Murmur
Illumination Brewing / Funk Brewing

 

 

 

This is my first beer from Funk Brewing out of Pennsylvania, and it's definitely going to be a pretty interesting one. Sure, you could look at the style and the appearance (we'll get to that soon) and just go "what gives? It's a big ol' IPA... who cares?" Well, I do, because the hop bill is unusual and if you follow my reviews (read: if you are a masochist who loves pretense), you'll know I enjoy unusually-hopped IPAs. Sure, I've been let down a bunch of times, but when something like this, featuring Mosaic, Belma, and Pacific Jade, is on... it's on! Let's hope this is a good one.

Pours a mostly-cloudy orange-golden color with a bit of a dirty appearance to it. Not opaque, but definitely hazy and translucent with a bit of apparent sediment in there (not a lot, by any means, and it doesn't affect my judgment of the look of the beer). Solid showing of foamy head that builds up to about a finger-and-a-half upon initial pour. Fantastic lacing as the head sinks to a half-finger, and nice legs as well. This has a pretty excellent appearance overall and gives me some confidence that I made a good choice randomly choosing to grab this.

As I mentioned before, this is a bonkers hop combo. Belma is one of those weird hops that I've honestly never had a good experience with (that I recall, anyway)... it's usually strawberry/melon forward with an odd grassy note that just never becomes something I want in a hop-focused ale. Mosaic has its own odd berry focus, though, and Pacific Jade is apparently black pepper-like spice and musky fruit (including melon as well; noticing a pattern here), and, ya know what? I get almost everything here, and it is weirdly cohesive. Is it my favorite smelling IPA ever? Nope, but at least I see where they were going with it and it seems successful at it. I get notes of graham cracker, berry preserves, ripe honeydew melon, a hint of grassy dankness, some lime, grapefruit, and papaya. This is definitely something.

First few sips have my palate adjusting a bit, considering I'm coming at this off a MUCH more intense and dank IPA from Mountains Walking, but... it's not bad at all. The Mosaic carries a lot of weight in this, bringing out a punchy and intriguing dank profile that works well with the heaviness of the malt bill (which includes Vienna AND honey malt; weird as hell for a DIPA in 2021, but alright). The remaining elements of melon, overripe papaya, and mixed dark berries seem rather unusual, but considering the decent balance going on, I'm not really disappointed. This is a cool and oddly-inspired dark fruit-suggesting IPA for the discerning double IPA fan. There are definite citrus/tropical aspects, but the overall profile seems very mysterious and suggestive without giving too much to work off of.

Pours a cloudy hazy IPA, aroma is different than any beer I have had, a sweet earthy oaty aroma, taste is a little sweet, slight bitter hoppiness, and floral finish, very light and drinkable.

 

From a 16oz can dated 1/13/21 into a weizen glass.

Pours an opaque yellowish orange with about three fingers of tight white head. Amazing retention, above average lacing.

Smells of grass, dank earth, oranges, pineapple, and grapefruit.

Taste follows with some lemon/lime mixed in. Decent bitterness on the back end of the sip.

Full-bodied mouthfeel. Slightly sticky. Bitter, limey aftertaste. Medium carbonation.

Overall, a nice beer. Very interesting.

 

Poured into a 13 oz Funk Brewing Teku glass canned on 3/20/19. Pours a very hazy orange yellow with a 2 plus finger sticky off white head that leaves loads of thick patches of lace as it slowly settles. 4.25

Smell is apricot, tangerine, guava, and pineapple no real grapefruit bitterness. 4

Taste follows apricot, tangerine, guava, pineapple start our with some grapefruit bitterness kicking in the lingering finish. 4

Mouthfeel is big, soft gentle carbonation, sticky but not really dry, and at 8.0% ABV goes down pretty easy. 4.25

Overall this is really solid, Murmur Murmur Murmur is very nice. Thanks @jzeilinger for this can. Cheers all.

 

 

 

A - Opaque medium to dark orange gold color with dense soapy white lacing.

S - Apricot, mango, lime, with strawberry up front.

T - Spicy strawberry and lime from start to finish with a slight hint of herbal quality and spicy citrus. Finishes balanced and leaves a lingering spicy citrus coating on the palate.

M - Thick and chewy.

O - Dig the citrus spice in this beer.

The pour yields two fingers of chunky white head, and it produces ample lacing that clings tightly to the glass. The appearance is straight OJ Simpson up in this piece. The nose emits flavors of ripe strawberry, mango, sour gummies, lemondrop, an herbaceous character, as well as fresh baked bread. Taste follows with ample doses of citrus, mango, and hints of pepper. The feel is chewy up front, then tapers mid-palate into a dry, slightly bitter finish. To date, this is my personal favorite from Funk Brewing. Well f*cking done.