Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza

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

Poured a hazy yellow with a huge white head. Citrus funk aroma. Tastes funky and fruity sourness. The citrus seems to linger and then dry out.

While I enjoy the comfort of familiarity as much as everyone else, I also enjoy the heart-pounding excitement and mystery of the unknown. Delving into that very unknown, I have before me the Oro de Calabaza, a Belgian-style golden ale with a sour twist.

My Oro de Calabaza pours a gorgeously cloudy golden-orange with a soft head that wastes no time fading into a thin blanket. What better way, my dear, then to let her nose reach me unburdened? Orange, nectarines, peach, grapefruit, apples, and apricot mingle in a sweet and sour bungalow of guilty pleasure. Pepper and spice along with the zest of coriander adds a spark of life further aided by the addition of orange peel and ginger. Truly, a tart, citric, and dry olfactory assault that could scare away the less adventurous. Not me though; I scoff in the direction of timidity and fully embrace with wild abandon the unknown. Like all good bottle-conditioned ales, Oro de Calabaza is bursting with airy effervescence which perfectly carries every single delicious iota of her palate across my eager tastebuds. Bright and tart with bitter citric elements that linger in a mouth-watering dry finish. Spice mingles with orange, apricot, tangerine, and grapefruit while ginger and coriander nips after each quaff. Her alcohol warmth slowly spreads throughout my body, and as she warms, her balance is a smooth succession of warmth, spice, sour fruits, and dry tartness. Soft notes of wood offer silent support from the background, and far sooner than I would like, my empty glass is all she wrote.

Oro de Calabaza had all the winning points of a delicious Belgian-style golden ale with the added punch of tart dryness. It always amazes the many different things that wood can add to and take away from a beer in a delicate game of balance. Different woods and different bugs or the lack thereof can wholly change a beer or add subtle differences for the discerning palate. They are neither lambics nor standard Belgian-style ales. Jolly Pumpkin Artisan ales have created a brand-new hybrid of sorts in the brewing world. Oro de Calabaza is a beacon for a brand-new brewing frontier, one which I am very delighted to be able to take part in.

This poured a murky light straw color with a big white head. Aroma was sour, citrusy, some funky barn aromas, and some slight hints of hops in there as well. Flavor was sour a little funky with a peachy lemony aftertaste. Interesting

aroma of yeast which provides notes of sharp pepper, lemon and slight estery sweetness. cloudy yellow with feather pillow head like soap suds. flavor is of light funk, lemon and sharp hops. quite saison like, or more to the point -- biere de garde like. refreshing and smashingly pointy and cutting to the palate. the light sourness only makes this even more seemingly hydrating and enjoyable. a wildly successful beer.

Bottle. Tan gold with medium creamy head, ok retention. Nose is huge fruit and spice, peach, clove, banana, pepper. Initially a bit sour, then the spice comes through, almost pumpkin pie spice in nature. Finishes tart, cidery. Amazing nose and spice flavor with a good body and just enough malt to back it up.

Poured hazy yellow with a white head. Aroma of fruit and spice. Some pepper and fruit mix. Hint of hops. Not my cup of tea.

From Voldby, DK. Bottled, 280309. Golden with white head. Aroma of citrus and hay. Flavor is dry with viegar and sour notes.

Very pale gold color, hazy with lots of bubbles. Vinegar and fruit aroma. Grape citrus, and some cream, and earthy grass. Lemony flavor with pineapple and grape. Bitter with a strong funky yeast flavor. Nice hops to finish.