Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca

Brewed by Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Style: Belgian White (Witbier)
Dexter, Michigan USA

Bottle from Raleigh WBF. My least favorite of their offering, perhaps because the wheat overshadowed the yeast, and I do like the funky wild yeasts they use. Lemony/citrusy with some spices, but not over the top. A very nice white.

750. Beer is hazy, light pale gold with a large, frothy, white, diminishing head. Seagulls of lace on the glass.The aroma is malty with a light note of toasted grain; Hoppy with a moderate note of lemon zest, light note of pine resin; Yeasty with a light note of sharp band-aid; Trace of orange zest, light coriander and white pepper.The flavor is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, trace bitter with a longish, lightly acidic, trace sweet finish.The body is light, the texture is watery and the carbonation is lively.

From NEPA case split on 4-25-08 from Kevin. Elegant white with a nice sour leathery backbone and an amped up coriander spice content (to the point I expected to see some floating around). There is a floral ginger quality here but otherwise it doesn’t get any more complex. Highly carbonated and dry like cider but not thick or creamy.

750ml from Sam’s, Durham. Funky butt? Funky wit!!! Now this is what I’m talking about. Way to take a pretty meh style - at least as far as the usual offerings, either too watery or too cloyingly sweet - and give some depth and serious quirkiness without compromising style. A gorgeous pour with a big silky head, the aroma is suggestive to say the least. Sure the usual ingredients (listed in the commercial description) are there, but you get a nice funk element in there - not JP barnyard dank but a blend of dry brett and over the hill melon/orange. There’s slightly more sharpness in the taste, but the funky elements are the strongest, and I think that’s a very good thing. I still won’t drop this kind of coin for a wit too often, but this is probably the best I’ve had.

Bottle. Pours a sparkling bright golden color. Some floaties. Spicy nose. Carbonated bubbles. Crisp tasting with Jolly Pumpkin funk & Tartness. Wit spiciness of citrus & coriander. Good beer

12oz Bottle thanks to 17th floor. Pours a hazy pale orange yellow color with decent white head. Some medium yeasties at the bottom of the glass. Minimal spotty lacing. Aroma is somewhat funky yeast, mild bandaid, tart fruit, some grape. Flavor is tart and somewhat grapey, mild earthy hop bitterness, yeast flavors of horse blanket and mild bandaid. Body is crisp and refreshing with a nice moderate to mild acidity. Finishes rather dry with some wood notes coming forward.

12oz bottle with a little age. Pours a slightly hazy golden with a slight white head that quickly fades to a slight ring around the edge, leaving some lacing. Light JP tart funk on the nose. Really tastes like a toned down Luciernaga. Sour tart upfront, corriander drys out the finish. Leaves a crisp dry mouth at the end. This is quite good, want to try this fresh too.

[4.15.08] Pours a hazy light yellow with some big bubbles with a foamy white head. Aroma of wild yeast, very sour, tart, oak and some coriander. Very tart /sour flavor, I like that the oak is subtle and is not overly waxy or adds too much vanilla. Yummy sourness. Citrus, apples and a touch of pepper. Crisp and very clean palate. Delicious. 8.4.9.5.17 [rerated - 6.18.09 - 12oz bottle from early 08] I almost couldn’t bring myself to open this seeing as it was the last Jolly Pumpkin 6-pack on the shelves. If I had realized they were discontinued I would have stocked up as it was way cheaper than the big bottles. What a fantastic beer this is and is even better after a year+ of aging, delightfully light and probably the most refreshing beer on the planet, so crisp and playfully tart. Definitely one to be had on a clean palate as its delicacy could really get looked over if one were not careful.