Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga

Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga (bottle)
Dexter, MI
6.5% ABV

I just opened this bottle and had it literally explode out of the bottle all over my desk, my computer, my floor, and my jeans. Guess I'm going to smell like Belgian Pale Ale for the rest of the evening. At least it's good Belgian Pale Ale. I'll review the half the bottle or so I have left. Having to use a non-ergonomic keyboard now while my MS Natural dries. My typing speed is pathetic.

Anyway, pours yellow/orange with a thick white head that sticks around significantly. Even while mopping up the beer off the desk, the head stuck around and barely dissipated at all. Guess that's the flip side of the too-aggressive carbonation. Smells very much like a Belgian pale, lots of yeast and golden raisin aroma. Very sweet.

Flavor has that same yeastiness, sweet golden tartness. Slightly drying on the finish, somewhat astringent on the aftertaste. Not incredibly complex, but good. Mouthfeel is thick, with a pretty heavy carbonation (as expected) and very little hops.

My overall response? "Eh." It's a nice Belgian Pale if you're in the market for a nice Belgian Pale, but it doesn't really rise above the style the way I expect from the rest of Jolly Pumpkin's lineup.

My overall BA rating: 4.05/5