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For various reasons, price being
the predominant one, I’ve yet to have any Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, although
I do have their Noel de Cabalaza lined up for Advent. When I saw their
Luciernaga (6.5%) on Beers of Europe recently, I loved the label design and translated
name – “The Firefly.” The description of a “Artisan Pale Ale brewed in the
Grand Cru Tradition” intrigued and confused me and made it all the more
alluring. A look on the brewery’s website showed that this was a June seasonal
release, so I thought it best to try it as fresh as I’ve been able to get it.
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I (luckily) read a couple of blog
posts that already exist about this beer, something I normally try to avoid so
I form my own opinions. It was lucky in this instance as they each warned of
this beers liveliness and I opened this very slowly. The pouring, though
gentle, still made the beer explode in my glass. Even the brewery website
advises to treat this beer like champagne.
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The flavours are initially
repeats of the scent, but there’s a definite hop zing in there that’s fresh,
lemony but very light. It isn’t paunchy or intruding and this gives a
delightful smoothness in the finish. I can’t help but be reminded of champagne,
though this might be clouded by the brewery’s earlier reference to it. Whilst
this beer’s funky, it’s a crisp, awakening tartness rather than an eye-watering,
gurning hit. It’s a style reminiscent to us Brits these days in Wild Beer’s
core range, though there’s plenty of the Ninkasi about this beer. I may have
grown tired of sour beers recently but this is how they should be done. It’s
brilliant and too drinkable. The huge 750ml bottle is gone too quickly.
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