Gotlandsdrika
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

 

this is a real weirdo, maybe not my favorite from jolly pumpkin. its a cool style, old world and uncommon, but its just sort of strange to drink. being real familiar with their portfolio makes it even more curious, its their yeast for sure, funky and slightly acidic, but there is a lot of smoke here too, bandaid and iiodine in the aroma of this oddly red and thick beer. its a style that has yet to find a groove i think, but this interpretation is not all the way there. bark and smoke, forest and dirt, red african tea, lemongrass, funk, its almost too much. definite medical properties, gauze and disinfectant, but interesting too. light wood and floral elements, it just doesnt make sense to me. lots of body, enough bubbles, but something here is not pleasing to me, as interesting as it is. its ester heavy, not delicate, and soewhat chemical. these guys can do no wrong, and they almost always challenge me, but this is a step beyond what i love about what they do. worth trying because there isnt anything like it, but a small pour even felt like a lot. what do others think? not much info here...

 

 

 

Draft offering at Hunger n Thirst served in a snifter.

Ive only sampled but 1 or 2 other examples of a Gotlandsdrika and I gotta say that this "style" is super perplexing yet so interesting and enjoyable as well.

The brew appears a perfectly clear dark copper to brown with reddish accent and a khaki colored head. Aroma has some tang to it and carries over into the flavor with mild smoke. It is light in body with moderate carbonation.

A brew that I could seriously down a lot of. It strangely blurs the boundary lines of your typical grodziskie or lichtenhainer into a slightly darker, complex brew. Wonderful stuff.