder and Chief Squeegee operator.

==Introduction==

A new beer from Jolly Pumpkin! Their sours are the best and what really got me into trying sours back when I first started trying different beers. Since JP focuses on sours and saisons, they have perfected their craft better than other breweries have at least from what I can tell. Now a days, there are other awesome dedicated sour/saison breweries but back then, this was and I still think is king. This beer I bring here is made with mangoes and tamarind. First time I had tried a beer with tamarind and I can already see how delicious this could potentially be with the even Tajin seasoning. Let’s check it out, cheers!

Aromas:
wild flower petals, lavender, citrus, mandarins, honey dew melon, Rich Mango, Tamarind hints, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, apples, peppercorn spice, sage, farmhouse hay, white wine grape hints, tart cherry notes, lemon peel, tart lemon zest, lemon, wild flower petals, lavender, citrus, mandarins, honey dew melon, honey, waffle cone and honeysuckle flowers.

Flavors:
Rich Mango, Tamarind hints, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, apples, peppercorn spice, sage, farmhouse hay, white wine grape hints, tart cherry notes, hints of cherry cobbler, lemon peel, tart lemon zest, honey, waffle cone, honeysuckle, wild flower petals, lavender, citrus, mandarins, honey dew melon, oak, biscuit bread, vanilla, wheat bread, lemon dipped tangerine and rye bread.

Aftertaste:
Stone fruit with mango, biscuit bread, oak, tart cherry notes, and white grapes finishing dry. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Golden Body, Crisp, refreshing smooth and bubbly mouthfeel with a easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
I loved this one! A very good sour with lots of fruity notes especially those from the mango and tamarind which I have not seen in a sour before. They really managed to pull it off very well with this beer and is very enjoyable sour that is not only in the sour presence but also in the rich fruit presence. Definitely worth a try!

Anime Corner:
Ruby from RWBY was used in this pairing to be the cloaked girl in the pic under the moonlight. The colors, flavors and presentation overall is awesome! I figured it was the great pic to represent the tamarind and fruit presence of the sour. Ruby is just the girl to bring some of that fruity tartness here.

Sources:
http://wallpapershacker.com/wallpaper/boots_snow_cross_scythe_redheads_moon_hd-wallpaper-3031955.jpg

Persimmon Ship collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Upland brewing

December 18, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Aircraft Carrier-hime, American Wild Ale, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, Double Dragonfly, dragon fruit, jolly pumpkin, Kancolle/Kantai Collection, Marvel Vs. Capcom, passion fruit, persimmon, Persimmon Ship, Persimmons, Ruby Heart, sour dough bread, Sour Persimmon Ale, Upland Brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Persimmon Ship collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Upland brewing is a 5% ABV American Wild Ale brewed with Persimmons and Dragon Fruit

Label:
Combining Indiana Persimmons and Dragon fruit from Thailand? Who would concoct such a divinely subtle concoction of joy and delight? Only the spookily twisted folks at Jolly Pumpkin and Upland Brewing, that’s who. From the rolling hills of Indiana, to the twisted wrought iron gates and graveyards of Dexter, comes this wonderful blending of oak aged sour ale.

Our First Collaborative Release of 2014!

==Introduction==

I obtained this bottle at Luekensliquor.com which sells many Florida beers. While I wanted more, 1 was all I can obtain. It makes me believe they will have more soon. The fact that this was a Jolly Pumpkin beer collaborating with Upland, I had to have it. The last time I had an Upland beer was their Double Dragonfly DIPA which they are so weird with this. It shows a weird combination of Humanoid Dragonflies in their mating season. A great beer, but certainly hard to come by and hopefully is something that we get to see here in California as we typically get these beers. So if you do find it, hopefully my review will help you, Cheers!

Aromas:
Pink dragon fruit, honey dew melon, persimmons, sourdough bread, white wine grapes, funky old oranges, farmhouse hay, vegetable notes, hints of vanilla and caramel, good amount of oak, brettanomyces, plums, passion fruit, tangerines, coriander spice, flowers and lavender.

Flavors:
Persimmons, Grapefruit, Dragon fruit, passion fruit, mango, Lemons, lemon peel, white wine grapes, tart apricots, funky old oranges, plums, peaches, coriander spice, peppercorns, farmhouse hay, sour dough bread, vanilla, oak, caramel, grapefruit peel, tangerine peel, honey, pineapple, lavender, flowers, lemon grass, sour apples, herbs and old banana hints.

Aftertaste:
Dry Persimmons, Dragon fruit sweet hints, apricots, peaches, grapefruit and mango peel finishing dry.
No alcohol in the taste, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, light to medium cloudy yellow body and easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A perfect collaboration with a fair amount of fruit and sour complexity despite only being 5% ABV. There isn’t many beers using actual persimmons or dragon fruit this definitely was a winner. I have not seen this one anywhere in California and hope I can get this again but online is the best bet for this crazy beer. Jolly Pumpkin knows their sours and I would love to definitely try more Upland beers if I can find them. If you love tarts sours and Jolly Pumpkin sours, go find this lost pirates treasure!

Anime Corner:
Ruby Heart from Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 and Aircraft Carrier-hime from Kantai Collection were used to represent the label and its colors. Ruby Heart, the captain of the ship in search for treasure (Upland) and it’s Ghost matie first class (Jolly Pumpkin) set sail the briny sour deep of the taste buds. We can also see the similarities in Aircraft carrier-hime where she commands above a skull sending out a barrage of what look to be pumpkins in tribute to the Jolly Pumpkins. There is so much going on here that pairs well with the beer, you are just going to have to figure it out.

Sources:
http://blogs.c.yimg.jp/res/blog-6b-a3/nikujikun/folder/136358/42/39147142/img_0?1376727320
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/369961-1500×1250-kantai+collection-aircraft+carrier+hime-kouji+%28astral+reverie%29-single-light+erotic-looking+at+viewer.jpg

Bière De Mars by Jolly Pumpkin

July 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Biere de Garde, Biere De Guarde, Biere de Mars, french oak barrels, French Stock ale, grand reserve, Hatsune Miku, jolly pumpkin, Miku, Oak aged, vocaloid | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Bière De Mars by Jolly Pumpkin is a 7% ABV French Style Stock Ale (Bière de Garde) aged in oak Barrels.

Label:
Brewed with two yeasts, mellowed in large oak casks, and refermented in the bottle, our Biere de Garde is a sustaining beer that is brewed to comfort in the gusty tides of March and welcome in a wealth of warmer weather.
“Beware the ides of March” Some guy to some other guy, a long time ago.
Please enjoy our beers in good health, Cheers & Mahalo plenty!
___

A grand return to an old Jolly Pumpkin beer I haven’t tried since 2011, or at least the grand reserve version. I posted the old review on this site in October 2012 thought when I finally started doing my reviews publicly. At the time, I was involved in a car accident which thankfully I came out alive. At the time, I had saved the reserve version of the beer to try it and I really wanted to give it a shot since I figured, a great life is worth living it for what you love to do. In the essence of that beer, I had to bring the original to the stage. While my flavor palate has matured, the original beer vs. the Grand Reserve may vary. So in essence, you be the judge of how you want your beer to be. Cheers!

2011 Grand Reserve Review (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/biere-de-mars-grand-reserve-by-jolly-pumpkin/)

Aromas:
Stone fruits like peach, mango, apricots, dark cherries, strawberry, plums, pears, green apples, musty wild yeast, wine grapes, sour notes, bananas, caramel, butterscotch,rye bread, hints of hazelnut, dark fruit raisins, fig hints, oak, vanilla, brown sugar, floral notes, farm house hay, tobacco and leather.

Flavors:
Dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, oak , dark cherry yogurt, rich strawberries, stone fruits like apricots, mango, plums, peaches and cream, pear, hazelnut hints, rye bread, coriander spice, citrus, lemon peel, apple cider, tart grapefruit, butterscotch, bananas, clove spice hints, coriander spice hints, musty wild yeast, peppercorns, tobacco, leather, wine grapes, floral notes, farmhouse hay, chocolate hints, brown sugar, white grapes, dark fruit raisins and figs.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, peaches, sweet bread, dark cherry yogurt hints, rye bread, oak, vanilla, lemon peel, citrus and apple cider. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer, fully body and full mouthfeel.

Overall:
A great example of a Biere de Garde done right. This is very delicious. Sour notes mainly turn into tart but sweet notes while maintaining a backlog of sourness to remind you. This why when you are a brewery that only concentrates at the Sour ales you are good at, you can truly make magic. There aren;t a lot of sour breweries or breweries in general that make beer this good. Even I have a rough time with some of the Bruery sours admittedly sometimes. Needless to say, this beer brings me back to the days I would always get Jolly Pumpkin beers and remind me of where my sour tasting roots came from. I definitely recommend this one without a doubt. Even some people that do not like sours may tolerate or even fully enjoy this one for sure.

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Hatsune Miku in her art design by subaru01rins was used in this pairing because I wanted to pair something similar to the original artwork I used for the grand reserve long ago. When I stumbled upon the T-Shirt at Anime Expo which was made by WeLoveFine (http://www.welovefine.com/6946-i-am-your-melody.html#.U9hlYfldVuN) I had to buy it. After looking at the artwork, it was very bad ass and made me realize why I chose the tron evil looking being with the red eyes back then. It had to do with the fact that in the label, the wind blowing the ship represented the the blowing the light of hope. While Miku looks evil here, either way, by her saying ‘I AM YOUR MELODY’ it plays at the whole aspect of evil blowing in the wind. Not to say that she is evil, but more like say that while you may have a good side, you also have a bad side that tries to balance who you are. Biere de Mars (Especially because of my birthday) represents a lot and in the sense of importance. It goes to show that even in the most sourest of states, the sweetness will be there to balance things out. Just like the beer. Oh yeah and also, the fruits like the sweet strawberries, are represented by the crimson eyes of Miku. Green is the color of the sour apples.

Sources:
http://subaru01rins.deviantart.com/art/I-AM-YOUR-MELODY-wallpaper-413872921

Calabaza Boreal collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Anchorage Brewing

June 6, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged american farmhouse, Anchorage, Anchorage Brewing, Bleach, Calabaza Boreal, Collaboration Beer, Farmhouse Ale, grapefruit juice, Ichigo Kurosaki, jolly pumpkin, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, oak barrels, Saison, sour dough bread | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

Calabaza Boreal collaboration by Jolly Pumpkin and Anchorage Brewing is a 7.2% ABV Saison/Farmhouse Ale brewed with grapefruit peel, grapefruit juice and peppercorns all while aged in Oak Barrels.

Label:
He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you. -Nietzsche.

When introspection fails, it’s time to look outward for inspiration, perhaps Northward! One of the people who inspired me this past year is my friend Gabe Fletcher, of Anchorage Brewing Co, We brewed this beer together. I hope it inspires you Northward!

Warm Regards,
RON
___

Ahh sweet sweet Sour Jolly Pumpkin beers. I haven’t had one of these in a while, except for the recent Los Vivos y Los Muertos. Yet, to think that they would do a collaboration with Alaska’s finest in Sour beers, was an awesome treat. This beer is Jolly Pumpkin’s version. Anchorage also released or will release theirs soon. So let’s check this out to see if it is awesome.

Aromas:
Funky citrus, old oranges, grapefruit, flowers, hibiscus, brettanomyces, tangerines, stone fruit like peaches, plums, apricots, sour notes, wine grapes, lemon peel, peppercorns, honey, caramel, oak, vanilla, sour dough bread, brown sugar, waffle cone and mushrooms.

Flavors:
Definitely grapefruit juices and peels, stone fruits like peaches, apricot, plums, sour funk, wine grapes, peppercorns, coriander spice, citrus, sour dough bread, vanilla, oak, caramel, flowers, lavender, lemon peels, hibiscus, waffle cone, honey, pineapple, sage, mango and farmhouse wet hay.

Aftertaste:
Sweet and Tangy with sour mainly coming grapefruit and some of the brettanomyces. Lemon, oak, vanilla, coriander, peach and grapefruit linger. No alcohol in the taste. A sipping beer but actually refreshing and crisp at some points. Full mouth feel too.

Overall:
Very good saison with lots of sour aspects coming from the fruits and spices used in the beer. I am not sure if Brettanomyces was used in this but it feels like some may have been used. Either that with the fermentation of the oak barrel adding a bit of sourness it. It is strange as this is not a sour beer in the sense of what makes a sour beer sour, but a fruit tangy sour. This is why Jolly Pumpkin and Anchorage are perfect in their craft, especially JP since that is all the types of beers they brew. Sours and Saisons with lots of Calabaza Magia! Highly recommended for sure!

Anime Corner:
Neliel Tu Oderschvank from Bleach was chosen for this beer pairing because I wanted to show case not only the colors of the beer with her bu also the label and the anthropomorphic being with the antlers. While Nel is more like a goat, it falls along with the whole monster hybrid they were going for. Although, Nel is not a monster, but an Arrancar and a sweet innocent yet powerful Arrancar. She cares very much for her friends and Ichigo, the orange haired protagonist of the series. Gee look at that, there is an orange pumpkin there. LOL nice touch to the pairing for sure.

Sources:
http://chibisofa.deviantart.com/art/Neliel-206842148
http://khima.deviantart.com/art/Neliel-Tu-Oderschvank-108436195
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2011-10-06-442998.png

Los Vivos y Los Muertos (The Quick & The Dead) by Jolly Pumpkin

April 8, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Dia de los Muertos, Farmhouse Ale, jolly pumpkin, Kill-LA-Kill, lime, Los Vivos y Los Muertos, Nonon Jakuzure, Pumpkin, Rare Beer Club, Saison, The Quick & The Dead, The Quick and The Dead, The Quick and The Dead Sour ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Los Vivos y Los Muertos (The Quick & The Dead) by Jolly Pumpkin is a 4.2% ABV Saison/ Farmhouse Ale brewed with Pumpkin and Lime.

Label:
The Quick and The Dead
Sour ale brewed with pumpkin and lime.
Brewed Exclusively for the Rare Beer Club
We bring delight to our dance of a decaying mortal tune. The beauty of contrasts, of oposites and the shores on which they clash is the inspiration behind Los Vivos y Los Muertos. When The Rare Beer Club asked us to brew up something form (sic) the fringe of our imagination, we thought what better and more appropirate for this autumnal season than this? Cheers and Mahalo Plenty!
___

A beer that was supposed to be released back in October 2013 for the upcoming celebration of Dia de Los Muertos in November. Unfortunately, the government shut down had prevented many breweries from releasing beers due to the approval of labels. Regardless, this was March 2014 release for The Rare Beer Club which you may still find it there.

Aromas:
Floral hop notes, wet hay, peppercorn, vegetable notes, biscuit bread, citrus, apricot, white grapes, lemon grass, lime, pumpkin flesh, honey dew melon, cinnamon spice, coriander, brettanomyces, apples, herbs, mild vanilla and caramel.

Flavors:
Flowers, citrus, biscuit bread, pumpkin flesh notes, sourdough, honey, wet hay, white peppercorns, sage, coriander spice, sour apples, peach, plum, apricot, sour white grapes, oak, hints of vanilla and caramel, honey dew melon, lemon grass, lime, raw pumpkin flesh, cinnamon notes, musty funk, rustic grain, rye, cereal and berry hints.

Aftertaste:
mild pumpkin, citrus, sour grape, peppercorn, lime, wet hay and honey. Very drinkable despite the medium mouthfeel. No alcohol in the taste and also, not overpoweringly sour.

Overall:
Very well made beer and very delicious. Hence the reason why Jolly Pumpkin makes great sours and in this case, a great Saison. Just like breweries like Jester King, when you have a primary focus, the amount of creativity can really shine from the masses of the craft beers. This beer is very good, but even if you cannot find it, there are surely other great ones you can. While the pumpkin and lime are noted in the beer, the saison style is what carries it. Give it a shot if you can get it.

Anime Corner:
Nonon Jakuzure from Kill La Kill, Original Artwork by Takagi Kyousuke and Reisen Udongein Inaba from Touhou were used in this pairing to represent the aspect of Death and the Rabbit. Some Rabbits are cute like Nonon, but even the cutest, and the quickest rabbit can never escape the bounds of Death. Nonon combines both that, Death and Cute. The Takagi piece relates to the label in La Vie C’est Drole (Life is Funny) since we live life as puppets never knowing when the end will come with death pulling the string one inch closer every day tugging away, just like the rabbit tangled by the ribbon dancing at the Deaths melody. The final piece represents the grasp of death reaching out grab the rabbit of darkness. The funny part about this beer, is irony of its time of release, in the spring time, where usually the flowers start to bloom and life blooms with it. Hence, a Spring Saison with ingredients of the fall (Pumpkin). La vie, c’est drole, mais cette bière est délicieuse, Sante!!

Ron And The Beast Ryan collaboration by Evil Twin Brewing and Jolly Pumpkin

December 31, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged bread wheat, Brettanomyces, cute appearance, Evil Twin Brewing, Farmhouse Ale, jolly pumpkin, Queen's Blade, Ron And The Beast Ryan, Saison, wine grapes, yeast bread | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Ron And The Beast Ryan collaboration by Evil Twin Brewing and Jolly Pumpkin is a 7% ABV Saison/ Farmhouse Ale brewed with honey

Label:
n Denmark we have a lovely tradition for funky beer, and what you have here is certainly no exception. This is a never before seen collaboration between Ron and the Beast Ryan. A fluffy and precious Saison-style ale brewed with a beautiful yeast called Brettanomyces. It may sound like a true fairytale, but don’t be fooled by it’s cute appearance.
___

Quite floral saison here. Aromas of honey, botanicals, bread, flowers, orange citrus, herbs, barnyard hay and spices. The flavors are kind of funky like a Belgian Ale, but it is a saison. Flavors of honey, biscuit bread, wine grapes, a touch of lemon, grapefruit, apples, peaches, wild yeast bread, wheat, coriander, herbs, rose petals and hibiscus. The after taste is floral sweet with some hoppy bitterness but not a lot. This Saison is worth trying although other saisons that may come close are like the Stillwater Stateside or the Anchorage Love Buzz. Still an awesome beer to try 🙂

de Viento (of the Wind) by Jolly Pumpkin

December 28, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged abu nawas, Annet Futatabi, Annet Myer, coffee roasting company, de Viento, Dexter Michigan, El Viento, Farmhouse Ale, Genesis, Great Lakes Coffee, jolly pumpkin, Oak Sour Saison, pumpkin seeds, Sega, wine grapes | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

de Viento (of the Wind) by Jolly Pumpkin is a 7.5%ABV Oak Aged Sour Saison/Farmhouse ale brewed with coffee and spices

Label:
De Viento … and still we dance

March 15, 2012 a tornado tore through Dexter, missing the brewery, but not all of our neighbors. What could we do to help? Hmmm. We do know how to make beer. So make a beer is what we did. This beer. Teaming up with co-conspirators Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company, Schera’s and the Abu Nawas Beverage Company to create a collaborative beer like noneother.

A dark and smoky sour Saison full of rich aromatic coffee and the spicy heat of a secret Algerian spice blend. Proceeds go to the Dexter Relief Fund.
___

It has been a while since I have tried something completely new from Jolly Pumpkin. This one was hard to come by but based on the beer information and first whiff, I knew it wasn’t gonna be a typical sour Jolly Pumpkin beer. Aromas of grapes, wine, coffee, almost like a mocha, chocolate, vanilla, citrus, apples and some earthy notes. The flavors are that of a sour Porter. Unlike Madrugada Obscura which has coffee and chocolate with nice sour notes, this breeds more of sweeter notes along with the sour notes. It seems the sourness is only like a squash or a pumpkin and wine taste. Coffee, Mocha, caramel, dark and milk chocolate, wine grapes, tart sour apple, some vanilla, oak wood, roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin and squash (which is complimented oh so well with the sweet cappuccino flavors), some lemon, cloves, peppercorn, almonds and pecans. The flavor is quite different that what I was expecting. In a very good way ofcourse. The good thing is that the sour notes are not as dominant as other JP beers which people that don’t normally enjoy sour beers may take a liking to this one as the sweetness balances out the sourness to create a pretty tasty beer here.

Bam Noire by Jolly Pumpkin

December 19, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged apple cider vinegar, Bam Noire, bat wings, caramel apples, Dark, Farmhouse Ale, Halloween beer, Jack Russell Dog, jolly pumpkin, Saison, wine grapes | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.9/5

Bam Noire by Jolly Pumpkin is a 4.3% ABV Dark Farmhouse Ale/Saison. This is the second time I get to try this beer. One of the things I failed to notice when I did my first review, is the fact that… THIS BEER IS LOWER IN ALCOHOL THAN A BUDLIGHT. Also, the flavors is probably over 9000 times better than a bud light.

Label:
One of Bam’s brown eyes is, in fact, black. When mischief reigns supreme, it positively glows. Dedicated to the dark side; smooth, dark, incredibly delicious as only a Jack Russell with bat wings can be.
—

One thing to note about Jolly pumpkin ales is that there is always some aromas and flavors of like wine grape sourness. This one seems to have a lighter amount of sourness to it. The fragrance is of wine grapes, coffee, lemon, caramel, cherries, raisins and oak wood. The flavors are somewhat balanced. There are some coffee cake notes, wine grape sourness, molasses, notes of apple cider vinegar, citrus, lemon, caramel, apples, ginger, brown sugar, and cherries. This is a nice low ABV beer to try if you like Saisons or sour ales. Even for some that may not like sour ales, this is pretty moderate to low sourness. It is enough for you to taste the dark roasted malts and fruits.

2011 Review:
Bam Noire Dark Farm House Ale is a well balanced beer consisting of sweet flavor from the malt, bit of bitterness from the fresh hops, and that Jolly Pumpkin goodness of wild yeast making this sour as well. It is refreshing and not too overwhelming in complexity. Just the right beer for the special occasion where you want to try sweet,sour,bitter at once…Definitely good stuff :P.

Fuego del Otoño (Autumn Fire) by Jolly Pumpkin

November 1, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Fuego del Otoño, jolly pumpkin, Samus | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

Fuego del Otoño (Autumn Fire) by Jolly Pumpkin is 6.10%ABV Bière de Garde brewed with Chestnuts and spices. This is the second time I try this beer. The fall is coming in and setting fast. First of all, for many who do not like sour beers, this may not be for you. For those that like somewhat sour and like to explore, this is one delicious.

Label:

Ale brewed with chestnut and spices To catch a bit of soft radiance in each special bottle, we wait for fall colors to begin their bright and fleeting glow before brewing this wonderful ale under their autumn fire. Gentle amber malts lead smooth caramel notes, gently lapping against a shore of distant forgotten spice. A beer to contemplate and enjoy! Fragrance of tangy grape, campfire, trees in the fall and orange. Flavors of caramel, roasted chestnuts, pecans, smokey glazed ham notes, oak wood (like campfire wood), herbs, orange but not to the level of Maracaibo sweet, cherries, lemon, cinnamon, apples, wine grapes, grapefruit, tea leaves and llerba buena. Definitely grasps what fall would be like as it would taste. As you go deeper into the beer, the less the sourness is there and you begin to appreciate what this beer is truly all about. Fan of sours or somewhat sours would definitely get a major kick of this.

2011 Review:
If camping in the fall and doing a campfire had a taste, this would probably be it. The beer has a nice sour and tangy taste to it (Jolly Pumpkin Style). A beer brewed in chestnuts and all sorts of spices. A smooth caramel flavor exist from the malts and has a nice oak finish to it. 6.1% ABV but this one is sure meant to be enjoyed slowly

Luciérnaga or The Firefly by Jolly Pumpkin

October 31, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged grains of paradise, jolly pumpkin, Luciernaga | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Luciérnaga or The Firefly by Jolly Pumpkin is a 6.5% ABV Belgian Pale Ale brewed with Spices. This time of year, it is available. The summer sour ale. But honestly, it is not as sour as some of the other JP beers 😛

Label: The Firefly, an artisan pale ale brewed in the Grand Cru tradition. Enjoy its golden effervescence and gentle hop aroma. Coriander and Grains of Paradise round out the spicy palate, melting o so softly into a silken finish of hoppiness and bliss! Make any season a celebration!

It smells of the usual JP funky wine sourness with somewhat citrus and banana fragrance. The taste of this beers is pretty good. The last time I time I tried this beer was last year. Decided to pick it up again to give a chance. Flavors of the JP grape wine vinegar are very low. What happens then on is that it gives way to some sweet delicious oranges, coriander, peaches, green apples, lemon, biscuit bread with honey, very minor earthy hop notes, caramel, minor peppery and cinnamon flavors. In general, though ye may be of sour origination, each beer brought forth is something different that may not be the same. JP, although a mainly sour brewery, has created some of the best sour ales out there like no other brewery. Cheers guys :)!!

2011 Review:
The Jolly Pumpkin fire fly is a very sweet pale ale. Sweet in the form that there is a range of flavors going from fruits, spices like corriander, some slight maltiness to the palette as well as that jolly pumpkin sourness. The funny part about this beer is that the sour notes are noticed at first but the finish is very sweet, almost peach like. This is definitely a summer ale like no other, especially for being jolly pumpkin and their sour style ales :P. Lol the funny thing about it as well is that its quite fizzy so be careful when opening this one. Enjoy :3….

Noel de Calabaza by Jolly Pumpkin

October 17, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Claire Farron, Final Fantasy XIII, Holiday Ale, holiday beers, jolly pumpkin, Lightning, Noel de Calabaza, sour ale | Leave a comment

Noel de Calabaza by Jolly Pumpkin is their Belgian Strong Holiday Ale. Brewed in tradition for the holidays and truly good at that. While a lot of the character of JP beers have a sour/tart flavor that overwhelms at times, this one is rather smooth and sweet. The lemony zest, cherry, and apple that comes from the JP tart goodness compliments the other flavors well. The biggest character is the Belgian yeast and spice that comes through. Almost like a pumpkin banana bread flavor to the taste. Surely other flavors like brown sugar, toffee, a little vanilla, minor bourbon, and roasted chocolate is there too. At 9% alcohol, you don’t feel it at first, but you do feel it a bit later. After I poured the rest of the bottle, the bottom sediment was really hard to remove. Added a little water and stirred the bottle for quite a while. Eventually it all gave way. It was all the yeast that had settled. Even with a little water, it tasted like pumpkin pie. It was so good to the last drop. What a way to end the year. After trying all the JPs beers so far I have to admit, JP will be one of my all time favorite brewers along with Lost Abbey/Port Brewing, Stone, St. Bernardus, Unibroue, Dogfish Head, Brewdog, Three Floyds and Ballast Point. In the new year I will be sure to give newer beers a test 😛

Biere de Mars Grand Reserve by Jolly Pumpkin

October 17, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged 27 month old, Biere De Guarde, Biere de Mars, French Stock ale, grand reserve, jolly pumpkin | Leave a comment

Probably the oldest beer I have ever had (and most likely the most sour). Biere de Mars Grand Reserve, 27 month old batch #65 edition. This beer I had aging for way more than 27 months of course. LOL like a fine wine. Although this is a french style beer of course. Saved this guy a a treat before Thanksgiving. I have a lot to be thankful for. Recently I was in an accident which I came out alive and every one was okay. I learned to appreciate life since it may not be here tomorrow. I give thanks to all my family and my friends as always :). Anyways, about this beer. What can I say…maximum fruity tart sourness. A rush of different fruit flavors hit but hit good with the sourness. Cherries, apples, caramels, vanilla and other spices. No joke, a very sour and harsh beer but very very smooth and enjoyable at the same time. A lot of people won’t like it due to it’s sourness but it taste so different because of the aging. This is a true magnificent fine wine and I take all pride for this beer. My tastes buds feel like that that boat in the picture, being tossed like madness in the sea of this beer. Cheers to those that enjoy aged beverages that give new life. Breath and drink the experience….