My Night with Miss June - Review of Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere Farmhouse Ale
Brewed in Dexter, Michigan

Cloudy, almost straw colored. Aroma is a bit like a lighter Belgian, sweet, spicy, and rich. A bit of foam when it first hits the palate, but still sharp and there’s a nice crispness that that sits on your tongue mid-palate. Fades into an unexpectedly hoppy finish. While I like the transition, it’s not a particularly well balanced beer for me. Seems super carbonated and a bit on the fruity/apple side. Tastes kind of like champagne mixed with hard apple cider. I like how rich it is, given the light color, but the hops wore on me while I drained the glass, and I am a huge hop head, so that’s a problem. A beer I can admire from a distance, but not when it’s in front of me.

Here’s why real beer reviewers taste blind: I heard so much about this brewer that I expected a lot from this beer and it’s not really performing for me, kind of like when you get Miss June in your bed and she‘s a colossal disappointment. Bam Biere looks great in the lobby, but once you get up to the room, this beer doesn’t quite get you through the night. I struggled to finish the bottle (please don’t tell).

Recommended for: All the people recommending Jolly Pumpkin like it’s Hair of the Dog or Tricia Helfer.

Important because: You can finally taste a Jolly Pumpkin beer without having to shell out 8 bucks for one of their large bottles (they have 3 other beers in the $8 realm which are not available in 12oz. bottles like Bam is).

Try also/instead: Well, it’s a saison style beer, something I have little experience in. This may be my first one, which is perhaps why I struggled with it.

I would drink it again if: I lost a bet; developed an appreciation for the style; I wanted to see if my tastes have changed 6 months from now.

Rating = 4