Funk Factory (2019)

On the positive side of things, Four Winters is my favorite thing they've ever done.

While we're at the top of the thread, here's the release schedule.

 

On Friday I was part of a blind tasting of gueuze / lambic / "wild ale" / whatevers, and I picked Four Winters over some heavy hitters, including a 3 Fonteinen gueuze.

Now, I've only recently come around to this style, so I'm a complete newb / philistine, but it certainly piqued my interest in what they are doing up there in Madison...

 

Any recommendations of ones on here I should pester my Madison friends about?

 

I really enjoyed the first batch of De Bij. Of the Meerts that I've had the Strawberry has probably been our favorite. I'm hoping that batch 2 of both of those are as good

 

Meerts is solid and cheaper but understandably not as complex as the Methodé Traditionelle stuff, which is what i would spend my money on (so stuff like Frampaars, Framzwaart, Perzik, etc.). The upper tier stuff like Flying Kites is great, too, but I'm not sure if those are MT. The saisons have been nice and reasonable price-wise. Lastly, I have liked some of the Cervinos, but they are hit and miss (and I despise the clear bottles).

 

South Sea Mountain is a rad Gin BA Saison that was a very small bottle run. Well worth tracking down if you’re a gin fan.

 

I believe Framzwart is still available and that would be a good one in the Fram- tier without breaking the bank. De Bij and Glory In the Morning were also very good, but probably a tougher get. Each Meerts is pleasant enough that I enjoy them for the taster size. They're all accessible and you can't go wrong, but the Arnold Palmer version is my favorite.

 

I'm still mad at myself for reserving a few bottles of that and then forgetting to get up there that Friday...

 

Bro! Next time let me know! Madison loves me!

 

In regards to the Beer Schedule, does anyone know what "members" means?

 

They have a membership club. I know it gets you magnums of some beers and I assume these special releases too.

 

I wonder if "Members" also refers to T100 members (the top 100 supporters)?

 

Since June references MC/T100 and then July changes to Members, I'd guess that structural changes are brewing.

 

As a year one MC member who didn't renew and bounced back to his previous T100 status, I can tell you the two are currently not identical anyway. I didn't get access to South Sea Mountain in the most recent release, nor Oude Suiker last year. BUT, being a local, I was able to go buy a Abrikoos en Hop during the Arnold Palmer Meerts/Framwhatever release last year, which my nonlocal MC member buddies could not.

 

This seems way too complicated...

I was told there'd be no math~!

 

I agree, this must herald a new membership structure- I think it was around June when the first year MC members renewed, so I'm guessing the club year is coming to an end around the same time MC/T100 changes over to Member on the schedule. I'd give much stronger consideration into buying into a club that didn't include magnums (I'm not one that buys into the novelty of large format bottles) but had all the other same benefits.

 

Does anyone know if they allow a proxy for pickups? I couldn't seem to find the info on their website.

 

Yeah, you can just send your ticket to your proxy and they can pick up for you.

 

Never a shortage of people in the area able to proxy. I do it for quite a few people.