Appearance: The color of toasted peanuts with a
persistent, white head. So persistent,
in fact, that it tried to climb out of the bottle as I was settling down to
enjoy my glass. The foam eventually
breaks into smaller islands, but the heavy carbonation remains. Beautiful Belgian-lace. The body is stormy and impossible to see
through (3.5/5).
Aroma: Dry cloves and sweet cider. Very musty.
A hint of orange peel pith.
Almost smells like a Saison (4/5).
Taste: Peppery and citrusy. Kind of yeasty. Sharp bite on the back end. Ever-so-slightly sour and very drinkable
(4.25/5).
Mouthfeel: Medium body, heavy carbonation. Slightly dry and astringent (3.75/5).
Overall: So it was not until I got this beer home and
was cracking it open that I realized that there was a sticker on the back that
indicated “Bottled 06-27-2012”. I know
this beer comes out in June, but two Junes ago?
Ruh, roh. Can a 6.5% alcohol beer survive 15
months? Well, I bought this beer from
the refrigerated section at Whole Foods and I think the proper storage
environment has treated this beverage very well.
I’m guessing the bottle conditioning chipped in some too. I actually really like it. To me it tastes a little more like a Saison
than a Belgian Pale Ale, but it’s on the darker side and maybe not quite as
dry. The label calls it an “artisan pale
ale brewed in the Grand Cru tradition”.
I say it qualifies. Overall… well done, Jolly Pumpkin (4/5).
-Matt
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