Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin (Pugsley's Signature Series) - Shipyard Brewing Co.

Lare453

Florida

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

large format bottle poured into a dfh glass

a copper colored with a small dissipating white head that leaves a very small white foam film over the top. no lacing.

s cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin flesh, vanilla, grain, clove

t starts out with a smooth vanilla and clove which moves into a pumpkin flash and heavy cinnamon. the ending is also heavy on the cinnamon but gives way to a fresh grain. the aftertaste has a lot of spice in it as well...

m smooth with a heavy carbonation. fairly thick

o this is a great easy to find pumpkin beer, i definitely drikn it a lot when i want a pumpkin beer. i recommend it if you like pumpkin beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 00:18:16 | More by Lare453

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Had this a couple weeks ago and really liked it. Now it's time for a proper review. 22oz from 2012 into CS Cellar Reserve wine glass. A twist-off 22oz? Don't think I have ever seen that before. Less than a finger of head on the pour. Light brown colored head (almost white) and it holds up fairly well. Body is slightly cloudy but a gorgeous orange color. Some brown in it, but really nice. Laces well. Aroma is pretty typical amber ale. Slight alcohol burn, and only minimal pumpkin. The flavor is good pumpkin and clove, but something is off. A little bit of soap; floral notes. Mouthfeel is good with nice carbonation and solid body.

Overall the off flavor and lackluster aroma keep this beer down. Nice pumpkin flavor and very refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 19:41:02 | More by RuckusDu

Celtics76

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Well, I hope this beer tastes as impressive as the bottle looks. I love the gold foil wrapper and writeup on the back featuring a photo of much maligned Shipyard brewmaster Alan Pugsley.

Pours a dark, semi-clear orange with minimal head. Nice aroma of pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Has a nice crisp taste. Cinnamon flavors at the forefront, which I expected considering how profoundly cinnamon Pumpkinhead is. Some spicy pumpkin flavors power through the wall of cinnamon as it warms. There is some bitterness at the finish as well.

This is one of Shipyard's best. However I would recommend a handful of Imperial pumpkin ales over this one - Wachusett's Imperial Pumpkin and Southern Tier's Pumking are 2 examples. But give it a shot - I always root hard for New England breweries.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 00:09:04 | More by Celtics76

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a perfect pint.

3.5 A: Clear light orange color. Two fingers of frothy off-white head. Retention is about average and a short ring of lacing is left.

3.5 S: Pithy pumpkin with nutmeg and hints of cinnamon and allspice. Moderate malty sweetness with a touch of caramel and a mild biscuitiness. The pumpkin and spices aren't as bold as some, but are sufficient. Booze is well hidden. Not bad.

3.5 T: Pumpkin and spices are the leading flavors with nutmeg being the most prominent. Biscuity maltiness with a just more than moderate sweetness. Light caramel. Booze is realized int he taste.

3.5 M: Medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Could be a bit creamier, but not bad here.

3.5 D: Tasty pumpkin brew. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 01:27:30 | More by DavoleBomb

fitrock2112

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured the Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin into a pint glass.

A- Pours a copper, burnt orange with a finger and a half of white fluffy head.

S- The aroma is of nutmeg, allspice, and touch of clove. Maybe slight pumpkin on the background. Smells awesome

T- Wow , the taste is way more nutmeg than the aroma. Much more clove and allspice as well, with just a touch of pumpkin again on the background.

M- Medium to light carbonation, feels a little chewy, which I like , it definitely has some body to it.

O- I enjoyed this beer , I would recommend this beer if you like Pumpkin Beers

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 00:04:26 | More by fitrock2112

teromous

Virginia

2.95/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: It's hazy and orange in appearance. There's a very thin ring of white bubbles. Spotty lacing.

S: Wham! Hit with a brick of malt. There's scents of caramel, some light alcohol, and no real pumpkin scent or spice.

T: I'm glad it doesn't taste like it smells. There's a lot of pumpkin flavor coming through, but nicely. It plays on the palate some with the spices. No distinct hop characteristics, which is a good thing. The alcohol doesn't really come through either, which is nice. It tastes pretty average for a pumpkin beer though.

M: The mouthfeel is very nice. It is extremely well balanced at a medium mouthfeel.

O: Overall I thought the beer was nice, but I wouldn't spend this much for the beer again. It was nice to try, but there are cheaper pumpkin beers out there that taste either similar or better. It's has a very nice mouthfeel which is above the standard fare, but I think the appearance and scent speak for themselves.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 01:46:54 | More by teromous

wahnee86

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A clean poor with a nice head revealed a solid pumpkin beer. Avoiding the usual problem of being too sweet and too pumpkin-y, Shipyard's beer enjoyed a nice fall aroma with crip pumpkin and spice smells. Mouthfeel was uneven; at times the beer seemed a little thin while others it seemed to have more body too it. At the right price, this could be a nice beer to pair with certain fall flavored pasta dishes.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2012 15:08:51 | More by wahnee86

RickS95

Indiana

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a mostly clear orange. No haze, just a stock clearish orange. The head is a finger thick, but has little retention.

You can smell the malty backbone of the beer, that holds up the Autumn warming spices of cloves, cinnamon and ginger. A little bit of alcohol shines through.

The taste is almost all spice and little pumpkin. That's ok though. The pale ale malts mixes well with the pumpkin spices (mostly cinnamon) and balances the alcohol that also comes through in the taste, but only leaves enough of a message to show its presence, it never dominates. As it warms, the alcohol really grows and comes close to killing the balance.

Medium bodied. It's sweet for a split second before the spiciness takes over. That spiciness builds as the beer works its way back. The malt and wheat provide a good platform for the spices so that even though the spices are front and center, they don't offend. The heat starts gaining momentum and both it and the numbing alcohol feel continue well into the swallow.

It's a pretty good beer and with the high ABV, both a sipper and something you'll enjoy in the cooler months. As it warms, the beer actually gets a bit worse. That said, it's still better than a lot of other pumpkin beers I've had and is something I'd enjoy having more of.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 02:58:52 | More by RickS95

DaveBlack

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Crystal clear, orange-colored beer. only a 1/2 finger of slightly off-white head, a very tiny amount of lacing.

S: Sweet malts, pumpkin pie spices, alcoholic phenols and some vegetal pumpkin as well. The spices are light enough to let the rest of the aromas shine through, and the alcohol adds a nice touch.

T: Lots of malts which bring a ton of sweetness to the table, a hit of pumpkin pie spices, as well as some legitimate pumpkin. Alcohol is present throughout, bringing a nice warmth along with it, as well as helping to mellow out the alcohol. A kiss of hops on the finish also help, but the lasting impression is one of incredible sweetness.

M: Syrupy, heavy body, not much carbonation.

O: A very decent pumpkin beer. It is a little sweet for my liking, but the flavors are good and well balanced and they didn't go overboard with the spices.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 21:12:31 | More by DaveBlack

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

625mL bottle from the Uptown Waterloo LCBO, as part of the Pugsley Signature Shipyard release. I'm on a streak of pumpkin ales this week - keep em comin!

Poured into my trusty Duvel goblet. Light amber caramel in colour, with about a half inch head that recedes into a thin ring. Some whirlpools of foam, not much lacing to speak of. Nice colour though.

Nose is unmistakably pumpkin puree, along with a strong whiff of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, barley and wheat.

Certainly an above average pumpkin ale, at least in terms of body, flavour and ABV. Tastes much like a spice-heavy pumpkin pie, although without the biscuit-crust component I associate with the other heavy hitters of the style. Heavy, and with the alcohol creeping in the back - it is certainly detectable with the weight of this brew. The finish gives you the most potent blast of pumpkin pie, which is a real treat.

I have to agree that the wheat malt didn't add much of anything except to make this thinner and I suppose more drinkable; but at 9% and at just a hair under 8 bucks at the LCBO, I'm looking for something to savour, not to drown myself in. Still, I maintain my "above-average" rating, and if Pumking or the other biggun's aren't coming Ontario way this year, this will certainly suffice for Hallowe'en drinking.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 01:45:04 | More by JohnnyBarman

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Just shy of two finger's worth of light khaki colored head that tightly packed and perfectly level... Solid retention yields a rich full creamy lacing... The color is a rich deep burnt orange... Loaded with small bubbled sluggish to moderate paced carbonation swirling within... This is a very nice looking brew...

S - Fantastic balance for a Pumpkin Ale... As I always hope, Pumpkin is at the forefront... Close behind is a text book autumnal spicing... The end result is pure pumpkin pie on the nose... Some bready crusty like malts and very light caramel notes as well... Excellent aroma...

T - Sweet pumpkin pie filling... Brown sugar... Sweet potatoes... The spicing of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove are buried slightly beneath the surface... The flavors seem to be a bit artificial, but the overall effect is still quite effective... Perhaps the slightest bit cloying...

M - Medium bodied... Sturdy... Light carbonation... Sleek and smooth... Clean... Solid...

D - This is an excellent Pumpkin Ale... My only two real complaints at that the flavors are ever so slightly artificial/cloying and the cheap foil used on the cap... Other than that this one is very good to excellent in all facets... I really enjoyed this take to at reproducing actual pumpkin pie in a bottle... The 9% ABV is well hidden...

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 20:29:34 | More by philbe311

AmitC

Indiana

3.4/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Good taste for such high alcohol content.
Nice coppery color.
Less spicy to my taste.

Have tasted pumpkin ales much more spicy than this one. That to me is a drawback.

I like it for its alcohol content and mild taste.

A bit of sweetness as well but that is so typical of pumpkin ales.

Not at all a value for the cost of the bomber.

Little larger head compared to other pumpkin ales.

As suggested by others, better than normal pumpkin ale from shipyard.

Note - Pumpkin Ales are not for me. So it is a bit negatively biased but still scores well over others that i have had.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 03:19:31 | More by AmitC

rundocrun

Iowa

3/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from 22-oz. bomber into pint glass.

A - Body the color of dark honey. Crystal clear. One finger of off-white foam with decent retention. No lacing.

S - Vegetal, tangy, with hints of apple. Overall not very aromatic. Less than impressed.

T - Dry, crisp and slightly tangy up front. Flavors of cooked pumpkin (obviously), tart apple, and caramelized sugars. Mild hints of cloves and ginger. Hops come forward toward the finish with a balanced bitterness. Final lingering flavor is somewhat artificial and oddly similar to cola.

M - Medium bodied with good carbonation. Fairly dry from the wheat and higher alcohol. Finish is clean with only a hint of lingering sugary tartness.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 01:13:07 | More by rundocrun

knoxtennessee

Tennessee

3.03/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

22oz bottle-wine glass blah blah blah, you know the drill.

A- Great orange color with thin white foam that laces the glass. A very welcomed chill haze lets me know they used real pumpkin.

S- Hmm. Not as much happening as I expected. I get some pie spice and a little malty aroma, some subdued fruit. Not really the punch of toasty malt I was expecting. No notable yeast contribution. A little bland.

T- Fairly disappointing. Not very much malt flavor, spices are a little weak. The pumpkin character just doesn't have enough other flavors to support it. I feel like for a beer of this gravity you just don't get enough character.

M- Thin and fizzy. Dry finish.

O- Just not enough character for a beer this big. It's just too bland and vague. It's like they wanted to make it approachable. Wrong tactic. For $11 a bomber I was expecting a lot more flavor. They should through out the wheat and Munich and replace them with amber malt and a good English crystal. Maybe a bit higher mash rest or a less attenuative ale yeast. A good English strain would really help with the over all body and flavor. Just too plain for the style, and the price.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 17:56:39 | More by knoxtennessee

aspect

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice golden colour with a small amount of head, a bit of carbonation visible.
Nose - You can smell the pumpkin, some pepper and cinnamon, very reminiscent to the candy cinnamon hearts
Mouth - Not bad, the cinnamon taste is very noticeable at first, with a slight pumpkin hint as well, thats the most that I can pick up, A bitter finish and smooth on the mouth.

Overall I would say its fairly decent, I did enjoy it and have in the past quite a few times, not my favourite pumpkin ale, but one that I have purchased on more than one occasion and always enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 23:53:04 | More by aspect

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

this is one of the best pumpkin beers out there in my opinion. in a total juxtaposition to their pumpkin head this beer features the squash over the spice, and is one of my favorites right now. it pours a fairly dense looking orange color, more spring than fall in hue, with a two inch white head on top, almost nitro in appearance. smells like fresh pumpkins, maybe stewed pumpkin, and with a spice thats a product ofn the yeast, not a product of too much nutmeg in the brew kettle. the flavor is equally chill on the spice front, but pungent on the earthy vegetable front. some notes of vanilla and candy in there too, but this isnt a sweet beer. the mouthfeel is huge, full bodied, but relatively easy drinking. i think its maybe not so easy drinking, just so interesting and delicious that i keep putting these down. the alcohol is present, but its complementary to whats going on, not a distraction. this a an absolutely essential beer to try this fall. i might go get another one right now actually.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 23:26:30 | More by StonedTrippin

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.05/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a tulip glass.

Appearance: Cloudy amber, deep body with many tiny bubbles floating in the body. Has an orange tinted white head which rose to about 1/3", so far it looks real good.

Smell: I keep sniffing and sniffing and has super light pumpkin scent, I have and so has any other beer connoisseur smlled better.

Taste: Very good, I mean as far as taste is concerned which I think is the biggest property when drinking a quality brew this beer is up there with one of the best. It is lightly sweet, definitely a raw pumpkin taste malty and a cinnamon lightly spice feel.

Mouth: Medium carbonation, very smooth. You feel like your your cheeks have just ate a pumpkin pie, sticky nutmeg/cinnamon feel.

Overall: I have to say my second favorite pumpkin beer, my first is Pumking by Southern Tier but this beer definitely hangs up there up. Rare I mention another brew to compare it to but just to let you know you are not drinking bullsh*t. Try it for yourself and love it, Salud!

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 05:00:20 | More by BlurryVisi0n

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle poured into a tulip at cellar temperature.

L – Medium amber color with a 1-finger bubbly white head that rapidly dissipates. No lacing. Clear with an average number of carbonation bubbles.

S – Cereal and wheat malts, pumpkin, nutmeg, and a bit of alcohol. Not nearly as spice-heavy as a lot of pumpkin beers.

T – Starts off sweet with lots of pumpkin. Taste transitions to a grainy wheat flavor before finishing on a spicy note with nutmeg and spicy hop notes. A bit of alcohol becomes apparent in the finish, especially as the beer warms.

F – Medium-bodied with lots of carbonation at first (dissipates rapidly), a sticky and mouth-coating feel, and a spicy and very dry finish. Nutmeg and hop spice lingers for a nice amount of time and melds with the throat-warming sensation from the alcohol.

O – This is a pretty good pumpkin beer and one of the few that showcases the actual pumpkin rather than pumpkin pie spices. At first, the high ABV isn’t apparent at all, and the beer is very drinkable for 9%. As the beer warms, though, the alcohol becomes much more apparent and takes a little bit away from the overall flavor. I’d also like to see a little better head retention and some lacing to go along with all that carbonation that’s there right after opening. Still, this is a tasty beer and much, much better than that other pumpkin beer that Shipyard makes.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 04:20:11 | More by BlackBelt5112203

Beaver13

Colorado

1.88/5  rDev -49.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

22 oz bottle. Pours clear yellow orange with a smallish white head that quickly goes to a thin collar.

The aroma is sweet malt and a lot of spices (cinnamon and allspice) - more spicy than just pumpkin pie.

The flavor is a little sweet malt with a huge amount of spice (a ton of cinnamon that makes it kind of spicy and tastes a bit like peppermint) and some odd medicinal bitterness in the finish. Unfortunately it tastes a bit like cinnamon gum or even mouthwash. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation.

Overall, this is strange. It tastes more like a spicy cinnamon beer than a pumpkin beer - trending toward mouthwash.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 04:38:37 | More by Beaver13

GetTheYayo

Colorado

3.28/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hard pour into a pint glass produced a coppery orange color with a very large head. The head eventually dissipated to about half a centimeter that remained throughout the review. I'm really having so struggle to find anything in the nose, but what I do find is nutmeg, allspice, pumpkin puree, and a dash of cinnamon. Lots of pumpkin coming through on the palette with spices lingering on the finish. At 9% ABV the alcohol is subtle but there's definitely a hint of booziness, especially as it warms. Mouthfeel is somewhat big for the style; carbonation is dead on.

It's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin beers. I wasn't impressed with the appearance and the smell of this beer, but the taste and ABV redeemed it. The pumpkin spice shines through nicely with minimal cheap maltiness. Not a bad attempt.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 03:20:20 | More by GetTheYayo

SHODriver

California

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a light copper with a small white head with minimal retention
S: smells of alcohol, a bit of pumpkin and some pie spice
T: lots of spice up front with some pumpkin flavor, a little alcohol comes through and the malt has a bit of character to add as well but it can't come through the spice and the pumpkin. swallow is more pumpkin pie spice and a little alcohol.
M: medium in the mouth with soft carbonation. a little slick
O: pretty good. it's really like drinking pumpkin pie and the flavors are great. pretty drinkable but these beers aren't quite made for sessioning, especially one at 9% abv

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 02:29:04 | More by SHODriver

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Impressive clarity for such a big beer. Burnt golden hue with a fluffy off white head. Sticky and bubbly. Lots of pumpkin on the nose. Like legit pumpkin, not just the spice. But cinnamon and allspice is present as well. Faint alcohol fumes.

Much thinner body then expected, lower amounts of carbonation. Lots of pumpkin flavor though. Semi-sweet yet squash like pumpkin flavor up front with faint pumpkin pies spices to balance. Oddly simply for such a big beer as well. One of the few pumpkin beers where the pumpkin and not the spice is the star of the show. However unlike Sam Adams fat jack, it's not just an overload of pumpkin flavor. Spiced just enough to balance. Pretty unique pumpkin beer to be honest, doesnt try to taste like pumpkin pie like most, lets the pumpkin shine through while still being beer enough to incorporate good balance and flavor. Impressive. Again, doesnt drink like a 9% beer, flavor wise, body wise or alcohol wise. Very mysterious.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 04:17:04 | More by jtierney89

BeerManDan

California

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

So much better that the Shipyard Pumpkin Ale. The color was yellow/orange, with an average amount of foam and lace. The smell of spices was very much evident in the aroma. The flavor was well balanced between spices, malts, hops, etc. A very pleasant surprise with a soft tasty, well balanced Pumpkin Ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 03:52:55 | More by BeerManDan

challenja

Virginia

4.8/5  rDev +28.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle purchased at Arrowine Arlington, VA

A: A nice golden dawn amber hue. White cotton lacing forms around the edges of a light pumpkin amber base.

S: A nice bouquet of cinnamon, nutmeg, and spiced clove. Sweet Pumpkin pie, breaded leavings, brown sugar syrup. Maple cloved malts and pine cone resins.

T: This is one tasty pumpkin brew when it warms up. Never drink pumpkin beers cold!! Slightly chilled above room temperature really brings out the spiced clove and warm cinnamon nicely. The nutmeg closes the palate after the cloves and the sweet pumpkin rind rides the warm cinnamon train all hopped up and ready to play.

M: This is a nice medium carbo hopped clove bomb. Warm and tempting. Medium slick mouthfeel. Full and inviting.

O: This ranks as my number 2 pumpkin beer beating out Schlafly and Weyerbacher. Still no Southern Tier Pumking, but damn close!

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 15:49:04 | More by challenja

WankelEngine

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a hazy orange with a tinge of brown. Light thing lacing. Not much of a head.

S: Very pumpkin with an associated vegetable smell. Some spices, notably nutmeg and cinnamon.

T: Pumpkin and spices are prominent. There is a noticeable bitterness I attribute to some grassy hops. As it warms I get spicy fruit flavors, figs and brandy. Some alcohol heat in the finish with rich, dark fruit.

M: Moderate in body but somewhat syrupy thick. Alcohol is a notable presence, but it is tempered by bit of the syrup sweetness.

O: This was very pumpkin and spice forward. As it warmed, I got some darker fruit flavors, spice and alcohol. Decent, but I prefer the Pumking I had a few days ago.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 04:11:33 | More by WankelEngine