So This Is Christmas - The Funky Buddha Lounge & Brewery

brentk56

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Arrives with an ice tea brown color capped by a modest head that leaves a few strands here and there

Smell: Peppermint stick ice cream with subtle chocolate undertones

Taste: The peppermint juts out on the front end along with the chocolate undertones; in the middle, there is a tart dark fruit (blackberry and plum) character that combats the peppermint sweetness; the finish is tart, though the peppermint lasts into the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate to high carbonation

Overall: In isolation, the peppermint or the dark berry tartness would work; in combination, they clash

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2013 22:32:32 | More by brentk56

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Funky Buddha, Boca Raton, FL

Murky brownish pour with a thin, wispy head that never totally dissipated; small spots of lacing on the glass. Aroma of chocolate and mint, as promised, bready malts in the distance, hints of coffee. Seems people were complaining about sourness in this beer, but I got nothing like that at all. Taste of dark chocolate and crushed candy cane, notes of roasted nuts and almonds, with a touch of coffee and hop bitterness for balance. Nice and tasty. Medium body, somewhat bittersweet finish, higher ABV barely detectable. Good brew overall.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2013 00:08:44 | More by Rifugium

DarthKostrizer

California

2.55/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Growler shared by JohnDoe8 at a bottle share

Look: Dark mahogany color with a 1/8 inch head and no real retention

Smell: Peppermint with some chocolate in the background

Taste: The flavor of this beer just did not work at all for me. The only way I could describe it is it tasted like a peppermint flavored pinecone and finished slightly sour. Not good

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with ample carbonation

Overall: This one is to be avoided. Not good

Serving type: growler

02-05-2012 21:37:28 | More by DarthKostrizer

ehammond1

California

2.93/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Growler

Thanks for opening this, johndoe8!

Dark brown with ruby edges and a very thin light brown cap that leaves small dots of lace down the glass.

The flavor is both powerful and unique: there's a lot of peppermint, gingerbread, and dark fruit character.

The flavor isn't nearly as successful as the aroma, as there's a bit of acidic sourness to go along with the peppermint and fruitcake character. Below average.

Thin to medium mouthfeel with moderate carbonation.

Unique, with a nice aroma, though not a particularly pleasant beer to drink.

Serving type: growler

01-30-2012 03:14:43 | More by ehammond1

FosterJM

California

3.15/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

1054th Review on BA
Growler to Snifter
½ Gallon

2011 Vintage

Thanks to JohnDoe8 for sharing
Shared at MrHirschybars tasting

App- It's a standard brown color with a little bit of head it that falls rather quickly. It had a good color to the head, a bit khaki and just fell away. Maybe a couple dots of cling on this one.

Smell- It's a very aromatic beer and I think its one that might need to be a bit colder to drink to tame those spice and peppermint/candy cane notes down a bit. Smelled nice and more like candy than most.

Taste- Oh boy! This is a very sweet/spicy beer. The peppermint is a bit over the top and I guess that was the intention but not sure the final outcome was up there in flavors. The spices are pretty much muted against the candy cane and sweetness

Mouth- Leans itself to a bit more light-medium with some good carbonation on top of the body. Leaves a lot of candy cane sweetness on the finish.

Drink- I like the idea of this beer but not sure I know why I dont like it or what I could say it needs? Maybe a bit more body and malt or tame down the candycane? Wasnt the most pleasant of drinkers but I applaud them for trying..

Serving type: growler

01-23-2012 23:07:30 | More by FosterJM

UCLABrewN84

California

2.85/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to johndoe8 for sharing this one at MrHirschybar's place!

Pours a murky dark brown with a tan head that settles to a film on the top of the beer. Small dots of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, spices, and lots of peppermint. Taste is the same but is sour and the peppermint is overpowering. This beer has a pretty good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this isn't a very good beer. The sour taste combined with the strong peppermint is pretty bad in my opinion.

Serving type: growler

01-22-2012 23:01:50 | More by UCLABrewN84

CaptCleveland

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes and FB lounge visit few days before Christmas 2011.

12oz pour into imperial snifter.

Dark brown, opaque elixir, thin brown head quickly dissipates. Minimal lacing.

Coffee, malt aromas overwhelmed by huge chocolate and peppermint. The fragrances provide a nice reminder of the season, considering I am in FLA and the outside temp is 80.

The taste continues the theme, but the chocolate and peppermint blend well. I was worried this would be a sweet mess, but the hops provide an ample bitterness and the coffee flavor becomes more apparent.

Lightly carbonated, thin and oily. Alcohol well hid.

This was a nice change from all the cinnamon, nutmeg and spice winter ales that are popular around this time.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 20:17:56 | More by CaptCleveland