Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga (The Firefly)

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

To be honest, I just wasn’t all that thrilled with this beer. It has many of the same qualities as a lot of other JP beers, but falls short in the flavor. Very dry finish. Good Brett character, but not too much else. Sourness level is nice, but a bit thin. I’d much prefer Oro de Calabaza, or even La Roja to this. Slightly overcarbonated as well.

750mL of gushy goodness, filled two 16oz glasses with foam and the bottles was still erupting. Nice 16 part pour into a Raftman tulip, big fluffy foam, decent retention. The funk has taken control of this bad motha fudga, big brett nose, huge lacto flavor, any hint of what they actually made this from is lost under the Bootsy Collins sized funk. I like the funk and all, but dear sweet jeebus, this might as well be a spice lambic.

A delicious Belgian ale that is well balanced. Bottle. Cloudy amber with huge white head. Tons of carbonation. Lots of spice, yeast and doughy malts with a touch of funkiness. A well made beer.

750 mL bottle via Lubiere, shared with Ben, served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass. MR 15/08

App.: Cloudy medium-amber, decent off white foam with generous lacing. Aroma: FUNKY, sour, green bitter herbs, loads of lemon and coriander, yeast, subtle hints of caramel, barnyard, piss, rubber, white pepper. Palate: Medium body and moderate effervescence with a touch of astringency. Flav.: Lots of organic acids, coriander, white pepper, those green bitter herbs, some barnyard funk a hint of softer, sweet flavours, some light fruitiness (mainly pome fruits and a touch of dark dried fruits); quite tart and very bitter.

A very Lambic-like Belgian ale. Complex and perplexing.

Pours a gorgeous, hazy, glowing medium gold. A huge, foamy, off-white head is incredibly well retained, leaving diverse, organic splotches of lacing behind. The aroma shows dry, funky Belgian yeast throughout. Notes of pale golden malts, orange peel, lemon peel, fresh flowers, and dry, herbal hops work together in perfect harmony. In addition to the aforementioned elements, the flavor features a moderate use of coriander, a component that is prone to overuse is many a pale Belgian. The spicy, floral hop character is perfect here, working wonderfully with the dryness that the Brett imparts. Medium bodied, with a bone dry palate, this is exactly what I look for in a session brew. This would pair wonderfully with a myriad of culinary treats. Awesome brew. My favorite Jolly Pumpkin, and something I will be stockpiling from here on out.

July 2007 - Light amber to orange color, small head, very little lacing. Funky lambic horseblanket like aroma. Flavor was a vast amalgamation of styles, horseblanket, sour vinegar, grapefruit hops, sweet fruit and a touch of caramel. Dry mouthfeel, light on the tongue. Definitely something different.

THIS BEER KICKS ASS. Brett is my best friend. Nose is full-on Brett so are the flavors. So complex, so dry, so inviting, and so gorgeous with its rich, rocky foam. Thank you very much mgumby for sharing this outstanding beauty.

Pours cloudy dark amber-gold with outstanding thick and foamy head. Wafting aromas of Brett and orange rind and minty herbs. Smooth but lively carbonation. Strong herbal character with an exquisite Brett character and a lingering hoppy finish. Didn’t stun me as much as when I had it the first time but still in love.

The head was what first caught our attention -- chunky and lively. A bit caught on the lip of th bottle, causing Beershine to remark, "Yes, it is erotic, and it’s bothering me." Mike (Gumby) says he is going to quote that comment too. Actually, I was entranced by the label as soon as Mike pulled it out. Let’s not forget th flavor: so smooth and sophisticated and, well, downright magical -- as the label art suggests.