Tumble Weed is an American Pale Ale with 5.5% ABV from Funk Brewing Co. brewery located in Emmaus, PA. In addition to the brewery and taproom in Emmaus there is an 8 tap, taproom in downtown Elizabethtown open Wednesday-Sunday.
There’s the east and west coast pale ale, on one hand you’ve got the juicy, more well-balanced hop profile of the East Coast IPA and on the other there’s the West Coast IPA with its hop forward and bitter flavors. Tumble Weed is the east coast brother to Funk’s Citrus IPA, a delightful citrus flavored hop bomb.
Tumble Weed pours to a golden, dark wheat color with a thin, but lingering off white head that dissolves into a very clear body. This brew’s balance is apparent immediately when poured as there is definite scent of fresh, piny hops, but they do not overwhelm the senses. The aroma and later, the taste of the ale serve as enticement to enjoy more, not as hinderances with too bold components.
Funk, a brewery with an incredibly devoted following does an excellent job here in making an IPA that is approachable with its balance of hop bitterness and malt sweetness. Yet, this ale is not devoid of flavor or too mild, in fact its flavor is quite prominent, just that no one flavor is too dominant.
