Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza

Brewed by Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Dexter, Michigan USA

750ml bottle, batch #345/352, from whole foods in greenville. opens with a huge "pop" and this one was a bit of gusher. pours a beautiful, bright yellow-gold with a huge, pillowy white head that lasts forever leaving great lacing along the way. aroma is wonderful with big white wine notes, lemon zest, a bit of funky hay, belgian spice, green apple, and delicate sweet notes of floral hops and vanilla. flavor is excellent as well with fruity notes of tart granny smith apples, ripe pears, and a bit of lemon citrus with mild brett funk, spice, wheat, and smooth oak and cedar wood notes. palate is medium bodied with champagne carbonation and a lingering tart, dry, fruity finish. overall, this is damn fine belgian ale.

This is maybe an ’05 or ’06 bottle being consumed Nov. ’09. Pours gold with copper hues and thin white head. The aroma is big and fruity with smooth blended apples and pears as well as spices, malts, a bit of hay and some mustiness. The taste pulses first with carbonation enhanced apples, pears, apricot skin and some modest tartness. Wow, this has aged wonderfully. Toward the finish mild notes of sourness roam around in the background with sort of white wine like notes.

I like this one! Very Orval-ish. Aroma is musty. Pours a cloudy golden with white head. Notes of grapefruit, lemon, and a nice slightly bitter finish. Nice funk in the nose too - present but not overpowering.

Pours a fizzy banana-yellow with an egg-white head. Within it bubbles like champagne. The wild yeast is evident, giving it a sour/farmhouse aroma. Funky acidic aroma, nice. Ooh... This is not a typical Belgian Strong Ale; Very tart, very funky, very, uh, wild... Like halfway between a saison and a sour. Some fruits too; unripe green apple and lemon come to mind. Flavor is acidic therefore. Thin mouthfeel, but spritzy. Different and interesting. Overall, very good minus.

Bright golden, champagne like billowing head. Lovely delicate aroma of poupouri perfume and winegums. Wonderful balance of malt sweetness, hop driven tropical fruits, dryness and funk from the yeast. Best beer I’ve had for a while - the only drawback is the ’ring-rust’ around the lip of the bottle which imparted some awful floaties. Apart from that, perfect drop.

Bottle. 22.5 oz. Pours hazy golden with a thick, white head. Aroma of hay, wheat, citrus, and malts. Clean mouthfeel. Medium body with a tangy, crisp finish. Excellent Belgian ale.

batch 303, large bottle from brewery. nice golden pour with large expanding head. nice spice and peppery. not as sour as i was expecting.

750 ml bottle. A hazy medium golden beer with a really huge, frothy, creamy, fully lasting white head. the aroma is nice, though not extremely powerful, some malt, some grassy and flowery hops and notes of citric fruits (especially lemon) spices, light oak and vanilla. The flavour is moderately sweet, moderately acidic, lightly bitter. In the mouth the oak notes are more evident as well as a certain vinous character. Medium body, lively to fizzy carbonation, dry long finish with medium bitterness. Certainly a harmonius beer with balance between the oak, the spices, the acidity and the winey notes.