Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga Grand Reserve

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

Thanks to hopdog for bringing this to a mid-week tasting for his 2,000th rating. #600 for me actually. Pours a hazy golden amber with a smaller off white head that left lacing. Aroma was woody, perfume, a light sourness, vanilla, leathery, citrus, apple and some grapes. Flavor was a mix of the same with a bit of tartness and a vanllia woodyness. What a great treat for Steve to bring over.

Poured a hazy orange color with a small, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Fantastic aroma of strong brettanomyces, citrus fruits, green apple, strawberry, leather, grapes, oak, and some vanilla. Taste of tart apples, grape skin, vanilla oak, toffee malts, and light alcohol in the finish. Thanks Steve!

Pours a clear copper bronze with a nicely-lacing wispy white tan head. Sweet floral lavender and mild bourbon oak with some biscuity Belgian malt in the aroma. Body starts with some earthy and well-oaked bourbon character with a hint of funk. Finishes dry, nicely-balanced and slightly warming. A very enjoyable brew.

12 oz bottle consumed in the generous company of tiggmtl, MartinT and Rastacouere. Funny how the label is exactly the same as that on the regular Luci, just with "750 ml/1 pt 9.4 oz" crossed out with ball point pen. Ha! Love the small brewers. Anyway, it’s deep opaque amber in the glass with a lasting bit of creamy head....faint whiskey hints atop the deep Belgian maltiness and light sour yeast in the nose, which is nice but rather restrained....in the mouth, though, this kicks into high gear, sublime sour cherries mixing with well-extracted pale malt, lemon curd and vanilla-whiskey, a beautiful, near-perfect balance of sweet-sour, incredibly smooth, just full enough of body but light and effervescent on the tongue. Excellent, though to my taste merely different from, not better than, the non-reserve version....another winner from this most artisanal and caring of breweries.

A fully diminishing small fizzy off-white head tops up a murky medium orange body. Moderate lacing. Few thin particles. No bubbles. Aroma presents malt being moderate hay while hops are moderate grapefruit / orange ... Yeast character is moderate Also, there are evident evocations of tobacco, spice (mint?) and alcohol. Barrel aging developed a very pleasant astringency. Finish is long and nicely astringent. medium to full body... oily texture... Lively carbonation...
[Bottled ; dates are unknown]

Pour is a dark orange with a thin film of creamy white and some nice, but spotty lacing. Aroma is spicy and slightly alcoholic. Attractive. The flavor is smoother than I remember from the original. Still bone dry like the original but maybe a little smoother with less of the old hops and more of a subtle bourbon. Better than the orginal.

Bottle. Tasting session with omhper and ante. Thanks to MI2CA for the bottle!
Big cheezy aroma in a positive sence, plus barnyard and cress. Taste realy surprised me with its big complexity dominated by a certan Brett sournes, fruitiness, woodsy bourbon-ness, rhubarbness, and a bunch of other nessies. Lovely acidness and, as I hinted, complexity. Where do I order a box?

Bottled. Hazy amber, brief head. Complex aroma of cheese and raspberries. Tart, yet buttery. Medium sweet with soft mouthfeel and some whiskey-ish oak barrel character. Notes of vinegar, berries and grass. Complicated, ultracomplex and superbly excellent. This beer is so fun!!