12x12 is a new series dedicated to reviewing 12-packs of 12 ounce cans or bottles. Inspired by my guide to garage beer, 12-packs are often the workhorse of the beer fridge. The beer you bring to a cookout or grab on the way to a party. This series honors craft flagships, seasonal classics, and imported examples of classic styles.
Beers included: Thunder Funk IPA
Purchased: 1 February 2025
Purchase Price: $19.99
Initial impression: After reviewing a sample pack for my first 12 x 12 review I wanted to review a 12-pack of one beer. I picked this 12-pack up at a liquor store in Salem with a modest craft beer selection. I was on my way back from Notch. Having some IPAs in the fridge would be a nice contrast to the cans of lager I had just picked up.
Buying this 12-pack from a smaller store was also a bit of an extra stress test. How fresh is the beer? More importantly, how fresh will it taste?
I used to drink a lot more Bent Water beer. Their original Head Brewer was a friend, and I was acquainted with the owner. I haven’t seen either in years, so that will not color my impressions of the liquid. As I recall, Thunder Funk was one of Bent Water's launch beers when the brewery opened in 2016. This was when hazy IPA was the domain of a few brewers. Thunder Funk is definitely a West Coast IPA. A style that is having a bit of a resurgence as of late.
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| I tried deciphering this date code. |
Package Date: None (there is a date code and batch number on the can)
Aroma: Lots of citrus, some pine.
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| Huge frothy head. No iceman pour here. |
Appearance: Yellow to gold, some haze - hazy for a west coast but not a fault. Thick rocky head with good retention.
Flavor: Hop flavor and bitterness both quite high. Hop flavor quite citrusy, bitter orange and grapefruit zest. Malt flavor is low, some bread and toast, but you have to look for it. Fermentation fairly clean, if maybe a little more estery than most Chico beers.
Mouthfeel: Medium body and carbonation. Finish dry and sticky.
Overall: Might be the most brash IPA in Massachusetts. Feels every bit of 83 IBUs. Thinking of just local IPAs, Thunder Funk probably has the biggest hop punch in terms of both flavor and bitterness. Wormtown Be Hoppy might be the closest, with Wormtown beer being smoother around the edges and probably more drinkable. I will have to review that beer sometime soon.
My palate did acclimate a bit to the bitterness. The 7.3% ABV snuck up on me. Two cans on a weeknight is probably the most I would want to have. If I was out on a weeknight, I’d probably slow down with a lower alcohol beer if I wanted to stay out for for more than a couple beers.
Keep this beer in your fridge if you like a big, bold West Coast IPA. If you like Lagunitas IPA, this isn’t a million miles away as a fresher, local example if you live in the area. Thunder Funk is probably a little more tropical with more hop aroma. Maybe you want to buy a 12-pack and have it last a couple of weeks drinking a few at a time. If you bring a 12-pack of Thunder Funk to a party, please don’t drive unless you are sharing.
I am interested to see how different "shelf beer" IPAs available in the 12-pack format compare.
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