Funk Factory Geuzeria Cellar Thread

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by Stevedore, Mar 15, 2015.

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  1. Stevedore

    Stevedore Grand Pooh-Bah (5,096) Nov 16, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    For the Wisconsin/Illinois folk who have been drinking Funk Factory beers since the beginning-

    Have you cracked any of the older bottles (over a year old now) from the original release with O'so? Thinking Dweller on the Threshold, Scarlet Letter, Sikaru, et al. This would include any other aged bottles that FFG has not publicly released. What did you think about how Levi's lambic as a whole are progressing? What kind of storage conditions are you keeping them at? Where do you think they are headed?

    Cheers!
     
    #1 Stevedore, Mar 15, 2015
  2. Stevedore

    Stevedore Grand Pooh-Bah (5,096) Nov 16, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Alright, nobody will bite so I'll make the first contribution.

    [​IMG]

    A bit over a year and one month since it was released in bottles in January 2014.

    Beautiful appearance, nice light pink head. Has more retention than any other FFG beer I've had- for instance, Framrood nearly instantly became flat; the head simply just disappeared that quickly.

    Smells tart with a bit of leathery and musty funk, plenty of oak behind it. Not a ton of cranberries unfortunately. Both vinegar and lactate are contributing to the overall tartness of the beer.

    Seems to be missing something on the palate, though. I think it's the fruit. There's a bit of tart cranberry flavour, along with lactate, funk and wheat, but it really seems to lack a bit of depth. I have to imagine that the fruit was much more pronounced fresh, and a year hasn't done it much favour here.

    Otherwise medium bodied, nice carbonation, easy to drink. The wife loved it. So I would like to hear everyone's opinion on how FFG beers, especially the fruit ones cellar because it'll inform my purchasing and cellar decisions from FFG in the future.

    Cheers!
     
    #2 Stevedore, Mar 16, 2015
  3. Dactrius

    Dactrius Pooh-Bah (2,523) Apr 23, 2012 Caribbean Netherlands
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    As one of the few people who really liked this one fresh I decided to try it again:

    [​IMG]

    I still enjoy this one far more than most people but I preferred it fresh. The sourness seems to have increased perhaps skewing the sour/sweet balance that this particular beer has into a less pleasurable spot. The nose is standard gueze style as is the initial flavor but on the back end you still get the dates and the sweetness that keeps it interesting and unique. As it warmed/my palate got used to it the balance seemed to improve. That said, it seems like further aging may help bring the balance back to a more pleasurable spot as the sweetness drops back a bit more.

    Some super nasty clumps at the bottom of the bottle but I just tried not to look at my glass when I was drinking the dregs.
     
    #3 Dactrius, Mar 22, 2015
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  4. Hendrick24

    Hendrick24 Pooh-Bah (1,949) Sep 6, 2013 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I just opened my last bottle of Dweller On The Threshold this weekend:

    [​IMG]

    After the long tiring battle removing the cork that I've grown accustomed to with FFG beers, I dove in. The nose and look are the same as when fresh, as far as taste it seems to have gotten slightly more sour, very nice oak, vinegar, hay, a bit of funk with a slight sweetness there as well. Lower end of carbonation range. Smells very much like a traditional Belgian gueuze, taste is right in line as well though definitely sour and less complex at this point, perhaps that will improve with further aging. Overall very good beer, wish I had more!
     
    #4 Hendrick24, Apr 14, 2015
  5. Hendrick24

    Hendrick24 Pooh-Bah (1,949) Sep 6, 2013 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I only bought one bottle and have yet to open it, been tempted to try it but the employee selling the bottles off the pallets said to give it a good 5 years in the cellar so I'm going to try to hold out till then.
     
    #5 Hendrick24, Apr 14, 2015
  6. 4DAloveofSTOUT

    4DAloveofSTOUT Grand Pooh-Bah (4,064) Nov 28, 2008 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I opened my last Dweller 3 weeks ago. More sourness than it was 6 months ago, but the funk really came into its own. It was very funky in the best possible way. Still low carb level just like it has been with every bottle. This beer should age for a long, long time. I would say 5-10 years is my "guess-ta-mate".
     
    #6 4DAloveofSTOUT, Apr 15, 2015
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  7. Hendrick24

    Hendrick24 Pooh-Bah (1,949) Sep 6, 2013 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    With how tight the cork fits, I don't think oxidation would be a big issue over that time!
     
    #7 Hendrick24, Apr 15, 2015
  8. 4DAloveofSTOUT

    4DAloveofSTOUT Grand Pooh-Bah (4,064) Nov 28, 2008 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yeah them corks are a pain in the ass!
     
    #8 4DAloveofSTOUT, Apr 15, 2015
  9. Sonofalime

    Sonofalime Crusader (408) Oct 11, 2010 Virginia

    ISO all of it
     
    #9 Sonofalime, Apr 15, 2015
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