Noel De Calabaza | Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Brewed by:
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Michigan, United States | website
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.00%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
"Belgian Christmas Ale aged in oak barrels."
Added by BeerBeing on 10-21-2007
Reviews: 421 | Ratings: 1,004
3.76/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
L:Murky reddish brown with very little head that vanishes quickly
S: apples, cinnamon, oak, sour funk
T: apples, oak, astringency, some sort of citrus peel, and cinnamon. alcohol is not present
F: seems good to me
O: unique christmas brew. drank it in June. Happy holidays.
★ 273 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
L:Murky reddish brown with very little head that vanishes quickly
S: apples, cinnamon, oak, sour funk
T: apples, oak, astringency, some sort of citrus peel, and cinnamon. alcohol is not present
F: seems good to me
O: unique christmas brew. drank it in June. Happy holidays.
★ 273 characters
4.1/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a taster glass.
A: Plum colored with an off-white one finger head that lingered.
S: A fruity sourness that surprised me until I realized it was Jolly Pumpkin. You're in sour country, pardner.
T: Sourness prevailed, in a nice way. Fruity, woody and apple-y with a tinge of sweet malts to give it that Belgian Strong Dark character while maintaining an active sour feel throughout.
M: Low to medium with crisp carbonation.
O: A winter warmer that's not. A Belgian Strong Dark that's not quite. This is Jolly Pumpkin's special take and quite tasty. Sour fans will love it.
★ 597 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a taster glass.
A: Plum colored with an off-white one finger head that lingered.
S: A fruity sourness that surprised me until I realized it was Jolly Pumpkin. You're in sour country, pardner.
T: Sourness prevailed, in a nice way. Fruity, woody and apple-y with a tinge of sweet malts to give it that Belgian Strong Dark character while maintaining an active sour feel throughout.
M: Low to medium with crisp carbonation.
O: A winter warmer that's not. A Belgian Strong Dark that's not quite. This is Jolly Pumpkin's special take and quite tasty. Sour fans will love it.
★ 597 characters
4.32/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Had this at Flying Saucer in Ft. Worth and have been so happy with this latest brewery from Michigan that we get here in Texas. They kind of remind me of Jester King of the north :)
From a bomber poured into a tulip, fruity with slight sour and woody notes
Brilliant, deep caramel orange hue with a light, dense, white head.
Not a sour fan but this had nice balance and I really enjoyed a little sweet/bitter
★ 411 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Had this at Flying Saucer in Ft. Worth and have been so happy with this latest brewery from Michigan that we get here in Texas. They kind of remind me of Jester King of the north :)
From a bomber poured into a tulip, fruity with slight sour and woody notes
Brilliant, deep caramel orange hue with a light, dense, white head.
Not a sour fan but this had nice balance and I really enjoyed a little sweet/bitter
★ 411 characters
3.45/5 rDev -14.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Hmm, I never realized while drinking this that this was from a Belgian style base beer, let alone a Christmas/winter warmer style.
Reddish huge, with cloudy sporadic foaming and fizzing.
I got the impression this was a pretty standard template for a nice, red fruit inspired solid sour.
★ 288 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Hmm, I never realized while drinking this that this was from a Belgian style base beer, let alone a Christmas/winter warmer style.
Reddish huge, with cloudy sporadic foaming and fizzing.
I got the impression this was a pretty standard template for a nice, red fruit inspired solid sour.
★ 288 characters
4.17/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
L: Very nice maroon color. About a 1 finger head.
S: Has a sour, almost rotten smell of fruits - mostly apples. Not amazing, but definitely not unpleasant.
T: Sweet taste of fruits with a mild, dry, malty aftertaste.
F: Gives a mild, crisp feeling. Good amount of carbonation.
O: It's a delicious beer and I would drink again.
★ 331 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
L: Very nice maroon color. About a 1 finger head.
S: Has a sour, almost rotten smell of fruits - mostly apples. Not amazing, but definitely not unpleasant.
T: Sweet taste of fruits with a mild, dry, malty aftertaste.
F: Gives a mild, crisp feeling. Good amount of carbonation.
O: It's a delicious beer and I would drink again.
★ 331 characters
4.09/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a caramel brown color into my pint glass, with a little bit of white head that lasts a while. The smell is a bit sour, but nice, and not unexpected.
The taste is like mildly sour fruit, with some spice and malt. Hop flavor is very low. The alcohol is well masked, and is not prominent. Hard to detect the "Aged in oak barrels" flavor, but the Belgian dark ale flavor is there.
The mouth feel is good. Nothing special, but not disappointing either. Well carbonated and easily drinkable.
Had never tried any beers from this brewer before, so had nothing to compare it to. That being said, I liked it, and would drink it again. It's a good Belgian-style dark ale, but not exceptional.
★ 687 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a caramel brown color into my pint glass, with a little bit of white head that lasts a while. The smell is a bit sour, but nice, and not unexpected.
The taste is like mildly sour fruit, with some spice and malt. Hop flavor is very low. The alcohol is well masked, and is not prominent. Hard to detect the "Aged in oak barrels" flavor, but the Belgian dark ale flavor is there.
The mouth feel is good. Nothing special, but not disappointing either. Well carbonated and easily drinkable.
Had never tried any beers from this brewer before, so had nothing to compare it to. That being said, I liked it, and would drink it again. It's a good Belgian-style dark ale, but not exceptional.
★ 687 characters
4.28/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bomber split with a friend. Poured into snifter glasses.
Dark murky brown in color with a fluffy, pillow like head that lasts for a long time.
Smells of funk, tart apples, caramel and spiced fruit.
Taste follows the nose. Like eating a caramel covered Granny Smith apple with a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon. This is delicious. No alcohol detected.
This beer moves very nicely through each sip. Tight, medium, soft carbonation allows for super easy drinking.
This is a unique, fantastic brew that is a nice change from the "normal" winter warmers. Sweet and tart in the best possible way. I could drink this all day. Will definitely have more. Highly recommended if you like lightly spiced sours.
★ 700 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bomber split with a friend. Poured into snifter glasses.
Dark murky brown in color with a fluffy, pillow like head that lasts for a long time.
Smells of funk, tart apples, caramel and spiced fruit.
Taste follows the nose. Like eating a caramel covered Granny Smith apple with a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon. This is delicious. No alcohol detected.
This beer moves very nicely through each sip. Tight, medium, soft carbonation allows for super easy drinking.
This is a unique, fantastic brew that is a nice change from the "normal" winter warmers. Sweet and tart in the best possible way. I could drink this all day. Will definitely have more. Highly recommended if you like lightly spiced sours.
★ 700 characters
4.56/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
On tap, poured into a tulip. The aroma is reminiscent of a dutch, sour apple pie with secondary wood notes, and some late fig and bread crust emerging as it warms. It's a brilliant, clear, deep caramel orange hue with a light, dense, white head that has a low amount of retention and a low amount of lace. A really nice, medium bitter,sweet, and sour balance. The texture is a bit on the thick side of oil with a light, zippy carbonation and a medium full body that's tart with notes of caramel apple pie, sour cherries, and a strong spice as well as secondary notes of slight citrus zest, oak, and a touch of coffee as it warms. The finish starts with a very brief, syrupy and burnt caramel but turns to a zesty spice and oak with a brief character of fig. It's dry and astringent with an aftertaste of bread crust, apple pie, fresh fig, citrus, and a late hint of chocolate. Quite clean for such a big beer.
★ 909 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
On tap, poured into a tulip. The aroma is reminiscent of a dutch, sour apple pie with secondary wood notes, and some late fig and bread crust emerging as it warms. It's a brilliant, clear, deep caramel orange hue with a light, dense, white head that has a low amount of retention and a low amount of lace. A really nice, medium bitter,sweet, and sour balance. The texture is a bit on the thick side of oil with a light, zippy carbonation and a medium full body that's tart with notes of caramel apple pie, sour cherries, and a strong spice as well as secondary notes of slight citrus zest, oak, and a touch of coffee as it warms. The finish starts with a very brief, syrupy and burnt caramel but turns to a zesty spice and oak with a brief character of fig. It's dry and astringent with an aftertaste of bread crust, apple pie, fresh fig, citrus, and a late hint of chocolate. Quite clean for such a big beer.
★ 909 characters
4.5/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: Pours brilliant dark brown under a 1” off-white foam cap that clings tto the side of the glass.
S: Wine and fruit aromas with a suggestion of port and a little wet horse blanket.
T: Dark dried fruit, rich malt, fruit, tangy tartness, citrus with a moderate hop finish.
F: Above average carbonation, medium body, tart yet soft in the mouth.
O: This is a smooth, malty Belgian Strong Dark ale with a nice balance between wild yeast tartness, Belgian yeast fruitiness and alcohol.
★ 486 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: Pours brilliant dark brown under a 1” off-white foam cap that clings tto the side of the glass.
S: Wine and fruit aromas with a suggestion of port and a little wet horse blanket.
T: Dark dried fruit, rich malt, fruit, tangy tartness, citrus with a moderate hop finish.
F: Above average carbonation, medium body, tart yet soft in the mouth.
O: This is a smooth, malty Belgian Strong Dark ale with a nice balance between wild yeast tartness, Belgian yeast fruitiness and alcohol.
★ 486 characters
4.12/5 rDev +2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
11-19-2012 Bottle opened on 5-11-2015
Head: Virtually nonexistent - slight foam.
Body: Dark, not quite opaque, but more opaque than translucent. Almost like a heavy pinot noir but more brown than red.
Aroma: A bit vinegary, clear sour notes. Also caramel and toffee. Slight dark fruit, but more as an aspect of the sourness than an aroma on its own.
Taste: Quite a nice sour note, but not overpowering tartness. More balanced than you might guess given the aroma. A little bitter kick at the end, but nicely blended. Malty flavor really opens up nicely as it warms. Definitely not something to drink directly from a fridge - would much rather have it at about 55F or so otherwise most of the flavors will be masked by the sourness.
Texture: A little thinner than you might expect given the body color. Feels more akin to a brown ale. Would actually be quite nice to drink even on a summer evening given the nice tart quality to it and lack of heaviness.
Overall: Definitely something to store for a few years. I had one back when it first came out and it's an entirely different beer now - much more oaky and bretty than when it first debuted, which served to really mellow out the alcohol forwardness and flatten it out a bit. If you can let it sit for a while, you'll have a really nice winter sour to sip on. As a note, though. It's definitely more of a sour brown type beer, so if you're not into sours, you'll probably not enjoy it as much.
★ 1,453 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
11-19-2012 Bottle opened on 5-11-2015
Head: Virtually nonexistent - slight foam.
Body: Dark, not quite opaque, but more opaque than translucent. Almost like a heavy pinot noir but more brown than red.
Aroma: A bit vinegary, clear sour notes. Also caramel and toffee. Slight dark fruit, but more as an aspect of the sourness than an aroma on its own.
Taste: Quite a nice sour note, but not overpowering tartness. More balanced than you might guess given the aroma. A little bitter kick at the end, but nicely blended. Malty flavor really opens up nicely as it warms. Definitely not something to drink directly from a fridge - would much rather have it at about 55F or so otherwise most of the flavors will be masked by the sourness.
Texture: A little thinner than you might expect given the body color. Feels more akin to a brown ale. Would actually be quite nice to drink even on a summer evening given the nice tart quality to it and lack of heaviness.
Overall: Definitely something to store for a few years. I had one back when it first came out and it's an entirely different beer now - much more oaky and bretty than when it first debuted, which served to really mellow out the alcohol forwardness and flatten it out a bit. If you can let it sit for a while, you'll have a really nice winter sour to sip on. As a note, though. It's definitely more of a sour brown type beer, so if you're not into sours, you'll probably not enjoy it as much.
★ 1,453 characters
3.36/5 rDev -16.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
BOTTLE: Solid label art. Pry-off pressure cap. Brown glass. Bomber format.
Served cold into a tulip and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Reviewed live as a saison per the label. Expectations are high given the brewery.
No bubble show forms as it's poured.
HEAD: ~1.5 inches wide. Foamy and frothy. Adequately creamy. Good consistency. Nice complexion. Leaves light lacing on the sides of the glass as it recedes. Retention is good - ~4-5 minutes.
BODY: Dark deep ruby of average vibrance. No yeast or hop sediment is visible.
Looks nice for the style. Not unique or special.
AROMA: Faint oak. Caramalt. Winter spice. Amber malts. Sweet and malty, but not too heavy on the candi sugar. Has a mulled character. Very wintery. Hints of dark fruit - plum & date. Maybe some light raisin.
Has no overt hop profile or off-character. Slightly boozy.
Aromatic intensity is average.
Suggests a heavy thick beer with a malty taste and an undisguised ABV.
I do wish the oak was more prominent.
TASTE & TEXTURE: Malty and spicy, with some mint family spicing. Deep amber malts and Belgian dark malts lend it a robust malty sweetness. Sugary, with some candied fruit notes; I'd guess plum and date, but they're so well integrated that they don't ring distinct.
On the sweeter side, sure, but that's to style. Slightly sticky. Definitely too thick and even a bit syrupy. Unrefreshing. Full-bodied.
Quite the malt-bomb, but complex enough. The dark fruit brings some subtlety, and overall this is a pleasing beer for the style, but its depth of flavour is merely average and it isn't quite gestalt. Well-put together for what it is, with a satisfactory build for a dark ale.
Above average flavour duration. Average flavour intensity.
Lacks a harmony of texture to taste, or a harmony of oak barrel to base. Somewhat dry, to its detriment - parching the palate a bit. Smooth, though.
OVERALL: She's kind of a sipper, and the ABV isn't well disguised. This isn't on par with the quality of Jolly Pumpkins saisons and sours, but it's a nice beer in its style - especially considering it's American-brewed. Worth trying and maybe even cellaring, but not a beer I'd buy again. I expected better given the brewery, but it's a nice beer for what it is - and is definitely well above average.
B-
★ 2,303 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
BOTTLE: Solid label art. Pry-off pressure cap. Brown glass. Bomber format.
Served cold into a tulip and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Reviewed live as a saison per the label. Expectations are high given the brewery.
No bubble show forms as it's poured.
HEAD: ~1.5 inches wide. Foamy and frothy. Adequately creamy. Good consistency. Nice complexion. Leaves light lacing on the sides of the glass as it recedes. Retention is good - ~4-5 minutes.
BODY: Dark deep ruby of average vibrance. No yeast or hop sediment is visible.
Looks nice for the style. Not unique or special.
AROMA: Faint oak. Caramalt. Winter spice. Amber malts. Sweet and malty, but not too heavy on the candi sugar. Has a mulled character. Very wintery. Hints of dark fruit - plum & date. Maybe some light raisin.
Has no overt hop profile or off-character. Slightly boozy.
Aromatic intensity is average.
Suggests a heavy thick beer with a malty taste and an undisguised ABV.
I do wish the oak was more prominent.
TASTE & TEXTURE: Malty and spicy, with some mint family spicing. Deep amber malts and Belgian dark malts lend it a robust malty sweetness. Sugary, with some candied fruit notes; I'd guess plum and date, but they're so well integrated that they don't ring distinct.
On the sweeter side, sure, but that's to style. Slightly sticky. Definitely too thick and even a bit syrupy. Unrefreshing. Full-bodied.
Quite the malt-bomb, but complex enough. The dark fruit brings some subtlety, and overall this is a pleasing beer for the style, but its depth of flavour is merely average and it isn't quite gestalt. Well-put together for what it is, with a satisfactory build for a dark ale.
Above average flavour duration. Average flavour intensity.
Lacks a harmony of texture to taste, or a harmony of oak barrel to base. Somewhat dry, to its detriment - parching the palate a bit. Smooth, though.
OVERALL: She's kind of a sipper, and the ABV isn't well disguised. This isn't on par with the quality of Jolly Pumpkins saisons and sours, but it's a nice beer in its style - especially considering it's American-brewed. Worth trying and maybe even cellaring, but not a beer I'd buy again. I expected better given the brewery, but it's a nice beer for what it is - and is definitely well above average.
B-
★ 2,303 characters
2.9/5 rDev -28.2%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
This beer is gorgeous when poured. Rich, dark, Amber with a hint of red and a medium thick head. Unfortunately the good stops there. Lighter than expected, too much carbonation, not very complex. Didn't get much fruit until it warmed a bit. Just not very interesting. Drinkable, but that's the most I can say for it.
★ 316 characters
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
This beer is gorgeous when poured. Rich, dark, Amber with a hint of red and a medium thick head. Unfortunately the good stops there. Lighter than expected, too much carbonation, not very complex. Didn't get much fruit until it warmed a bit. Just not very interesting. Drinkable, but that's the most I can say for it.
★ 316 characters
3.2/5 rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5
On tap at Jolly Pumpkin Ann Arbor poured into tulip. Dark brown appearance with a finger of off white head that leaves spots inside the glass. Aroma is funky, sour, cherries, and wood. Taste is similar with almost no sweetness. Medium bodied, active carbonation, drying and crisp.
★ 280 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5
On tap at Jolly Pumpkin Ann Arbor poured into tulip. Dark brown appearance with a finger of off white head that leaves spots inside the glass. Aroma is funky, sour, cherries, and wood. Taste is similar with almost no sweetness. Medium bodied, active carbonation, drying and crisp.
★ 280 characters
4.98/5 rDev +23.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Poured a deep murky red with lots of foam to spare. Smelled like rotten apples, dates, figs, and sour grapes with an uncannily deep funk perfect for the cold weather. Tasted just as funky as it smelled with the Brettanomyces (I guess) and the oak barrel aging working its magic with the nutty malts to to create a magical flavor. Mouthfeel was just as strange and as wonderful as the beer's other characteristics -- heavy and boozy for a sour or wild ale, light and carbonated for a Belgian strong ale. Overall I love this beer with its perfect and wildly unexpected marriage of dark fruit and roasted malt with crazy yeasty funkiness.
★ 635 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Poured a deep murky red with lots of foam to spare. Smelled like rotten apples, dates, figs, and sour grapes with an uncannily deep funk perfect for the cold weather. Tasted just as funky as it smelled with the Brettanomyces (I guess) and the oak barrel aging working its magic with the nutty malts to to create a magical flavor. Mouthfeel was just as strange and as wonderful as the beer's other characteristics -- heavy and boozy for a sour or wild ale, light and carbonated for a Belgian strong ale. Overall I love this beer with its perfect and wildly unexpected marriage of dark fruit and roasted malt with crazy yeasty funkiness.
★ 635 characters
4.24/5 rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Batch 892 - Bottled 09-23-2011.
A: The bottle says it's a deep mahogany color, and I reckon that fits the bill. Billowy, taupe head pours out to at least two fingers, and lacing is ample.
S: Brettanomyces and oak. Mostly brett. I guess almost 3.5 years of aging will do that.
T: Starts out with some fairly ripe plum, but by mid-sip the brett has the spotlight. The plum, which is not particularly ripe, nor too tart, hangs around though, and I get it on the end in most sips. I get a bit of spicy oak every so often, but it's not a strong contributor. Not much of an aftertaste to speak of.
M: Purdy carbonated. Maybe just a smidge too much, but it keeps the beer going down easy, which I like for a wild ale, which is really what I consider this to be, especially after aging.
O: Tasty indeed. After trying many of the Jolly Pumpkin beers several years ago, I decided this was the only one I particularly enjoyed, at least for the price. I wouldn't say this is better than younger versions, just different.
★ 1,018 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Batch 892 - Bottled 09-23-2011.
A: The bottle says it's a deep mahogany color, and I reckon that fits the bill. Billowy, taupe head pours out to at least two fingers, and lacing is ample.
S: Brettanomyces and oak. Mostly brett. I guess almost 3.5 years of aging will do that.
T: Starts out with some fairly ripe plum, but by mid-sip the brett has the spotlight. The plum, which is not particularly ripe, nor too tart, hangs around though, and I get it on the end in most sips. I get a bit of spicy oak every so often, but it's not a strong contributor. Not much of an aftertaste to speak of.
M: Purdy carbonated. Maybe just a smidge too much, but it keeps the beer going down easy, which I like for a wild ale, which is really what I consider this to be, especially after aging.
O: Tasty indeed. After trying many of the Jolly Pumpkin beers several years ago, I decided this was the only one I particularly enjoyed, at least for the price. I wouldn't say this is better than younger versions, just different.
★ 1,018 characters
3.99/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Blend 16 Bottled 11-19-2012
Poured into a tulip
Looks like a brown ale, dark ruby with small tannish head. I get green apples when smelling this beer. After thinking about green apples Im now tasting them? Definitely starts sour that leads to the oaky flavor and stays dry on the tongue.
★ 288 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Blend 16 Bottled 11-19-2012
Poured into a tulip
Looks like a brown ale, dark ruby with small tannish head. I get green apples when smelling this beer. After thinking about green apples Im now tasting them? Definitely starts sour that leads to the oaky flavor and stays dry on the tongue.
★ 288 characters
4.05/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750mL into a tulip. Pours a deep mahogany brown w/ a soft 1-finger head.
Aroma is gently tart, oaky, bready. Similar to a Flanders oud bruin.
Taste is likewise dry, dart, woody, semi-acidic.
Mouthfeel is balanced and satisfying, semi-dry finish.
Overall a nice sour dark saison/quad. Not sure exactly what this is.
★ 318 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750mL into a tulip. Pours a deep mahogany brown w/ a soft 1-finger head.
Aroma is gently tart, oaky, bready. Similar to a Flanders oud bruin.
Taste is likewise dry, dart, woody, semi-acidic.
Mouthfeel is balanced and satisfying, semi-dry finish.
Overall a nice sour dark saison/quad. Not sure exactly what this is.
★ 318 characters
4.49/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Pazzo's in the Loop, into a goblet.
A: deep dark amber with reddish tint at the edges, thin crown of foam that sticks around
S: Happy thoughts because this is great: tart cherries, barnyard funkiness, some deeper dark fruitiness, brown sugar and oak.
T: waves and waves of flavors that follow the nose.
M: a lot of puckering and tart snappiness, and a nice level of chewiness.
Overall: Great beer.
★ 412 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Pazzo's in the Loop, into a goblet.
A: deep dark amber with reddish tint at the edges, thin crown of foam that sticks around
S: Happy thoughts because this is great: tart cherries, barnyard funkiness, some deeper dark fruitiness, brown sugar and oak.
T: waves and waves of flavors that follow the nose.
M: a lot of puckering and tart snappiness, and a nice level of chewiness.
Overall: Great beer.
★ 412 characters
4.84/5 rDev +19.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Batch 4. Overcarbonated (hello Brett!), but glorious for Christmas Eve! Brett beautifully blended with the dark ale flavours and oak. I could drink this forever!
★ 162 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Batch 4. Overcarbonated (hello Brett!), but glorious for Christmas Eve! Brett beautifully blended with the dark ale flavours and oak. I could drink this forever!
★ 162 characters
3.83/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
You can taste the barrel immediately as well as a dry, tart flavor. Finishes with a sweet, malty note of figs & currants. My bottle had a fair amount of carbonation too.
★ 169 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
You can taste the barrel immediately as well as a dry, tart flavor. Finishes with a sweet, malty note of figs & currants. My bottle had a fair amount of carbonation too.
★ 169 characters
4.66/5 rDev +15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
2013 bottling.
Leather brown body with a creamy, off-white head. Tons of bubbles racing up the sides of the glass.
Smells reminiscent of an oude bruin with dried fruit, brown sugar, balsamic, toasted malts.
Big time oude bruin flavors. Soft sweetness up front with caramel.toasted malts and tartness coming up at the midpoint. Finishes dry and acidic. I get some spicy Belgian yeast and a bit of wood/vanilla.
Mouthfeel is surprisingly light - the body foams up in my mouth and pricks the tongue.
This is an awesome beer for the holidays, or anytime, really.
★ 570 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
2013 bottling.
Leather brown body with a creamy, off-white head. Tons of bubbles racing up the sides of the glass.
Smells reminiscent of an oude bruin with dried fruit, brown sugar, balsamic, toasted malts.
Big time oude bruin flavors. Soft sweetness up front with caramel.toasted malts and tartness coming up at the midpoint. Finishes dry and acidic. I get some spicy Belgian yeast and a bit of wood/vanilla.
Mouthfeel is surprisingly light - the body foams up in my mouth and pricks the tongue.
This is an awesome beer for the holidays, or anytime, really.
★ 570 characters
4.04/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Jolly Pumpkin Noel De Calabaza
11-16-2012, Blend 15. Thanks to Chico1985 for sharing this.
A- Actually much darker than I imagined, deep brown to almost black in spots even when held up to light. A cream colored head rises up to a finger with a thick foamy consistency. Mostly spotty lace with some webs.
S- Dark fruits and lactic are the overall theme to the aroma for me. Flemish feel throughout with slight acetic hints and a somewhat Oud Bruin characters. Cranberry tartness, cherry, lemon juice, wet oak and toasted nuts.
T- Tartness builds up to being relatively sour over time here, both lactic and acetic. Cranberry is one of the strongest flavors for me with spicy raisin, fig, wet oak and red wine grapes, lemon sours and a slight nuttiness. Complexities are a bit tough to pick up because the sours and red fruit and wine notes really start to dominate.
MF- Lighter end body with a bit of a slickness I often find in beers that have acetic character to them. Carbonation is at a medium-low level and it ends quite sour.
Red wine grapes and cranberries and a general dark tart fruitiness opens up sip by sip. The sourness gains even more strength than those. It isn't harshly sour but it seems to block flavors that might exist otherwise. Winey and Flanders Oud Bruin feel.
★ 1,290 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Jolly Pumpkin Noel De Calabaza
11-16-2012, Blend 15. Thanks to Chico1985 for sharing this.
A- Actually much darker than I imagined, deep brown to almost black in spots even when held up to light. A cream colored head rises up to a finger with a thick foamy consistency. Mostly spotty lace with some webs.
S- Dark fruits and lactic are the overall theme to the aroma for me. Flemish feel throughout with slight acetic hints and a somewhat Oud Bruin characters. Cranberry tartness, cherry, lemon juice, wet oak and toasted nuts.
T- Tartness builds up to being relatively sour over time here, both lactic and acetic. Cranberry is one of the strongest flavors for me with spicy raisin, fig, wet oak and red wine grapes, lemon sours and a slight nuttiness. Complexities are a bit tough to pick up because the sours and red fruit and wine notes really start to dominate.
MF- Lighter end body with a bit of a slickness I often find in beers that have acetic character to them. Carbonation is at a medium-low level and it ends quite sour.
Red wine grapes and cranberries and a general dark tart fruitiness opens up sip by sip. The sourness gains even more strength than those. It isn't harshly sour but it seems to block flavors that might exist otherwise. Winey and Flanders Oud Bruin feel.
★ 1,290 characters
4.04/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
750ml bottle labeled Blend 15 / 11-16-2012 that I've been cellaring since last year. Shared with Cammy Boy while watching The Departed.
A - Slow gusher as always with JP. Pour into 2 tulips is dark brownish red, only very slight translucence. A creamy-looking beige head retains at a solid half-finger or so for most of the duration.
S - Balsamic vinegar, tart darkish fruits, oaky vanilla, sour cherry, some caramelly brown sugar.
T - Mostly a nice sour vinegar kick and red fruits (cherry, cranberry, grape), definitely reminiscent of a Flanders ale to me. Some light spice gives this somewhat of a red wine feel.
M - Good creamy feel, nice medium carbonation, nothing really noticeable for alcohol. Good sour kick, a little flemmy in the finish.
O - The listing of this as a BSDA is a little misleading, though assuming that is what the style of the base beer is, I wish there was more going on with it. Definitely a good sour that is quite drinkable for 9% but it would be nice to see some more complexities.
★ 1,020 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
750ml bottle labeled Blend 15 / 11-16-2012 that I've been cellaring since last year. Shared with Cammy Boy while watching The Departed.
A - Slow gusher as always with JP. Pour into 2 tulips is dark brownish red, only very slight translucence. A creamy-looking beige head retains at a solid half-finger or so for most of the duration.
S - Balsamic vinegar, tart darkish fruits, oaky vanilla, sour cherry, some caramelly brown sugar.
T - Mostly a nice sour vinegar kick and red fruits (cherry, cranberry, grape), definitely reminiscent of a Flanders ale to me. Some light spice gives this somewhat of a red wine feel.
M - Good creamy feel, nice medium carbonation, nothing really noticeable for alcohol. Good sour kick, a little flemmy in the finish.
O - The listing of this as a BSDA is a little misleading, though assuming that is what the style of the base beer is, I wish there was more going on with it. Definitely a good sour that is quite drinkable for 9% but it would be nice to see some more complexities.
★ 1,020 characters
4.06/5 rDev +0.5%
Aroma is floral and reminiscent of tart cherry candy, with a bit of a medicinal tone. Flavor is tart and sour, mostly citric acid, with a touch of acetic and lactic. Medicinal cherry weaves throughout, but that tart and sour cherry character redeems.
★ 250 characters
Aroma is floral and reminiscent of tart cherry candy, with a bit of a medicinal tone. Flavor is tart and sour, mostly citric acid, with a touch of acetic and lactic. Medicinal cherry weaves throughout, but that tart and sour cherry character redeems.
★ 250 characters
Noel De Calabaza from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
4.04
out of 5
based on 1,004 ratings.
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 3.75
Sampling a cellar temp 750 ml bottle poured into a snifter. The beer pours a clear mahogany with deep ruby highlights and several streams of carbonation rising to the surface. A creamy beige head of 1 cm foams up and rests on the surface of the glass. The foam stays throughout sampling and leaves tight lattice after each sip.
The aroma is malty with some caramel and dark fruit and a bit of bready yeast. No alcohol on the nose or hops that I can detect as I sniff the glass.
First sip reveals an average body with smooth soft texture and fine carbonation that is slightly tingly but rolls across the palate after each swallow. The flavor is more mild than I anticipated from this brewery and the beer.
A mix of dark malt and brown sugar and some fruit with plums and raisin notes. The mild flavor is appealing but I had hoped for a bolder experience. The booze does show up with some warming after each swallow.
I enjoy the beer and dont find any flaws, but admit to being underwhelmed in general as I consume the beer.
★ 1,026 characters