ORTLAND, MAINE – (July 15, 2010) – Shipyard Brewing Company has released a limited quantity of cellar aged Smashed Pumpkin. This special beer is part of the Pugsley’s Signature Series and is available exclusively in 22 oz. bottles at the Shipyard Brewing Company Gift Shop at 86 Newbury St. in Portland, Maine while supplies last.

This brew was first released in October 2009 and a limited quantity has been aging from that brew.

“As this beer has aged, the depth of flavor has become richer and more complex,” noted master brewer Alan Pugsley. “This is a very smooth beer.”

The 22 oz. cellar aged Smashed Pumpkin bottles are stamped with a gold “Cellar Aged” sticker. This is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aromas of pumpkin and nutmeg.

Malt: Wheat, Pale Ale, Light Munich
Hops: Willamette, Hallertau
Yeast: Top-Fermenting English
Color: Coppery Orange
OG: 1.088
ABV: 9.0%
Food Pairings: Sharp Cheese, Lamb, Hearty Stews, and Flan
First Brewed: October 2009

Pugsley’s Signature Series is named after Alan Pugsley. His brewing career began in England where he worked under the tutelage of renowned brewer Peter Austin at the world-famous Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire. Pugsley moved to the United States in 1986 to consult on the construction of dozens of North American breweries before partnering with Fred Forsley at the Shipyard Brewing Company in 1992.

Shipyard is located on the historic waterfront in Portland, Maine and produces 16 varieties of award-winning English style and seasonal beers. Its products are distributed in over 35 states. This year, Shipyard was voted Maine’s Best Beer in Down East magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards, selected as Best Local Brewery in the Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram’s 24th Annual Audience Readers’ Poll and voted Best Beer in New England in NECN’s Baby You’re the Best! awards.

Note: this is a review of a promotional sample I received from Shipyard.

I’m not the biggest fan of beers brewed with a heavy amount of wheat — there’s just something about the aftertaste that doesn’t seem to sit right with me. It’s only been recently that I’ve found some well crafted products that use wheat as an additive instead of the primary ingredient and the latest offering from Shipyard is right along those lines.

This particular beer has a more subdued wheat presence that’s used more as a compliment to the variety of malts and hops used in the brewing process.

Appearance

The Wheat Ale pours a clear and clean golden amber in color with a small amount of white head.

Aroma

Surprisingly more malt in the nose than I would have expected, but there is a balanced, light wheat note, as well. The hops are a little more up front as well, giving the beer a very light citrus aroma (perhaps a characteristic of the new 04-188 hop variety used).

Taste

This is probably one of the more malty wheat beers I’ve had the opportunity to sample. The wheat is more in the front of the flavor profile as a light graininess, but lingers subtly in the maltier finish. There’s only the slightest bit of hop bitterness in there to balance out the sweetness. The mouthfeel is light and crisp and at about 4.5% ABV is pretty darn refreshing and drinkable.

Overall

Even though I enjoyed this maltier take on a wheat beer, I won’t be proclaiming it my favorite from the brewery any time soon — there are several other readily available products from Shipyard that I’d pick up first. That said, the beer was quite refreshing, light and crisp and did a nice job cooling me off on a warm, humid afternoon. I’d also recommend it to wheat beer fans that want to try something with a little more malt in the mix.

Rating: 3/5

PORTLAND, MAINE – (May 13, 2010) – Shipyard Brewing Company announces the release of Shipyard Wheat Ale. This new beer is available year-round in 6-packs, 12-packs and on draft.

Shipyard Wheat Ale is a crisp, refreshing, American style wheat ale with a soft golden color and nice copper hue.

This filtered wheat beer has 4.5% alcohol by volume and is made with 60% Malted Wheat and 30% Pale Ale Malt. There are touches of Light Munich and Caramunich Malts and a hint of Crystal Malt.

This beer is subtly hopped with Glacier and Hallertau Hops and an exciting new aroma hop called 04-188. Grown in the Pacific Northwest, this experimental hop is a hybrid of Cascade and Fuggles and is also used in dry hopping to give this beer a pleasing, earthy aroma.

“Shipyard Wheat Ale is a very intriguing beer. Immediately upon opening the bottle you smell the hop characteristics, which is a little unexpected in a wheat beer and is one of the qualities that sets this beer apart,” said sales and marketing manager Bruce Forsley. “Based on feedback we’ve received from customers, there is a desire for lower alcohol session style ales that do not sacrifice flavor, and this beer hits the mark.”

This beer pairs well with lobster, sushi, light fare and salads. The package features an iconic illustration of a mermaid in a harbor holding cool, refreshing Shipyard Wheat Ale to welcome a ship rounding its way into port.

Shipyard Wheat Ale is available across the Northeast and Florida. Distribution is expected to expand to other markets throughout the year.

In early April, XXXX IPA and Imperial Porter will both be available in four-packs. Until now, these award-winning beers have been available solely in 22-ounce bottles and on draft.

XXXX IPA is a non-traditional American IPA with a brilliant copper color and the classic citrus nose of Cascade Hops. This beer demonstrates a unique balance of malt-inspired, delicate red grapefruit sweetness and lingering hop dryness. In 2009, XXXX IPA won Silver Awards at the United States Open Beer Championships and Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival. This beer pairs well with Cajun dishes, blackened fish, and BBQ.

Malt: Malted Wheat, Pale Ale, Crystal, and Caramalt
Hops: Cascade, Warrior, Summit and Glacier
70 IBUs
OG: 1.092
ABV: 9.25%

Imperial Porter is a full bodied, very dark, malty beer with a good roasted character. The beer has an OG of 1.070, rounding out after fermentation with just a slight residual sweetness and cutting dry at the finish. In 2009, Imperial Porter took home a 2nd place Porter award at the West Coast Brewers Festival. This beer pairs well with meat dishes, shepherd’s pie, and stews.

Malt: Crystal, Chocolate and Black Patent
Hops: Warrior, English Fuggles, and East Kent Goldings
OG: 1.070
ABV: 7.1%

The new XXXX IPA and Imperial Porter four-packs will be available for a suggested retail price of $9.99 at specialty beer stores in New England, Florida and California. Retailers include Kappy’s Fine Wine & Spirits in Massachusetts, Total Wine & More in Florida, and BevMo! in California. Distribution is expected to expand to other markets in 2010.

Pugsley’s Signature Series is named after Shipyard’s master brewer, Alan Pugsley. Pugsley’s career began in England where he worked under the tutelage of renowned brewer Peter Austin at the world-famous Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire. Pugsley moved to the United States in 1986 to consult on the construction of dozens of North American breweries before partnering with Fred Forsley at the Shipyard Brewing Company in 1992.

To fully enjoy all the flavors, Pugsley’s Signature Series ales are best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Other beers in this series include Smashed Pumpkin and Barley Wine Style Ale. Two new beers are planned for 2010.

This brown ale from Shipyard Brewery was originally released back in 2006 under a slightly different name, but it appears as though the recipe has remained the same. I never had the opportunity to have this one until samples arrived from the brewery in the mail last week.

The description of the brew found within the press release points toward “…a nice smoky taste up front and a smooth, full body finishing with a crisp hop bite…” I got a bit of the roasted malt up front, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it smoky. At any rate, here’s the review.

Appearance

Brewer’s Brown pours a dark, rustic brown in color with a light tan head that faded to patchy lacing.

Aroma

There’s definitely a nice, roasted malt backbone with a semi-sweet caramel. There’s also a touch of butterscotch with light hops in the background.

Taste

This is a smooth, rich, medium bodied brown ale. The malts have a good roast with a light caramel in the mix. The finish is surprisingly dry with a lingering, subtle hop bitterness. It’s got plenty of depth with the mix of five varieties of malt. It’s well balanced and very easy to drink.

Overall

At 5.4% ABV, I can definitely see myself putting a few of these away in a sitting. Brewer’s Brown is a smooth, flavorful brew that’s got a good roasted malt base with a well balanced hop presence. My wife is a big fan of brown ales and this one got a solid thumbs up from her.

Rating: 3.5/5

This beer was first produced in 2006 when it was released as Brewer’s Choice Brown Ale. Due to popular demand for this beer, Shipyard has released this product as its permanent spring seasonal.

Brewer’s Brown Ale is a full-bodied, dark brown ale made with five different malts and three varieties of hops. Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Roasted Barley and Wheat Malts combine to give this beer a nice smoky taste up front and a smooth, full body finishing with a crisp hop bite at the back. Hops used in this brew are English Challenger, Fuggles, and East Kent Goldings at the finish. Brewer’s Brown Ale has 5.4% alcohol by volume.

In 1986, Shipyard’s master brewer, Alan Pugsley, moved to Maine from Hampshire, England where he worked at the world-famous Ringwood Brewery with Peter Austin.

In tribute to Austin, the Brewer’s Brown Ale package depicts him at ease in the brew house raising a glass to his fellow brewers. In England, black cats are a symbol of good luck and this package also features Austin’s brew house cat, Bridget.

Shipyard Brewing Company is located on the historic waterfront in Portland, Maine and produces 15 varieties of award-winning English style and seasonal beers. Its products are distributed in over 35 states.

Appearance

From my original notes and what’s left of my memory, the cellar aged beer pours just a bit darker than it did a year ago with a dense tan head.

Aroma

The barley wine smells just as earthy as it did fresh with a nice herb presence (clove perhaps). There’s not much of the booziness that I originally noted in the beer.

Taste

The nose hasn’t changed much over nearly a year, but the taste has matured nicely. The earthy maltness still dominates the palate with a semi-sweetness, but there’s something else in the mix. For some reason I keep picking up a subtle chocolate in the background. It’s got to be a result of the malts mellowing with age, but I’m not entirely sure. It certainly adds a whole new layer of depth to the beer.

Overall

This barley wine is still a stand out example of the style and the new chocolate element only adds to its complexity. The time in the bottle has mellowed the alcohol a good deal (not that the beer was that hot to begin with). I’d be hard pressed to pick either the fresh or vintage bottles, but I think I’m more partial to the bolder flavors of a new bottle. That said, I still enjoyed the hell out of the beer.

Rating: 3.5/5

PORTLAND, MAINE – (November 5, 2009) – Shipyard Brewing Company has released a limited quantity of cellar aged Barley Wine Style Ale. This beer was first released in October 2008 as the inaugural brew in the company’s Pugsley’s Signature Series line. A limited quantity has been aging for about 10 months and is available now through December, while supplies last.

“As this beer has aged, the flavors have developed to become more complex,” noted master brewer Alan Pugsley.

The 22 oz. cellar aged Barley Wine Style Ale bottles are stamped with a gold “Cellar Aged” sticker. This beer can be found on shelves in New England in Florida in single 22 oz. bottles and in the new Pugsley’s Signature Series 4-bottle sampler pack.

Read more about the new sampler pack at this link.

Barley Wine Style Ale is a big beer made with six different malts (Pale Ale, Crystal, Caramunich, Wheat, Chocolate and Roasted Barley) and balanced with a very full hop charge of Summit, Challenger and Fuggles hops. It is a deep reddish brown color with a complex fruity nose, a very full body, and an interesting balance between grains and hops which ends with a pleasing dry taste. To fully enjoy all the flavors, this ale is best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This beer pairs particularly well with dark chocolate and sharp cheeses, such as Stilton. OG: 1.088, ABV: 8.5%.

Pugsley’s Signature Series is named after Shipyard’s master brewer, Alan Pugsley. Pugsley’s career began in England where he worked under the tutelage of renowned brewer Peter Austin at the world-famous Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire. Pugsley moved to the United States in 1986 to consult on the construction of dozens of North American breweries before partnering with Fred Forsley at the Shipyard Brewing Company in 1992.

Shipyard Brewing Company is located on the historic waterfront in Portland, Maine and produces more than 15 varieties of award-winning English style and seasonal beers. Its products are distributed in over 35 states.

Shipyard Brewing Company Releases Pugsley’s Signature Series 22 oz. Sampler Pack

PORTLAND, MAINE – (October 29, 2009) – Shipyard Brewing Company has released its popular Pugsley’s Signature Series collection in a four bottle sampler box. This sampler pack contains one each of the four 22 oz. Pugsley’s Signature Series beers.

This series is named after Shipyard’s master brewer, Alan Pugsley. Pugsley’s career began in England where he worked under the tutelage of renowned brewer Peter Austin at the world-famous Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire. Pugsley moved to the United States in 1986 to consult on the construction of dozens of North American breweries before partnering with Fred Forsley at the Shipyard Brewing Company in 1992.

The four beers in the Pugsley’s Signature Series sampler collection are Smashed Pumpkin, XXXX IPA, Imperial Porter, and Barley Wine Style Ale.

This particular bottle was enjoyed with a coworker while grilling dinner a couple of weekends ago. Normally, I’d hold off on trying a beer like this (9% ABV) later in the evening, but we decided to throw caution to the wind and it actually turned out crisp and mellow enough to enjoy outside on a warmish afternoon.

Appearance

Smashed Pumpkin pours an orangish amber in color with a small amount of head that faded slowly.

Aroma

This one has a great pumpkin aroma that’s not too strong or overly sweet. There’s a beefy spice presence that’s heavy on the nutmeg.

Taste

Depending on my mood at the time, I usually lean more towards the more pie-like pumpkin ales available. As circumstances would have it, Smashed Pumpkin’s clean and not-too-sweet character were the perfect match for outdoor enjoyment. The pumpkin flavors are light and crisp while the spices mix in smoothly. The higher alcohol was potent, but real noticeable on the tongue. It was only after we brought in the pork tenderloin from off the grill that we realized it had crept up on us a bit.

Overall

Shipyard has added another fine example to their higher end product line. I will admit, it’s not my favorite of the group, but then again, with the beers already there, it really never stood a chance at claiming the crown. Smashed Pumpkin is another tasty option out there for you pumpkin beer fans.

Rating: 3.5/5