Shipyard Wheat Ale
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