Having a brother-in-law who does web work for this Maine based brewery has its benefits. It seems every time we see my sister and her family, he’s got a case of Export Ale or, my favorite, Bluefin Stout waiting for us. I generally like the Shipyard beers. I’ve had a good number of them upon visiting Portland, ME or picking up a six pack here or there. I had never seen the Fuggles IPA, though, until recently.
Aroma
This IPA, like most beers of this style, smells hoppy and bitter. There is a little citrus and spice floating in the nose as well.
Appearance
Poured in a Shipyard Export Ale pint glass, the beer is deep amber with active carbonation. The head was foamy and large.
Taste
The beer is quite refreshing for a single hop brew. There’s a bit of tartness and crispness to it. I also got a smokey finish, but that may have been due to a peppery spice.
Overall
I enjoyed this one, and can easily see myself polishing off a few of these in a sitting, but there wasn’t much to set this one apart from the large IPA crowd. It would make a nice session beer on a warm summer afternoon. Rating: 3/5
