Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga (The Firefly)

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

750ml bottle. Pours a hazy, muddy amber with a monster fluffy white head that sticks around and laces the glass.

The aroma is musty yeast, some grains, wood and spices and a little fruit in the background.

The flavor is some slightly tart and acidic fruits and a hint of spices leading to a noticeable, lightly bitter hop finish. It has a very dry lingering aftertaste that I can’t quite identify. The mouthfeel is medium with tons of bubbly carbonation.

Overall, a very nice beer. It’s not as sour as JP’s other brews. It’s easy drinking, but the aftertaste doesn’t quite jive with me.

In the 750 mL bottle from Beertopia. Another homerun from Dexter. This pours a hazy golden brown with a custard-like thick head. It is one of the most beautiful beers that I have ever seen. This beer is like chewing on a pine tree. I simply love the generous use of hops in this. The strong oak flavor is still present, but the hop bitterness takes over the dominant role from the oak barrel in this one. Has that horse barn aroma and is slightly sulfurous. Strong orange and coriander to the nose as well. Drinking this is a delightful experience: the first sip seemed strong and harsh with all that in-your-face bitterness. However, after the third sip, the beer seems super smooth and blended. Sweetness begins to exude out of this thing like crazy. After a few more sips, this gets positively oakey out the wazoo. I get lots and lots of pineapple and grapefruit flavors at the warming finish. After trying this, I am convinced that so many belgian styles that I find hard to enjoy would greatly benefit from a generous use of hops. Damnnit, hops SHOULD be in beer!

A very lively, bubbly brew. Deep golden color, keeps a nice head with active carbonation. Flavor is light, palate very soft. The combination of spices is quite unique. My first Jolly Pumpkin, and I’m very impressed!

Bottled. Bottle gushed. Beer is cloudy medium amber-brown. Head is large, frothy/rocky, off-white, slowly and mostly diminishing but lasting.<P>Unmistakable tart-untamed JP nose. Malty with light notes of lean biscuit, caramel, toasted grain; Hoppy with moderate lemon zest, herbal resin/pine, green grass; Yeasty with wild, pointy notes of moderate barnyard, horse blanket; Light miscellaneous note of Aspen tree sap/raw wood, round peppery spice, light alcohol warmth.<P>The flavor is light/moderately acidic, lightly/moderately sweet, lightly bitter with a long, lightly acidic/juicy, lightly sweet trace bitter finish.<P>The body is light, the texture is watery and the carbonation is lively.

750 ml bottle from Holliday Wine Cellar. Hazy golden amber with a creamy white head. Amazing aroma of sourness, oak, caramel, and spice. Very smooth silky bright and lightly lively palate. The taste is absolutely fantastic. A very pleasant alcohol, almost bourbon-like, taste, vanilla, caramel, a warm spiciness and a wonderful indescrible finish. One of my new favorites.

Bomber split with Tronraner. Pours a cloudy orange with persistent, tall, fluffy white head. It does that thing where the sides start to collapse and little shapes form. Lacing is pretty slick on this one. Nose is soft indeed with loads of flower notes. I don’t know enough about botany to make a meaningful correlation, but it reminds me of flowers in a field with horses and goats wandering around. The flavor is dry. Yep, this is quite dry, but some semi-juicy pineapple notes come out. Lots of floral and herbal notes on this one along with wood, pepper, and champagne. I felt it was similar to the bam biere, but had a bit more juiciness and depth. Nice for the summertime.

This beer is orange and it has a huge fluffy and lasting white head that appeals to my eyes and gets my junk excited. Upfront spicy aroma is so nice. Light crisp and dry this one is. Spicy. Lil bit funky. Got that pepper. Proof that beer doesn’t have to be 10% ABV to be complex.

750 ml bottle, drunk from a pilsner glass. Gorgeous opaque caramel color, which sort of doesn’t match the taste, but does match the general style. Aroma is moderately malty with a light hop touch. Majority of aroma is must, with some oak and toffee undertones. Head is large, off white, and slightly rocky. Flavor is moderately acidic, some pepper, and some sourness. Medium body, smooth, quite dry upon finish. Quite refreshing. Excellent beer.