Lost Abbey Phunky Duck

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Lambic - Unblended
San Marcos, California USA

Wow, the name nails it. This thing is FUNKY. Pungent aroma and lots of sour acidity. So tasty....

Draft, numerous samples at NOTB and EBF. Pours murky golden, with a minimal off-white head. Very acetic aroma, with musty wild yeast, some citrus, and tropical fruit. Flavor brings a lot of apricot and peach, along with wild yeast, citrus, wood and acetic acid. Long, tart, acidic finish. This was one of my favorites at the fest.

Tap at EBF. Pours a light golden hazy yellow with a prickly spritzy head fades to nothing- but still has an ok carbonation. Aroma is also prickly on the nose- medium acetic acid, light lacto- lemony fruitiness, brett lambicus funk and some citrus with light pineapple. Flavor is also moderately to intense acetic acid especially in the end of the palate- more lemon and ctirusy notes with lactic and citric acid as well with an ok bretty character- nice tart sour kick in the end but again a bit too much acetic acid for a lambic.

In short: A so-called Sour Ale that is in fact an intensely acidic recreation of a lambic-gueuze. Excellent even if a bit too acidic
How: Tap at EBF 2009. Multiple samples
The look: Almost clear light-blonde body topped by a medium white head.
In long: Nose is acidic to the max. An interesting dry woodyness supports the over-the-top acidic taste. Very lemony but the dryness gives a lemon skin flavour. Bitting in a fresh green apple while drinking lemon juice. A little vinegary. High acidity level, medium funkiness. Very sharp and crisp. One of the best example of a “true” basic gueuze made this side of the Atlantic. Excellent even if a bit too sharp, too acidic to allow complex flavours to develop like in good Belgian Gueuzes (Drie Fonteinen, Girardin, Hanssens, Cantillon and cie). Any more acidic and it couldn’t be drank from a plastic glass.

Tap at 2009 EBF. This is one sreiously acidic beer. The aroma is so funky, tart, acidic, and citric that it will definitely turn you off if your not into sours. Luckily I love all beer and this one was just blow you away sour. The flavor has tons of fruity funky fantasticness about it. Great stuff.

Draft at EBF. The aroma hits you in the face with barnyard funk, and sweetness. Its appearance is hazy pale yellow. I had never tasted a beer like this. Wow. Insanely sour, moderately sweet, cheesy. The mouthfeel is refreshing, bubbly, acidic. This stuff is crazy!

Draft at EBF. Pours a hazy golden amber body with a thin white head. Citric, lactic and acetic acid. Yest this was intensely acidic in terms of aroma and the first sip. It then mellowed into a more lemon balsamic woody drier apple body. Tart and acidic with a dry puckering finish. I actually enjoyed this one.

Draft EBF. Acetic and lactic sourness predominates. Way too acidic. Would have liked to see more brettyness in this one. I got tired of drinking it towards the end of a 2 oz. sample. It had a nice depth to it which was somewhat of it’s saving grace in my eyes.