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Nearly exploded upon opening, tons of foam, very muted and musky body of a butternut squash orange. Lacing in lots of splotchy strings.

Aroma is mostly of Brett without a whole lot of other complexity going on underneath. The sourness has a couple layers of musty wood and mustier fruits coming thru with a bit of apple and pear juice underneath.

Taste is bright, yet paled slightly with a mincing sharp bite of sour tone, crisp with a light malt backing. The sourness is a bit heavy for me with medicinal hints taking the forefront while slight wood and fruit and some pale dry wine qualities as it gets a bit peachy and bittering dry of Brett yeast and leftover soured grapes.

Bold, fairly full body wiht lots of sour tone and a crisp snappy dryish bite and bitterness. There's a very slender pale malt core underneath helping add some smoothness.

Something familiar about it that just says Brett and not much else. Perhaps since this is not a particular style I drink alot of nor enjoy I'm missing some complexities. But it seems like a bunch of Brett to me?

Price: $14.00 Served In: Other

750ml. Bottle
$7.49
Binny's Orland

Luciernaga poured a hazed over orange into my tulip glass. There are many tiny carbonation bubbles rising from everywhere. A 3 finger white microbubbled head appeared on the pour that faded to a 2 finger rockiness. Leaves chunk lacing after each drink.

Smell is dominated by spices but they are in no way overwhelming. I'm picking up clove and cardamom that are really nicely balanced. There is that summer field weediness and barn muskiness that are common in saisons. Very refreshing.

There's is much more malt in the flavor and the spices are more subdued. Nice malty sweetness with a twang on the finish. It's all together spicy and herbal. Very nice. Saison like with a slight sourness and a little more malt backbone.

Mouthfeel is light and lively. Dancing on the tongue. Finishes crisp and dry.

Drinkability is very good. The spices are in no way overpowering. Dry and leaving me wanting more. The lower 6.5% ABV will let you enjoy more than one glass easily.

The Firefly is an extremely goodbeer from Jolly Pumpkin. Definately worth a try if you see it. A nice little twist on a good saison.

Reviewed: 1/21/07

Price: $7.49 Served In: Tulip

Sampled lightly chilled, December 2004
Pours a hazy light amber to copper color, the haze is entirely a chill haze as this beer was quite clear before I chilled it. It is topped by a tan head that is quite thick, frothy and creamy at the same time. As I was pouring it, I thought that I got some aromatic notes of oak, but more the woody component, which I was not really expecting. As I go in for a more extended sniff, I get a complex mix of wood, orange peel, cobwebs, and a bit of herbal character. There is a definite dominant note here that I cannot quite place, it is sort of spicy, yet combines all of the above descriptors as well.

My first taste; this beer stats out soft and smooth, and then moves to a certain mouth coating fullness, it then finishes with a slightly sharp astringency, yet throughout it remains refreshing. The interesting aroma from the nose is in the taste as well, and there is a certain tannic backbone here as well, perhaps the contribution from the barrel fermentation. This beer is quite interesting, and certainly not at all what I expected. The taste is subtly spicy with soft, smooth notes of orange, grass/ hay, ginger, and coriander. Ah that is what it is, the coriander is what I was sensing in the nose. And I also see that grains of paradise was used too, which also makes sense as I always felt that this contributes a sort of dusty dried ginger type thing to a beer.

As it begins to warm up I start to get and enticing note of green beans that have just been spritzed with lemon in the nose. And despite it sounding weird, this beer really does evoke thoughts of chewing on old dusty cobwebs. I really like the fact that this beer has a certain fullness and body to it, even though it is relatively low in alcohol, it gives this beer a certain richness that is quite appropriate for a December evening. There is a certain soft creaminess to this beer that I am really digging, it just envelopes my mouth in an extravagant celebration of taste.

Despite all I have said, this is currently lacking that certain... something, that would put this over the top, but given Jolly Pumpkins stated goals and practices, I have a feeling that this will become more complex and challenging (this is definitely a good thing) over time. And please don't let my statement make you think that this beer is not superb, this is a beer that demands to be contemplated, quite the tasting brew, and I am enjoying the complexity that is inherent in this tasty brew. To finish, I have got to say "damn I wish I lived in Michigan."

Served In: Tulip

Had at one of the Cellars weekly beer tastings. I have yet to have a bad beer from this brewery. Copper orange pour with a fluffy two finger white head. Aroma of sour citrus and spices (cloves? and coriander) with biscuit. The flavor has a great tartness to it. Citrus and light fruit with the spices again. A great mixture of flavors and tartness.

Served In: Tulip

A - Someone should have warned me. As soon as I popped the cap off this thing it foamed everywhere, and that is after sitting on the desk for a good 10 minutes. The foamy tan head shows up in the glass the same way it does out of the bottle top. I finally had to set the bottle on a rag as it just won't stop foaming over. Body is a hazed apricot color.

S - Nutmeg and coriander. Sour lemons. Spicy belgian yeast. There's a touch of wet dog here too?

T - Begins citrusy and a bit tart with grapefruit and lemon. The brett surely has been at work here. Some light fruity peach and melon flavors come into play then this finishes with a subtle hoppiness.

M - Medium bodied but somehow feels light, most likely from the spritzy, champagne like carbonation.

D - Super easy to drink and almost light. Jolly Pumpkin always seems to have something interesting.

Served In: Pint Glass

dark orange rust color with a La Chouffe Dobbelen Tripel (whatever the fuck) sized head. not as creamy looking but similarly rocky.

sharp apple smell. bit of lemon. some Spanish olive. almost a cleaning solvent type taste at first. seems to attempt to be sour but doesn't quite get there. misses the funk mark too.

aftertaste is OK. this bottle was a gusher. shit wouldn't stop gurgling out the top of the bottle.

glad i tried it but i won't buy another.

Price: $6.29 Served In: Snifter

Pours a slighty murky medium aber color, with a light tan almost white head. Cascading bubbles are cool. THe smell is of a light Belgian, not over powering but noticable. Up front it smells like cirtisy(sp?), this may be the first time I actually smelled apple. Very tart taste to it, but not over powering. A little over carbonated IMO. Really fizzy at the begining, finishing dry. THis is a very good brew, just a few things keeping it from being great.

Served In: Pint Glass