Funky Buddha Brewery Tour

Of course, breweries are only as good as the beers they make, and Funky Buddha did not disappoint on that front. As John showed me around the brewery, I sipped on a multitude of crafty creations. 3 Years & Brewing IPA, which was brewed in honor of the brewery’s 3rd anniversary, was light and refreshing with pungent pine aromatics and crisp, tropical flavors beneath. Blueberry Cobbler Ale, which was just recently retooled and rebranded from a previous, years-older release, was loaded with delectable spicy notes and unexpectedly light on blueberry character.

Confronting John about this, he said the brewery aims to create flavors and aromas that match the actual dishes they replicate, especially when it comes to limited releases, such as the Little Buddha series. This line of small-batch, limited-release beers has been on draft since the brewery’s inception, but only recently made their way into 22-oz. bottles earlier this year. The next release in the series is Fire in the Hole Raspberry Habanero Red Ale, which debuts in August. 

With a new 22-oz. bottle release every month, Little Buddhas push the boundaries of what craft beers can be – the beers are inspired by rich, sumptuous, sweet treats like Lemon Meringue Pie, Rice Krispie Treats and Chocolate-Covered Oranges or breakfast favorites like French Toast, coffee and bacon. If those didn’t sound quite tempting enough, many of these are later thrown in barrels to add additional complexity (and to draw in those barrel-obsessed beer geeks).

The Little Buddha series pushes the boundaries of what craft beers can be.

Despite the success of the Little Buddha series, 40 percent of the brewery’s sales come from its flagship Weissbier, Floridian Hefeweizen. According to John, it’s easy to see why. 

“[Floridian] prepares people for the rest of the Funky Buddha portfolio, such as the Little Buddhas and other special releases. It’s full of banana and clove characters, which is just what you need from the style. It’s not too sharp on bitterness, it’s easy-drinking and it’s a really good conversion beer in major markets and craft beer bars.”

The brewery currently produces 35,000 barrels per year, but like any popular purveyor of craft beers, expansion plans are in the works. The brewery is currently experiencing 200 percent growth each year, and just like when the brewpub opened, this demand cannot be realistically supplied with the brewery’s current setup. Luckily, Funky Buddha is already housed in a massive space that used to be a Sears Roebuck & Co. distribution plant, and the brewery plans to add a second brewhouse within 15 months, which will increase the brewery’s production to 100,000-120,000 barrels.

With this plan in place, the brewery will be able to distribute its beers out-of-state for the first time – with an estimated release into other markets in late 2017. 

This means that non-Florida craft beer enthusiasts will finally be to enjoy the heavenly bouquet of the brewery’s highly sought after coconut and coffee porter Last Snow or its barrel-aged brother Snowed In without resorting to online trading. 

Or perhaps you’re in the mood for a full suite of breakfast beers? Funky Buddha’s got you covered on that front too. Maple Bacon Coffee Porter is the base beer, and is just as delightful as it sounds with the interplay between three of the morning’s best flavors culminating in this beautiful, smoky beer. Wide Awake It’s Morning is the Imperial-strength version of that beer, and Morning Wood is the barrel-aged version of Wide Awake. Each one improves upon its previous incarnation by ratcheting up the complexity (and alcohol content).

With delightful beers, great branding and the widespread clout garnered from its Little Buddha series, Funky Buddha is a gem in Florida’s swiftly growing craft beer scene. Keep an eye out for more news and reviews from this Beer Connoisseur Trade Member on their microsite, or if you’re ever in the area, the taproom is open from 11:30 a.m. to midnight seven days a week, and tours are available on Thursdays at 7 and 8 p.m. or Saturdays and Sundays at 2, 3 and 4 p.m.

Funky Buddha's taproom is open from 11:30 a.m. to midnight seven days a week, and tours are available on Thursdays at 7 and 8 p.m. or Saturdays and Sundays at 2, 3 and 4 p.m.

Story and Photos by Chris Guest