JOLLY PUMPKIN ARTISAN ALES–

Using traditional Belgian brewing methods of open fermentation, oak-aging, & bottle conditioning allow the influence of wild yeast & bacteria to work their way into our beers.

Founded by Ron Jeffries, Brewmaster & Chief Squeegee Operator, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales was started in the summer of 2004.

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales’ mission is to create fantastic beers of truly outstanding artisan quality, maintaining traditional small-scale production, keeping beer a beverage of both outstanding complexity & simplicity. Complexity of flavor, simplicity of ingredients & process. This duality was perfectly balanced in the name, simple & complex, complex yet simple.

Jeffries has worldwide recognition as a brewer & creator of beers with outstanding art & grace. He began studying brewing science in 1991 with one eye always towards opening his own brewery. He began brewing professionally in 1995 & quickly became a well-known & respected brewer in Michigan’s emerging craft beer scene.

What’s in a name anyway? Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales - some people either love it or don’t understand it. The name bubbled one spring afternoon. A rare sunny March Michigan day, sipping beers & enjoying the sun on our faces after the long, dark, cold Michigan winter. After firming up our business plan for months, the dream had finally evolved enough to need a name. Many great names came forth that afternoon, but as the weeks passed, & spring finally sprung, the name that always made us smile was Jolly Pumpkin. It encompassed everything we wanted to express about our brewery. Fun & quirky, all that needed adding were the last two words: “Artisan Ales,” the description of the brewery’s products & mission.

Brewing Process

  • Grain Silo

    The Grain Silo

    Grain silos are used to store large quantities of base malts. These are the grains used in most of our beer.

  • Milling

    Milling

    Milling is the act of crushing malt kernels to prepare them for mashing. In the mill room, we also have numerous other types of grains, such as wheat, rye, & caramel.

  • Mash Paddle

    Mashing

    Mashing is the process of converting starches to sugars by adding hot water to the grain. This creates a thin, oatmeal-like substance called wort.

  • Brewing

    Brewing

    To stop this conversion, the liquid wort is boiled. Hops are added in different amounts at different times in the boil. Depending on the beer we are brewing.

  • Chilling

    Chill Time

    The liquid wort is cooled using chilled water, this water is reclaimed in the lot liquid tank for future brews. Reducing our water consumption & increasing our sustainability.

  • Open Fermentation

    Allowing chilled wort to be exposed allows the brewers yeast to interact with wild yeast & bacteria naturally found in the air.

  • Barrel Aging

    Every oak barrel is an ecosystem with its own will yeasts & cultures. This is where the tart complexities come through. Each barrel will be slightly different than others.

  • Blending

    Through blending, we are able to make barrels & their unique flavors & complexities “marry” into a large & final batch of beer blended & approved by the brew team.

  • Packaging & Conditioning

    We package our beer after adding additional yeast & sugar into the brite tank. Because of the barrels & ensuring respiration, the beer comes out flat. During natural carbonation, yeast & sugar referment the beer in the bottle, can, or keg. Each packaged vessel is undergoing an active fermentation.

  • Storage & Shipping

    No trucks, no beer anywhere! We store packaged kegs, bottles, & cans in an industrial sized cooler to help slow active tertiary fermentation. Ensuring the beer is at a proper carbonation level when it leaves our facility.