Jolly Pumpkin Bière de Mars Grand Reserve

Formerly brewed at Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Style: Sour Ale
Dexter, Michigan USA

Bottle thanks to Scott. Pours a deep burgundy with a soapy head. Nice oak aromas, with some brown sugar and darker fruits. Big oak up front, typical of the better aged Jolly Pumpkins. Finish is long and sour, with a little heat from the bourbon. Carbonation is a tad high, even for me. Some burnt candies and tobacco start to appear. This is an interesting take with the bourbon, and it’s quite good. But these weird off flavors kind of keep creeping up in the finish. Not perfect but interesting and solid.

Bottle Batch 65 shared by alexsdad06. Poured a clear dark brown color with a minimal frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with fair lacing. Moderate to heavy tart citrus, good funk and wood aroma. Medium to full body with a sticky texture and soft carbonation. Medium to heavy sour flavor with a medium to heavy sweet & sour finish of moderate to long duration. This is a standout beer for style. Thanks Brad.

Have 16 months on my notes. Lots going on. Wood, some alcohol. Dark fruit with some faint sourness and musty quality. A little bland for what is is. Dry finish, drinkable but lingers on the tongue, a bit prickly.

Bottle thanks to thecheeseman, always nice trading with that guy...Pours brown with a nice beige head. Aroma was similar to standing in a wood warehouse. It definitely wasn’t just oak I was getting. Lot’s of funkiness in the nose as well. Flavor was up front great. Typical jolly pumpkin house flavor with a nice oaky background. Plenty of funk, and some dark fruits. That is short lived though, and the beer just gets in your face woody with nothing to really balance it out. Very tanic, and just a brutal finish. This one was interesting.

Bottle. Aroma has notes of sour fruits, cherry, bourbon, oak and brett funk. Super sour greatness. Medium hazy amber brown hue with a small off white foamy head that mostly diminished and left little lace. Flavor is sweet, sour, and smooth with hints of bourbon. Palate is light-medium bodied and lively. Finish is smooth. Very good brew with a nice sour bourbon character. Just fantastic.

Pros: Gorgeous look. Well established, layered foam. Expressive aroma. Excellent density in the mouth. 30+ second finish leaves lingering oak nuance on the palate. Fully flavored, lots of depth. Very balanced, well executed.

Cons: Not a single flaw that I can detect.

What a beauty. Thanks, Derek.

Bottle, courtesy sebletitje. Brownish red pour, thin white lacing, thin white head. Big oak and sour vinegar in the nose, bretty sweat, some dark fruit. Oak flavors, some tart notes, wheat and fruit, dry wood. Underwhelming flavor compared to the nose, not very easy to drink.

Bottle, courtesy northernbrews and GodOfThunder! (no batch number, says 16 months in oak) Pours a dark amber, low haze, off-white head with some nice lacing. On the nose yart, acidic, some nice acetic hints, a little bourbon, wood, vanilla, solid caramel malts and the bretty JP funk. Quite tart, puckering, with a nice dry finish, lots of tannins, sour with a soft wood and vanilla in the finish. Manages to be both drying and lush carbonation. A little thin in the mouth. Excellent, tarter more tannic version of their standard BdM.