Shipyard XXXX IPA (Pugsley's Signature Series) - Shipyard Brewing Co.

Ramsey

1/5  rDev -72.9%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

LITERALLY THE WORST BEER I HAVE EVER HAD. HANDS DOWN. IT TASTES LIKE SOMEONE DRAINED A DUMPSTER INTO A BOTTLE AND NAMED IT XXXX. IF YOU LIKE BEER THAT ACTUALLY TASTES GOOD DO NOT GO WITH THIS ONE. IT IS DOWN RIGHT TERRIBLE AND I DONT RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 21:07:01 | More by Ramsey

SenorHops

Rhode Island

1.26/5  rDev -65.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.25

Had this on tap at a well respected craft beer establishement. Without a doubt, the worst DIPA I've ever had. A horrible sour taste. It tasted so horrible I couldn't muster more than two sips. All I could get from it was sour and malt with zero hop presence. An embarrasment of a beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2012 15:41:42 | More by SenorHops

Jdogg330

1.5/5  rDev -59.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

This has got to be the maltiest "IPA" I have ever had. Now admittedly I am a real 2XIPA/Imperial IPA lover, however this beer is not even on par with a Torpedo or Burning River, for that matter. Much sweeter, maltier, and darker than any IPA I have tasted. If your looking for a truthful IPA reach instead for a Southern Tier 2xIPA, Stone Ruinatuon, Great Lakes Brewing Companies Lake Erie Monster, Dogfish head's 90 minute, Siera Nevada's Hoptimum, Harpoon's Leviathan, or Bell's Hop Slam.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 02:19:27 | More by Jdogg330

crossovert

Wisconsin

1.58/5  rDev -57.2%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

12 oz twist off. Best before 09/11.

This one pours an ever so boring pale amebr color with a foamy dull white head. It looks like 1000 different east coast IPAs out there.

The smell is not promising. It smells like hop flavored icing. It is mostly (artificial) lemon, lime, and citrus peel, all 3 saturated with sugar.

The flavor is just pure caramel, not much bitterness, there is some vegetal hops that come though in the end.

The mouthfeel has low carbonation and feels very thick.

It isn't good.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2010 03:10:55 | More by crossovert

Bendurgin

Maine

2.03/5  rDev -45%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1

Best by April 2011. Seems as though it would be pretty fresh!

Poured this one into a tulip. The beer is a deep hazy orange color with a very thin white head that dissipates into almost nothing with minimal lacing very quickly. The smell is sweet, almost sickeningly. It has kind of a passion fruit aroma which I guess is a good smell, but not what I want from this. I'm looking for hops in the behind giant malt backbone. None to be found in the aroma. . .maybe I"ll taste em!

That was unfortunate. Hops are there but it is still lest than impressive. A bit bitter in the finish but what the hell is it with the sweet malts? I can't place my finger on what this is reminding me of but it's really not quenching my hop thirst. Mostly juicy citrus and sweet malts. Maybe I'd like this a bit more if it where called a different style.

The mouthfeel is nothing offensive but it's a bit heavy and syrupy. Very low drinkability for this one. It's getting poured.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2010 01:17:33 | More by Bendurgin

RoyalT

Ohio

2.05/5  rDev -44.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Appearance - This poured a thick brown in color with a tinge of orange and almost no head at all. The liquid looked great but the top was AWOL.

Smell - There's some nice citrus hops in the nose but nothing too powerful. The surprise for me was the malt. I expect a big, juicy malt contribution to the DIPA nose and instead it's more like a strong English bitter.

Taste - Egad, this is more like en English Ale. The hops are herbal with some mild citrus notes but are way too small for the style. Where are the DIPA malts? This is supposed to be a big beer with a big malt base and it's toasty and putrid.

Mouthfeel - This is medium-bodied with some mild carbonation and an English bitterness that could kill a horse.

Sinkability - I don't know where all of the 4+ reviews are coming from; this beer was crap.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2009 02:26:40 | More by RoyalT

abgba121

Connecticut

2.1/5  rDev -43.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A: pours a hazy amber color with very thin head and very thin lacing as well

S: extremely sweet malts, almost too much, somewhat stale or rotten and yeasty. Not a pleasant smell at all. Very little hops whatsoever.

T: Almost equal to the smell, tons of malts with a weird rotten smell, no hops

M: medium body, low carbonation

O: not good at all, as I have experienced with all of shipyards brews so far. Very disappointed once again.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 03:35:52 | More by abgba121

ThickNStout

Georgia

2.38/5  rDev -35.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle from ABC Liquors (St Pete, FL). Served in a Southern Tier snifter. 

Pours deep orange with 2 fingers pale head. Decent lacing. 

Smells of biscuits and faint hops. A little lacking. 

Tastes a little off. There is a big bitter hop flavor initially with a sharp unfavorable astringent taste. It never really opens up or reveals any depth or character. The alcohol is much more present than in most other IPAs of similar abv. 

Medium feel with moderate to high carbonation. Slightly oily/ sticky with a long astringent aftertaste. 

I've had many subpar DIPAs but this one has to take the cake. It started out lookin nice but spiraled down from there. Admittedly age could be a factor (bottle indicates best by March 2012) but I sure don't plan to seek a fresh one to find out...

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 23:01:28 | More by ThickNStout

blackcompg

Illinois

2.5/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured from their 12oz bottle...

Appearance - Pours a finger of yellowish lite orange foamy head that recedes to a solid cap in a few minutes, color of the ale is a very hazy orange-red amber, mediocre webbed lacing left at the end of the session.

Smell - Ripe fruits, butterscotch, tropical fruit, fruit cake, slight funk.

Taste - Begins with a blast mix of floral hops, buttescotch and rum cake. I also get alot of over-ripe pit fruits, especially peach and plum. Just after midsip comes a rush of really over-ripe red grapefruit, to the point where there's a bit of moldy funk going on hear. Finish is bitter grapefruit zest and pith and some lingering off-floral hops and almost rotting sour fruits.

Mouthfeel - Nearly medium and almost creamy, medium carb cleanses the tongue with some really sharp edges actually, finish is both bitter and sour with a chalky dryness, also some alcohol heat.

Overall - I'm sorry, but this is just a terrible mess. No balance whatsoever, and some very hard punches. There are some really interesting flavors here, but this is NOT a DIPA in my opinion, far from it. This is sort of a madman's mixture of a saisson, belgian ale and a wee heavy - but it's not good at all. I'm going to try and finish this, as I hate to pour a beer down the drain. I really can't recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 04:39:20 | More by blackcompg

Qsy

California

2.53/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Serving Type: Pint Glass

Appearance: Cloudy amber with little head, orange in color

Aroma: Lightly floral hoppiness, almost a urine smell... pretty gross

Taste: Bitter hops that dissipate quickly, malt balance, hides the high alcohol content well. Grapefruit and a smooth piney finish

Mouthfeel: Light carbonation, soft hops linger

Drinkability: Hidden alcohol content makes for an easier drinkability

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2010 02:46:07 | More by Qsy

LSUPT

California

2.53/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

12oz bottle with a best by date of May 2012 notched on the label, just showed up on shelves so I will assume this is not mistake. Served in a Duvel Green Tulip.
Crystal clear medium amber color with a 2” head with a slight beige tint that lasts for a pretty good amount of time leaving a decent amount of lacing.

Smell is weak, mostly getting alcohol and some caramel malt sweetness and oak.

Taste is way off. Strong alcohol presence and although there isn’t as much bitterness as I would like, the bitterness that is there adds to unwanted taste of alcohol. Again only some notes of caramel malt, oak and not much else. Mouthfeel is also off for the style in my opinion, about medium carbonation, which is too much for me, and the viscous feeling and alcohol presence isn’t good either.

Overall, it’s not the worst DIPA I’ve had but it certainly isn’t anything I would seek out again, although $11 for a 4-pack and $3 for a single ain’t too shabby.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2011 04:22:03 | More by LSUPT

ROBORB

North Carolina

2.55/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

22 oz. bomber courtesy TheManiacalOne, thanks Mark!

This beer poured a dark, murky and very hazy brown amber with a 2 finger head. If I didn't know any better I would have guessed that someone just took a sample from a dirty pond and handed it to me. It had very good lacing throughout the sample however.

It smelled of old hops, faint citrus and malt. I couldn't get anything out of this beer.

The carbonation was slightly above medium carbonation. I found the taste to be very astringent and dry. There was no balance between the hops and the malts. I couldn't finish the entire bomber much less a whole pint.

I could not recommend this beer to anyone. It was unbalanced and overly hot.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2010 19:16:15 | More by ROBORB

dbossman

Nebraska

2.58/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Bright ruby/brown and bubbly with a consistent one inch head that sits beautifully on the beer for quite a while; lacing is great--especially considering the style

S: So much going on it's almost too much--not quite a mess but maybe close; loads of citrus, grapefruit, and pine along with a candied sugary crustiness; all on top of a roasted malty/grainy quality; alcohol burns a bit and this is pretty sweet; I also detect a chlorine/chemical presence that adds to the whole jumbled weirdness

T: Alcohol hits the taste buds first--almost a pungent rubbing alcohol quality; the over-the-top sugary mess hits next, followed finally and thankfully by the hop presence--tea leaves and lemon rind mostly; but the sweet, sickly sour and soapy flavors hit you at the end of the drink, making this fairly difficult to continue drinking; there are moments here but all in all this a big mess

F: Not too bad mouth feel though it's a bit oddly sticky on the roof of the mouth

D: The alcohol presence and the mess of the flavors--particularly in the aftertaste make this beer a one and done; although it's not horrific, there are so many better DIPAs out there that I'm probably one and done with this one forever

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2010 17:51:57 | More by dbossman

kojevergas

California

2.65/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap covered in gold foil served into a N'Ice Chouffe stem beerflute in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Acquired at a Ralph's market nearby. Reviewed live. Expectations are average.

Paired with honey wheat pretzel braids. Served refrigerator cold but allowed to warm over time.

A: Pours a one finger head of nice cream, good thickness, and great retention for the high ABV. Colour is a light semitransparent amber with copper hues. Interesting for the style in that it's not just a clear copper. I'm sufficiently intrigued. No visible yeast particles.

Sm: Bittering and floral hop notes. Some cream. Butterscotch (diacetyl?). Toasted malts round out the character nicely. Very English IPA esque, mixed with the toasted malt body of a light winter warmer. I suspect Fuggles were used. (Consulting the label, I discover I'm wrong.) A clean, mild strength aroma.

T: Hoppy, with the bitterness coming through in the third act untamed by other notes. The climax holds the cream and floral hop notes, with the toasted malt occupying the beer from open to midpoint, filling out the body. The third act is comparitively empty. Some cream on the open, accompanied by a hint of straw. More like an English IPA than an American. I get a bit of grapefruit, but only hints. No alcohol comes through. No yeast (not that there should be). Some light caramelized malt. Both flavourfully and structurally imbalanced, but decently built. I enjoy it in a general sense. It's certainly neither unique nor special.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with some cream after the midpoint (texture-wise). A biteen overcarbonated. Too thick. Suits the flavours only generally.

Dr: Drinkable but not special or unique. I wouldn't have it again. A below average example of the style, largely due to its inability to balance the bittering hops of the climax and third act. IPAs are not about a hop or IBU competition; balance is still integral. Fans of the style will likely find something to like about it.

C-

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 07:49:13 | More by kojevergas

claminat420

Michigan

2.7/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A- poured a transparent copper color with a solid white two finger head.

S- malts with some weak hops

T- alcohol is hidden. malt pressence shoots in the beginning but not so much of a hop attack in the back.

M- medium bodied. not to shabby with the carbonation.

D- just one 22oz and i'm good.

Overall- overpriced!! overpriced!! and may i say overpriced??? this brew is one weak ipa for shipyard to try to pull off something fancy. the hops are weak and just has nothing really shining about the brew. personally it seemed to me they tried more on hiding the abv then bringing the hops to attention. just my opinion tho... i say stay away!!!

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2009 04:18:18 | More by claminat420

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

2.78/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22 into a point glass

appearance- a reddish copper collor with a nice thick head

smell- a very nice hop smell with hints of pine

taste- there was a bit of a build up for this one, with those 4x's on the bottle I was expecting more than just a 9.25% IPA I was expecting big hop flavor and bitterness, both hop flavor and bitterness were lacking, and the malt character stole the show.

mouthfeel- had a nice malt character and slight sweetness to it, just not what I was looking for in an imperial IPA

Drinkability- a good drinking beer, just didnt hold up to the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 15:56:36 | More by rowingbrewer

Holland

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: looks a nice orange amber color with a decent head. Terrible pour at the bar, though.

S: smells of nice citrus and pine hops with a huge malt character and some sweetness. Tons of caramel and toffee.

T: taste is dominated by the caramel and sweetness. Tastes like a bad barleywine or wheatwine without the complex character. The hops take a back seat here.

M: not good. Medium-heavy body with lighter carbonation than I'd like. Definitely on the smoother side of the continuum.

O: not very drinkable at all. This is not one to ever have again. Too bad, I wanted to like it, but it's just a weird mix of flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2011 03:32:39 | More by Holland

IPALOVER

Colorado

2.8/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer is definitely in the style of a British IPA, so expect a Double British IPA, not an Imperial American IPA. The bottle description does not mention that it is a British IPA, so I was a bit surprised. I actually like the hop bitterness on the finish, but that's about it. A very average Imperial IPA, and not up-to-par with the American Imperial IPAs that I prefer (Gubna, Hoptimum, Maharaja). I actually enjoyed it the longer it sat and approached room temperature; when it was ice cold it was almost undrinkable and had a metallic taste. As I've worked my way through it I was able to tolerate it, but will never have one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 00:37:01 | More by IPALOVER

HalfFull

California

2.83/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. The XXXX pours a clear copper in color with a finger of off white foam which shows moderate retention and lacing. Bit dark for my tastes but not unexpected from an East Coast IPA.

Nose is subtle and malt forward. Hops are subdued yet piney in nature. Best before April 2011 on the bottle so this is surely within its prime as for consumption. A 2.5 is a bit of a reach here nonetheless.

Taste is as expected from the nose and hardly DIPA-like yet not bad by any means. Citric malts dominate and are accompanied by some caramel and brown sugar. Yes brown sugar in a DIPA. But hey, it does hide the big ABV rather well. Feel is full and sweet and a bit overwhelming. Drinkability is limited to this one time as this beer is too sweet and too malty and too big for its own britches. If a DIPA should be out of balance, it should be so in the hops department in my view. This is an Old Ale as much as it is a DIPA and is completely devoid of any hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2010 06:18:48 | More by HalfFull

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Shipyard XXXX IPA

Pours a rich mahogony, off white head and little lace. Big buttery diacetyl almost overwhelms the floral hops. The buttery notes come out more in the taste, coupled with some bitter American style hops adding grapefruit and orange zest notes. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and well carbonated. Overall, big English style diacetyl notes (not unexpected from Shipyard's crazy dominating ringwood yeast) and some hops. With a cleaner yeast strain this could have been alot more refreshing and less distracting. Even for an English style DIPA I found the hop presence to be rather muted.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2011 02:07:08 | More by Stinkypuss

Seanibus

California

2.9/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Intense and surprising. And I don't mean that as a good thing. It is in fact grainy and woody and lacking in the things that should make an American dipa worth looking for.

Poured a clear amber with a moderate head. The aroma is syrupy and raw, crude smelling, with malt and muddled earthy hops. The flavor is yeasty and wheat, with raw, unbalanced hops, a raw citrusy character with whiffs of pine and earth. The finish is oxidized, bitter, and grapefruity, with a lingering burn of alcohol in the throat. Overall, this is a crude, unrefined, and unpleasant beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 03:48:05 | More by Seanibus

rinhaak

Massachusetts

2.95/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Sunset Cantina in Boston. Served in a tulip glass.

Pours a clear copper with a wonderful head that leaves behind a perfect lace. It's hard to get a better pour than this.

The nose is a little rotten, smelling of spoiled cherries, sweat, hay, and maple syrup. Not at all the hoppy nose I was expecting.

The mouth is pretty uninteresting. Lots of malts, this is fat more like a double pale ale than a double ipa. A tad syrupy and very boozy, it's a bit dark in the mouth with almost no hop presence. Surely they are there, I just can't fins them.

Overall a huge disappointment. Far too much alcohol foe not enough complexity of flavor. Don't bother.

Serving type: on-tap

09-08-2011 22:37:40 | More by rinhaak

bashiba

Iowa

3.03/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a cloudy amber with a very light soap ring of tan head.

The smell was a strange mix of the classic shipyard Buttery Diacetyl and big herbal hops. Big nose and not bad, but definitely a bit odd.

The flavor of hops, very herbal and citrusy is very evident, but soon the bready malts along with that classic buttery shipyard house flavor along with some astringency takes over. There is some nice bitterness, but this beer is a bit lacking in good hop flavor.

The mouthfeel is slick and oily.

Overall its drinkable, but not great, I guess more like and English Double IPA, not really classic American Double in style.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 01:39:45 | More by bashiba

schoolboy

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I know that I am being picky today, but this AIPA has a number of problems. It really needs better balance. The malt is too out front - you know it is boozy.

The beer looks fantastic in the glass. But it is a dark, slightly bitter, syrupy taste. The aftertaste is a bit bitter, but not a good bitter.

I will not buy this one again - not recommended.

Ammendment - I accidentally bought it again and I dislike it even more.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 01:16:20 | More by schoolboy

Swim424

Florida

3.1/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

poured from a bottle into gorden biersch glass

A-clear amber with lots of carbonation bubbles. smell head sits on top.

S- smells of a sort of dull malt with a bit of hops.

T-Very flavorless malt. sweet but flavorless. Lots of hops, which is good, but the actual malt flavor isnt that good. dont really know how to describe it. can definitely taste the high ABV.

MF-a bit creamy smooth with a hoppy aftertaste.

O-very average. not the worst i have had but nothing I would care to have again.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 03:55:19 | More by Swim424