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750ml
$7.99
Binnys Orland

La Roja pours a dark and murky amber with glowing but also murky ruby highlights when backlit. Tiny carbonation bubbles rise furiously to the 2+ finger ivory head. This strong carbonation keeps the head big and creamy. Leaves creamy lacing that slowly slides back into the body. I like the looks of this beer, it has that murky mysterious look.

The malt comes in the form of light caramel but there are many aromas layered over the malt. There is a mild dusting of spice (although I can't put my finger on what spices). Mild berries come forth as well, some raspberry here some blackberry there even some sour cherries(actually a bigger part as it warms). The final layer is a direct cause of the barrel aging. Deep aromas of oak mingle perfectly with all the other components. Mild hints of vanilla occasionally and every now and then a drop of spicy alcohol.

Flavor is spot on with the aroma although the flavors seem to be a little more muddled and harder to determine. It is deep and complex but the flavors run together a little to quickly. There is that pleasant sour/tart cherry flavor.

Light bodied with a frothy mouthfeel. The high carbonation creates a great frothiness when La Roja hits the tongue.

For a barrel aged beer and somewhat of a sour ale this is pretty refreshing and drinkable.

Another interesting solidly crafted beer from Jolly pumpkin. I love picking up a bottle of Jolly pumpkin. You never know what you'll end up with but it will always be good.

Reviewed: 8/18/07

Price: $7.99 Served In: Tulip

Sampled lightly chilled, December 2004
Pours a hazy amber color, and is topped by a frothy full tan head. As I pour I get hints of apricot, orange, dust, and musty wood. Interesting enough to go in for a deeper contemplative smell. Hmm, this one smells wild and musty, almost has the aroma of a beer that has been in a corked bottle for a while, though this hasn't. I get fleeting spicy notes that are perhaps reminiscent of grains of paradise, ginger, clove, which then moves into malty notes mixed with musty wood notes. Quite an interesting mix of aromas, I am not quite to sure if the taste is going to be good or bad, it depends on which notes come through the most.

Ok, the taste, it is soft and lightly sweet up front, and then moves to a tangy, orange-like middle, then finishes with some astringency. Definitely an interesting beer. This beer is rich with a healthy dose of malt notes that are full of caramel, biscuits, and crusty French bread. The malt mixes with spicy notes of pepper, ginger, clove, and orange peel. There is a musty tartness to this beer that, though not overwhelming, certainly contributes to this beer. This beer finishes with a slightly hot, astringent finish that I am not quite able to pinpoint.

Ultimately, I think that this beer is a little out of wack, it is sort of in the gray zone between conventionally fermented single yeast strain fermented beers, infected beers, and beers that are fermented purposefully with wild, yet house derived character. This beer needs to decide which way it wants to go, and I would certainly be in favor of it going fully funky, if it can be kept in balance. Right now it is certainly interesting, certainly drinkable, and even enjoyable, but it seems a bit muddled by various competing fermentation by products. I could see a bottle of this beer being laid down for a year or two and becoming quite stellar, if not intriguingly different. While I am being quite critical here, this is a beer that I am quite enjoying, and I will look forward to procuring some more bottles of this beer. Cheers to Jolly Pumpkin for pushing the boundaries in the middle of America, and cheers to my personal Santa who delivered this treat to my doorstep.

Served In: Pint Glass

Heavy amber, ruby browned color with a moderate capping of dulled white, creamy foam. Stays atop for a good while before slipping to its always present skim. Minimal lacing in inky strings and a few spots.

Aroma is fair, clean, and light with a fruity, sweetly, oaken tart essense of apple, cherry, and wine-like grapeness.

Taste is mellow and even with a firm fruity grip of oaky tart flavors, kinda wine-like in composition. Tangy, mild, yet grabbing with a solid tone of tart fruityness. Cherry, berries, apple, and white grape make a nice display within a oaky tart warmth. Slow finish with a low and easy gradual dryness adding a bit of deeper earthyness to its tartness as it fades off the back end leaving the skins and pits of the fruits once tasted.

Feel is semi tarting, sharp, oaky, and rounded in a medium/fullish body with plenty of carbonation grab and prickly hold. Full fruity warmth late with some peppery phenols and earthy spice dancing around late. Quite a nice ride on the palate. Eagar, somehow mellow, but not, firm, holding, oaky, spicy, earthy, and oh, did I mention tart and grapey? Well its all that and more.

A nice brew. Exquisitely complex with lots of body. A slow sipper thats sure to raise some eyebrows for those who like beers that tend to be like wine. Which I tend to think this is. Cuz I swear I had a glass of white wine(Chardonnay) that taste just like this the other night. Weirdly interesting stuff.

Served In: Goblet

Served at cellar temp and poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance is good. Dark orange/light red colored brew that is clear. Head never seems to develop; thin layer that has staying power.

Smell is very good. Smelling this beer reminds me how much i love that wild Brett yeast. sour black Cherries, citrus fruit, oak, red wine vinegar and cinnamon-like spiciness.

Taste is good. Acidic, sour fruit that never develops into anything mouth-puckering, instead finishes semi-sweet and oaky with that same citrus/fruit-like acidity. Subtle pumpkin pie-like/cinnamon spiciness. Nicely balanced and crafted well.

Mouthfeel is good. Medium-bodied, fluffy on the palate, finishes easy with a subtle dryness.

Spot on for the Flemish/Flanders Red Style. Jolly Pumpkin has done it again. Do these guys make a bad beer?

Price: $11.00 Served In: Pint Glass

Reviewed from notes. I would guess this bottle was about 12-18 monts old.

A - Nice amber/copper colored clean body. Frothy tan head. Great retention and nice lacing.

S - Big sour cherry notes. Tart citrus. Slight woodiness. Some spiciness in the background.

T - Big tart flavors with some lemon and sour cherries right up front and center. Slight light caramel malts. Brett comes in and brings that yogurty flavor that is so familiar. Light spiciness at the end.

M - Medium bodied with light but fizzy carbonation.

D - Very nice wild ale. Easy to drink and flavors are not over the top. JP continues to impress.

Served In: Pint Glass