Jolly Pumpkin La Roja Grand Reserve

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

Batch 2? with the gold label. Pours a pretty hazy, dark, burnt orange-amber color. A small, fizzy, light tan head drowns the top and leaves behind droopy, sudsy lacing that mostly rejoins the body. The aroma shows tart apples, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, and tons of oak and vanilla. Of course, the signature JP funk is present as well, but I really think the wood has calmed it down a bit, or perhaps just overpowered it. The flavor shows intense apple sourness, with heaps of vanilla and oak covering up the spicy subtleties. Showed a bit of age induced oxidation. Medium full mouthfeel. Finishes short and clean despite the intensity. I don’t think the extended barrel aging has done this one any favors. This is a decent brew, but I prefer the regular La Roja to this one hands down.

Courtesy beerlando. Thanks Bryan, been wanting to try this forever. Pours a cloudy orange amber, with a small white head. Smells of typical Jolly Pumpkin funk, some acidity, some malts, some dark fruits. Alot going on. Very nice. Very fruity in the flavor, with a good dosage of earthiness and funk. Still a little tart and somewhat malty. The bourbon wasnt really that powerful because the funk in these beers dominates. Thats what I love about them though. Very flavorful and complex brew. These guys rock!

Poured a ruby brown color. Aroma is tart and fruity, hints of sour cherries. The oak comes through, but is almost an afterthought. Some vanilla. Flavor is complex and multi-faceted. The tartness remains balanced and completely sublime Another incredible beer from an amazing brewer.

Red coloured but still clear-ish. As though it was stained red. Bit of head. Aroma has some funk with some cherry and other sweet fruits with some tartness. Very well placed sourness, has cherry for sure all throughout, some tart citrus sourness. Good, but not really all that exciting.

RBSG 07 Minneapolis Grand Tasting: Caramel, light head, no lacing. Nose of tart yeast, fruit, chewy oak, toasty. Nice pleasant flavor with a sweet/tart yet grassy essence. Subtle yeast and malt, very nice, thanks 1FastSTi!

Poured from a 12 oz. Bright red shade, fairly clear, with some clinging off-white foam around the rim. Mild cherries and apple on the nose, stung with lemon juice and layered with typical funk. Pears and grass lacquer the sour bite with tempering earthiness. Similarly, the sourness is tenderly restrained, possibly simply owing to the impact of the barrel and the age. Lemon, a tint of pine, old orange rind, and tart lime are noticeably softened by lactic oak wood and even oxidation, though this is mild. Certainly not astonishing in any way. Nuanced, however, and dense in the mouth. Subtle and well-rendered, keeping good faith, though likely in decline. Thanks for sharing, Ken!

Batch 2 from Schroppfy. Dark amber-red color with floaties and a small head. Aroma is very faint on sour with a strong maltiness and some booziness. Taste is again barely sour with nice fruitiness. Lowered carbonation and a milky mouthfeel.

Bottle Shared with Hogtown Harry and Blankboy, courtesy of Hogtown Harry. Dark fiery red, small white head. Great aroma - sour, very fruit, nice addition on vanilla and bourbon - lovely. Great taste - tart, fruity, hints of vanilla. Tart finish. Quite a complex beer, I really enjoyed it.