A Flowery Song

Background: The first (and so far only) pumpkin beer from Jolly Pumpkin, this golden ale is flavoured with pumpkin, cacoa, and spices.

Nose: Dry, tart, with hints of cinnamon and chocolate.

Taste: Dry, tart, with hints of oak and squash. Very negligible spice influence, really.

Overall: Good beer. But while it’s what I expected from a Jolly Pumpkin beer, it’s not really what people expect from a pumpkin beer.

Background: A 7.5% ABV brown ale spiced with cacoa, orange peel, and cinnamon.

Appearance: Nut brown body with a few floaties, huge foamy tan and orange head. Even after I poured the first glass, the foam in the bottle insisted on crawling out the neck and sliding down the side.

Nose: Zesty, acidic, funky, and fruity.

Taste: Tart and tangy brettanomyces funk on a solid malt background with some definite oak influence. Toasted malt, light hop bitterness, plummy fruit, unsweetened cocoa, and some Belgian-like spiciness to round out the flavour.

Overall: It's very nice. Good acidity so it should pair well with a wide range of foods, but its complexity rewards slow sipping and contemplation.

Background: Golden ale brewed in the Bière de Garde tradition from barley and wheat. Made by the folks at Jolly Pumpkin in Dexter for the Leelanau Brewing Company.

Appearance: Whoa, this one's a gusher. Cracked it open and a torrent of foam inundated the table. Vigorous carbonation in the pour makes it difficult to serve. Pours an extremely hazy lemon yellow with a towering white head.

Nose: Cellar funk and citric fruit.

Taste: Acidic apple and lemon fruit up front, followed by a gentle earthy funkiness and some mild oak influence. The acid is balanced by a mild caramel malt sweetness. Slight hop influence on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Creamy medium-full body, bubbly carbonation.

Overall: Excellent beer, but I can't help but feel that it's quite overcarbonated. Regardless, the complexity and balance are very good.

Background: Barrel aged, bottle conditioned pale ale from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Dexter, Michigan. Brewed “in the Grand Cru tradition” with coriander and grains of paradise.

Appearance: Nice light amber with a large rocky head that displays great retention.

Smell: Sweet malt with some sharp brett character, citrusy hops and hints of spice.

Taste: Medium hop bitterness on an earthy barnyard background with mild notes of oak. Mildly sweet amd slightly sour, some nice fruity yeasty notes and peppery spiciness complement the lemony citrus flavours quite well.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, lively carbonated.

Drinkability: Decent Belgian-style pale ale. Pairs nicely with a strong blue cheese and spicy Asian cuisine.