Shipyard Barley Wine Style Ale (Pugsley's Signature Series) - Shipyard Brewing Co.

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.05/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served on tap in a Shipyard snifter glass. Served chilled and allowed to warm a little over an hour.

Appearance: Dark brown to black in color. Nice two finger mocha colored head with pretty good retention. Almost looks like a stout to me.

Aroma: Espresso and bitter coffee beans. A slight citrus note from the hops. Almost more like a porter or stout than a barleywine.

Taste: Espresso and coffee upfront. Some pine and citrus from the hops, but not enough to counter the really astrigent roasted malt. Even as it warms, there is not much complexity here. the depth of flavor and the things I look for in a barleywine were just absent.

Mouthfeel: Oddly thin mouthfeel. Decent carbonation and a really dry finish.

Drinkability: The ABV is pretty well hidden, but the astrigent, burnt malt makes this one a one and done for me.

Overall, I really severly underwhelmed by this beer. It was one note and overly burnt, not to mention it missed out on all the complexity and great flavors that go along with this style. I thought this was closer to a porter with a decent hop note than a barleywine. Not my cup of tea.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2010 03:17:58 | More by Gosox8787

Trappissed

California

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Hamilton's:

An interesting Barley Wine for sure. Tasted like figs, prunes, and raisins with a nice coffee-flavored kick. Not too alcoholic tasting, but just very odd. A great and enjoyable sipper that gives a fresh take on a style that I am still learning about.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2009 08:39:57 | More by Trappissed

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.76/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Cask pour in a shaker pint, the beer is a hazy, yellow-brown coloring witth a chunky, frothy, white coating of head. Aromas of biscuit, lemony sweet, rich toffee, and a wet, cedar hops presence. Smells balanced and tasty. Flavors are smooth, with a toffee and apple sweetness quickly cleaned by a bitter, dry ribbon of hops. Slight smoking and oaky character, too. Very dynamic, with a bitter, resiny aftertaste. Clean, smooth finish of a very robust bodied brew. Tasty, and surprisingly drinkable.

Serving type: cask

03-24-2013 17:20:40 | More by GarthDanielson

duracell

Quebec (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into a snifter.
A - Dark color with 1-finger head disappearing to leave a thin topping.
S - Mild balanced aroma of malty and hoppy notes. Raisins, figs, herbal sweetness.
T - Lots of esters and fruity sweetness. Big dark fruits flavor. Hop shows up after, blends with the rest, and lingers for a while.
M - Smooth mouthfeel. Finishes semi-dry. Bitterness on the low side.
O - A good English barley wine!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 20:13:57 | More by duracell

weonfire

Kentucky

3.65/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

A - Much darker than expected. Dark ruby/purple. finger head, dark creme color. small amount of lacing.

S - real pleasant. nice fruits. chocolate, cherry, brown sugar, carmel and toffee.

T - wow, not impressive after the nice scent. bland up front, bitter on the way down. a bit of dried fruit. taste the alcohol more then wanted. do like that carmel malt. dry finish.

M - Very nice froth. most impressive element about this brew. viscosity is medium. does cover well.

O - Very dry. I must admit i am fairly new to the barely wine game. Maybe this is exactly how an 'English' barley wine should taste. I was expecting something much sweeter.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 22:40:19 | More by weonfire

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter with a good toffee head, good lacing and film. The colour was quite a dark brown-black.

Smell has coffee, thick maltiness, chocolate and an airey floral fruity character that seems a bit out-of-place, a bit tart and candy-like. Fair bit going on here though.

Taste is sweet initially, then plum fruity, and a bit of roasty bitterness. Coffee notes, and leather, unsweetened chocolate. Alcohol is pretty well hidden, but there is a sort of staleness to the malt. Finish is dry, sticky fruit pudding, lingering fruitiness

Mouthfeel is full-bodied, quite big. Carbonation is quite light, sipper. Thick on the palate and a bit cloying, malt is roasty and a bit forward.

A decent English barley wine. Wouldn't have minded a bit more hops, but the bitterness does seem to work alright with unsweetened chocolate and ashy notes. Malt has a bit of char and roasty character and is a bit aggressive at time with the fruitiness trying to offer balance. Has some issues but a respectable beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 04:17:12 | More by mick303

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A decent beer, brought in to the LCBO for a decent price of $8. Not what I expect from an English barleywine, very bitter finish, dark bodied, chocolate malts. Let’s see how my aged bottle from Maine holds up over the years.Above average carbonation. Good ingredients, but Not as drinkable as it could be.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 01:21:45 | More by northyorksammy

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle to over sized snifter.

A - Dark copper, brown in the middle. Thin layer of light brown head.

S - Dark caramel, toffee, raisin, lighter fruity notes and a hint of chocolate.

T - Caramel, toffee, raisins, fruity notes and a touch of chocolate. A fairly noticeable alcohol presence.

M - Medium body. Creamy. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 02:19:09 | More by TheSevenDuffs

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The beer's complexion is deep, dark and concealing, making it very difficult to pin any particular colour to it. Whatever the case, it might as well be called black because no light makes it through anyhow. Its head may look soapy but it sticks to the glass like grease.

Neither the malts nor hops make themselves particular known to the nose; it lacks the definition and concentration that this style typically exhibits. Minor notes of raisin, plum and dried berries can be appreciated but they are far from obvious. A hint of smoke may stem from swirling, but it too is frustratingly subtle.

The flavour has a ripe, plump fig and plum taste but also offers a Darjeeling-like quality that features not only black tea bitterness but also notes of honey and meadow flowers. A sticky, port-like dried fruitiness makes for a bone-dry finish that includes roast malt and traces of peat. It, however, like the aroma, is frustratingly vague and also lacks the depth and intensity that typically characterizes the barleywine style.

On a positive note the beer is classically proportioned and features good balance. Then again, neither hops nor malt care to take the lead role. (Summit, Challenger, and Fuggles isn't exactly the sexiest hop bill anyhow.) There's also an absence of alcohol, no rough edges. Given that it lacks dynamics fresh, it promises nothing in the long term. Drink it now (or maybe don't bother buying it at all).

A barleywine that lacks the concentration and complexity of the style is simply not worth drinking. There's nothing inherently unpleasant about Shipyard Barley Wine, but the problem is that there's virtually nothing to it at all. It's far from a fine effort and given the other beers in the Pugsley's Signature Series, we know this brewery is capable of much better.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 04:41:48 | More by biegaman

cvm4

Mississippi

3.3/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a deep, murky brown (not an appealing color) with a tan one finger head. Okay lacing is left behind.

S - Caramel and toffee with bready malts. Comes off somewhat sweet.

T - Roasted, slightly burnt malts. Dark fruits of figs and prunes along with a good helping of hops bring it all together. The flavors though come across as muddled and weak.

M - Medium with somewhat higher carbonation. Finish is dry.

O - It's an okay beer. Nothing to brag about with the muddled flavors that seem to be all over the place.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 19:30:09 | More by cvm4

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - very dark brown with just a bit of clear light at the bottom of the glass, creamy head left a ton of lacing all around
S - molasses and cola aromas dominate, mild dark fruit background, touch of leafiness
T - molasses and cherry syrup, cola and some dry nutty flavour, just a touch of hoppiness, and a dry woody finish
M - super creamy smooth, full sweet malty feel with a coffee like bitterness and not even a hint of the high ABV
O - a great tasting brew, although i would like to see them raise the bar on the alcohol for this style just a bit, the result is a ridiculously drinkable barley wine that i would definitely like to try again

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 04:10:56 | More by joemcgrath27

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Props to peensteen for hooking me up with this treat.

A - Pours a dark ruby red colour, finger of head with decent retention and some nice sheeting lacing.

S - Quite complex on the nose with musty caramel, loads of bready biscuit notes, hints of rye and subtle cocoa and toffee.

T - The cocoa flavours come through off the top, biscuit and burnt toast, hints of boozy sweetness, nutty almonds and a leafy green finish. A touch of tobacco smoke and burnt ash lingers as well.

M - Medium bodied, creamy and dry with a hint of ABV heat.

O - A complex brew with loads of flavour and a nice cocoa malt undertone that complements the style nicely. One of my favourites from this brewer to date and a worthy ale indeed.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 02:34:53 | More by andrenaline

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Deep brown-near black colour with some ruby in there as well, one finer of tan head, some lace as well. Smell is big and malty, some caramel and toffee, a bit of hop, chocolatey, dark fruit and bread as well. Taste follows the nose with big malt on the palate, dark fruits, fairly substantial bitterness mid palate, caramel and chocolate, toffee, finishes a little smokey as well. Light-medium carbonation, med-full body with a bit of a thicker feel. This would be a good intro to Barleywine, not as rich and flavourfull as some but still decent and pretty drinkable with just a hint of the ABV present.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 13:51:41 | More by peensteen

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bb July 2013

Super dark ruby red/brown pour. Two finger tan head with large soapy bubbles. Slowly drops to thick cap leaving loads of lacing everywhere.

Dark fruits, slight alcohol, brown sugar, some cinnamon with a slightly bitter hop finish.

Figs, prunes, dates, strawberries, vanilla, brown sugar, and a touch of alcohol. Dark roasted malts with a dry pine bitter finish.

Light to medium body, good carbonation, sticky on the lips.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 22:20:04 | More by korguy123

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from the LCBO, 625ml into a tulip. Best before July 2013.

Dark brown with chestnut highlights. Mocha brown head, good density with solid lace/retention. Nose has a bit of chocolate, caramel and dark malts as well. A bit bready. Taste of dark toffee malts, dark fruits, light bitterness and a bit more chocolate and toasted malt character. Earthy with warmth. Light metallic at first, but this fades. Sweet but mildly drying finish. Full body, and alcohol comes across stronger than it should. Not bad, but not really that good either.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 02:25:47 | More by liamt07

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

625mL bottle from the LCBO's Shipyard Pugsley series release.

Poured into a Duvel goblet. I read the ingredients on the label description before, but even after knowing that chocolate malt was part of the mash, I was still blown away by the dark chestnut colour - certainly not typical for a barleywine. Good sized off-white head, that survives as a thick ring. Good lacing on this.

Nose is boozy with a good caramel maltiness, plum, bread crust, grape, some citrus and tea hops.

Similar tasting notes as in the nose. This brew is an interesting blend of American and English barleywine styles, with the chocolate malt adding a slight roastiness to the overall flavour. Booze cuts in at the end, which is sharp, but not overpowering. Nice warming feeling.

Good body on this, nicely carbonated, slightly creamy, but with the thickness of a barleywine.

Interesting take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 01:35:55 | More by JohnnyBarman

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

BB July 2013

Very dark brown with ruby red hints, with a big beige head. Very good retention and lacing.

Nose contains dark fruit (date, plum, raisin), alcohol, caramel malt, toffee and some chocolate. Certainly malt focused. A woody scent as well.

Taste is similar to the nose. Quite malty, with caramel, a bit of chocolate and a bit of roast coming through. Some grassy hops provide bitterness to what would otherwise be quite sweet. Fruit is there but not as strong as in the nose.

A bit thin for a barleywine, though still full bodied. Moderate carbonation. Booze is a bit more present than I would expect for 8.5%.

Overall, fairly good. I doubt I would look to have it again, but a pretty decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 19:17:09 | More by jrenihan

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a dark brown color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains bourbon, dark fruit, caramelized malts and some hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of dark fruit, caramel, licorice and bourbon. The malt character is hearty and there’s a mild but complementary hops presence that creates a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, strong kick, decent representation of style, it’s a solid beer but there are better choices within the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 04:16:25 | More by TheManiacalOne

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, no date.

nice dark brown color w/ garnet highlights. khaki tan head. good lacing and head retention. smells slightly sweet caramel, earthy hops, nutty. taste has a bitter hop bite underneath the rich malt flavor. a bit of chocolate, coffee, and toffee. medium to thick mouthfeel, works well. lower carbonation. drinks nice for the style.

overall - good, sort of a cross between an American and English style barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 03:22:58 | More by jmdrpi

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.23/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

as authentic a barleywine as you can find in the states these days. english in origin and true to character. pours darker than expected, quad colored, with a quarter inch light brown head. smell is bourbon barrel and vanilla, with some chocolate malt and booze poking through. flavor is amazingly complex on the malty front, with caramunich and chocolate malts putting the final one, two combo on you. booze creeps in slowly as it warms, tons of wood and dark red dried fruits to this as well. mouthfeel works, less carbonated than a normal brew, but more carbonated than a lot of american barleywines, tons of heaby malts in the body too. a great bomber if you are only having one. this is a true to its heritage barleywine, worthy of any fine cuisine.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 03:20:48 | More by StonedTrippin

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Into a chalice:

A: very dark black/brown body with a small white head that dies within several seconds, body was too dark for any carbonation to be seen. Some light spotty lacing is left.

S: roasted barley and chocolate come out pretty strong. Some malts and alcohol come out as the beer warms.

T: roasted barley and chocolate come out fairly strong but some dark fruits come out in the taste as the beer warms. The aftertaste is a bit smoky.

M: medium to heavy with a good carbonation felt.

O: not bad, there seemed to be a lot of different flavors going on. I liked this and am pretty sure I'd have this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 00:07:06 | More by kangarooAdam59

Etan

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a Spiegelau tulip.

A: Pours a very dark, blackish brown, with some reddish hues. Nice tan head with decent retention and lacing.

S: The different malts definitely come out in the aroma. Mushy sweet fig with a little bit of spiciness from the wheat is most prominent, with chocolate and roasted malt notes.

T: A harsh, acrid bitterness opens and closes the taste. In between some smooth dark fruit esters, chocolate, and roasted malts play around, followed by some pleasant grain and buttery malt notes, before fading back into astringent hop bitterness. Alcohol and the bitterness lingers after the finish.

M: Good carbonation and body.

O: Not bad, but the acrid bitterness in the taste obscures and distracts from the malt profile.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 23:50:48 | More by Etan

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from 4/2011 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a very dark red brown amber. Two finger head and lots of lacing. Aroma of malt and roasted malt; faint dark fruits. Taste is dominated by malt. Slight dark fruits and roasted malt, hint of sweet caramel. Dry moderate hop finish, pleasant. Medium bodied. Not a typical barley wine, but interesting and nice to drink. Worth trying again.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 03:40:50 | More by LiquidAmber

budsboy

Ohio

2.68/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Very dark. Not much of a head. Slight metallic aroma, little fruity and some toffee-coffee scents in there. Not a great flavor here. Drinkable, but somewhat disappointing. Nah, now that I take another sip, it's really not for me. Bitterness is vegetal, very little sweetness to balance it. Too thin for the style. This was a drain pour. I have limited experience with this style, but it isn't in the same class as Young's Old Nick. I'll cleanse with an Arrogant Bastard. I'll be fine, if a wee sad.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 23:47:00 | More by budsboy

srandycarter

California

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A little lighter than cola, initial light tan head diminishes to disk pretty quick. Some sudsy lace.

S - Light malt, reminiscent of a brown ale or porter. Clean and simple, but inviting.

T - Heavier on the palate, but not too much. Booze well hidden but slightly noticeable. Bittering is vague but does the trick.

M - Medium body, clean malty flavored finishes fairly neutral.

D - Pretty easy to drink. Not really challenging and the ABV is pretty well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 05:16:02 | More by srandycarter