Cherry Saison - Funkwerks

spoony

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From a 750 ml into a tulip.

A-Even though I let things mellow before opening, the bottle was a bit of a gusher...not dramatic, but I couldn't keep the beer in the bottle either. Surprisingly, however, it was easy to pour and the mocha-colored head quickly disappeared. The beer was murky brown with a reddish tint. It looked a bit like an oud bruin.

S-Milk chocolate and lightly roasted malts with a touch of cherry. There was some dry yeast and the typical saison "banana/clove" combo, as well. Definitely unique. No whiff of alcohol, which is surprising for 9.2%.

T-The taste was not quite as chocolately as the smell. Instead, the cherry flavors come to the forefront, but they are not tart like a sour. Instead, its a bit medicinal and sweet. A light hit of yeast shows up as well just to prove you're drinking a saison.

M-Light to medium body with considerable carbonation. The carbonation is prickly and chunky feeling. Probably my favorite aspect of this beer.

O-I like saisons and I like chocolate/cherry stouts, so I was hopeful for this beer, but I couldn't really get into it. The chocolate and cherry did not integrate very well and I was left with a bit of a cough syrup taste. Plus, it wasn't very attractive to look at. Oh well, A for effort.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 23:34:28 | More by spoony

gratefulbeerhead

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

04-06-2013 01:25:12 | More by gratefulbeerhead

stampfler07

Georgia

4/5  rDev +7.2%

04-02-2013 01:54:22 | More by stampfler07

Haybeerman

Colorado

4/5  rDev +7.2%

02-07-2013 21:14:20 | More by Haybeerman

DaveHack

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

01-02-2013 23:16:04 | More by DaveHack

KajII

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

[Suggested Glassware: Tulip Glass]

The pour was a murky mahogany brown with an average (1-2 finger) light brown fizzy head that was mostly diminishing, down to a thin film and large collar which lasted throughout and produced superb sheeting of lacing.

The aroma was of a light grain malt and a funky Brett yeast with notes of cherries, coriander, chocolate and a mild sourness.

The taste was sweetly tart with notes of cherry and a touch chocolate throughout, with the finish having a nice tart spiciness and a slight alcohol tinge. The flavor lasted an average time after the swallow with a tart fruity taste lingering on for a short while longer.

Mouthfeel was between light and medium in body and dry in texture with a champagne like carbonation.

Overall I found this brew to be quite fruity and refreshing, with a subtle sourness and an awesome drinkability, which allowed for the high ABV to be “almost” virtually undetectable. This is one to watch out for, it goes down way to easy for such a high ABV. Just sayin’…

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 17:05:34 | More by KajII

mactrail

California

3.43/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Attractive mahogany color in the CIney snifter. Nice foam and thoroughly spritzy on the tongue. A warm, malty, winey fragrance.

I don't think you can drink this stuff and not think of Cherry Coke. Actually it's more like hard candy. There is just a hint of plastic, but it's maybe that tart cherry skin taste, and it shows up in the aftertaste too. Some dark malt hints. I think I think they could have skipped the fruit on this one. Now that I read the label I see that cocoa is mentioned in the ingredients, but that one evades me too. Just as well. Interesting brew but unlike some other Funkwerks beers, not worth the price.

I have to admire Funkwerks for being so obsessed with Saisons; so am I. From the 750 ml bottle bought at Grapevine Liquors in Denver.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 01:55:44 | More by mactrail

kscaldef

Oregon

3.25/5  rDev -12.9%

11-19-2012 00:17:19 | More by kscaldef

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

10-28-2012 00:02:53 | More by zeledonia

chugalug06

Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

Brew is blood red and very creamy. Head pours foamy and aggressive, straw in color and lots of soapy foam. Thin, no lacing.

Very strong cherry aroma. Bready and milk chocolate. Way more chocolate then cherry.

Very dry and bitter. No tartness or sweetness. Carbonation is high and well deserved. No detectable heat. Cherry flavor is prevalent but falls off quickly due to overwhelming chocolate flavors.

This brew is a bit of miss for me. I was expecting tart and way less dry. IMO, Cherry Saison came up well short of the $15 price tag. Very underwhelming.. Can't be recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 02:29:28 | More by chugalug06

t0rin0

California

3.25/5  rDev -12.9%

10-01-2012 02:01:51 | More by t0rin0

JMBSH

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

09-30-2012 05:08:49 | More by JMBSH

Domingo

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Glad to see this return as I feared it might be a one-off.
Looks a bit like a dunkelweizen at first glance. Cloudy khaki brown with a white head. Carbonated, but not overly so.
The flavor profile takes a very different turn. It reminds me more of a dubbel than a saison in most cases. Cocoa, candi sugar, and rum with a dose of (real) cherry flavor. It's sweet, but not overly so. The finish has a bit of funky yeast, which is the one area that would make this one saison-like instead of a dubble or Beldian strong dark. There's a kiss of booziness, but for a beer over 9%, it's more drinkable than you might think. The flavors mesh together pretty well.
While it's called a cherry saison, to me the cocoa character comes out just as much as the cherry, and it will appeal to Belgian dark beer fans as much if not more.
Tasty stuff I'll probably buy again if I can find it!

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 15:31:12 | More by Domingo

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

still never had a funkwerks beer i didnt love. this one must be different for the 2012 release, because the bottle says its 9.2% abv, and that its made with cocoa nibs this year. it pours a gleaming copper color with a low red glow and an active off white head. the nose is cherries, tart and sweet, almost artificial in aroma. the malt profile is caramely and biscuity, while the cocoa adds just a gentle waft of bitterness. the flavor is a little strange really, unconventional thats for sure. its got a sort of medicinal flavor from the cherries, not subtle at all. and the cocoa stays raw and bitter, not at all a dessert beer. the yeast isnt as spunky as some other funkwerks brews, but it imparts a distinct spice complex to the finish. the feel is good, fuller bodied than many other funkwerks releases, but im not in love with the aftertaste, that sort of alcohol soaked cherry cough medicine flavor. it doesnt last long, but its there. overall a clever beer, perhaps in need of some refining, but a fun bottle of beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 23:50:45 | More by StonedTrippin

dhbiker0889

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

09-16-2012 15:50:48 | More by dhbiker0889

denver10

Colorado

3.94/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

From the 2012 batch.

Pours mahogeny/dark amber with a nice off white head. A ver nice aroma illed with some cherries , cocoa and some vanilla, providing a nice sweet and tart combo. Flavor offers some nice cocoa, candied/medicinal cherries that start off sweet and evolve into some tartness, and in the middle of all that some vanilla kicks in. A nice fuller bodied, silky in texture, and nice activity. Overall, I went in unsure what to expect from this and found that I dug this beer. The inclusion of he cocoa was spot on.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2012 23:00:44 | More by denver10

Twal

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +13.9%

07-03-2012 01:55:45 | More by Twal

chrispoint

Connecticut

1/5  rDev -73.2%

02-09-2012 00:10:37 | More by chrispoint

kiki3drt292

California

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

01-19-2012 18:26:25 | More by kiki3drt292

WilsonCecil

Colorado

4/5  rDev +7.2%

01-05-2012 00:45:48 | More by WilsonCecil

savagepm

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

12-18-2011 23:56:44 | More by savagepm

SpdKilz

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A huge thanks to Chris (waltonc) for this great extra. 2011 vintage, bottle 546 of 600.

Appearance – Pours into my Ladyface snifter with a deep mahogany red color. About two fingers of slight pinkish head is achieved with a normal pour that dissipates rather slowly leaving spotty lacing.

Smell – Belgian yeast, slight spices and oak, a bit of funk and cherry aromas.

Taste – Slight tart medicinal cherry flavor up front, not unlike Robitussin. A hint of tartness and funk, though not much to be frank. Belgian spiciness from the nose is prominent midway through. Finishes with a slight tannic quality.

Mouthfeel – Medium bodied, prickly carbonation appropriate for this saison hybrid.

Overall – Not as bad as some people make it out (but of course this is purely my opinion!). Amazingly so, there is zero alcohol flavor for such a high ABV beer. The medicinal qualities slightly subside the more you drink the beer; but there is no mistake there is flavor reminiscent to cough medicine. A beer I am glad to have tried, but one I would not pick up in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 01:40:26 | More by SpdKilz

pperez38

California

4/5  rDev +7.2%

12-07-2011 03:36:35 | More by pperez38

HopStoopid120

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -19.6%

12-05-2011 04:32:34 | More by HopStoopid120

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 vintage. Served in a heavy goblet at Trinity Brewing Co. during the 1 year "Focus on the Beer" blog anniversary party.

A russet-tinged crimson body under a slight pink head. There is little head on this pour, but it looks good. Murky, cloudy, and a touch of mystery.

Smells lightly of Belgian style yeast, yeasty bread, and a slight touch of cherry. As this was served on tap I didn't expect a pungent nose.

The flavor is primarily driven by yeast notes. These include the typical Belgian style spiciness, a touch of phenolic bite, and some bready qualities. Undertones of fruity cherries provide deeper levels of flavor and an acidic (slightly tannic) pucker to the end of the flavor. Surprisingly no alcohol burn for the high ABV, which is well done.

The mouthfeel is a bit puckering but certainly not sour (no funk or wild yeast notes to speak of). Lower carbonation and a bit of yeast bite.

Conclusion: This is a pretty good fruit beer, but it is first a saison, and second a cherry beer. I think it would shine with more clarity as a beer it those were reversed, but that is just my opinion. Glad I got to try it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2011 16:20:49 | More by allforbetterbeer