Although this post marks the inaugural review of a Jolly Pumpkin beer on this site, this is the third or fourth beer I've had from this brewery. I was late in discovering them, but am working to make up as much time as I can. Look for more reviews later. And this summer, I'll be nearby and hope to make a visit to the source.A bit about the brewery first. Jolly Pumpkin brews artisanal beers. Using only Belgian or French yeasts, all JP beers are bottle-conditioned and oak-aged. The labels are beautifully illustrated and represent the beers well. Like the beers themselves, each label is funky, mystical, plucked from a long-forgotten storybook.
Brewery: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Brewery Location: Eastern Michigan
Beer: Bam Bière
BJCP Style: 16C. Saison
Serving: Bottle
A: Billowy ivory head; cloudy straw color
S: Stong spiced aroma, with some clove and some citrus. Sweet, with slight hints of barnyard.
T: Hops upfront, but not overpowering; dry malt character, with dry finish. Grassy notes, some spiciness (nutmeg), some earthiness (barnyard). Lots of yeast character. Funky, earthy flavors dominate as it warms.
M: Big carbonation, explodes in mouth.
D: A lot going on, but spiciness and dry finish dance well together. This beer is sold by the sixer. I couldn't have more than one or two a night, but could see having it on hand as an occasional reward. The folks over at BeerAdvocate mostly give it high marks, although it's a beer that would be challenging to some, explaining the occasional low scores.
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2 comments:
Compared to their other sweeter and spicier brews this one is a little tackish on the tongue. It seems to be the oddball in the family. The others are so distinct tasting and delicious that this one is hard to judge separately. It's not a favorite of mine.
If/when you go to the brewery make sure that you EAT beforehand. There is a tendency to gulp down the samples and soon after go into an alcoholic haze. I've done this several times and had to stop to eat to avoid getting a DUI.
Good advice about eating.
I did find this one to be a little dryer than most of their other beers. And the Brett flavor is fairly pronounced.
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