Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial

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

Sampled at Mike & Molly’s (Champaign, IL) thanks to Tom (siodhachain). Cloudy dark brown with a nice beige head. Aroma of chocolate, orange zest, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, anise. Medium body, light carbonation. Some sweetness in the flavor, evidence of the spices, notable alcohol, and a touch of chocolate. Not a style I care for but this was very nicely done.

From 750mL Bottle. Pours a cinnimony reddish brown color with a medium, frothy off-white head. The tart brett aromas linger nicely with some light fruits, giving it a nice bouquet of fermented apple cider, complete with lemon peel, cinnimon, cloves, and fresh rhubarb pie, sweetened with a pinch of brown sugar. A touch of light chocolate maltiness starts this one out, before being taken over by a medium bodied texture full of bretts. After the bretts start to mellow out, a spicy mustiness starts to build, taking over in the form of an aged garochta. Some light green pepper spice and raw tulip stalk herbalness balance out the maltiness. Unique blend of a spicy belgian ale with the tart addition of brettanomyces, but the flavor balance is a bit too far out there for my palate. Still, an interesting and highly enjoyable brew overall.

Aroma is a flow of light sour wooden oaked oranges and brown sugars, with floating esters, touches of flaming warmth, lechees and hints of cinnamoned pears. Delicate, enticing and all around fantastic. Pour of lightly hazed ruddied mahogany with a creamy soaping head of off-white. Flavor is a concentrated heavy cheese of oak and tannins. Dusty. Tart lemons over dusty horsebarn. Sour in a good way, but not really possessing the gentle coconut or pineapple. Stalks of green rhubarb coated with white sugar and eaten raw. A husk of faint chocolate. Flavor develops as beer builds. Tounge develops resistance, then follows new path, with a run of sliced green apples and monterey jack cheese. Spice with a hint of ginger and light lime peel. Body is impressive, with good levels of sweetness, but not too attenuated. Perfect level of drinkability. A kick of light dry hopness on the backend for balance. Not really a Dubbel in my book, more suited to a Brett Belgian Ale. Unfortunately, it’s as if they took a very nice spiced Dubbel or Brown ale, then ruined it with Brett, but the Brett still tastes good.

Bottle: Dark brown mahogany color, light head and lacing. Nose of bright citrus, spice, hops and fruity malts. Very strong and balanced. The flavor is chewy with notes of cranberry, fig, thick malts and a sweet/tart balance. Super creamy and balanced. Yummy. I like the overall balance and body this offers. Have I mentioned it’s balanced?

Strong yeasty aroma, spicey and quite aromatically strong. Rich cinnamon, mustard seed and cardamon. with a hint of sour aplle cider vinegar. Mouthfeel is full with lots of sour acidity, full of spiciness and somewhat vinous, but still very true to style for a brown ale. Beneath everything there is a tasty brown lurking in here, but made out in the open similar to a lambic. Very unique and delicious.

Aroma:light aroma,spicy,citrus,.... Appearance:Dark ruby-brown,light head... Flavor:Light sour,spicy,citrus juice...

Robe rousse voilé surmontée d’une mousse beige mince qui persiste. Arômes de caramel et d’épices. Saveurs de caramel, d’épices, de poussière et de houblon herbacé. Superbe! Double belge?

750 ml bottle, via Dough77. Pours a slightly hazy ruby tinged brown with a small creamy beige head that lasted until the last sip. Lightly tart aroma with some powdery sugary notes, yeast, candi sugar, and caramel malt. Tartness grabs you up front right away, but yields to a nice fruity middle and a dry brett filled finish. A little alcohol makes itself known in the finish as well. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with fizzy active carbonation that scrubs the palate clean after each sip. Overall, I think that this was nicely done. I keep waiting for one of these "bad" bottles some folks experience, but they’re always awesome. Keep ’em coming JP.