Oro De Calabaza
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Oro De CalabazaOro De Calabaza
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From:
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Bière de Garde
Ranked #5
ABV:
8%
Score:
92
Ranked #5,698
Avg:
4.11 | pDev: 9.98%
Reviews:
773
Ratings:
1,906
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 05, 2024
Added:
Jul 28, 2004
Wants:
  165
Gots:
  273
Brewed in the Franco-Belgian tradition of strong golden ales. Spicy and peppery with a gentle hop bouquet and the beguiling influence of wild yeast.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by illini4x4:
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Rated by illini4x4

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

May 09, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.41 by blkgeorge

Jan 05, 2024
Photo of cjeep
Reviewed by cjeep from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
packaged 10/20/23, consumed 12/16/23 so great service to get it here! i often don't appreciate belgian "style" that falls far below the mark of the real deal. but this outfit has pulled it off - gratz!
L: drinking from the can and it is stylish
S: apple, light oak, bit of fruit
T: tart, refreshing, tangy funk,
F: light clean and drying.
O: worthy!
Dec 16, 2023
Photo of HerrOneous
Reviewed by HerrOneous from Ohio

3.91/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Random purchase based on freshest packaged date, from Cork 'N' Ale. From a 16-ounce can, it pours pale hazy yellow, with a big white fizzy head, slowly diminishing to a fine lacy ring. Aroma is lightly sour and oakish with faint hints of the sweet grain beneath. Tastes of tartness and oak mixed with light breadiness and sweet grainy malt. Relatively mild sour and oak flavor balanced sweet malt, finishing medium dry. Full bodied with a slight alcohol warmth. This beer should age well, but it tastes great now.
Oct 13, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by MattDecker from Texas

Oct 11, 2023
Photo of solok
Reviewed by solok from California

4.01/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
Fruity. Notes of passion fruit, apple. Sweetness masks alcohol taste, but not burn. Taste reminiscent of barrel aged Belgians.
Yellow gold color. Delicate head. Fairly smooth.
Sep 30, 2023
Photo of TheBricenator
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon

4.46/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Look: Golden yellow and clear with a fizzy and noisy white head that bubbles up and rapidly settles to a film, leaving minimal lacing behind
Aroma: I could smell it on the pour. Wet hay, herbal notes, hints of white pepper, yeast funk, tartness, floral notes, and citrus zest
Taste: Opens up with nice fruity esters, bringing both pear and green apple to the table and quickly joined by both floral and citrus notes – true jasmine, spirea, and sharp lemon all in play. Hay, white pepper, and some funk become prominent in the middle and light but noticeable tartness closes it out. No ethanol detectable
Mouthfeel: Full but light feeling, clean, medium carbonation, and clean on the finish with some tartness and light dryness
Overall: This is another good offering from these folks. A delicious Belgian Golden Ale that strikes a great balance between the yeast funk and tartness, while also not whitewashing the subtle notes from the hops and malt that all come together in a great and dangerously drinkable package. Fun, interesting, and tasty to drink. Highly recommended
Sep 24, 2023
 
Rated: 4.68 by BioPhilly from Pennsylvania

Aug 26, 2023
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Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
According to this most recent label, it's now just Oro. The artwork, ABV and description confirm it's the same as what was in this pint can. The entire contents of the can now rest inside a clear glass liter mug. It wasn't a pretty pour. There's foamy, too foamy and now, way too foamy. The amount of stark white foam produced here may be record setting. It doesn't last forever and it does leave some sparse glass lacing. The body is the color of lemonade, cloudy lemonade. Oak tannins dominate the smell, but there is certainly more than a hint of wild yeast, too. First impression is how delightful the mouthfeel is for this style. Not at all thin and watery, of course it's not IPA nor Stout/Porter bodied, just about perfect for this style, which can often run a little thinly. This isn't overladen by the oak tannins, isn't too yeasty and disguises its 8% ABV almost too well. But, there's plenty of flavor. There is enough influence of the oak barrelling and wild yeast to make this true to the style. It's a worthwhile try for anyone interested in the style. Certainly two thumbs up here.
Jul 27, 2023
 
Rated: 4.28 by RalphStanley34 from French Polynesia

Jul 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.03 by blissfulNemo from Michigan

Jun 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.62 by Jacob313 from Michigan

Jun 18, 2023
Photo of dano213
Reviewed by dano213 from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
16oz can purchased from the fridge as part of a 4-pack for $14.49. The canned on date is a bit hard to read; I think it says PKGD 01/17/23, which would mean that this is just over 3 months old.

Look: Pours a beautiful pale golden color with a very soft haze and tiny carbonation bubbles rising up the glass. Very thin white layer of head around the rim of the glass. Upon pouring the sediment, the beer became pretty hazy/cloudy.

Smell: Very nice aromas. It has a floral hop bouquet and some tart, fruity notes of green apple along with spicy, peppery notes. There's also a bit of wild yeast funk with some mild medicinal/band-aidy notes. Some melon character also.

Taste: Yum! It's extremely easy to drink and very tasty. Up front, it is similar to a Saison/Farmhouse-style beer with a bit more acidity than typical, which I really like. The finish is very dry - a bit spicy, very peppery - and eventually it has mild oaky, tannic notes lingering on the palate. The finish also is reminiscent of green apple skins, which is pretty cool. It's really hard for me to tell that this beer is 8% ABV.

Feel: The mouthfeel is very nice. The can conditioning makes the carbonation both really spritzy and soft at the same time. This beer is on the lighter side of medium bodied. As Coronaeus said, the beer has a bit of a creamy mouthfeel, which is really nice (probably due to the lactic acid/Lactobacillus).

Overall: This is my kind of beer. I'm a big fan of wild ales, and this one has so many lovely contrasts. It's tart up front and very dry on the finish. It's fruity and also spicy/peppery. Not to mention that it's super drinkable, crushable, chuggable...whatever you want to call it. It's been a long time since I have had it, but this reminds me a bit of Captain Lawrence - Barrel Select Gold, which I really enjoyed but either have not been able to find or was able to find but it was really pricey.

From the website:
ORO
WILD ARTISAN GOLDEN ALE
ABV: 8.0%
IBUs: 30
TIME IN OAK: 6-9 Months
HOPS: Crystal, Hallertauer, & Tettnang
GRAINS: Pilsner Malt, Pale Malt, & Wheat Malt

Aged in large oak casks and refermented in the bottle, Oro is brewed in the Franco-Belgian tradition of strong golden ales. Spicy and peppery with a gentle hop bouquet and the beguiling influence of wild yeast.
Apr 20, 2023
Photo of RaulMondesi
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
It’s ok. But I’m wouldn’t say that I am “Jolly” while drinking the thang. Nor do I feel “Pumpkin-like” (that’s chilling on the stoop to you newbs). And because Raul getz around, he knows that in Spanish, Oro means gold. And gold Raul does not feel while this beer caresses his palate. Maybe it’s more like winning Bronze in the 50 Kilometer Race Walk, or Women’s Duet Artistic Swimming… Well, unless you’re watching Ester Williams - but that’s besides the point.

Some win. Some lose. And some have nothing at all.
Apr 09, 2023
 
Rated: 4.38 by Jacob_Schneider616 from Michigan

Dec 22, 2022
 
Rated: 3.98 by Cm55

Nov 13, 2022
Photo of Coronaeus
Reviewed by Coronaeus from Canada (ON)

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a bright effervescent gold with substantial head that is well retained. A light head remains as the beer is consumed.

Spicy, peppery nose with a little funk and lemony quality in the background.

Taste follows. Peppery punch to start the sip. Some citrus notes follow with a tart funky finish.

Lighter body. Refreshing. There is a slightly creamy quality to this beer that I quite liked.
Nov 06, 2022
Photo of milkshakebeersucks
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland

4.21/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Hazy, pale gold appearance with a large white head that fades slowly leaving a boatload of lacing. Yeasty, spicy, vinous, slightly musty aroma with doses of tart fruit. Taste shares a few traits of a crisp, white wine; dry, earthy, fruity, spicy, tart. Faint sour note near the finish.
Aug 12, 2022
Photo of Beeryhoppy
Rated by Beeryhoppy

3.1/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Oak flavor is strong and dominates all other flavors. It’s a one note sour in my opinion. It’s not terrible but it’s not interesting.
Aug 06, 2022
 
Rated: 3 by prisdefer from New York

Jul 16, 2022
Oro De Calabaza from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 1906 ratings