Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza

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

750 ml, Blend 3, 2009. Nearly opaque copper-chestnut. Lasting half-inch of foam gushes from the bottle. Soured cabernet, brett and vinegar aroma has some light raisin and oak notes. Flavor is cider vinegar, lemon, soured wine, and light oak. Long finish of berries, black pepper, rare steak, cinnamon, vanilla and wood is the best part of this beer. Medium-heavy body is too fizzy, astringently dry and slightly watery. Lots going on in the aftertaste of this one for sure, but the brett-sour bomb assault is just too much to keep wading through.

Bottle purchased at the Davis Food Co-Op. Aroma is rather metallic with a good deal of acetic tartness present. Sour apples and lemons dominate. Moderately hazy dark amber body with a large frothy off white head. Lots of lacing. Very acetic, spicy sour apple flavors to start. Almost cider-like. A little peppery later with more lasting sourness. Also has some olive flavors present. Pretty tart stuff.

The first sip leads you on a roller coaster ride of tastes and jump starts your senses. The Sour rush is complemented by an array of complexity and delight and finishes refreshing and clean with a mild hint of sour on the pallet. It is another wildly successful beer by Jolly Pumpkin. It is a must have when available. One bomber is plenty to get the idea of how great Jolly Pumpkin beers are.

Wow this stuff took me by surprise. Took a recommendation at a store I frequent and have had positive recommendations before, so I paid the $13 for the bottle. Wow was I suprised. Probably the best tasting beer I’ve ever had when I drank it. Dark ruby in color and intensely crisp. Dry bitingly crisp and the brett is harsh in this one, but refined harsh, intended harshness. Great flavors of figs and apple are everywhere, along with some traditional belgiany flavors. This stuff is unbelievable.

bottle, via trade with bierbauch, nice extra, amber coffee color with huge gusher foam, nice aroma of sour malts , plum and raisin, flavors are earthy, sour, nuts, some spices and fruit with a dry lively finish

Botella. Unclear deep amber colour. Breet like fruity quite pleasant spiced aroma. Good mouthfeel indeed. The flavour has spice and brett with a pleasant bitterness, some wood and vanilla, caramel, and dark fruits. Well lasting breet fruity very pleasantly spiced dry finish. Well balanced indeed.

Bottle: Dark amber color with a very fizzy head and lots of carbonation. The nose is tart and fruity with some apple and raisin, chewy caramel along with the bright yeasty qualities. Earthy and tart, light alcohol and a snappy yeast estery tail. Nice contrasting qualities for a winter beer, i’m over the hoppy english strongs or malty english bitters. This is what I need!

Blend 1, 2009. Nice bretty Xmas beer! Defintely better than the other Xmas offerings from breweries. I have to give a heavy high kudos for JP not putting in nutmeg - - hate that stuff! Anyway, pours brown with white soapy head. Nose is brett and lemons, with a touch of must. Flavor is sour and bitter, with some gentle sweetness in the tongue. Finishes clean.