Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Funk


Funk Blueberry Citrus Wheat by Duclaw Brewing Company 

Trying a new beer from Duclaw Brewing Company, this is my first time having this beer of theirs. Duclaw Brewing Company is located in Baltimore, Maryland and they have been brewing since 1996. They are most famous for their Sweet Baby Jesus beer which is a Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter. I have had a beer from Duclaw before, but it was a collaboration brew with Cigar City Brewing. If you have not had it, you might want to try it. Back to the beer I am trying currently, the beer is called Funk. Funk-Blueberry Citrus Wheat is an American Wheat Ale. This brew is a seasonal release from Duclaw Brewing Company. Funk has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5% and the IBU of 16. 


Appearance of Funk 

Funk's color and appearance are something that interest me a lot. The appearance of the beer is cloudy like most wheat ales. At the same time, once the beer settles in the glass the beer becomes crystal clear in appearance. The color is like a mix between amber and gold. I think that the deep color comes from what was brewed in the beer and the style in which it was brewed. In talking about the aroma of this brew that is one thing that is complex, but at the same time easy to describe. The big scent that you can pick up when smelling this brew is blueberry, not a shocker there since it is a blueberry citrus wheat. The part that becomes complex is the citrus part, in my opinion it is a combination between lemon zest and orange zest to get the citrus aroma.  The blueberry aroma gives it a tart aroma as well that blends well with the citrus aroma. Time to see what this brew actually tastes like and to see what I think about this beer. 


What's up with the FUNK? Funk label artwork.

Now we can dive into the taste and the body of this particular brew from Duclaw Brewing Company. I think by gaining a sense of this beer from its aroma was an important thing because it gave me a sense of what flavors, I might be able to taste in the beer. Taking the deep plunge into the flavor of this brew. The blueberry taste in this beer is very powerful and very distinctive. In a way it is a little over the top, in my opinion, almost like they added too much into the mix. The blueberry taste also tastes a little too artificial for my liking in this brew. The other flavors that you can pick up in this brew are subtle orange peel taste that tries to blend with the blueberry flavor but does not pack enough taste. When sipping this beer the finish leaves you with a punch a blueberries to the mouth, it is strong finish.  In terms of mouthfeel, the beer is dry and leaves me with a dry chewy mouth. The body of this beer is medium in my opinion and mixes the strong blueberry finish with a bitter note at the end. 

I think this beer is a decent beer and I can say I have had this beer. If you are into blueberries and you like beers this might be a beer you want to check out. For me, I enjoyed the twist on a wheat ale, but the flavor of the blueberries was to overpowering to thoroughly enjoy this beer. I also think the name fits the brew, because it is Funk throwing curveballs at the drinker. Making sure the beer drinker can appreciate the style of this beer. I think that the style of brew as a wheat beer helped make this beer unique and complex, but the use of blueberries was not used correctly in my opinion. 











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