Shipyard Summer Ale - Shipyard Brewing Co.

GratefulBeerGuy

New Hampshire

1.83/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

It looks good, golden bubbles, light, fluffy head, not crazy active and then seems to mellow a bit too much.

The aroma is basically a funky, buttery, yeastie aroma that smells more like sour-sweet malt. a metallic tangy, wheat aroma seems interesting with honey and butter maltiness in the nose. Strange to say the least.

The flavor is all about the infamous, interesting and bazaar house yeast, it's too dominating in this style, sometimes it works, the Wormwwood yeast is fine in the bluefin stout and some others but in this delicate style, it just doesn't work. It seemd way too malty, with buttered bread and honey that is too cloying and relaxed. The yeast does not provide a criapy snap and also a rather funky, aftertaste. It's just not clean enough for a simple Summer brew, and there are so very nice summer brews out there! Sorry, guys i just cannot finish this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2010 22:54:14 | More by GratefulBeerGuy

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

1.93/5  rDev -36.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Pale amber color, brief head, virtually no aroma.
"Special Ale", they say, but I'm scratching my head to find out what's so special about it...not a damn thing, I'm sorry to say. Summer ales are normally weizens or kolschs, but this bears earmarks of neither.
There's a touch of texture, a tiny hint of body...but this ale is practically nothing incarnate. Maybe I'm supposed to be playing poker with the buds, smoking cigars, and saying "Damn, this is great" because it's not Bud Light, but I'm not, so that doesn't matter.
Am I supposed to be mowing the lawn? Would that help?
At any rate, there's absolutely nothing to be enjoyed here.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2003 00:37:48 | More by feloniousmonk

PittBeerGirl

Pennsylvania

1.93/5  rDev -36.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

A- Body is a crystal clear golden yellow that pours with a 1 finger white head that fades pretty quickly leaving a thick collar. Little lacing is left behind in the glass. Bubbles can be seen rising to the top also.

S-Nose is really hard to pick up in this brew. Citrus comes through first with a sweet pale malt background.

T- There is almost nothing upfront in the flavor. I can pick up some faint pale malt. The finish is where it gets nasty. Out of nowhere a big seltzer water bitterness comes forward overshadowing anything present before. This bitterness lingers on and on.

M- Cloying carbonation and somewhat thin body. Not done very well.

D- I really hope that this beer doesn't always taste like this but form reading other reviews it still doesn't seem very impressive. I'm not a fan of seltzer water.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2008 17:32:15 | More by PittBeerGirl

JohnnyM2002

Maryland

1.95/5  rDev -35.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Not impressed with the summer ale from Shipyard. It sounded like opening a Pepsi when I popped the top. Poured a sickly brown color with a smell to match. It left a bitter/sour taste in my mouth and I struggled to get malt down. Wasn't smooth going down, either. I'll stick to Old Thumper.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2006 13:18:14 | More by JohnnyM2002

cnally

Indiana

1.98/5  rDev -34.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

This guy is a weak pale orange color in the body, with a fizzy white head that falls down instantly and sits like a thin film.

A musty wheat based aroma, like an adjunct type beer full of grain--little to no hop character in the smell. Very wet dog-ish.

Immediately sour flavor. The problem is, the beer just cannot kick that sourness and the finish is a kick in the teeth of skunky corn and wheat. No true malt character at all, while there is a bite from the hops. Out of balance, unfortunately.

The mouthfeel is the strongest aspect of the beer, with a crisp, fizzy but not too fizzy feel.

Did I just get a skunk here? The bitterness is almost cleaning solution-esque, it is weird. I would not recommend this to anyone as long as this bottle isn't an anomaly.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2010 01:22:35 | More by cnally

Mardukk

Ohio

2/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a cloudy deep golden color with no head or lacing.

Smells of a wheaty beer with a touch of lemon finishing with an odd skunky smell.

A buttery harsh grainy taste attack the rear sides of your tongue. A hint of oily mettalic aftertaste lingers.

Heavier than your typical summer beer and much more harsh. Not terribly drinkable with the heaviness and harsh grain taste.

Overall, the worst "summer" beer I've ever had due to the oddly heavy body, buttery stale taste and high carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2009 23:54:43 | More by Mardukk

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Summer beers have a weird way of being just too light on all levels. This Pale ale could have probably used just a little bit more in the mash or just less water. I say this because I that most people who are willing to try this beer want something better than average. This brew falls under par for me because it's too much like a generic run of the mill Ale from a major brewery. Yellow, Clear, and light bodied.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 04:15:39 | More by Knapp85

gwfrankpsu

California

2.05/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

If you want a summer beer, try a good wheat - this was very disappointing

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2001 11:39:12 | More by gwfrankpsu

badenglishihave

Massachusetts

2.05/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Typical summer ale. Pleasant but not especially stand-outish.

S: Not great. Slightly sweet, metallic smell.

T: Poor taste. Has a bite and a metallic aftertaste that resembles the smell.

M: Typical summer body, not bad.

D: Lighter than some comparable wheat beers.

Bottom line: Not really worth it.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2009 21:09:12 | More by badenglishihave

SunDevilBeer

Massachusetts

2.1/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Was served this beer at a recent cookout.

I had low expectations for this beer and I got it.

1st smell was the signature Shityard diacetyl. Yuck. Anyway, i drank it so I didn't have to smell it any more.

More of the same butter and caramel in the taste. Seeing that this is a summer beer, it's tough to drink given the uneven hops and awkward lemon taste.

I shrugged this down to be a polite guest, but this is a terrible summer beer. Yuck.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 01:11:21 | More by SunDevilBeer

Bendurgin

Maine

2.15/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured into a pint glass. Pours a clear golden straw color with a fizzy white head that disappears almost as soon as it shows up.

Ugh, nothing here except that damn ringwood yeast Shipyard seems to love. It's just sweet. It's like syrupy berries. Nothing in the aroma give any indications that this would be a tasty pale ale. Again on the pallet the yeast is to much of a big player. It adds a sweetness that doesn't seem to fit in. Finishes a little bitter but this seriously just seems like a mess.

Well, the worst thing about the mouthfeel is that the taste is on your tongue. Otherwise it's a relatively light body with ample carbonation. Overall this isn't good. Grab a Narragansette or at least a Sam over this guy. Lots of better summer offerings out there.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 03:48:37 | More by Bendurgin

BierReise

Florida

2.23/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This beer nearly sucks. In fact I'm not even going to finish it. Clear light gold with thin creamy white head. Almost no retention at all. Sour Wheat aroma with little hop presence. Slightly sweet and sourwith dry bitter flavors. Big dissapointment in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2003 02:34:06 | More by BierReise

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

2.23/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottle: Poured a golden color ale with a small bubbly white head with limited retention. Aroma of weak malt with some yeast. Taste of weak wheat malt is overall quite boring with again a weird and off taste of yeast coming through. Light hops at the end provide a dry aftertaste. Definitely boring for a style that doesn’t produce much in term of great beers.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2007 17:11:05 | More by Phyl21ca

Drew966

Florida

2.25/5  rDev -26%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Shipyard Summer Ale pours a light orange color with a white head from a brown twelve ounce bottle. The smell is diacetyl/ butterscotch. Taste is pure butterscotch, maybe a little citrus torward the finish. Not my thing, I really just don't dig their yeast which is where this butterscotch taste is coming from. If you dig ringwood yeast flavors, this is your brew. Otherwise, avoid.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2006 22:13:59 | More by Drew966

Naes

New York

2.25/5  rDev -26%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

This ale pours out a clear copper color with a small white head.
The aroma is nothing much to speak of, just a bit of grain and a faint trace of hops.
The taste department is just as it smells. There is a solid grainy flavor up front followed by a mild hop addition. This is very mild for an American Pale Ale.
The mouth feel is a bit watered down and moderately carbonated.
This reminds me more of a lager than an APA.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2006 00:01:20 | More by Naes

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

2.25/5  rDev -26%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Undated bottle purchased as part of a mixed 12 pack at Happy Harry's, Grand Forks South. Served at 4C into a sleeve.

A: Straw yellow and clear with two fingers of white head that top quickly and leave a touch of lacing.
S: Mustiness, apple juice. Not much else.
T: Corny sweetness, apple juice, hint of diacetyl. Bleah.
M: Sweetness lingers, decently well carbonated.
O: Meh. I'd rather drink BMC lagers than this. I assume its old being a summer ale and all, but they were still selling them.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 04:01:07 | More by kjyost

fitzy84

Massachusetts

2.28/5  rDev -25%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

The beer poured with a clear, pale yellow appearance with some nice lacing and a thin head. Aromas were really odd and out of place. Very weak citrus with a really yeasty texture. Somewhat metallic hints as well; just very off and imbalanced. Taste is similar: strong metallic aftertaste with bitter-salty flavoring. No real biscuity aspects and very minor citrus. Mouthfeel is quenching and refreshing. A little watery though. Overall, really unbalanced drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2008 02:48:07 | More by fitzy84

changeup45

Florida

2.3/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

5/23/2005. Ok, I've now tried quite a few Shipyard selections (they're easy to get here) with various styles and I think it's safe to say I'm not really a fan of this brewery. Thinking back I can't think of one beer from them I thought was really good and only a few that were in the average/good range (Brown Ale, IPA). This one unfortunately is no different. Golden colored, decent sized white foamy head. Little lacing. Malty aroma with a sweet, malty, caramel taste. This isn't really even that refreshing. Didn't even like it on the golf course and that's saying something.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2008 19:38:20 | More by changeup45

masterbruewer

Ohio

2.33/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured a golden brown with a medium white head, moderate carbonation and some particals floating in it. Decent lacing.

The smell is malty and fruity with harsh citrusy background.

The flavor is not impressive, but not bad. A mix of malt and floral hop tastes, maybe a little off-flavor in this bottle.

The mouthfeel is a little harsh with carbonation and hop bite.

Drinkability is a little below average. There's just something a little off about this beer that doesn't seem to sit well.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2004 02:02:51 | More by masterbruewer

garymuchow

Minnesota

2.4/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Dull and flat aroma with minimal pale malt. (corn? diacytel?)
Little to no head, fizzy and quick disappearance. Dark gold. Clear.
Bit sour on first sip. Malt backing is very mild. Just not much flavor at all. Bitterness on finish.
Fully carbonated. Thin and watery.
Maybe my sample is old (dated Oct '03 for consumption). Just not impressive at all.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2003 04:26:31 | More by garymuchow

dsa7783

New Jersey

2.42/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Single, twelve ounce bottle just purchased from Total Wine and More in West Orange for $1.49...
Pours a clean, clear, lucid, light-copper, golden-colored hue with a decent-sized foamy and frothy head that quickly dissipated and left a minimal amount of lacing around the edge of the glass...
Faint aroma replete with wheat, citrus, and lemons...
Taste was putrid - hands down, one of the worst examples of the style that I've sampled in a while... Bitter, astringent, weak, watery, and light without too much going on in the flavor department...
Bland, watered-down mouthfeel with a below-average level of drinkability...
Not recommended at all...

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2008 15:50:05 | More by dsa7783

saintwarrick

South Carolina

2.45/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Summer is great for all the wheat and summer ales. and here is another one. Pours an highly carbonated amber with a great head that is constantly replenished. Good looking beer. Aroma is a biscuity malt with a slice of lemon and an unwelcome metallic astringent characteristic that brings down the beer. Taste is not much better, dry and malty but metallic. There are just so many better summer ales (Sam Adams, Anchor) out there, or hefe weizens (any from Germany), that you should probably take a pass on this one. Not awful, but forgettable.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2007 10:26:13 | More by saintwarrick

leif86

California

2.45/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Had on tap at the Squealing Pig in Boston.

Poured a hazy golden color with a thin white head that dissipated quickly. Smells metallic with a slight hint of malt. Again, tastes metallic from the start... you start to pick up some floral notes and hops but the metallic taste stay with you to the end. Quite smooth despite the poor taste. I would not recommend this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2008 05:22:43 | More by leif86

TommyW

Massachusetts

2.45/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A- Cloudy yellow with a tall white head.

S- Not much here; some buttery malts maybe a little fruit.

T- Thin buttery malt flavors with a kinda odd twang to it. A very faint herbal quality towards the finish.

M- Very light body with a crisp carbonation.

D- For a pale ale, I get almost no pale malts and very little hop character. This reminds me more of an adjunct beer; definitely no a summer beer I'd have again.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 20:03:06 | More by TommyW

Todd

Massachusetts

2.48/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12oz brown bottle. Best before Aug 05.

Slightly cloudy pale, yellowy, straw colored topped with a pure white, thick and frothy foam head with a bit of sticking lace. Respectable retention.

Big diacetyl nose – buttery, just like popcorn with butter and salt. And that’s it. Just butter.

Odd mouthfeel. Light and slightly carbonated, like a can of seltzer water that’s left open overnight – both in feel and flavor. Light twang. A bit tannic and rough around the edges. More diacetyl and a grainy husk character that clashes and creates a mess all over the palate. Quick flash of soft citric hop bitterness gets lost in the heavy butteriness. Some coarseness and hints of dry bubble-gum. Weak finish, dry and dull.

A bit more backbone than other weak summer offerings, but it still lacks and comes across as yet another lackluster summer seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2005 22:08:58 | More by Todd