Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza

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

Pours a dark brown with a large off-white head. Aroma is funky, yeast, some fruit as well, a little wood. Interesting mix of tartness, a little sweetness, and a bit more bitterness than I expected. Palate seems a little thin.

750 (blend 3) from Rodman’s, D.C. Big and lustrous pour, as is typical for JP beers, a dark brown body with a lively head. The initial aroma was strong sour apples, with a dusky cinnamon coming in there too. Nice and full palate, with a lot of complexity in the flavor: oak, fig, nutmeg, but mostly the sour apple. I suppose I feel that it’s not substantively different enough from other JP offerings to merit really high scores. But a typical JP is a great beer, so yeah.

Xmas Day 2007 - Pour was dark brown color with thin head and ok lacing, lots of chunky and grainy yeasties in the bottom of my glass. Faint aroma of barnyard funk and dark fruit along with a yeastiness. The flavor was predominantly dried fruits, not sweet, with a slight barnyard funk and a signficant sour finish. Puckered the mouth somewhat. Full mouthfeel. I enjoyed this a good bit.

Bottle thanks to Dickinsonbeer? Hazy mahogany color with a small beige head. Funky, fruity aroma of tart cherries, light brett and a bit of vanilla. Flavor was a mildly tart combination of green apples, cherries and grapes with some oak, vanilla and a touch of pepper. Another really nice beer from JP.

dark brown with solid and thick tan head. mouthfeel is thick. flavor a slight malt character with a sourness that comes through. finish is very dry with hints of oak and hazelnut. this brewery is very unique, it almost tastes like a gueze

Blend 1, 2007 After the pour, the ample tan head slowly settles into a deep garnet colored body. The aroma is dominated by souring apples. Lightly sweet in the flavor, with some tartness and a bit of dryness that comes in at the finish.

Sampled at the North Park Belgian Beer Party at my house on 3-29-08. Pours with a cloudy, brown body topped by a thin to medium thick, off-white head with a good amount of lacing. It’s slightly sweet yet sour with an over ripe fruit note and a bitter note. Medium bodied and highly carbonated.

Blend 2, 2007: Pour is opaque ruddy brown with a big bubbled huge tan head...smell is strongly spicy with pepper, clove, coriander, and nutmeg...taste is faintly toasty and funky with hints of sourness, followed by a strong herbal spicy flavor with all of the same spices from the nose present in the flavor...no real alcohol...lingering herbal finish...7 3 7 3 15

Blend 1, 2007: Pour is murky ruddy mahogany with a big bubbled tan head...smell is lightly funky and tart with horseblanket and tart cherries...taste is lightly malty and faintly spiced with some nutmeg...nicely funky and tart with cherry and wood...some alcohol is there too...reminds me of a more spicy version of La Roja (and more alcoholic)...finish is lightly medicinal (maybe the aftermath of the spices)...(this is the batch that I rated)