Hi guys.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Jolly Pumpkin Luciérnaga “The Firefly” produced by Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales situated in Dexter, Michigan.

Let’s just go ahead and get to the website, jollypumpkin.com, and see what kind of info they can provide regarding this beer before we sip.

An artisan pale ale brewed in the Grand Cru tradition. Enjoy its golden effervescence and gentle hop aroma. Coriander and Grains of Paradise round out the spicy palate, melting o so softly into a silken finish of hoppiness and bliss! Make any season a celebration!

Now that sounds delicious.  Let’s pour.

This beer came in a 25.4 oz. bottle and it had an ABV of 6.5%.

The liquid discharged into the glass a hazy, darker orange color.  The head was slightly off white and sized great with a rocky, frothy and soapy texture.  The retention time was solid and it left behind some patchy, cobweb”y” lacing as it slid down the sides of the tulip.  It looked great I thought.

The nose released a solid dose of funk along with some fruity pineapple and lemon.  The sour smell was kept to a minimum   Definite spices of white peppercorn and coriander.  Tones of musty hay and oak too.  The overall bouquet was well defined and balanced adequately.

The taste let loose of some of those funky “bugs”.  It seemed a touch more earthy than I was expecting though. Only the most minute sourness and tartness was detected from the citrus of pineapple and lemon.  I felt that it contained some grassy hops as well.  The woodiness and spices were subdued, but still recognized.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Smooth, yet crisp and thirst quenching.  Not sharp at all.  It was mostly dry, although it did become a bit watery about halfway through.  The carbonation was of medium strength and believe it or not, I got a touch of warmth from either the pepper or alcohol.  A decent amount of flavor was left behind as well.

Overall, I thought this was a solid beer.  Easily a beer to be enjoyed during the warmer days of the Summer. As I worked my way through the bottle it began to fall a bit short in comparison to some of the other Belgian Pale Ales that I’ve had in the past.  Everything became somewhat muted.  Still though, it was a good beer with a superb drinkability.  Surely a beer I would recommend if you haven’t tried it yet…..  so give the Jolly Pumpkin Luciérnaga “The Firefly” a go if you see it.  Please leave a comment to tell me about it if you’d like also.

Thanks for reading everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  3.75 out of 5

Grade:  B