Back in the day, when I was still trying to wrap my head around the daunting complexity of the beer world, I put together a dorky list of beers I should try. It was based on recommendations from friends and things I read on teh internets (because that’s a trustworthy and reliable source, right?) Anyways, this was one of the beers suggested to me (by frequently mentioned beverage compatriot Padraic), and in true Kaedrin fashion, I picked up a bottle about two years later, and here we are:
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja – Pours a dark amber color with a a bit less than a finger of whitish head. Smells funky, with some Brettanomyces character and that twang that makes me expect sour flavors, but there’s also some malt sweetness peeking through. The taste is very sweet with a tartness emerging in the finish. It’s not super sour, but that twang is there, along with some of that barnyard Brett character. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied. The sourness makes it more of a sipper, but it’s not heavy. Overall, quite solid, a nice example of the style. B+
Beer Nerd Details: 7.2% ABV bottled (750 ml capped). Drank out of a tulip glass on 4/21/12.
Yeah, so I’m, uh, still working through that list of beers I made in 2010. For the most part, I’m not actively pursuing the list (rather, the list of stuff I want to try that resides in my head has grown exponentially – I should really post a most wanted list or something), but I’ve actually made a great deal of headway. One of these days I’ll pick up a bottle of Rodenbach, as was also suggested to me way back when. I do not forget these things… it just sometimes takes a few years for me to get to them.
Jolly Pumpkin has been on my wish list, but I haven’t seen any down here. Maybe I will have to wait till I visit the in-laws in Northern Michigan.
I’m pretty sure they distribute to Maryland, if that matters (no idea if you ever get up there, but I’ve seen it at State Line Liquors, for example). I’ve had a few of their beers, and I’ve liked a couple of them a lot, but I’m not a huge sour guy, and I get the feeling that beers like this blow some people away…
Hey, I got name dropped again! =) I’m psyched you finally got around to trying this beer I’ve been plugging forever. It’s been a while since I’ve had it, but the combination of flavors just blended perfectly for me, and the pirate cat on the label doesn’t hurt.
I’ve had a thing or two otherwise from Jolly Pumpkin, and not been as blown away…definitely high quality stuff, just nothing else that quite blew me away.
Now…on to the Rodenbach! =)
I do love the pirate cat, and the flavors work well, but I’m not a huge sour fan. The thing with Jolly pumpkin is that most of what I’ve had from them have a similar profile.
And I will get to Rodenbach at some point, I swears!