It’s spring time and the weather is getting warmer, what does this mean for Fort Collins residents? Time to check out the many breweries Fort Collins has become well-known for. One special brewery, Funkwerks, located on 1900 East Lincoln Avenue, is a saison-focused brewery using organic ingredients to craft unique beers. We had the pleasure of meeting Brad who showed us around, let us taste some beers, and answered a few of our questions. When we asked what distinguishes you from other breweries in Fort Collins Brad answered: Funkwerks is a Saison focused brewery and the only brewery in Fort Collins that brews only Belgian style ales. Brad met Gordon while attending the Siebel Institute to study brewing science in September of 2009, and in December of 2009, Funkwerks was founded! Below are a few pictures we snapped at our visit. Read below to find out more about Funkwerks!

What is saison you ask?
Saisons originated in the Wallonia region of southern Belgium during the 19th century. Meaning ‘season’ in French, Saisons were typically brewed during winter months, and stored until summer months when they were given to farm workers as a form of hydration when water wasn’t suitable for drinking. Brewing in the winter provided farmers with work during an otherwise slow time of year. Also, spent grain from brew days was used for animal feed, providing livestock with nutrients when grain was unable to grow, making brewing beneficial to multiple aspects of farm life.

In order for the beer to last through the season without becoming infected, Saisons were brewed to have a dry flavor profile and hops and spices were usually added for their bacteriostatic properties. Because they were not brewed in aseptic environments, multistrain fermentations took place giving the beer a ‘wild’ flavor and adding to its complexity. Since each farmhouse had individual recipes, brewing techniques, and microflora, beers were vastly different from farm to farm. What defines these beers as a style are an extremely high attenuation and a spicy flavor profile due to the unique yeast strain.

As beer became more readily available and competition from imported lagers increased, many farmhouse breweries closed and Saisons became a dying style. Thankfully a number of farmhouses made the switch to full time breweries, and a resurgence of interest in Saisons, especially in North America, have made them popular as specialty beers today.

Why did you select Fort Collins to start your brewery?
There were many reasons, but I think the biggest reason we picked Fort Collins was because it was one of the few places Gordon and I could agree to live. We knew the strong beer culture would be welcoming of a Saison niche brewery. Having so many other breweries works to our advantage as a niche brewery. It also makes shipping beer more accessible. The support we’ve received from other breweries has been outstanding.

Do you see Funkwerks expanding into other locations?
I can see Funkwerks distribution expanding into other states, but not opening in other locations. We are currently distributing in Nebraska and Arizona, and we will expand our distributing in the future.

What is your favorite beer you have ever made?
Our flagship Saison is definitely one of my favorite beers, but if is too boring of an answer, I would say my favorite beer is Cognac Barrel Aged Deceit. Deceit is our Belgian Golden Strong ale that was awarded a Gold metal at GABF in 2012, we took Deceit and aged it for 18 months in a single oak cognac barrel.
Speaking of awards, their flagship Saison was awarded a silver medal in 2011 and a gold medal in 2012 at the Great American Beer Festival for the French- and Belgian-Style Saison category. Funkwerks was also recognized as the Small Brewing Company of the Year at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival!

What’s the most unique ingredient you have used in brewing?
Chai spice and wine must, not in the same beer.

What has been the most challenging aspect of owning a brewery? What’s been the most fun/rewarding part?
The most challenging part of opening up a new brewery is naming beers. Most rewarding is working in an industry full of happy people. It is hard to find people that don’t love what they do; beer people are passionate about their work! It is also rewarding to produce a product that people can really find to be unique and representative of our brand, and that people enjoy.

What does the future of craft brewing hold? In the next 5-10 years, what changes or challenges do you think you will face?
One big challenge I see the craft brewing industry facing in the next 5-10 years is the quantity of craft breweries opening; there is a potential for saturation. Another challenge would be the continuous change and evolution in the consumers’ palates. I think there will be a demand for more sours and barrels are the future, which is expensive to produce. And successful breweries will always face the challenge of growth; how big can you get without compromising the quality of the beer.

Do you have any upcoming events or specials, this spring, summer?
We will be brewing our Raspberry Provincial for the Spring/Summer seasonal beer. We also WANT to have a half birthday celebration. The unfortunate part of our anniversary is that it falls in December; we don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to celebrate when the weather is nice. But nothing is officially planned.

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Make sure to check out their website and Facebook page for more information and make sure to check out their brewery!

Their tap room is open

Sunday: 11am-8pm
Monday-Thursday: 12pm-8pm
Friday: 12pm-9pm
Saturday: 11am-9pm!

Information obtained from www.funkwerks.com and Brad Lincoln.