Shipyard Double Old Thumper Ale - Shipyard Brewing Co.

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

bottle is over a year old, been stored in the cellar since purchased in early 2012 (probably a 2011 bottle release)

a murky amber/orange in color with a finger of off-white head. smells of lots of sweet malt, caramel, honey, very boozy nose, raisins, plum, dates. yeesh, as far as flavor goes it is very rough around the edges.. an oxidized wine-like flavor up front, lots of harsh alcohol flavors, almost a bourbon-like feel.. tastes of olives, grapes, figs, sweet malt backbone with a lingering bitterness that's almost rust-like. full body medium amount of carbonation.

this is definitely not what i was expecting. the name led me to believe it'd be an old ale. this site classifies it as an english barleywine.. i guess in all honesty, it's in between both.. it's high abv/malty profile is like a barleywine, the boozyness is like an old ale.. but the harshness is just repelling honestly.

well, at least i cleared a bottle from the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 00:52:49 | More by facundoCNB

Skarod

Maine

4.4/5  rDev +26.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I'm not quiet sure why this reviews so low. I really enjoyed this beer
malty caramel smell with a bit of a bourbon on the back of the taste
just a bit of bitter but the malt and the booze balances very nicely
bottle went down dangerously easy
not a huge fan of regular old thumper but this I will buy again

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 23:36:31 | More by Skarod

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

3.68/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: 22oz brown pop top, screw-top cap with foil, nice label, with some nice info about the beer on the back. Shipyard's website says this beer has been brewed since 2010, and I'm pretty sure I picked this brew up in Rock Island, IL when we were there for my wife's school's homecoming back in 2010, so I'm thinking this is between 2-3 years old. Poured into my Black Sheep half-pint stemmed goblet.

Appearance: Just slightly hazed sienna beer, which shows a warm burnt orange hue when held up to the light. Capped by a light tan cap with pretty nice retention, especially considering this beer's strenth and its age.

Smell: This is brewed with British pale m alt, crystal, and a bit of chocolate as well, with three English hop varieties, some Simcoe for finishing, and the classic Ringwood yeast; on the nose, this is sweet, with a bit of caramel, sweet toasty malt, estery yeast, and pleasant (golden) fruity alcohol notes in the back. Balances malt, fruit, and alcohol nicely; just what I look for in a non barrel-aged English-style barleywine.

Taste: Fruit and alcohol lead here, with some lingering hop bitterness and perhaps even a bit of flavor. There are light notes of caramel, as well as a ghostly hint of toast, but more in terms of golden fruit (slightly underripe peach stands out) and a sort of candy sweetness. The remaining hop presence, along with the 11.2% abv keep this from becoming cloying on the palate.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied, smooth.

Overall: I'm actually really surprised this beer is as bitter as it still is; it isn't over-the-top by any means, but if the bitterness has lingered this well, I bet it was truly a beast when fresh. I, for one, have absolutely no problem with the Ringwood yeast, when used properly, and definitely enjoy a few of Shipyard's offerings (Barleywine, Fuggles IPA). This beer is a decent English-style strong ale/barleywine, for sure, though I'd really like the bigger caramel and malty notes present in the aromas to trasnfer onto the palate a bit better. A bit more malt emerges as this nears room temperature, but the fruity, yeasty, and alcohol notes are still firmly in charge here, backed by a firm, substantial hop presence. I don't remember the exact price, but I do believe this was under $10 for a bomber. At that price, it's not a bad beer, though I have to say I'd likely pick Shipyard's Barleywine over this if given the choice between the two.

Overall: B = 84

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 02:12:31 | More by BedetheVenerable

cvm4

Mississippi

3.18/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours a copper or rusty color with a light tan head. Good lacing.

S - The nose is just sweet caramel, candied sugars & malts.

T - The taste definitely mirrors the nose. Burnt caramel, sweet malts, light prunes & a faint bitterness.

M - On the light side of medium body with good carbonation.

O - Not one I would go for again. Just way too much sweetness to be enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 02:31:41 | More by cvm4

UCLABrewN84

California

3.93/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle pour at the BevMo Holiday Beerfest held at Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.

Pours a clear dark orange with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, caramel, and some fruity aromas. Taste is much the same with a fruity finish. There is a mild bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some nice aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 05:22:05 | More by UCLABrewN84

morimech

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours slightly hazy, dark amber color with one finger of head that had good retention. The head settles to a thick cap. A lot of lacing is left down the glass.

Lovely aroma of herbal/floral hops complimented by rich malt aromas of caramel, toffee, brown bread, and butterscotch. No sign of alcohol. Smells very British.

The hops and malt hold their own against the alcohol for the most part. Nice hop flavors that are herbal, floral, and earthy. Plenty of malt sweetness with caramel and bready notes. Bitterness is moderate. Alcohol makes its appearance in the finish with flavor and warmth as it is a little boozy at the end.

Rich and smooth body. Nice carbonation that lends a smooth texture. Good big beer feel.

This beer excels at maintaning its British roots while taking on American boldness. A very good strong ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 22:09:25 | More by morimech

Blackwolf

3.58/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bomber into a tulip.

A- Poured a copper/amber clear body, one finger tight white head, little retention that settled into a thin cap. very little carbonation with some uniform can be seen on the sides of the glass just under the head. Not much lacing.

S- Aggressive. Lots of caramel, candied sugar/toffee, sweet roasted malt and lots of ethanol. The beer screams alcohol content right off the back... Not very complex, and again seemingly overwhelming with the alcohol content. This could have been balanced a bit more in all honesty.

T- The taste was also aggressive from the get go, but as this beer opens up so does the flavor. Caramalts, candied sugar, figs, very light on the spiced hop finish... Just a bit too subtle, but it is detectable. Lots of alcohol, and again when the beer opens up, so does the booziness.

MF- Full body, sticky and creamy. Lots of warming on the finish.

O- Taking the style into consideration not bad at all, but this is a very aggressive ESB that could use some more balance to it. Worth a try I suppose.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 10:35:26 | More by Blackwolf

beergoot

Colorado

3.63/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Slightly hazy, dark honey colored body; thick, sticky, creamy off-white head. Butterscotch and caramel sweetness in the aroma overall, with just a faint hint of the alcohol content in the background. Big malt sweetness with some alcohol taste and bitterness near the end. Medium-heavy body; rather soft with carbonation.

A pretty good high ABV malt bomb. I certainly got the "warming malty finish" described on the bottle label, but not any "spicy hop aroma". Still, there is plenty of good stuff going on with this beer. Definitely not a session brew, but does go down well while watching some Sunday football...

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 23:00:09 | More by beergoot

bluejacket74

Ohio

4/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle. I know I've had this beer a little while, but I just don't remember exactly how long so I have no idea how old it is (no date on the bottle). Served in a snifter, the beer pours a hazy dark copper color with an inch tan head. Head retention is decent, and there's a lot of lacing left behind on the glass. Aroma is nice and malty, the brew smells like caramel, toffee, butterscotch, dark fruit and some bready malt. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some booze, nuts, and a bit of spice. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's creamy and slick with a good amount of carbonation. I think it's a good overall brew. I'd like to try this fresher in the future, but I definitely liked this beer with some age on it.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 23:23:35 | More by bluejacket74

rarbring

Sweden

3.6/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A hazy dark amber brew, a high fluffy warm off-white head that leaves much lacing and has big curtains.

Smelling like cardamom wheat buns, nuts, sherry.

Starting sweet bread (or buns), Marzipan and cardamom and brown sugar, then bitter cherry seeds.

Medium carbonation, thick, oily and sticky, a big body and slow dry finish.

It has potential, this one, but does not really deliver. A bit to much bitterness and stickyness.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 15:37:15 | More by rarbring

ginemesis

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a reddish orange, a semi-lingering head with a slight lacing

S- Very malty with a prune fragrance. Matches the taste.

T- Very mild with elements of prune. Deceptively strong alcohol as it is 11%. Incredibly strong aftertaste, full of prune. Not bitter.

M- Texture is creamy and pleasant.

O- It's a good beer, but would be better classified as an old aie.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 04:07:14 | More by ginemesis

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Into a nonic:

A: hazy brown/orange/copper body gives a one finger off-white/caramel colored head that slowly dies to half a finger within a minute. No carbonation is seen rising, and barely any lacing is around the sides of the glass.

S: some strong caramel and malt notes accompanied with some slight alcohol aroma, slight hops in the background

T: sweet through the caramel and breadiness, slightly roasty nuttiness comes out, the alcohol comes out stronger as the beer warms.

M: heavy and carbonation is definitely felt, not sessionable

O: this thing is a beast, not only will I be drinking water after this, but my palate feels wrecked. Oh well, no big deal. Just curious, I wonder if this is more of a barleywine? I'd probably only have this again on special occasions or see if I could find it on tap somewhere.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 00:17:41 | More by kangarooAdam59

codsmith

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Hazy dark orangish copper with a finger high, creamy, off-white head.

S: Strong caramel and malt character, along with a medium-high alcohol aroma. It is missing the hop characteristic that is supposed to go along with the style.

T: Heavy alcohol taste with low-medium bitterness to finish it off. It has a caramel sweetness with some bready flavor.

M: Full bodied and filling. Moderate carbonation. High alcohol warmth

O: This really doubles the style guidelines for this beer, so its hard to really judge it based on the style, but the alcohol taste is a little too overwhelming. I would really consider this much closer to an English Barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 18:35:01 | More by codsmith

ExtraStout

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is clear amber in color and poured with a thin off white head that left lacing down the sides of the glass.

There are moderate aromas of sweetness in the nose along with some hints of butter and caramel.

Like the smell, the initial taste has a lot of malty sweetness, but this is slowly balanced off by a moderate amount of bitterness from the hops.

IT feels medium- to full-bodied and slightly viscous on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.

Considering its strength (which I love) the beer isn't that difficult to drink because the alcohol is well hidden from the taste.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 23:22:13 | More by ExtraStout

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle served in a weizen glass.

pours a deep amber tone with a touch of haze; fairly aggressive pour yields a 2" creamy/frothy head. great retention and significant lacing on display. great looking beer. nose is interesting. malt-forward and sweet with dark fruits and candied sugar. reminiscent of a sweet BSDA.

flavor is good, better than i was expecting having perused a few other reviews. malt-forward with significant sweetness - though not cloyingly so - with some balancing bitterness and notes of fruit, spice, butterscotch, and booze. mouthfeel is on the full size; adequate carbonation.

overall this is not a bad brew at all; i can see where it wouldn't appeal to some but IMO it's certainly worth a try.

(originally reviewed: 07-12-2011)

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 04:19:24 | More by BostonHops

beer2day

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reddish orange pour with 2 fingers of lighter cream head. Head doesn't last long and lacing is faint.

Nose is malt, grain, hot spice, alcohol, and a hint of burnt caramel.
Also a stale smell to it.

Taste is potent. Lots of grain. Very earthy. Medium dry finish, with just a bit of sticky sweetness creeping back in. Slightly oily. Spicy, with a bit of hot pepper. Alcohol is also very obvious.

Feel is quite thick and rich. Heavy.

This probably should come in a smaller bottle. I know 22's are meant to share, but why can't we get a 7oz of this instead?

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 01:50:15 | More by beer2day

laituegonflable

Australia

3.63/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a creeiply bright and vibrant red colour, don't see a lot of beers quite reach that pre-school red paint colour but here it is. Head is whispy, slightly off-white-to-beige. Lace is decent; not all that sticky. Pretty good though.

Smells reasonably sweet, but very subdued, with subtle stone fruit notes, a touch of metallic aroma, maybe some smoke and some rubber. FAirly fresh, with a hint of tartness. Ultimately, though, a bit weak, especially for the strength.

Taste is wow, quite a lot more potent. Starts off in typical bitter territory with a touch of American hoppiness to it, but gets a big boozey-fruit character midway that flaunts its stuff right to the end. Quite big, with an almost cognac whiff and some sour cherry notes. Oh, it's really quite odd. Like there's not much malt but a great deal of booze on there. Really gets more intense at the back, building to a slight rubbery flavour. Weird and quite intense. Not without its likeable points but I think it's a bit overcooked.

Decent fullness, not a lot of texture. Present most prominent on the boozey back; not bad.

Bit weird, a bit odd but there's plenty of salvageable material here, and I wish I just warmed to this more readily.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 11:17:03 | More by laituegonflable

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.4/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Purchased from Ledger's Liquors in Berkeley CA. Brought to Sydney and shared with @LaitueGonflable and @tobeeroronotobe.

Pours a hazed reddish amber colour, with a fine, slightly bubbly head of off-white. Minimal lacing. Body is goopy and gelatinous, and hold carbonation as though it has lost the will to rise to the surface. Looks decent overall.

Nose is, unfortunate, for want of a better word. Really pronounced vegetative, almost weedy aroma, giving hints of earth, bark and mulch. Some malty sweetness to offset it, but it really doesn't help the aroma overall.

Taste is similar, but here it starts to make a little more sense. Big, prickly English hop bitterness through the centre, giving herbal and woody flavours before punctuating the finish with a brisk punchy dot. Some rounded English malt characters give a slightly husky note which roughens the palate, but adds some basis.

Feel is slightly too chewy and thick for what it is: in fact, the flavours seem to struggle to hold on for as long as the feel wants them to.

Overall, this is a beer of contrasts. There are some really interesting things to it, and some things that just don't work at all. I like the really strong English bitterness, but I feel as though that would have been better utilised in a beer half its strength.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 05:19:44 | More by lacqueredmouse

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This beer is a light chestnut color with a thin white head. It's a glassy-clear liquid, essentially still, a malt and hop aroma. Dark grain, ethanol, toasted wood, and spicy hops. The spiciness carries over to the flavor, which is unfortunately disjointed. It's a jumble of sweetness, nearly independent of the malt, and alcoholic hotness. Fresh and sharp bitterness is a fleeting sensation. The finish is lingering, sweet, and warm. It's full in body and very intense.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 02:25:24 | More by Suds

Nerudamann

Arizona

4/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Look – dark red/medium brown in color, maybe a little hazy, with about a finger and a half’s worth of frothy khaki-colored foam that dissipates slowly.

Smell – dark and roasted, malty, almost with a whisky-like edge to it.

Taste – dark and strong. There’s a heavy mix of hop and malt at first, but then you’re blown away by abv, and that’s just in the beginning. It melds next into a whisky-like quality and finishes bittersweet, with a tinsy bit of a bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel – pretty well balanced, not leaning too heavily toward the watery or creamy sides.

Overall – interesting brew. Tastes a bit like a strong beer mixed with scotch or whisky. It’s a good mix though. Good-tasting and interesting to think about.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 03:16:43 | More by Nerudamann

TPONY51

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Been in the cellar for about 8 months and I wish I had tried it sooner because I love it. Beautiful orange and amber color. The smell is sweet and boozey with some biscuit and sweet fruit. The taste is by no way balanced yet flows pretty well and is interesting. It goes from quick biscuit to fruit with a (in my opinion) smooth hop and a nice boozey finish. The mouth feel is slick and comforting and the finish lingers long enough but doesn't over stay its welcome. Over all if i saw it on a menu or in a store I would make the purchase without hesitation.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 09:47:11 | More by TPONY51

JmBrkr

Vermont

2.38/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

It's been a while since I've had this brew, but I felt I should warn others. Unless you are a big fan of Old Thumper and want to meet his older meaner bi-polar brother, don't touch this stuff. I found it to be poorly balanced. I love strong hops and strong bodied beers, but from start to finish this beer comes across as ambitious yet, unkempt and not well thought out.
As a friend out it, "It's just too...double, and not enough thumper."

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 03:27:16 | More by JmBrkr

sjverla

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Nose: Very sweet. Dark fruit. Jam-like with a little yeast and hot alcohol.

Appearance: Slightly hazy, deep ruby. A thin head skims the top and sticks to the sides.

Taste: Plenty of booze in this. Very tart and really yeasty. A little musty and bitter on the back end. Assertive burnt malt notes.

Overall: Less "thump" than I was hoping for. Unless they're referring to the sound you make when you hit the ground.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 02:33:47 | More by sjverla

danmcg62

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Poured into a pint glass. Pours an orangey brown color with a smallish white head. Good looking brew.

S-Very biscuity. There's also figs, raisins. Mild spice hop aroma, mild malt as well. I like this.

T-Very spicy hops, finishes rather malty like the label says. Like the smell there is figs and raisins.

M-Thick and chewy. Spicy and malty.

O-Overall this a very good brew. I dig the smell and taste of the beer. I know this is an amped up version of the Old Thumper Ale, but I thought this was more close to the Export Ale. I think this would pair well with some BBQ.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 03:52:33 | More by danmcg62

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Double Old Thumper Ale, Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland, Maine. "…the big brother of the British Grand Champion beer Old Thumper. Available in the United States under a unique arrangement between England's Ringwood Brewery and Shipyard Brewing Company, Double Old Thumper is a real beast of a beer. Created by Shipyard's master brewer Alan Pugsley, DOT is deep brown in color with a spicy hop aroma and a warming malty finish. This beer …blah, blah, blah…" 11.2 % ABV.

Bright ruby red look, beautiful, creamy, lacy head atop. Very inviting. Urges me onward.

Aroma: sweetness, with a sting. Full, rich malt, kept pace by bracing booze. Leathery, cognac-y, caramel and a cornucopia of fruit (apple, melon, berries.). Complex, and rewarding. Love it.

Taste: Boom! Bam! Pow! Comes out swinging, this one, explodes on the palate. Spills out flavors aplenty, coats the palate with thick, malt, and powerful hops. It's a thumper, all right, a mammoth, a doozy, a ring-dinger. It hums, it roars, it simmers just before it singes, it warms before it burns.

Absolutely formidable, intense, and amazing. So rich, so complex, so round, so fully packed. Bright, fierce, indomitable. Mmmm. I like this. Ought to pick up more for the winter months. It's coming. Gonna need a big, wooly, warming ale like this.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 06:12:45 | More by feloniousmonk