Shipyard Imperial Porter (Pugsley's Signature Series) - Shipyard Brewing Co.

Thads324

Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A : pours a lovely dark black. No hues. A pretty thick dark tan head with big bubbles. Dissipates at a medium pace.

S : smells of deep chocolate and slight roasted malts. A bit of coffee. A bit of booze as well. Can't detect any hop. The chocolate is not overpowering, but it's strong, if that makes any sense.

T : starts a bit watery, then the malts hit. A bit roasty, with a nutty and slightly sweet caramel flavor. Mineral water taste and sharp edges on all the flavors. There is a hint of hop bitterness towards the end that is slightly citrus flavored and a bit dirty And earthy also. The chocolate finish is reminiscent of the smell, and lingers very pleasantly.

M : smooth yet crisp, starts slow but has great overall balance.

A damn fine beer. Well balanced, flavorful. Hides it's booze well and is quite drinkable. A repeat coming in my future throughout the cold winter nights.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 04:33:54 | More by Thads324

Pencible

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: This poured a nearly opaque black, with moderate tan head.
S: It smelled like bitter dark chocolate with roasted coffee, and a little cream and licorice.
T: It tasted like licorice and old coffee, with some dark chocolate and smoke/roasted malt. It had a bitter aftertaste.
M: It was watery with a little carbonation. Very thin body.
D: This was not a bad porter, but the scent and taste weren't great and the body was weak. The alcohol was well hidden, so it wasn't difficult to drink. But it wasn't really exciting to drink either. Not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 21:05:06 | More by Pencible

zaphodchak

Virginia

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A finger of tan head, dark black body, some surface memory and plenty of lace.

Nose was initially curiously like red wine. Some tang, and a healthy dose of malt. Smells nice.

All right, when the bottle boasted "a good hop bite," I was apprehensive, but I bought it off the recommendation of a stranger. I don't like hops in my porter/stout (even if it's a Baltic porter). I was not at all disappointed; it's subdued, and they're mild English hops, not American. They're well balanced by sweet, slightly nutty, slightly roasty malt.

Feel is a bit coarse, but just a bit.

This was a refreshing reminder that 'imperial' porters/stouts needn't be off the wall and full of chocolate/vanilla/chile/bourbon/etc to be good.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 03:09:07 | More by zaphodchak

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours with a huge creamy dark tan head that shows excellent retention. After the burst of head building from within, then you are left with a wonderful looking beer. The head is substantial enough to rise well above the top of the glass. Beer is very dark brown with only a hint of light getting through at the bottom edge of the glass. Good looking pint.

Aroma is actually very nice. Dark chocolate Sauce, in fact almost like a chocolate liqueur as there is a nice sweet sense of alcohol.

You would almost swear there was actual chocolate in this beer. Very roasty and chocolatey. Gosh I wish there was a touch more sweetness here. Starts with a burst of the chocolate and then mid palate it gets a little flat. After this a nice phase of hop bitterness blends nicely with the dark roasted flavors.

Medium to lightly bold body. Very mild carbonation. Nice.

Decent little Imp Porter. A slightly bolder body and a touch more rounded sweetness would help immensely.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 23:01:04 | More by Reagan1984

billab914

Virginia

2.98/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

22oz snifter into my CBS snifter. It poured black in color with a thin, frothy, tan head covering the top of the beer and sticking to the edges of the glass.

The aroma has a buttery, caramel, chocolaty flavor to it. Some toasty malts are there as well. The buttery, caramel flavors are just way too overpowering in the aroma for me.

The taste thankfully shows more of the chocolaty, porter character to it. I get some bitter-sweet chocolate mixing with the caramel and a little bit f a roasty, bitterness in the finish. The caramel, malty flavors seem a little overpowering in it making it seem a little one dimensional.

The mouthfeel is on the thicker side and a little syrupy. Carbonation is moderate. Overall I didn't really think it was a very good beer of the style. The buttery, caramel flavors were just overdone for me and not that enjoyable. The roasty, chocolaty porter characteristics just seemed overshadowed, which didn't work well for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 03:22:36 | More by billab914

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Very dark with just a faint mahogany edge visible. A gentle pour produced a couple inches of fluffy tan foam, much more than expected. Good head retention, a bit of clumpy lacing. Lots of dark malts in the aroma, burnt and chocolate, nutty and malted milk, mild caramel and a hint of smoke. Plenty going on in the flavour, building from a malty base of chocolate and caramel. Notes of fruity cherries and licorice, mild vanilla, slight roast in addition to the burnt malts. Medium bodied with moderate-plus carbonation, mild astringency from the dark malts and faint alcohol spiciness. Overall it was quite nice, but would have been better with carbonation a bit lower.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 19:21:32 | More by DrJay

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a tumbler.

Where do I get the gold-foil-tipped pen Pugsley uses on these labels...? Anyway, this stuff pours a dark russet brown topped by a finger of khaki foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, light toasted caramel, very light coffee, and a touch of seared wood. The taste brings in more of the same, but with a stronger char/vinyl character, along with some deep molasses notes. Something tells me they overdid it a bit on the black patent malts here. This character tends toward the astringent and kinda ruins the whole experience for me. The body is a solid medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fairly dry finish. Overall, a mostly solid porter, but that astringency holds it back significantly. Beyond that, though, pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 03:44:33 | More by TMoney2591

ProudBeerSnob

New York

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass. Very dark brown with thin head that dissipates quite quickly.

Aroma is quite good: roasted malt and dry cocoa. Tastes a bit thin, missing that sharp bite I expect from an imperial porter.

Not bad, but there are too many other porters I will seek out over this one in the future.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 01:13:09 | More by ProudBeerSnob

Krakistophales

Connecticut

3.8/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours jet black with a nice chocolatey head that disappears quickly and leaves a nice film of bubbles

S: Toffee, slight caramel, hints of dark fruit

T: Toffee and caramel at first which rounds out into a woody/smoky dryness towards the end

O: All in all, a nice porter. The nose could use some work, and I've had better flavors, but this is quite nice and is possibly the creamiest porter I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 02:43:19 | More by Krakistophales

ksimons

New York

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-deep brown, almost black, with just a thin layer of lace around the edge

S-rich malts, molasses, plums, and some milk chocolate

T-roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and a hint of smokiness

M-medium body, light carbonation, leaves a roasted aftertaste

Overall it is a fine beer, nicely roasted malts, could be a fuller mouthfeel but overall is a nice beer

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 23:09:30 | More by ksimons

elNopalero

Texas

3.78/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I gave this a vigorous pour into a nonic glass. Came out dark, opaque and black in dim lighting, with a tremendous bit of roast on the nose. Body is thin and creamy, with some sweet and tart notes that remind me of a milk stout. It’s not a big and boozy as I remember it being, but this might be due to the fact that I’m drinking a bottle with a ‘best by’ date of March 2011 and it’s mid September. Or maybe I just remember it differently, as the last one I had was towards the end of winter. All in all it’s a solid porter. While I wouldn’t suggest cellaring it for years and years I think it’s held up nicely over the last 9 months.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 19:57:24 | More by elNopalero

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.18/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber and served in a pint glass, the beer is a deep, dark brown coloring with some chestnut highlights around the edges of the glass. Poured with a ton of light tan head at first, but it quickly settled into a thin film of dense head. Aromas are slightly coffee and dark chocolate, with a slight booze characteristic. The beer's flavors are more coffee centric, with a good balance of dark chocolate and a highlight of milk chocolate. Very complex and well blended. Bitter from the coffee and from hops hit the tail end of the palate, cleaning everything up nicely. No cling on the glass, and the beer tends to be standard for the Porter style, with a thin, light body overall. The aftertaste is heavy on the bitters, with highlights of the coffee and chocolate flavors lacing through. The finish is slick at first, and then dry through the end. Very strong, robust flavors, but not overpowering or off-putting. Extremely tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 01:58:36 | More by GarthDanielson

MaliciousMatt

Quebec (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I got this beer from my parents who went to Maine on vacation and got it straight from the brewery. I was discovering a new craft so I was pretty excited.
First and foremost, I would like to say that there is no such thing as an Imperial Porter. You either brew an Imperial Stout or you brew a Baltic Porter. However, I understand the point... it is a "strong" Porter.
Visualy the beer was nice, but it was not THE thing. Not su much lacing, nice tan head and color dark with dark brown of ligth coming through.
Smell was good. Toasted malt is present. Alcool is peeking.
Taste is toffee, ripe fruit and molasse. Too much sugar for me to be in style.
Carbonation is good and it is thin but that is something to me that is okay for a porter.
Overall, the beer is pleasant to drink, just not in the style advertise. It was somewhat closer to a scotch ale...

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 02:05:48 | More by MaliciousMatt

Brambleman

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bomber into pils glass at room temp. The appearance was the best thing about it. Dark w/ amber head and lots of lace. Plenty of carbonation.

S- malt, coffee, toffee...but not up there with the big boys

T- malty, bitter, coffeeish to me

M- this is where this beer underwhelms me. A little thin

O- Very drinkable...but thinner than I hoped after the beautiful pour. Just does not compare to any BAS. Maybe an unfair comparison as it is not BA...and is a porter...but is what I have come to expect when I see that coloring.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 05:41:06 | More by Brambleman

erosier

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

L: Pours a deep black color with a medium sized and medium bodied tan colored head that fades slowly and gives a nice lacing down the glass.
S: Smells of sweet roasted malts, hints of chocolate, caramel, smoke, clove, and a sweet almost nutty aroma.
T: Tastes of sweet roasted and deeper blacker malts with hints of chocolate, some smokey flavors, then a nice mix of caramel and the malt sweetness.
M: Rich, warming, perfect amount of carbonation, heavy feeling.
D: Overall I thought it was a pretty good representation of the style, nice mix of flavors and feel and it delivers on the abv end making it a nice imperial style beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 10:19:47 | More by erosier

MacQ32

South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a black glass with a huge head, pushing 3 fingers, really nice lacing.

S - Smells super smokey, almost burnt chocolate, toffee and roasted malts, small hop presence.

T - Very sweet, a bit of a bitter bite to go with the roasted chocolate flavors. Finishes nice and dry, with roasty and a little alcohol flavor.

M - Really smoth and creamy, heavier body, suprisngly creamy for the amount of head that was poured.

O - Pretty good, a solid 7 percenter, good for a cold night or a bruins game 7!

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 01:06:47 | More by MacQ32

SubpoenaDeuces

California

3.28/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Shipyard porter Baltic Porter, 7.1%

A: A deep brown or "light black?" appearance that has some medium transparency, not altogether opaque but with a mild shininess that you get with stouts and porters. Nice kahki head that subsides into sticky lacing, just like mom used to make.

S: Lots of clove notes, roasted almond, huge smoke profile with burnt cedar, and of course, chocolatey abundance all around.

T: The initial taste is a chocolate note, but this is the only imperial aspect of this beer, the rest is content to subside into a huge smokey roasted profile that would rather tag along with rauschbiers than its porter brothers.

M: Again, if this is imperial, the empire is in shoddy disarray. This has very few big/over done notes to it and feels thin and muted throughout. This is the "Empire" of Poland prior to its various partitions. An empire in name alone and leaves the drinker discontent with the bait and switch that has occurred. Minimal coating and slippery thin chewiness are present.

D: This is a very drinkable beer in the respect that it leaves very little lingering and doesn't present a large enough profile for any sort of reflection, however, I don't consider it a laudable aspect ot be able to mow through imperial porters like compliant bowling pins. There should be some opposition or tastes that make you reflect on the experience. This imperial porter is a pushover that welcomes you to its throne as a capable usurper.

Narrative: An antechamber of silence awaited the gawky dauphine. He was born with an awkward gait and a quiet disposition that made him likeable to his peers, if not compliant and easy to manipulate. The unforseen early death of his mother cast a great weight upon his frail shoulders and now an impovershed nation looked upon him for guidance. "H-hey...we sh...maybe we should st...start the ceremony? If you w w wwant to?" "Yes my liege." A great velvet cape was cast around this negligent prince and he was escorted to the regal balcony to make his address. Thousands of serfs clamored below awaiting some direction in this hour of great sadness. "Hey...hey fellas, well...I guess we..we gotta get moving in the right direction and so..I was thinking maybe tithing could be increased...just to y..you know, get capital flowing, if that's ok with you guys?" The crowd almost unanimously shook their heads, it was their curse for they were not subjects of the Ottoman or the Byzantine, they were the reluctant subjects of the Shipyard Empire.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2011 18:36:26 | More by SubpoenaDeuces

beancounter

New Hampshire

3.58/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a standard pint glass. The color is a dark amber to light brown. Great thick head retention, and slow steady carbonation.

The smell was bready and a little taffy like.

The taste was predominately sweet taffy and bready, with bitterness at the back of the tongue. I can't taste and roasted malt anywhere (or any of the typical porter flavors). The flavor profile is closer to an alt or bock.

The mouthfeel is medium.

Overall this is a drinkable and pleasant enough beer. But if you are expecting to find the traditional porter characteristics, you will be disappointed

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 17:20:05 | More by beancounter

csiewert

Oregon

3.58/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a thick black color with a finger of tan bubbly head. The aroma is strong with coffee ground and smoke. The taste starts smokey and then has strong notes of coffee bitterness... These are almost a bit overwhelming. The mouthfeel is somewhat empty and watery. Overall worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 00:29:14 | More by csiewert

morimech

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Suitably dark color with a massive tan head that had excellant retention. The head eventually settles to a thick cap. Moderate amount of sticky lacing is left on the glass.

Mostly chocolate malt and grassy hops in the aroma. Just slight hints of roasted malt and yeasty bread.

The flavor starts with some nice chocolate and roasted malt flavor. The flavor falls off quickly and settles with a fruity sweetness. The ale yeast gives off a lot of esters.

The body does not feel imperial in strength. An average score here might be generous as it feels really thin.

An enjoyable enough beer. Just not one of the better Imperial Porters.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 18:20:50 | More by morimech

ebrauser

Utah

3.78/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Dark as night with the faintest ruby hue. Thick, two-finger brown head.

Smell: Chocolate malts mixed some bourbon/alcoholic hotness. A little oak and earthiness, but all smells had blended well together.

Flavor: Smooth smokey wood flavored with some subtle floral hints to subdue any overpowered malts. So many flavors are tied into the darkness: vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, and oranges are detectable. Finish has slight bourbon hints and is crisp and dry.

MF: Surprisingly thin for a porter, with flavors that make it seem like it should have a little more body for support. Thinness makes it highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2011 04:19:12 | More by ebrauser

DIM

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

a: Deep, dark brown color. It was served to me with a smallish but firm, light tan colored head.

s: This had the most obvious toffee aromas I've come across in a porter. I also found sour grains, hints of fruit and chocolate, and some light grassy hops.

t: Again, the toffee comes across very strong. There was also a sour note here that I guess is traditional but wasn't all that appealing to me. I did find some sweet chocolate syrup and some bitter roast at the finish.

m: Very nice cask body, full bodied and creamy.

o: This was certainly unique, I've never tasted anything like it. Not bad, but not for me.

Serving type: cask

04-03-2011 00:00:25 | More by DIM

loren01

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a dark black color, good sized tan head with great lacing
S: Chocolate/hazlenuts/pecans. Bourbon scent in there as well
T: Dark bitter chocolate, slight honey sweetness. Also some nutty flavors in there.
M: Medium to full bodied, finished a bit dry
D: This is a pretty nice porter, would buy this again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 03:21:22 | More by loren01

bishopdc0

Maine

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle. Pours a dark brown and turns to a black color in my glass. A thick dark fluffy head forms and stays.

The aroma is malty full of chocolate and hints of coffee come through. A nice sweet crystal malt comes through to make this smell like a desert beer.

The taste starts with a sweet crystal malt, roasted malts come in and creates a almost dryness on the tongue. As i linger between sips new levels come to the mouth a caramel taste and a slight bitterness make a nice rounded flavor. The more i drink this beer the better I like it.

This beer is not heavy in the mouth or the tummy. Easy to drink

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 00:38:06 | More by bishopdc0

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown almost black color with less than one finger of tan fluffy head.

The scent is of roasted malt, chocolate, and notes of coffee.

The taste is of cocoa, burnt coffee, roasted malts, and a smokey presence.

Full bodied, smooth and creamy, low carbonation.

This was a pretty good beer, very good flavor, a bit filling so its not easy to drink more than one or two. I might drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 13:27:25 | More by BeerCon5