Shipyard Old Thumper - Shipyard Brewing Co.

TryThemAllOnce

California

4.4/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was predictably going to like this if it was done well, as I have always enjoyed the style. Did not disappoint! Wonderful cinnamon color, clear and sparkling looking through the pint glass, with about one finger of foam, that lasted a minute or so.

Aroma was quite pleasant, sweet with a bit of peppery spice. And the taste, wow... very well balanced with maltiness, crisp hop finish. It made my tongue happy. You can taste the alcohol bite just enough, and the flavors linger well after the glass was empty.

I enjoyed this beer, and will definitely buy again. Think I will have another one now.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 02:31:21 | More by TryThemAllOnce

bagpiper2005

Idaho

3.65/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pour: Clear, effervescent bright yellow-orange color. Two fingers of tan head with average retention and some streaks of lacing on the glass.

Smell: Hints of citrus/lemon, pale malt, and some butterscotch.

Taste: A bit of lemon kicks things off up front which then fades into a sweet pale and caramel malt taste. Slightly yeasty middle which then fades into a light piney hop bitterness. Dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium with medium to high carbonation. Very clean.

Drinkability/Overall: Very sessionable and easy to drink. Has a refreshing quality to it.

Final Notes: A solid choice for a session or summertime beer. Not too filling, you could easily have a few of these in a setting. Not the best ESB I've ever had, but it really hits the spot after working up a sweat doing the Lindy Hop!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 04:49:54 | More by bagpiper2005

Waltherpk380

Florida

3.78/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured this into a pint glass, nice amber color, when you put your nose to this beer you can really smell the sweetness of the malts, and when you taste it it's like a wave of delicious carmel and toffee-butterscotchyness! finishes with a very slight bitterness from the hop presence, i'm loving this brew!

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 01:46:13 | More by Waltherpk380

pavandal

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured a deep golden color with no head. Slight oily layer on the top of the glass, but not really.

Raisin and caramel scents, with a rusty quality as well. Not awful, but certainly not stand out.

Flavors are similar to the scents, with more caramel than raisin.

Overall, this isn't too bad of a brew, and is a fairly accurate representation of the style. It just doesn't "stand out" enough to be a "wow" beer!

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 00:10:30 | More by pavandal

DrinkingDrake

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A not quite clear amber color(slightly darker) with a descent amount of head that didn't immediately lace out. It stuck around for a little while. A toasty nose with some earthy/dirt hops. Also some light fruity yeast characteristics. A solid malt base slightly roasted caramel with a toasty tingle. Sweetness. Some dry hop earth with a good bitter kick. Finishes wet and bitter with malt notes sticking around with the hops.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 17:24:24 | More by DrinkingDrake

magine

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a nonic.

Pours a clear, bubbly carbonated copper colored brew. White head settles to a fluffy island and leaves some spotty lace. Average looking brew.

Brew has a light nose; biscuit malts, maybe some caramel. Really not much here. Average - at best.

Brew is light and medium bodied. Very light malts, biscuit, bread slight caramel. Yikes very light flavored. Average at best again.

This is a very unoffensive brew, goes down like water, just has nothing really going on with it. A very ho hum experience.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 00:56:29 | More by magine

cjgator3

Florida

2.4/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

12oz bottle

Best before July 2011 notched on the label.

A- Pours a clear copper color with a nice off-white head.
 
S- The aroma is sweet malt, caramel, toffee and butterscotch with some fruity esters.

T- The taste has a high level of sweetness up front with malt, butterscotch, caramel and some hops in the finish. The taste is a bit too sweet and "syrupy" for my liking.

M- The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

D- Overall, I'm not a fan of this beer. It is too sweet for my taste.  

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 02:57:55 | More by cjgator3

Ryanm1

Pennsylvania

2.53/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

This beer was poured factory direct from a 22oz bottle into a pint glass. A moderate amount of head was found after poured.

The beer was light copper in color when poured.

This is a non-traditional English bitter which really tasted the part. This beer was incredibly bitter, and a bit lighter than I would expect in color akin to a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

The smell was fruity, with a dry finish. The ABV on this beer was 5.8% which was slightly higher than a normal domestic beer. It also comes in cask condition. Mouthfeel is nothing better than average and taste is a hair below average. Drinkability is moderate as the alcohol content is slightly above average and the beer has a lighter feel, but the bitterness cuts down on the need for several.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 23:08:43 | More by Ryanm1

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.23/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass, the beer is a very slightly hazed amber color, with a beginning foamy, light head that quickly retreats to a thin film. Aromas are hoppy, sour malt, a little tart, and a slight soap residue smell (don't think that was supposed to be there). The beer is a somewhat malty-caramel flavor of foundation, but sour instead of sweet, which is odd and unique. Slightly hopped flavors in the background, as well as some fruity characteristics. The body is round and smooth, but also carbonated enough to have a crisp edge to the finish. The aftertaste is slightly sour, and has a minimal linger. This has some unique flavors and body characteristics that make it a sipper, and not necessarily one that needs a follow-up. I would take this as a one and done beer, and move on to a different brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2011 05:29:55 | More by GarthDanielson

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours pale copper color w soft white foam enough to cover full layer. Fruity nose, sweet. Pleasant. Light even taste with decent mellow closing hop. Fruit in the front. Tasty. Slight lingering bitter. Good carbonation. Decent brew, easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2011 01:09:08 | More by KTCamm

Mancer

New York

3.33/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The bottle poured out a golden yellow body with a half finger high white head. The head quickly dissipated to a thin halo of lace. The initial aromas were a blend of barley, corn and wheat. The initial flavors were barley, wheat, light fruit sweetness which progressed to a light caramel malt. Not much on the hop front or after taste as this vanishes from the pallet. It had a light body with medium carbonation.

This was an ok beer but was a little dominant on the grain flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 00:54:36 | More by Mancer

e11iott

New York

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: 12 oz bottle, Dark amber in color almost red, small amount of head, medium lacing.

S: Sweet smell and of earthy malts hops.

T/M: Smooth beer, medium carbonation, strong hops aftertaste that hides the alcohol.

D: This was better warmer, would recommend this to almost everyone.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2011 05:08:40 | More by e11iott

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a single bottle from Total Wine and More, in Raleigh, NC.
12 oz. brown long neck, blue label with Ringwood Brewery and a red banner with "OLD THUMPER". Best Before Date marked on label. Hand brewed and bottled by Shipyard Brewing Co.
Dark amber color with a short but thick head, foam lasts and sticks well. Smell is on the sweeter side with malt, and fruity esters, light hoppiness. Solid malt flavor base, lots of bready grain and biscuit. More fruity sweetness follows, decent amount of hop flavor to finish. Medium body, low but appropriate carbonation, dry finish. A nice example of an ESB, sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 05:28:40 | More by BigBry

drtth

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As poured the beer is a clear copper/orange color with a 1" white head that recedes slowly producing some nice lace. For much of the beer sipping leaves some scattered patterns of lacing but eventually the head recedes to a small ring around the glass.

Smell: The aroma has a nice caramel and buttered bread character along with some earthy hops in the background.

Taste: The flavors are much as expected from the nose, with some caramel and slightly buttery sweetness from the malt and yeast leading the way and being followed by earthy hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is medium to light bodied and slightly soft with moderate carbonation. The finish begins in the caramel/toffee sweetness which fades first leaving the hops and their gently earthy bitterness to finish with a lingering dryness.

Drinkability: I thought this one nicely drinkable. Each sip followed easily from the last and I would have liked a second one. I expect I'll be trying this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 16:46:28 | More by drtth

JosiahS

California

3.45/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

glass: pint

a: Dark orange color, almost completely clear. Frothy 2-finger head. Light splashy lacing.

s: Cherry juice, slightly herbal and citric, dry.

t: Balanced. Cherry, citric hops, somewhat sour, bitter snap at the end.

m: smooth, light, low-ish carbonation. Dry on the finish.

d: It's ok, very general and plain. Wouldn't buy this again but would take it over any macro at a bar.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2010 23:57:18 | More by JosiahS

donniecuffs

New Jersey

3.15/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured amber-copper, with very little off-white head, poor retention, and very little carbonation. Earthy, woody, caramel nose. The taste revealed a deep herbal bitterness, mixed with earthy/woodiness and dates, and ending on a semi-dry note. Very, very subtle apple/pear nuances. Medium thickness, with no carbonation. The flavor profile is not incredibly conducive to sessioning, as I felt like I had to battle through the earthiness at times.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2010 02:02:01 | More by donniecuffs

PintOHops

California

3.9/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Glass - Nonic

A - Moderate-high C02 can be seen. It's got a copper color with an almost clear look, and it produced a 2-finger head that held pretty well. It left spots on my glass and held a nice looking ring atop for the entire consumption.

S - Overall I get a somewhat strong aroma of lemon rind and candied fruit, like dates and raisins. There's a bit of a musky cracker like quality underneath the citrus and candied like aroma as well. Herbal hop notes become pronounced as it warms.

T - A really nicely balanced flavor profile of lemon citrus notes along with tort plum and a nice cracker and biscuit like finish. Bitterness is mild but definitely helps balance out the beer well. I also get herbal, grassy hop characteristics.

M - Soft-moderately crisp with a smooth almost creamy feel and a medium body.

D - I thought this was a nice beer to kick back with and have a few, it's pretty darn drinkable especially if you got a nice meal with it. I like ESB's but not the extremely sweet ones, and this one does a good job of keeping balance. I'd drink it again sometime and maybe buy it again, try it out. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2010 00:12:55 | More by PintOHops

bishopdc0

Maine

3.98/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This appears a nice golden amber with a pretty nice lace especially for a cask.

The aroma is full of butty toasted sugar cookies

The taste is like a normal thumper but with a slight almost brandy characteristic with loads of malt flavor. very nice

Serving type: cask

12-14-2010 22:13:27 | More by bishopdc0

Stunner97

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- brown to amber in color with thin tan head, slight carbonation streams, up glass

Smell- nice citrus and malty nose, very slight hop, overall interesting you,

Taste- apples very citrus y up front, nice malt in the middle and just enough hop bitterness on the back end to create very nice balanced brew, has prefect balance of malt and hops on the end, wouldn't call this the most complex beer but certainly enjoyable,

Mouthfeel- medium to full bodied with good amount carbonation, very crisp feel

Drinkability- very drinkable as its balance is possibly its strongest point, the bitterness of hops is certainly there on the finish but never gets to strong or overbearing, certainly a very nice session beer that I would consider visiting again

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 21:50:36 | More by Stunner97

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I have heard a lot about this beer, and was delighted to finally find it. Aroma is strong, crisp and malty with a fruity and yeasty undertone. It pours a nice clear golden amber with an ample fluffy white head that sticks around for a bit. Flavor is malty and yeasty with floral, hoppy and sweet fruity hints. There is a slightly bitter undertone that complements the other flavors nicely. Texture is tingly and smooth, leaving behind a nice fizz. Extra Special? You betcha!

A toast to our veterans! Happy Remembrance/Veteran's Day!

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 03:12:12 | More by Cyberkedi

decadance

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - In between an amber and a golden. Lots of head with pretty lacing.

S - A bit bland here. Really only pick up some biscuit malts.

T - Almost like the smell. Its an esb, which is sort of neutral to begin with. A little tiny hop up front

M - I do not like how this finishes. It coats the palate, almost deafens it.

D - Eh, I could have more, I just don't want more.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2010 19:55:43 | More by decadance

jsanford

Georgia

3.38/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass

A - Clear copper with a creamy white head. Nice retention, no real lacing.
S - Sweet, buttery malts and earthy hops.
T - More buttery biscuit malts and some toffee, with a bitter, earthy hop finish. Much better as it warms up.
M - Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation. The butter really coats the palate.
D - Pretty drinkable, I got this in a mixed 12-pack. I'd be happy to get this is a mix again, but wouldn't seek out a sixer of just this.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2010 19:56:24 | More by jsanford

Mosstrooper

California

3.93/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Re-posting: I did not have the UK Version, so I am moving my review.

Sampled on August 10, 2010.

Poured from 12oz bottle into 16oz Samuel Adams Perfect Pint Glass.

Appearance: Pale caramel in color with a medium sized white head that dissipates quickly and leaves behind a fair amount of lace.

Smell: Rich, buttery malts with notes of caramel and fruits.

Taste: As the smell suggests, this is nice and malty- begins with buttery and fruity (apple, plum) flavors, finishing with caramel notes and light hop flavors.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with fairly heavy carbonation and a very sticky finish.

Drinkability: Not the best of its style, but far from the worst. Like most English ales, this is a good, flavorful, and malty session beer

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2010 21:57:14 | More by Mosstrooper

silentjay

Massachusetts

2.65/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

pretty decent reddish copper with a nice white head that retains ok and laces a bit.

buttery (which is expected for the style and the brewery and the yeast), but with some slight grains and lightly toasted cheap white bread.

a bit of fruit is added to what was expected from the aroma. plenty of butter, caramel, and toffee. hop character is in the background, almost non-existent.

a bit too much carbonation on a light-bodied ale with a melted butter stickiness after the swallow.

meh. It is ok, I guess, but after I finish this glass, I will be happy to not drink this one again. It doesnt go down well. doesnt taste good, feel good, or smell great. don't like the style much, and this isnt even a good representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2010 03:54:45 | More by silentjay

speter

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a clear copper with two-finger tight-bubble head that quickly fades to a thin layer, leaving moderate lacing.

S: There's Ringwood in them there beer! It heavily dominates the nose, to the point of blocking anything other than some light biscuit from the malt.

T: Nicely bitter overall, but there is a metallic twang just past the center that hits the front of your tongue in a rather unpleasant way. The finish, however, has a nice hop bitterness that draws you in for more, in spite of the metal.

M: Nice and creamy. The initial carbonation is too heavy, but some swirling takes care of that.

D: Not a bad bitter, but the Ringwood yeast is distinctive to the point where you love or hate it.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2010 00:59:30 | More by speter