Jolly Pumpkin La Roja Grand Reserve

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

In short: A very woody, slightly funky, oaky and moderately sour ale. Good beer.
How: 12oz bottle shared with sunevdj at Dark-Lord-Day party 2008
The look: Cloudy dark orange with a medium off-white head
In long: First thing that stroke me about the beer is how “less wild” it is compared to the regular Roja. Still some typical Jolly Pumpking bretty barrels notes but not as much as in the regular Roja. The Grand Reserve is also less fruity but has a stronger wood/oak flavour. The beer is also less sour than the regular Roja. The sourness is more oaky and less cherry. Overall taste came out as smoother (less intense) than the regular Roja. Some vanilla makes its way into it. I don’t think I prefer one over the other and these two beers (Roja and Roja Grand Reserve) are really two different beasts that should not be compared against each-other, not by anyone.

12oz bottle. Muted sour notes initially on the nose. Sour grape juice, wet, rotting wood, leather, balsamic, and vanilla accented doughy malt. Pours a dark copper with a lasting thin head leaving spotty lacing. Flavor isn’t nearly as tart and funky as the non BA La Roja. Some lighter oxidized notes have set in. Mild wood tannin, drying grape seed and skin, vanilla all on top of a surprisingly strong cracker like malt base. A pleasant lacto tartness starts to set in as the beer opens up. Medium bodied, silky carbonation with a decent tart finish. Good stuff, but starting to show its age a bit. Thanks a ton Ryan!

12oz. bottle, red capped and black plastic sealed neck, with a big thanks to Duane (now barleyPops)! Pours a lively, slightly hazy amber with abundant bubbles and a large fizzy head that slowly dissipates, spotty lace. Aroma is sour grape, fresh sliced apples, oak, light funk and some tartness. The oak and woodiness takes this to different places than other more "funk forward" sours I’ve had, which works well here. Flavor is sour, tart and funky, but well tempered against gentle oak, dark fruits and spice. Oddly after all the apparent lively carbonation, this comes off a bit flat on the palate. Regardless, this is well crafted, and easily my favorite JP from my very limited experience. Good stuff, thanks again Duane!

Tasted at the pre-DLD event at Flossmoor. What a change from everything else at the event. Bright sour red fruit was complemented by wood and brett. The palate was similarly tart but the oak aging filled out the midpalate with a nice softness that helped mellow and balance the sharpness. This hit the spot tonight.

Flossmoor tasing. Pours a hazy amber. Dry and sour. Quite fruity of sour grapes. Mild touch of red wine. Low carbonation. Quite woody.

Bottle from Chris Styles, who is a serious cool mutha. Enjoyed with hellomynameis in my friends backyard. As much as it sometimes bothers me to use the term "funk" as a catch-all for sours, it is the best I can come up with at this time. Old gym socks, wet wool blankets all sound very delicious as well. I hated these beers before I learned to appreciate the beauty of what has been done.

Pours brown with ruby highlights. Head quickly recedes to a froth sitting atop the beer.
Smell is tart and funky. Taste is much the same, however, I’m not getting any of the bourbon flavors. Incredibly smooth and velvety on the mouth. Very good tartness coming in at the end. A lot more balanced and smoother than the regular La Roja. The barrel has added a nice smoothness, but none of the bourbon.

Caller-aged two years: Dark orange with a light haze. Creamy off-white head slowly disperses but maintains a fine ring and broken center. Bright and expressive aromatics of peach cobbler drizzled with coconut cream and bourbon. Lively hints of iron, balsamic vinegar, and pineapple upside-down cake. Minimal oxidation (sherry). Carbonation is soft and restrained. Impeccable attenuation is evident right from the get-go, as brisk notes of iron gently buckle the cheeks before meshing beautifully with the super dense core of vibrantly fruity esters and balsamic vinegar. Bourbon boasts its presence by exerting a forceful sharpness which effortlessly penetrates the sweet cakey malts while slightly offsetting the sweetness. Deeply satiating yet uplifting at the same time due to the artful juggling of sweet and sour. Never remotely medicinal or cloying, remarkably. Snappy phenols are perfectly placed and accentuate the airy aspects just as the tongue-adhering bourbon viscosity takes foothold. Barrel extractives (coconut, vanilla, soft tannins), are kept at bay due to the balanced complexity. Dryish brush of oak gently sweeps across the palate at the finish, both complementing and lifting the sweet nut- and straw-tinged maltiness while notes of iron and balsamic vinegar linger. Very complex and characterful. Quite reminiscent of De Dolle Oerbier Reserva. Alcoholic heat has lessened, and the beer, as a whole, has significantly softened after two years of bottle aging. Man, when this brewery brings their “A” game, it’s tough to think of merely a handful who happen to be as exciting. What a fun beer!