1001 Beers

Beer No: 44/1001
Page No: 447
Category: Blond

The second of two Jolly Pumpkin reviews, I started the night with La Roja and finished it up with this gem, the Oro de Calabaza.  Meaning Pumpkin's Gold, this golden ale is a wonderful example of the subtleties that oak aging can impart to a simple golden and the complexities that even the simplest golden can present when brewed in different ways.  The brew is a perfect blend of spices and oak flavors with a bubbly texture that finishes crisp and refreshing.  In short, a pretty damn good beer.

As for the beers this weekend, I plan on hitting up the Bruery in a few minutes to try their new releases - Humulus Rice and Seven Grain Saison.  Both should be an interesting experience.  The Seven Grain is brewed with barley, wheat, rice, oats, corn, rye, and spelt.  The Humulus Rice is quite obviously, a rice brew that they claim is light and crisp (which would make sense since the big brewers like InBev and Coors all use rice in their mainstream brews claiming it "enhances clarity" when it just makes it lighter).  I've also got some nice new beers from the list in the fridge thanks to my recent visits to Total Wine and Hi Time Wine.  And...I'd like to head down to Bootlegger's to try some of their new brews - including their anniversary beer which sounds amazing from what I've heard around town.

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Aroma: 8/10
Appearance: 3/5
Taste: 9/10
Palate: 4/5
Overall: 16/20

Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

Had from bottle from Total Wine. Pours a hazy golden color with exceptional carbonation leading to a frothy white head. Aroma is sweet, with fruits and a slight tartness with nice undertones of spices. Taste reveals the spiciness a bit more. Pepper, oak, and citrus dominate the palate. Finishes dry, bubbly, crisp, exceptional!