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La Roja
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- Flanders Red Ale
Ranked #44 - ABV:
- 7.2%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #9,434 - Avg:
- 4.03 | pDev: 12.16%
- Reviews:
- 801
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jul 20, 2022
- Added:
- Aug 14, 2004
- Wants:
- 184
- Gots:
- 333
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding


Notes:
An artisan amber ale brewed in the Flanders tradition. Deep amber with earthy caramel, spice, and sour fruit notes developed through natural barrel aging. Unfiltered, unpasteurized and blended from barrels ranging in age from two to ten months.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.64/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.64/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle, Blend 4 2008, ABV 7.2%, RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Amber colour, moderate off-white head. Very nice sour & sweet & funky aroma. Moderately sour and oaky flavour, fairly light bodied.
Jul 20, 2022Reviewed by elNopalero from California
4.4/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Amber pour. Tart, effervescent and bright. Rolls off the tongue, with a gentle acidity.
I would gladly have another pint of this one, if given the chance.
Jul 20, 2022I would gladly have another pint of this one, if given the chance.
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland
4.09/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Murky, mahogany color with a larger than average, off white head that left fair lacing. Woodsy aroma, malty, some spice. Medium bodied mouthfeel with an abundance of carbonation. Tart, grainy, earthy, musty taste along with some sour fruit. Dry, earthy finish. This one kept growing on me.
May 01, 2022Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio
3.84/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.84/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Blend 11 bottles 6-7-12
Drank 8-11-22
Look - brown slight red with a nice white head and rimming. Shocked it looks this good after being 10 years old
Smell - oak tart possibly some dark cherry
Taste - bitter oak earthy possibly cherry like the smell
Feel - medium body with a lighter carb
Overall - shocked how good this lasted
Original 4
From untappd... I had this beer at the brewery
The beer is pretty sour and tart but with lots of fruity sweet cherry. Had a medium dry body with a lighter carb.
Jun 19, 2021Drank 8-11-22
Look - brown slight red with a nice white head and rimming. Shocked it looks this good after being 10 years old
Smell - oak tart possibly some dark cherry
Taste - bitter oak earthy possibly cherry like the smell
Feel - medium body with a lighter carb
Overall - shocked how good this lasted
Original 4
From untappd... I had this beer at the brewery
The beer is pretty sour and tart but with lots of fruity sweet cherry. Had a medium dry body with a lighter carb.
Reviewed by stcules from Italy
3.97/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Deep red, clean. A veil of foam.
In the smell acetic notes, with red fruit, wood, cherry stone. Fruitiness of cherry, sour cherry, a bit of raspberry.
Dry, acetic taste, wood and tannins, again red fruit and cherry stone.
A bit of astringency.
Very dry, very good.
Tannins and fruitiness in the aftertaste too, with acetic spikes.
Very well balanced. Great.
Apr 07, 2020In the smell acetic notes, with red fruit, wood, cherry stone. Fruitiness of cherry, sour cherry, a bit of raspberry.
Dry, acetic taste, wood and tannins, again red fruit and cherry stone.
A bit of astringency.
Very dry, very good.
Tannins and fruitiness in the aftertaste too, with acetic spikes.
Very well balanced. Great.
Rated by MutuelsMark from Kentucky
3.79/5 rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Tried a bottle aged since 2013 in 2022 and believe it is past its prime. Very tart and bitter
Nov 03, 2019Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
4.36/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.36/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Bottle to tulip. Date on the back stamped "08/16/2018."
The appearance was a rugged muddy amber color with a slight transparency about it. Thin white film of a head stays on top throughout my sips. Just some spotty legs of lace here and there.
The aroma had some balsamic vinegar sour character running through some Belgian malts and tart dark and red fruits, soft lemon pulp confiscates the backbone. Keen earthy hop structure. Tart fruit skin.
The flavor leads with the sour vinegar tones while pulling in some Belgian malty crackery tones with some clean caramel hints. Clean Belgian malty and vinegary sour aftertaste.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a kind sipping quality about it. Carbonation seemed like it was starting to fall off but didn't seem to effect much of any of the aspects of this beer. Awesome finish of caramel dry malts with balsamic vinegar and red fruit skin tartness.
Overall, Flanders Red Ale, yup, I'd absolutely say so and definitely want again.
Oct 27, 2019The appearance was a rugged muddy amber color with a slight transparency about it. Thin white film of a head stays on top throughout my sips. Just some spotty legs of lace here and there.
The aroma had some balsamic vinegar sour character running through some Belgian malts and tart dark and red fruits, soft lemon pulp confiscates the backbone. Keen earthy hop structure. Tart fruit skin.
The flavor leads with the sour vinegar tones while pulling in some Belgian malty crackery tones with some clean caramel hints. Clean Belgian malty and vinegary sour aftertaste.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a kind sipping quality about it. Carbonation seemed like it was starting to fall off but didn't seem to effect much of any of the aspects of this beer. Awesome finish of caramel dry malts with balsamic vinegar and red fruit skin tartness.
Overall, Flanders Red Ale, yup, I'd absolutely say so and definitely want again.
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington
3.75/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2019-09-28
I think it was poured from a bottle at E9. Tried it when I was there for Zwanze Day.
Kind of a muddy peach color, smallish head. Flavor was moderately tart, strongest thing that came across to me was fruit skin bitterness. Was pretty good, but didn't stand out much to me.
Sep 29, 2019I think it was poured from a bottle at E9. Tried it when I was there for Zwanze Day.
Kind of a muddy peach color, smallish head. Flavor was moderately tart, strongest thing that came across to me was fruit skin bitterness. Was pretty good, but didn't stand out much to me.
Reviewed by npolachek from New York
4.4/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Red colored beer with a great taste of beer funk. Good sour, but not too sour. Some solid dankness making this similar to a beligan style brew with some extra elements.
Aug 04, 2019Reviewed by TheSixthRing from California
4.24/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From tasting notes 03/03/18
Had on-tap at HopCat in Ann Arbor, MI
Appearance - Served in a 12oz snifter, slight haze and reddish copper in color with a thin, broken layer of suds sitting atop with a thin ring encircling the edge of the glass. No lace.
Smell - The aroma is mildly tart and sweet with cherry, berry and a hint of funk.
Taste - Follows the nose. Flavorful and equally sweet as tart, hitting mostly on cherry character with lesser berry. Minimal funk. Hints of oak emerge mid-taste and strengthen into the finish. Aftertaste lingers with pleasant cherry tartness and woody oak.
Mouthfeel - Medium in body with spritzy, bitey carbonation. Slick upfront before a dry, biting champagne like finish.
Overall - A really easy, relatively balanced flanders red that doesn't get overrun by tartness. One I would drink time and time again.
May 26, 2018Had on-tap at HopCat in Ann Arbor, MI
Appearance - Served in a 12oz snifter, slight haze and reddish copper in color with a thin, broken layer of suds sitting atop with a thin ring encircling the edge of the glass. No lace.
Smell - The aroma is mildly tart and sweet with cherry, berry and a hint of funk.
Taste - Follows the nose. Flavorful and equally sweet as tart, hitting mostly on cherry character with lesser berry. Minimal funk. Hints of oak emerge mid-taste and strengthen into the finish. Aftertaste lingers with pleasant cherry tartness and woody oak.
Mouthfeel - Medium in body with spritzy, bitey carbonation. Slick upfront before a dry, biting champagne like finish.
Overall - A really easy, relatively balanced flanders red that doesn't get overrun by tartness. One I would drink time and time again.
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota
4.35/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 750ml bottle into glass. Label is stamped bottled on date of '06/09/2017',
Medium amber colored body, with just a hint of red. Totally murky body. Any head quickly dissipates to thin ring. No lacing.
Aroma of berry fruit, mated with cherry. Funk and oak also.
Tart, sour taste of berry. Just a touch of sweetness but strongly countered with the sour. Lots of oak tannins. Caramel and spice are complimentary, but this is touched with the sour. Leather and funk are there too.
Medium mouth feel, which is greatly influenced by the sour nature of the beer.
From the appearance, aroma, and taste, this is a sour beer through and through. A good example of a sour beer, with funk, without fruit added. An excellent and well done barrel aged beer, then bottle fermented.
Feb 11, 2018Medium amber colored body, with just a hint of red. Totally murky body. Any head quickly dissipates to thin ring. No lacing.
Aroma of berry fruit, mated with cherry. Funk and oak also.
Tart, sour taste of berry. Just a touch of sweetness but strongly countered with the sour. Lots of oak tannins. Caramel and spice are complimentary, but this is touched with the sour. Leather and funk are there too.
Medium mouth feel, which is greatly influenced by the sour nature of the beer.
From the appearance, aroma, and taste, this is a sour beer through and through. A good example of a sour beer, with funk, without fruit added. An excellent and well done barrel aged beer, then bottle fermented.
La Roja from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Beer rating:
90 out of
100 with
2027 ratings
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