Sunday, June 30, 2019

A-tisket, a-tasket, a 15-beer basket: Funky Picnic now open in Fort Worth

Funny Accent, an English ESB, is one of many classic styles
on tap at Funky Picnic (Photo: © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Currently in the midst of a soft opening event, Funky Picnic Brewery & Café is now serving up its brand of beer and bites in the Near Southside neighborhood of Fort Worth.

The first day of operations was on Wednesday, June 26, but judging by the full house seated at the brewpub on Saturday, many are getting their first taste of what Funky Picnic has to offer this weekend. Naturally, house-made beer and food are the main attractions, but Funky Picnic's location on Bryan Ave. has an added benefit.

Indeed, one aspect many will find appealing is Funky Picnic's proximity to three other breweries: Rahr & Sons Brewing Co., HopFusion Ale Works and The Collective Brewing Project. Couple that with its full-service food aspect, and Funky Picnic could well be viewed as ground zero for a Fort Worth family beer gathering. Imagine fueling up at Funky Picnic prior to spending the day on a self-guided tour of its brewery brethren.

A family-friendly lounge just off the front entrance of Funky Picnic is stocked with a variety of toys, book and games (left).
Fermenters in the brewhouse feature names of former Texas Rangers like Nolan 'Ryan', 'Pudge' Rodriquez and Rusty 'Greer' (right).
(Photos: © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D, click images to enlarge).

Of course, you'll want to have a beer at Funky Picnic first, where upwards of 15 rotating selections will be on tap once the brewpub is at full capacity. Expect a mix of classic and creative styles to be the norm, with tasters, half-pours and full pints being available.

Should you go the taster route, choose a standard flight of four or, better yet, opt for "The Whole Picnic." The latter is appropriately served in a 15-slot wooden taster tray fashioned in the shape of a picnic basket. This accoutrement, like other wood furnishings found at Funky Picnic, was crafted by a Forth Worth design and woodworking company called Brother Sister Design.

As for what's on tap at the moment, spot-on standards include Vibes (German kölsch-style lager), You Wanted a Wit (Belgian witbier) and Funny Accent (English ESB). Though, if you're looking for something slightly more whimsical, you can't go wrong with the tasty Belgian Waffle (Belgian tripel with maple syrup).

Still to come, head brewer Michael Harper has a pilsner and a Mexican-style lager on deck, and he's also working to restock two IPAs that sold out early on. From there, new recipes will appear as Funky Picnic preps its portfolio for grand opening festivities on July 20.

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