La Roja - Grand Reserve
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

La Roja - Grand ReserveLa Roja - Grand Reserve
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From:
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Flanders Red Ale
Ranked #22
ABV:
8%
Score:
92
Ranked #4,270
Avg:
4.16 | pDev: 11.06%
Reviews:
93
Ratings:
235
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 07, 2024
Added:
Feb 16, 2006
Wants:
  289
Gots:
  68
"THE RED"
SOUR AMBER ALE
Aged in large oak casks then bottle fermented, La Roja is a Franco-Belgian style ale crafted on the Flander's tradition of aged and blended beers. La Roja is rich and lush with undertones of caramel fruit and spice. Truly an ale of grace and distinction.

Cheers and Mahalo plenty!

IBU: 25
TIME IN OAK: 2 Months - 15 Months
HOPS: Strisselspalt & Tettnang
GRAINS: Pilsner Malt, Pale Malt, Munich 10, Wheat Malt, Crystal 150, & Black Malt
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: Dextrose
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Cynic-ale:
Photo of Cynic-ale
Rated by Cynic-ale from Texas

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Mar 15, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of rand
Reviewed by rand from California

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
375 mL bottle into JP tulip

2011 Batch

I'm sure naysayers would say this beer is well past its prime. Technically, it probably is, but it's not just a matter of subjective palatal interpretations...this beer is freaking tasty. 13 years old and it's delicious. Has it lost some of its funky nuance? Yes. But it's also taken on a sort of garden-fresh, unripe berry fruitiness that just completely quaffable. Nice hints of raspberry and oak, touch of bubble-gum like phenols.

Am I glad I cellared this for more than a decade? Well, it's far from a drain pour, and I had this fresh at a festival, and although I was feeling good, I don't remember this being all that better. So cheers!
Feb 07, 2024
 
Rated: 4.25 by Patches826 from Massachusetts

Sep 07, 2023
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.19/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
not sure what makes this grand reserve, is it more time in the barrel, special barrels, older beer blended in? i have no idea, and have always been incredible curious but also intimidated by the price, which always seemed so high for these little bottles, much as i love jolly pumpkin, i have never dipped in until now, and unfortunately we were too late on this one, a blend one from november of 2014, long past its prime, essentially a flanders red now, any nuance of the yeast or any familiar jolly pumpkin bretty funk is long gone, its all acid now, still somehow sweet on the malt side too though, and this is not at all what we hoped it would be, nor any kind of improvement on la roja in its best form, i have a feeling it was cool at some point, but certainly is a tough one to drink now. do they still make this? because i would love to try it a bit newer, but for now its essentially still, intensely sharp, and past the vinegar stage even. some layers still evident, toasted sweeter malt, a brown sugar hint to it, some raisin and date sweetness as well, light cocoa, port wine, tons of oak, cognac, and concentrated lemon juice, aggressively sour to the point of hurting my teeth too. i would have assumed this would have done better over time, as so much of their beer does great in the cellar, but this one perhaps has just been in the bottle too long, almost decayed tasting, although not as rotten as the old normal la roja we had next to it. way way way higher hopes for this old side by side and for this special little bottle in particular. anyone else have this experience? we couldnt finish it. need to source a more recent vintage...
Jun 18, 2021
Photo of bobv
Reviewed by bobv from Vermont

4.52/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12.7 oz. bottle.
Bottled 08/16/2018 @ 7.27% abv.

Moderate pour yields a 3/4 inch off white head over a reddish-brown body with some lacing. Nose of grapefruit, funk, and oak. Taste of grapefruit and oak with hints of candied citrus and caramel. Near perfect level of sourness at 29 months in the bottle. Nice feel and overall, a sour lover's delight and a great example of a Flanders Red.
Cheers to Dexter, Michigan for this gem!
Jan 11, 2021
 
Rated: 4.3 by DucksFan16 from Tennessee

Oct 11, 2020
 
Rated: 4.18 by shelby415 from Oregon

Aug 31, 2020
 
Rated: 4.08 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Jan 19, 2020
 
Rated: 4.41 by Thorfinn960 from Ohio

Aug 05, 2019
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
375 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 8/16/2018. Pours slightly hazy deep orange/copper/light reddish color with a 1 finger dense and creamy light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a light amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/zest, cherry, cranberry, strawberry, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red/green apple, red grape/wine, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, brown sugar, caramel, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of peppercorn, leathery/musty/lacto funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, oak barrels, and dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big sour/tart/tangy lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/zest, cherry, cranberry, strawberry, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red/green apple, red grape/wine, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, brown sugar, caramel, and toasted bread; with lighter notes of peppercorn, leathery/musty/lacto funk, red wine vinegar, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, wine tang, and yeast/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/zest, cherry, cranberry, strawberry, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red/green apple, red grape/wine, toasted oak, hay, straw, grass, brown sugar, caramel, toasted bread, peppercorn, light leather/funk/vinegar, and yeast/oak/tasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, oak barrels, and dark/bready malt flavors; with an awesome malt/tang/tartness and yeast/oak spiciness balance; with no puckering flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering tang/tartness and yeast/oak spiciness after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/grainy, and acidic/tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.2%. Overall this is a fantastic Flanders red ale style! All around outstanding balance of fruity/funky/acidic/spicy yeast, oak barrels, and dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish, not overly lactic. Amazingly well rounded classic JP house funky Brett/Bacteria complexity; with perfectly balanced dark/bready malts, and wine/oak barrel presence/integration. A highly enjoyable offering, and spot on style example. Just as impressive as the base beer, but smoother/more balanced.
Feb 09, 2019
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.45/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Powerfully flavored, extremely complex and bracingly sour, Jolly Pumpkin's Grand Reserve brings about the character of the classic La Roja that we've grown to love, just much more of it.

Hazy and tawny amber, La Roja Grand Reserve pours with a slightly deeper and bronze hue than the original before crowning with a loose, sparkling and broken swath of foam. Spicy, acidic and fruity, the nose is rife with weathered woods, cork-like must and a host of macerated and soured fruits. Scant sweetness brushes up against the tongue with hints of taffy, hard candy and a splash of fruit juices before the sourness takes hold.

As the malt influences are washed away by the bracing acidity of the beer, a host of fruit complexities turn up the dial of flavor with cranberry, crabapple, red grape, cherry, redcurrant, rhubarb and lime. The sourness of balsamic and red wine is slightly robust in taste but its level of sourness rivals red wine vinegar. Its piquant finish of nutty oak, whisky and wine brings out the perfect amount of tannins, solvents and bitterness for balance and crispness.

Light in body, the drying nature of the barrel and the elevated alcohol spice and sourness all bring the gravity way down for the utmost refreshment, crispness and cleanliness. A brief echo of saddle leather, cork and floral must wafts above the after palate in a fast fleeting finish and quick aftertaste.
Jan 25, 2019
 
Rated: 4.11 by Best_Enjoyed_In_Texas from Texas

Dec 22, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Kurmaraja from California

Feb 26, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by Sweffin from Wisconsin

May 21, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by BMart from Pennsylvania

May 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by dfhhead25 from Pennsylvania

May 18, 2016
 
Rated: 4.09 by mothman from Minnesota

Apr 30, 2016
Photo of JefferyLaGrow
Reviewed by JefferyLaGrow from Michigan

4.45/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
What an amazing beer from Michigan. This beer is all about what I would hope for in a sour. The look of it was a dark amber, with a lighter pale head. The nose was super funky barnhouse, and a little sour fruit (strawberry, lemon). The taste was pure juicy sour and some more strawberry and sour blackberry. The mouthfeel was perfect for the style. Great beer!
Jan 17, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by suckaj from Florida

Dec 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by vrbulldog22 from Ohio

Nov 03, 2015
La Roja - Grand Reserve from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 235 ratings