Jolly Pumpkin Fuego del Otono (Autumn Fire)

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

Popped off the cap and a steady flow of foam came out and wouldn’t stop - I had to pour it into 3 separate glasses. After all that, I had a glass of a muddy dark red clay-colored brew with an off-white head. Right off the bat, this smells the least funky of the JP brews I’ve had to date (all but the Calabaza). The light funk is there along with a nuttiness and some fall spices. The taste was pleasantly funky, dancing around on the palate and complimenting the spices. The finish is dry and there’s more sour on the back end than I expected. Probably the most subtle of JP’s brews.

Jimmack Invitational 07. Murky brown with a small to medium head, long lasting. Aroma of ginger, chestnuts, caramel, funky brett, sour cherry. Taste is moderately tart, sour cherry and brett, spices such as ginger, chestnuts, and caramel. Everything was pretty well balanced in this beer. Finishes lightly tart, with lingering spice.

Poured a hazy brown color with a small, light tan head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of chestnuts, caramel malts, light brett, leather, and a bit of cherry. Taste of caramel malts, light nuts, toffee, and faint spices, with a light tartness throughout. Not sure when this was bottled, but I seem to have caught it before the bugs completely took over... which is a very good thing in this case!

750 mL bottle shared with Ben (thanks), served at cellar temp in a tulip glass. SE09/07

App.: Dirty brown-copper, some dark chunks of yeast, large light tan head, good lacing. Aroma: Bright and tangy, light funk, somewhat fruity, very light spice (particularly white pepper). Palate: Medium body, medium-full effervescence, light powderiness. Flav.: Quite herbal, almost minty, some cinnamon, a bit nutty; tangy and bright, nice bitterness and a bit of caramel malt; a little alcohol and some light herbal hops.

This was a GUSHER. Lost a good third of the bottle. Quaffable but not mind-blowing at this point. I’d like to try another bottle to be sure I got the real deal.

My first experience with a JP Artisian or Farmhouse style Ale. Took a little gettin’ used to, but as the glass and bottle was consumed this brew became increasingly more enjoyable. Poured a slightly hazy pumpkin orange color. Created a thick and hefty, whipped cream-like head with superb retention. Lots of foam continued to emerge from the bottle after the initial pour into my chalice, so be prepared to keep your glass full! Thick sheets of lacing coated the glass as it drained. I found the initial aromas to be VERY funky at first. Like walking into a barn filled with dirt, mud, hay and a few horses and their saddle blankets. Other than that some pleasant notes of caramel malts, roasted chestnuts, green apples, lemon peel, fresh cut oak and spices greet the nose. An interesting array of smells to say the least. Loved the mouthfeel. Not overtly thick but full, round and creamy with a lively spritz. Flavors were much like the aroma. Initially I picked up quite a bit of a funky sourness which almost made me wonder if the beer was infected. But as I continued on and the beer warmed luscious flavors of nuts, caramel, various spices, oak, earth and a touch of hoppy bitterness were enjoyed. Finishes with a pleasant tart hoppy/woody bitterness. If you’re a fan of this style I would guess this is a real winner.

750mL, no date from (I think) shigadeyo, thanks Craig! Narrowly avoiding certain disaster due to foaming over this poured a hazy dirty orange copper and a three finger rocky light beige head, good retention. Aroma of lemon, brett, grapefruit rind up front with plenty of oak and funk. Flavor had a bit more spicy pepper and I think I just burped up some fall leaves, though I could just be making it up. Between the lemon and all of the funkiness this tends to be fairly tart, though not really that acidic. Dry finish with a little vanilla poking through. Overcarbonated, as most JP brews are, with a medium body. The damn bottle kept oozing over with foam throughout the duration like a science experiment.

Name: Fuego del Otono (Autumn Fire)
Date: 06/10/2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Roadtrip

slightly hazy amber, huge lasting tight creamy head, bits of drippy lace, slightly tart woody aroma with a nice moldy funk, creamy body, nice carmel malt flavor, good dry oaky character blended with a spicy edge, fleeting touch of sweetness balanced by some nice tartness, an evening’s entertainment in a glass

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.9/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Pleasing funky fruitiness, ruby, with a tiny white head. Soft lambic qualities,fruity , sour/tartness, but also spicey with bitterness. Light bodied, complex, sour/sweet, quite bitter, dry. Great stuff! Thanks mds!