4.I think you remember that day last year in April, when MadTree kicked their game into a whole new realm with what they called ‘Funk Day’.  They’d been hinting at their barrel aged sour program for a LONG time at that point, and we knew that bottles would be coming.  What we didn’t know was that five bottles would be loaded up into the arms of thirsty beer drinkers all at the same time.

This massive bottle release became the launching point for what the brewery lovingly calls: The Funk Series (You can read more about it here).

This year, they’re doing things in a very big way – again.  I mean… with the massive upgrade to their space that 2.0 has brought them, why not turn the knob up as far as you can get it, right?

Funk Day 2017

If you’re looking for a bottle release, they don’t get much bigger than what they do for MadTree’s Funk Day.    This years release is going to see five new bottles being released.  As they’re announced I’ll keep you updated on here, but they’re being pretty tight lipped about them until they’re letting them loose on social media.  My sneaking around has only revealed the name of one more of the releases, “Sequoia’s Gift” – beyond that… we know very little about what they actually are.

One of the new beers is going to be extremely limited with only 20 or so cases available, so again… like last year, the early bird will get the worm.

If you are planning on hitting up the brewery on May 28th, you’ll find not only all of this years releases on tap (so if you miss out on any bottles, you tickers will still get your fix) but some prior “Funk Favorites” will also be on tap.

Funk Fans… rejoice.

This Years Releases

Ford The Mill – This beer was packaged in April of 2016 and has been working it’s magic in the bottle since.  The beer clocks in at 10.6% ABV with a TTA score of 8.9 and PH of 3.06 (read more about the TTA score on my Funk Series Page). The brewery’s description of the beer reads:

Amerian Rye Brown brewed with orange peel, sasparilla, birch bark and anise.

Aged in Willet Rye barrels with Brett and sweet cherries.  Notes of citrus, sweet red apple, charred oak, gummy candy-like sourness, and orange bitters.

Sequoias Gift – Packaged in March of 2017, this beer is 7.2% ABV with a TTA score of 4.87 and a PH of 3.65.  The brewery’s description is:

Blend of a Belgian Blonde aged in red wine puncheons with Brett added and a Belgian Golden with 100% Brett primary fermentation.

Aged in oak barrels with notes of pineapple and wheat.

Levanto Obscuro – Packaged in February, this beer is 7.7% ABV with a TTA score of 8.9 and a PH of 3.06.  The brewery says:

American Brown Ale aged in oak barrels with L.Delbrueckii, Pediococcus Damnosus, and Brett.

Notes of a malty brown ale are present with a strong acidic and tart fruit sourness from the addition of black cherries.

Sour Cherry Stout – Packaged in February, this beer is 9.8% ABV with a TTA scores 2.54 and a PH of 3.82.  The brewery’s description reads:

A blend of a German Ale aged in Sherry barrels with L. Delbrueckii and L. Brevi with tart cherries and a Russian Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon barrels with Brett added.

Flavors of a chocolate covered black cherry bring notes of a mild candy-like tartness.

Out of the Woods – Packaged in December, this is 9.7% ABV with a TTA scores of 5.4 and a PH of 3.61.  The brewery says:

Belgian Blonde brewed with raw sumac and local honey from Carriage House Farm, aged in oak barrels with Brett.

Hints of Belgian esters, a mild tartness with honey sweetness, and under ripened raspberry.