Let’s go ahead and jump to the website, jollypumpkin.com, and see what kind of information we can find out about this brew.
To catch a bit of soft radiance in each bottle, we wait for fall colors to begin their bright and fleeting glow before brewing this wonderful ale under their autumn fire. Gentle amber malt blend smooth caramel notes, gently lapping against a shore of distant forgotten spice. A beer to sip, contemplate and enjoy.
How about a sip or two?
This brew comes in a 25.4 oz. bottle with an ABV of 6.1%.
It poured a mostly clear, rust/copper to deep red color with a slightly off white head. The texture was sort of creamy, soft and smooth. It was honorably sized with an honest retention time. The lacing left behind wasn’t bad either. A presentable looking beer right here.
The nose brought forth a very nice waft of funk and sourness at the beginning, which eventually gave way to a decent flutter of caramel malt and light woody/oak tones. A slight vinegar redolence and some earthiness too. Maybe even some cinnamon spices and cherries as well. As the brew continued to warm and open up I started to get some kind of “dental fluoride” smell (????). I don’t know what it was. It just sort of smelled like a sterile dentists’ office or something. It wasn’t bad, just unique smelling.
The taste was a bit more relaxed I thought. A low intensity of sourness and funk. The woody/oaky aspects remained fairly consistent, but the spices and caramel malt were also a bit subdued. Additionally, I discovered some sort of light fruit. Kind of a mixture of citrusy orange and cherries. Solid for the most part.
The mouthfeel was medium to medium/thin. Fairly dry, crisp, refreshing and smooth. The carbonation was good, however only an average amount of flavor was left behind on the palate. Toward the end of the drink, the dryness started to lose grip and it became more thin and a touch watery.
Well, overall I thought this beer was ok. Aside from that dental fluoride kind of smell that I received for a bit within the aroma everything else seemed in order. It was easy to drink and it wasn’t an extremely over-the-top kind of Biere de Garde. A little more reserved and bearable. I wouldn’t have a problem drinking it again, but I don’t know that I would go out of my way to find it. It may be a suitable brew to give to someone interested in trying the style, but I don’t necessarily think that it’s a top of the line beer. With that being said, if you guys see the Jolly Pumpkin Fuego del Otono sitting on a shelf somewhere, pick it up and give it a try and see what you think. I’d be interested in hearing your opinion. Feel free to leave a comment if you wish.
Thanks for reading and commenting everyone. I really appreciate it.
Until next time. Cheers.
Score: 3.7 out of 5
Grade: B
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