Saison - Funkwerks

Oxymoron

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Sampled a bottle purchased from the brewery. Pours a mostly hazy golden color. Some sediment in the bottle. A big fizzy head that id take a bit of time to subside but limited lacing overall.

The nose is complex. A soft malt aroma comes out with a hint of sugary undertones. Some pilsner notes with a hint of wheat. Noticeable fruity complexity. Some rose peddles and tropical fruits. A touch of orange and pears as well. Noticeable yeasty notes that come out more as it warms. Great complexity and hint of a spice, almost similar to coriander.

The taste follows the nose. Nice complexity but very soft on the palate. More of a malty undertone than sugary notes versus the nose. More of a Belgian malty connotation despite the German malts. The yeast comes out more versus the nose as well. A very nice complexity with a touch of pepper and noticeable fruity notes. Pears, apricots, figs and oranges.

The mouthfeel is light. More of a soft feel but a great lingering feel. Some residual sweetness in the finish but good. Carbonation might be a touch low but ok. Overall a very good saison. Tasty for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 18:57:17 | More by Oxymoron

pinnser

Colorado

4/5  rDev -2.4%

06-19-2013 00:51:57 | More by pinnser

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle: Poured a dirty beige color ale with a super large off-white foamy head with great retention and some super good lacing. Aroma of rustic malt with light peppery yeast notes and some light dry hops in the aftertaste. Taste is also dominated by rustic malt with balanced level of sweetness with some peppery yeast notes and some dry hoppy notes in the aftertaste. Body is full with limited filtration and good carbonation. Very solid interpretation of the style with great balance and easily drinkable character.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 12:24:14 | More by Phyl21ca

ChanChan

California

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From Notes:

Appearance: Hazy light orange with a very lively head.

Aroma: Yeast, lemon, a bit of coriander.

Taste: Very good tasting saison, not overly complex but better than most.

Moutfeel: Smooth, medium bodied, a very refresing mouthfeel.

Overall: A very good beer, I am glad to have had the chance to try this beer!! It was about 95 degrees when I had this. With this heat I can understand the need for a Farm-house Ale like this!!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 21:13:56 | More by ChanChan

brewdog444

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.4%

06-12-2013 02:48:00 | More by brewdog444

mkennedy119

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

06-09-2013 06:03:03 | More by mkennedy119

beernads

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

06-03-2013 18:36:49 | More by beernads

TheBishopco

Tennessee

4/5  rDev -2.4%

06-03-2013 03:37:17 | More by TheBishopco

UCLABrewN84

California

3.93/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle pour at the 2013 Firestone Walker Invitational held at the Paso Robles Event Center in Paso Robles, CA.

Pours a hazy orange with a foamy white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, spice, and yeast aromas. Taste is much the same with fruit and spice flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of yeast bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 02:27:24 | More by UCLABrewN84

MastaShonuf

California

3/5  rDev -26.8%

06-02-2013 11:29:32 | More by MastaShonuf

richkrull

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

06-01-2013 17:31:29 | More by richkrull

LambicKing

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-31-2013 23:11:56 | More by LambicKing

claspada

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-28-2013 19:43:33 | More by claspada

LeeryLeprechaun

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Beer pours straw yellow/gold with a strong a rocky white head that sits atop the beer and forms nice lacing. Great head retention.

The aroma is dominated by the yeast which is clearly french saison. Pepper, tropic fruit, lots of phenols.

The beer is pretty unadventurous to taste. There are some phenols to taste and the finish is on the dry side. That being said it is true to style and very refreshing.

Mouthfeel is great. Very silky, probably from the yeast strain.

Overall this is a very enjoyable beer. I am not the biggest fans of the phenols but it really showcase the style and how enjoyable and refreshing it can be.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 00:43:25 | More by LeeryLeprechaun

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

05-22-2013 00:04:52 | More by mikeincharleston

Moose90

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at a local establishment, served in a 16oz snifter

A – Good looking beer here coming off the tap line. A big, fluffy white head sits atop a hazy orange body. Head retention is great and lacing is nice as well.

S – Typical saison here, but it has some stronger notes as well. Lots of lemon, fresh cut grass, honey sweetness. Some light pepper and lime.

T – Complex malts, faint sweetness. Juicy, big fresh lemon notes. Great yeast tones as well, this is quite funky, but very well balanced.

M – Big and boisterous for a saison, comes across almost as a tripel, big, boozy, and complex.

O – Just great, a wonderfully bright and complex beer. Nuff said.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2013 03:08:34 | More by Moose90

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.14/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to SteveO for this one, cheers!

Pours a hazed hay color with a thumb+ of pearl colored head. Chill haze remains, stellar head retention & lacing

S: Apple skins, lemon zest & not much else

T: Apple skins, white pepper, white grape & a bit of honey suckle up front. Slight dry grassyness, a bit of lemon zest & pears as this warms, plus some coriander. Finishes with pears, lemony hops, white pepper, ginger & tangerine

MF: Medium bodied, crisp carbonation, nicely blended & balanced

Great drinkability, this is a great take on the style. This is my first Funkwerks beer, I must have more! The spices make this beer so interesting & drinkable

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:57:09 | More by russpowell

rawfish

California

3.86/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Peachy juice hue, pour carefully or in no time you can have a glass of rocky white foam. Terrific retention and clumpy lacing left on the glass.

Black pepper, pear, powder, tangerine and green grapes. Slightly musty with hay and lemongrass. A delicate balance of spice and fruity esters, slightly funky as a detect a bit of soft white cheese.

Grainy with some wet hay and lemony wheat as the white fruit notes begin to rise with green apple and pear, slight herbal bitterness and musty funk mingle with a soapy coriander and clove, some mineral undertones begin to hit the palate as the beer warms. Scrubs dry.

The yeast really makes this beer feel a bit heavier as it warms. The carbonation is ideal, the drink pleasant and drying though it got difficult to handle this bottle solo.

A quality saison no doubt, the spice, fruit flavors and yeast are all very delicate and balanced. I could see the spice profile getting tightened up a bit the musty flavors and mineral twinges really being to hurt the drink as it warms. Tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 06:13:08 | More by rawfish

TokyoCO

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

05-13-2013 23:15:50 | More by TokyoCO

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

05-12-2013 18:27:15 | More by Bonko_the_sane

bluckbeyes

Oregon

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-10-2013 01:16:28 | More by bluckbeyes

MinorThreat

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%

05-07-2013 20:20:28 | More by MinorThreat

DerwinWentworth

Utah

3.25/5  rDev -20.7%

05-06-2013 23:04:14 | More by DerwinWentworth

GetTheYayo

Colorado

4/5  rDev -2.4%

04-21-2013 14:41:14 | More by GetTheYayo

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Incredible true Belgian taste exudes from the glass of this Funkwerks brewery. Where many American brewers' ales are kinda Belgianesque, they seem to be on training wheels. This Saison is poppin' wheelies and gettin' air.

With its peachy straw hue, the rustic ale offers up a rocky, ivory-stained head. Spider webbing lace results from an intricate weave of clinging foam. Its high retention and firm yeasty haze continue to sing praises of well designed farmhouse ales.

Spice, malt and fruit sculpt the aromas- starting with pear, apples and lemony esters; these scents join forces with stern earthy notes of hay and fresh grass. Light citrus tones bounce off of a soft wheat backdrop and conclude with a light creamy malt tang and vinous white wine.

Fruit overtones kick off the flavor show with oranges, white grapes, apple skins, and lemon peels. A semi-sweet foundation of powdered sugar and dough soon recede to allow for a spicy middle palate of freshly grated ginger, coriander, freshly cut grass, and baled hay. Musty and vinous to close, the farmhouse ale leaves you with impressions of white pepper to close.

Its dry and spicy texture starts early but really kicks into gear as the malt sweetness and bread textures fade. All that's left behind is an effortlessly smooth hop bitterness, warm alcohol, and a bone-dry peppery-ness.

When a brewery doesn't have to contend with American-style beers and can simply focus on Belgian styles, the discipline in taste is obvious- this is just a more mature ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 05:50:56 | More by BEERchitect