#47 Thai Basil
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

 

another world class saison from jolly pumpkin, this one with thai basil and ginger in it. its blonde with a little haze and a spritzing airy head rising up, lively looking in the glass. the aroma is awesome, i get the fresh green leafy basil right up front, a little spicy with the fresh earthy ginger, almost medicinal in a sort of health tonic way, amazingly enticing with the classic jolly pumpkin funky tang there as well, i could pick their house culture out anywhere! the flavor is even better than the nose, a real simple grain base lets the well proportioned additives move to the forefront, fresh highly aromatic basil as pungent in taste as it smells, along with the natural ginger, a touch sweet for a second, then almost concentrated spicy, gorgeous. notes of lemon, hay, and old worldy funk to the yeast, so nice on top of the basil and the ginger, a bit of pils and wheat malt in the background i think, crackery and very delicate overall. rushing carbonation, this really sings on the palate, finishes bone dry with just a little heat from the ginger remaining. its incredible beer, flavorful but not forced, and at its heart just a baller saison from these guys. they really are one of the very best at this sort of thing. it was awesome to have it on tap at their royal oak brewery!

Chill hazed yet bubbly pale gold with a thin, creamy white ring.

Smell is toast with basil and light ginger.

Taste is sweet and not spicy ginger with a lime-like basil, and a soft, faint coconut. It somehow comes across as semi-bitter overall, which helps it out.

Frothy, tingly carbonation rests within a medium-light body with a semi-dry finish.

This isn't as overboard as other Thai or ginger beers have been for me.