Project Haze 005
Illumination Brewing / Funk Brewing

Traded for this a while ago, as the date on the bottom of the can read 6/7/17 with "HBD! PRINCE" written above it. I haven't had much from Funk Brewing over the years but if this was any indication of what they were capable of making, then I'd certainly want to have more from them! This tasted and felt like a New England IPA from the get-go and was certainly one of the smoother examples of either style that I've had in quite some time!

The pour to this was interesting as the beer had a muddled and cloudy goldenrod hue that had just enough light seeping in around the edges to keep this from being totally muted. Enough head topped this off as the lacing was quite present but splotchy as most of it was concentrated at the center of my pint glass. A deep, tropical presence came through in the nose along with floral hops, mild wheat, and prevalent yeast that cut through the alcohol. The strong amount of melon and cantaloupe stuck with me throughout my time with this as they turned out to be the hallmarks of this beer; and although this had quite a burn to it, I don't hold this against Funk itself as that was probably the result of me taking too long to get around to this!

Sure, this had enough booze in it but it wasn't a detraction at all. With a semi-moderate amount of carbonation and light amount of sediment left at the bottom of my pint glass, this was a brew that held up well over time. While being typical in most aspects, I enjoyed this for how well it was crafted and how well it held up over the last two years. A bit more citrus and brightness would have elevated this a notch or two but as it was, I enjoyed it as an American Imperial IPA that offered enough for the experienced imbiber such as myself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Funk hit. Juicy smell and taste with a slight spice at the end? Very slight though. Very easy to drink.