
Vintage Funk VOL. VII
Brues Alehouse Brewing Co

Our Impression: Lambic brewing requires immense patience, one to three years of patience! Releasing a lambic is like going back in time. It’s a glimpse into the past. A revelation of our past brewing techniques and inspiration. There’s something special about releasing a beer that you’ve been nursing along for years. Because of the time required to produce lambic, the learning curve is more difficult. We are learning more and more about this style, and we have a great relationship with our yeast supplier, Inland Island Yeast Laboratories, who has helped us develop a yeast + bacteria culture capable of producing our vision of the traditional Belgian fruited lambic. Having experienced drinking Framboise and Kriek from the cellars of Cantillon, we have very high standards we are reaching for! This Vintage we wanted to experiment with a new fruit that we had previously not used, so we obtained 120 lbs of fresh blackberries (1lb per gal) and let the bacteria do the rest! The result being an absolutely gorgeous midnight purple sour with balanced acidity, loads of fruit notes, and a clean finish of tart berry.
Style: Fruit Lambic (Blackberry) - BJCP 23F
Grain: Pilsner, Wheat
Hops: Hallertau Mittelfruh
Yeast: House Yeast, Brettanomyces
Bacteria: Lactobacillus, Pediococcus
Adjuncts: Whole Blackberries
Water: Dechlorinated Pueblo City Water, with light additions of CaCl2
Original Gravity: 11 Degrees Plato
ABV: 5.2%
Estimated IBU: <5 IBU
Color: 16 SRM
Aroma: Sour Blackberry combined with barnyard “horse blanket.” Yes that sounds weird, but fear not! Brettanomyces, a “wild” yeast strain, produces complex esters that range from cherry pie to horse blanket. This is typical of traditional Belgian Lambic styles.
Appearance: Pours a beautiful semi-clear dark purple.
Flavor: Acidity is the backbone of any sour. Like traditional Lambics, Vintage Funk exhibits a complexity derived from acid producing bacteria and wild yeast. The acid plays wonderfully with fruit, which is the reason why the most famous Belgian lambics are blended with cherries, raspberries, or peaches. Vintage funk begins with a punch of blackberry and acid, and as your palate adjusts you begin to note the light oak, horse blanket, and hay.
Mouthfeel:Light body, mouth puckering, with medium carbonation.