Introduction

Coming up with a twenty year pedigree of brewing, across dozens of styles and through a boat-load of taste fads, Duclaw Brewing is a force to be reckoned with across the East. Started in Baltimore in 1996, Duclaw is the passion of Dave Benfield, who created the brewery for the sake of cherishing great beer and delivering on the style beer claims. What’s on the side is what’s in the bottle. Duclaw has grown to distribution in over 19 states and now comes up to the great white north courtesy of Canada Craft Club. Wheat Ales in the American style bear some resemblance to the European ancestry of excited body and golden colour, but tend toward fruit forward scent and mild fruit flavour. Hop is low on the Funk and the flavour profile as a whole is mild. Avoid a lemon wedge, as the beer itself has lemon qualities. Serves well at 8°C and can take an easy half year in the cellar.

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How it looks

Pours with powerful carbonation and excited head that recedes fast, never growing more than pencil thin. Dark, golden coloured body that’s crisp and clear.

How it smells

A strong scent of fruit medley, flesh and skin, combines with a powerful yeast forward profile. The blueberry comes through loud and clear. The must of the wheat is almost smothered by the fruit scent but comes through as an undertone.

How it tastes

The scent suggests a strong berry flavour but that turns out to be more bark than bite. The blueberries are subtle as is the wheat flavour. This ale has a mild taste – an impression of fruitiness, earthy wheat, lemon zest and pewter. The hop combination comes through as playful leafy taste that doesn’t land hard. The strong carbonation and lighter body give it a smooth mouth feel. Subtle and crisp results in easy drinking that doesn’t have a cloying taste or linger over-long.

Recommended food pairing

Wheat ales enjoy versatility with food, the only caution would be the berry flavour, but in the Funk it’s quite subtle. Get your mitts on some spicy Thai to complement the flatter wheat note of the beer.