Horrid summertime wheat ale with diacetyl lemon-drop souring, acrid cabbage-asparagus nastiness, and dank metallic finish further disrupted by tannic white grape and green apple acidity.
SHIPYARD SIRIUS SUMMER WHEAT ALE
Moderate pale-toned white-headed summer ale with fresh-cut wheat afterburner loses refreshing citric zest due to incomplete fruit stimulation, flattened lemony hops, and lack of serious grain punch. Pleasant raspberry-blueberry-apricot tartness doesn’t quite linger enough below.
SHIPYARD PUMPKINHEAD ALE
Subtle autumnal pumpkin pie spiciness adjoins mild brown-sugared cinnamon-nutmeg-clove adjuncts. Watery finish depletes tangy lemon-orange drift, but this is a fine medium-bodied straw-hued crossover for pilsner-lager fans. 2012 re-tasting: Sunny lemon spritz and cinnamon-toasted pumpkin spicing increased volume over cardamom-coriander-ginger spicing as well as vinous green grape and cider nuances.
SHIPYARD PRELUDE SPECIAL ALE
Musty alcohol-fueled winter warmer ripens to sweet-tart red apple simmer with subsiding grain backbone losing out to dark-fruited prune-raisin sharpness. Upon ’08 re-tasting: astringent coffee-burnt walnut-cola nut divergence sidles ashen brown-sugared caramel-butterscotch sweetness, distant cherry-fig wisp, and negligible nutmeg-cinnamon spicing to metallic end.
(SHIPYARD) OLD THUMPER CASK CONDITIONED ALE
Beige-headed amber-bodied cask-conditioned ale offers soft-toned Vienna-styled pale malts, delicate spicy seasoning, and elegant sweet yeast persistence. Soothing finish remains clean, efficient, and mild.
(SHIPYARD) MYSTIC SEAPORT TAVERN BROWN ALE
Dry barley-roasted mocha-malted nuttiness quelled by disturbing acidic sourness. Overhwelming phenolic fizz disrupts caramelized butterscotch sweetness to lazily bitter-hopped finish. Inconsequential dirty-grained bottom laid to rest.
SHIPYARD LIGHT ALE
Dry muted fruitiness (unripe grape, green apple, pear, orange) and subtle nutty dissonance cut through diacetyl lemony hop fizz and slim barleycorn backbone of clear straw low calorie lightweight.
SHIPYARD INDIA PALE ALE
Expressive pine needled Fuggle-hopped IPA places bitter orange-grapefruit-lemon cortex above smoked peat moistening and dry vegetal whim. Grassy backdrop picks up latent spearmint-eucalyptus herbage.
SHIPYARD GOAT ISLAND LIGHT ALE
Underwhelming pale-hued white-headed ale retains fluffy light-watered texture, soft grain mouthfeel and gentle hop bed, lacking both true character and a ‘real’ finish. Next!
SHIPYARD FUGGLES I.P.A.
Sweet barley-wheat confluence and sour orange-grapefruit enliven musty bitter-hopped malt-scented pale ale. Subtly spiced dry finish lingers indubitably, picking up unexpected piney chamomile elegance.
SHIPYARD EXPORT ALE
Moldy apricot mustiness underscores candied butterscotch entry of sunset orange ale. At midst, barley-roasted toasted nuttiness and herbal nuances invigorate tidy tangerine-pineapple tang. Tiny black-dotted yeast sediment found at bottom probably sweetens the deal.
(SHIPYARD) CHAMBERLAIN PALE ALE
Soapy suds honoring Civil War hero Joshua Chamberlain fails to maintain honeyed citric splurge and toasted barleymalt follow-up. Bland hopping and blase’ mocha murk sink thin metallic medium body.