Beer of the Week (Vol. CLVI)

Another edition of Beer of the Week sponsored as always by the creative folks at Glen Lake Wine & Spirits who can help find the wine, whiskey, and beer you need to inspire and amuse.

For some while now, Mark-chief beer guru at Glen Lake Wine and Spirits-has been touting the work of Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales:

Welcome to a land of open fermentation, oak barrel aging, and bottle conditioning. At Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales we are dedicated to more than the traditions of old world craftsmanship. Everything we do is designed to create ales of outstanding art and flavor. Focusing on traditional rustic country style beers brought to life through labor and love, we strive to create beers to lighten the spirit and soothe the soul. Sharing our joy to the betterment of mankind is the most that we could hope for.

Jolly Pumpkin is yet another top notch brewer from the state of Michigan. I finally got around to trying one of their beers recently. Our beer of the week is Jolly Pumpkin’s ES Bam Hoppy Farmhouse Ale.

$10.99 for a 750ML brown bottle that was bottled on 3/20/12. Nicey designed label has muted tones of green, tan, and brown with a rendering of the namesake pooch.

STYLE: Farmhouse Ale

ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 4.7%

COLOR (0-2): Copper brown and cloudy. 2

AROMA (0-2): Banana and citrus combine with earthy scents. A hint of phenolic aroma as well. 2

HEAD (0-2): White colors, compact bubbles, and loads of volume. Excellent lacing. 2

TASTE (0-5): Citrus and grassy hop flavors predominate with a bitter bite. Spicy yeast and bready toasted malts are apparent, but more subdued. Medium-bodied with a thinner mouthfeel. Not especially drinkable as it’s heavier than you would expect given the ABV. 4

AFTERTASTE (0-2): The finish is mellowed and smooth, but the metallic, medicinal aftertaste is somewhat off-putting.1

OVERALL (0-6): This turned out to be a tough one to rate. The tastes changed as the beer warmed and the more I drank the harder its character was to pin down. There’s definitely a lot going on here and despite its relatively low alcohol content (still can’t believe that it’s 4.7%), the flavors are not overly moderated. After going back and forth on this for a while, my final verdict was a positive one. It was a unique beer drinking experience and made me want to discover what other pleasures lay in store from Jolly Pumpkin. 4

TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 15