Robin Shepard
Madison’s Funk Factory Geuzeria opened its operations about three years ago in a small building on the city’s south side. Since that time. owner Levi Funk has been diligently working on his long-aged lambic concoctions. However, until recently, most have been rare novelties turning up at festivals or sparingly in local tap houses. Last month, Funk opened his taproom to the public. His first regular bottle release is a meerts beer. It’s capturing a lot of attention from sour fans, and it’s on its way to becoming the signature beer for the Funk Factory.
What is it? Meerts from Funk Factory Geuzeria.
Style: Funk Factory Geuzeria owner Levi Funk describes the meerts as a forgotten style that falls under the broad category of lambics. “It’s the baby brother of the lambic,” he says. They are light-bodied, relatively low in alcohol at 2 to 4 percent ABV. They are made by taking the second runnings of a turbid lambic mash, which involves rinsing of the grain bed a second time and collecting that wort to ferment into beer. These beers get their sourness from fermentation by wild yeast strains. Meerts means “March” in Flemish, and traditionally they would have been released at that time.
Background: Funk believes that his Funk Factory Geuzeria is the only U.S. maker of a meerts. It’s creating a great deal of buzz in the local beer world. “I really made it to see what the style was,” says Funk. “I went headfirst into it and made a bunch of it. We’ve had a lot of fun with this beer.”
Funk currently makes all his beers with other breweries to make wort he then ferments in the Geuzeria. In the case of the meerts, he partners with Octopi Brewing in Waunkee. The wort goes into 1,000-gallon oak foeders (large wooden tanks) and then wild yeast does its work. “This [meerts] is intended to be an introduction to sour beer,” says Funk. “It will appeal to those curious about what is going on with sour beers.”
To make his meerts, Funk uses a combination of Pilsner malt, raw wheat and Czech Saaz hops. Currently in the Funk Factory Geuzeria taproom there are also two fruited versions of the meerts available: one with tart cherries and another with peaches. In these, the beer continues fermenting with the fruit for an additional month or more while Funk tastes them periodically to determine when they are ready to release.
Meerts finishes at 4 percent ABV. It’s available in the taproom on tap for $3/6-ounce glass, $5/16-ounce glass and $10/750 mL bottle. Funk says he’s planning to release the cherry version in August. He intends to bottle other variants such as blackberry, cranberry, peach and cucumber/pear. Also currently in the taproom is an experimental meerts-based IPA made with Galaxy hops. The taproom is open Thursday through Sunday.
Tasting notes:
Aroma: Fruity, citrus and hints of lemon.
Appearance: Hazy yellow-golden body. An initial thick bubbly white head that dissipates quickly.
Texture: Light, bubbly and crisp.
Taste: Fruity, sharp light sourness with firm notes of citrus and lemon.
Finish/Aftertaste: Fruity sour. Crisp without become too tart.
Glassware: The Willi Becher or a wine glass with an inward flare will focus these citrus and lemon notes under the nose.
Pairs well with: seafood, especially oily fish like salmon. Oysters and snails also are intriguing matches; however, in my experience, one has to like those on their own before putting them next to any beer. Gruyere, with its slightly sweet and salty flavor, will go nicely with Funk Factory’s meerts.
The Verdict: This is a wonderfully approachable sour. It’s light with inviting lemon crispness. It’s also effervescent and bubbly, much like Champagne or sparkling wine. This is a beer that will appeal to sour aficionados as well as those looking to find an entry point to the style. I like it because it’s distinctive, sour yet not overly tart or acidic. Serve it cold to enhance its crispness. It’s an excellent pre-meal beer; its sharp crisp sourness will cleanse the palate. Of the fruited versions, I’ll take the cherry over the peach. The cherry is more flavorful (at least that’s true of the current batch in the taproom) with its essence of earthy tartness – like eating a cherry right off the tree.
