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

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Not a lot of head or lace here, body is a darkish brown, but not opaque.

Smells like a blueberry muffin with some alcohol ester.

Taste is actually really balanced-- sort of bitter dark chocolate and blueberry skins-- the bitterness is coming from hops, somewhat. Some bran on the finish. I don't really get any coffee though.

Mouthfeel is pretty standard.

Pretty neat-- quite balanced for what it is, and that's worth note.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 01:38:57 | More by zaphodchak

VtBeerRun

Vermont

3.15/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

There is nothing wrong with this beer, just not what I was hopping for. If I get a blueberry beer I want it to be a good taste of blueberry. This just didn't do it for me. I'd rather take a quality pale ale and put fresh blue berries in it. Shipyard has some good beers, and this didn't taste bad, just didn't reach my expectations.

Cheers,
Dave

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 22:00:28 | More by VtBeerRun

yesyouam

New York

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry is a solid dark brown ale with an espresso colored head that leaves very nice lacing on the glass. It has a strong aroma of fresh blueberries. It fills the room. It's full bodied, smooth and soft. It leaves the tongue like a smooth paste. The blueberry is detected right at the beginning of the sip, then a bitter resiny flavor takes over and hits with the intensity of whiskey. There's a long, bitter aftertaste of juniper and black pepper. Wow, this is maybe a little too intense for me. It's strong and it tastes even stronger than the ABV would indicate. 22 oz. feels like a commitment. This is the opposite of refreshing, but it works fine on a cold winter night.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 18:43:56 | More by yesyouam

AgentZero

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Dark brown beer, almost black in lower light. Tan head that faded to a bit of a ring and left some lace on the sides.

S - Smells like those fake blueberries that are in those cheap muffin mixes you buy. smells like blueberries, but then you realize there's something off and artificial about it.

T - Tastes like blueberry mix thrown into some milk. Some malts, that's about it.

M - Mouthfeel is like that of slightly carbonated milk. Heavier side of medium bodied with low carbonation.

O - Pretty average beer. A lot of other people hated it more than I do, but I didn't think it was horrible. Can't drink much and wouldn't ever seek it out, but I've had worse.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 02:16:50 | More by AgentZero

Sean9689

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottle at our good beer/bad beer tasting. Poured into Bell's tulip.

A - Pours a darker brown/amber color, off-white head, thin collar.

S - Roasted malts, blueberry, marker. The blueberry notes really come though and remind me of blueberry muffins, with the roasted sweet malty notes.

T - Tastes like blueberry cough syrup and has an awful harsh medicinal finish. Hints of beer in there, some malty notes, but otherwise, just a nasty blueberry medicinal note.

M - Medium, light carbonation, alcohol is hidden well for 9%.

O - I would definitely drink this again if it was able to cure the common cold and/or help my cough, but as a beer, I'm going to pass. The other bright spot was the medicinal note hid the alcohol pretty well.

Lightly roasted malt notes that are a bit smoky with pleasant blueberry notes shining through nicely. Pours dark chesnut amber with an off white head. The flavor has almost no notes of the blueberry, a tad at the beginning come in nicely, then more of a light barleywine base with some sweet malts and a bit of the roasted porter flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 16:43:32 | More by Sean9689

MasterSki

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Not sure who shared this one - Sean? Served in a Captain Lawrence tulip.

A - A half-finger of tan foam settles to a wispy partial cap, thin collar, and a few splotches of lace. Brown body with some reddish glints to it.

S - Smells like a combination of blueberry cough syrup and waxy Christmas chocolate. There's a faint vomit and alcohol note in the periphery.

T - Taste is a bit better as the off-flavors disappear, leaving behind the blueberry pie, and low-quality milk chocolate. Alcohol is better hidden here, but this is surprisingly bland for a 9% beer.

M - Medium-full body, lower carbonation, chewy and sticky texture, and light warming alcohol.

D - Fairly easy to drink for the high alcohol content, but too sweet for large quantities. The aroma is also slightly off-putting at this stage. Perhaps this was better in the summer, but at this point it's not something I'd want to drink again.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 17:22:46 | More by MasterSki

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a very dark brown color with a thin off-white head and just a spot or two of lacing. The nose carries some pretty heavy blueberry character. A light bit of roast and chocolate behind. Flavor is predominantly blueberry and is fairly one-dimensional. Not much other than blueberries. Touch of malt in the background. Medium body. Decent, but mostly just another fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 18:37:10 | More by Thorpe429

laituegonflable

Australia

3.33/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very dark brown with colour up to the light. Head is good at first when poured, settles out to a thin crown. Beige colour, lace is alright. Looks good.

Smells mediciney. Phenolic, cherry notes, lots of vanilla sweetness. Pongy and a bit overpowering. Fruity and sickly sweet. Yeah, can't say I'm a fan.

Taste is similar, with that sickly sweet fruit flavour and a touch of coconut, but balances it out a bit better. Hint of glacé cherries, over thick roasty stouty notes. Very coconut and vanilla and very sweet. Bit too much; needs more roast to ground it. Otherwise not too bad, quite dry on the back that mellows out the sweet, medicinal front a bit.

Dry and boozey, with a hot alcohol note on the front. Otherwise quite smooth and good.

Wish I liked this more, but there's just too much residual sugar and it just tastes a bit flakey.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 07:02:20 | More by laituegonflable

SolarMikey

Michigan

3.65/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This brew is very dark brown, with a strong aroma of not just blueberry, but blueberry muffin. Its taste has a porter-like darkness to it with chocolate notes, and the blueberry flavor is connected to the medium carbonation of the beer (those sensations go hand-in-hand during the experience). The dominant quality is fruity and tangy, though the finish is dry and just a bit hoppy. Mouthfeel is light, making this boldly-flavored beer surprisingly drinkable!

I recommend this beer primarily because it's different from any fruit beer I've ever tried, though the flavor is a lot darker than I usually prefer for berry-based fruit beers (hence the blueberry muffin quality as opposed to a more refreshing straight-up blueberry). Some good work by Shipyard, overall!

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 03:08:40 | More by SolarMikey

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aroma: Takes one quick sniff to realize that this is going to be good. Bold, sweet blueberries, chocolate, raisins, mild bitterness, a light layer of crisp hops. Some alcohol finally detected through quick short sniffs.

Appearance: Pitch black, even when held up to a bright light. Pours a tall light brown head. The head is very thick and fluffy. Lots of lacing.

Flavor: Very pleasant blueberries, chocolate, coffee, mild anise, mild hop bitterness at the end. A bit of that complex bitter taste associated with scotch. Some alcohol shows up after the sweetness, about the same time as the bitterness shows up.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied. Very heavy, but the carbonation thins it out a bit, giving it a choppy, chunky feel. Some warming from the alcohol.

Overall: Bold and smooth. Very drinkable considering the bold and complex flavor. The blueberry is refreshing at first, but goes into the background as the other flavors take over the palate. One of the smoother experimental brews I've had.

Note: 22 oz. bottle

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 02:03:34 | More by soulfly1492

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry

Pours a dark amber brown, bordering black with a short livid off white head. Aroma is full of fresh blueberry with a little roasted malt in the background. In the taste, blueberry, roasted malt, alcohol and cooked vegetable with porter like notes. Aftertaste is mildly harsh. Flavors are unoffensive for the most part, and this is the strongest blueberry beer on the market according to ABV. Decent brew, big time blueberry flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 04:59:56 | More by Stinkypuss

CheezyBlaster

Massachusetts

2.95/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This beer is a no-go for me. I've defended Shipyard in the past. However, through the mediocre fuggles IPA and awful, awful beers like that Pumpkinhead rubbish everyone buys, Shipyard isn't what it used to be . . . or my memory is cloudy. I notice that BA tends to like this one, but I cannot agree.

Nose: Blueberry with a hint of blueberry. Dark roasted malts dipped in blueberry flavored syrup. Can't get past it.

Dark roasted malts take shape as coffee and some dark chocolate/cocoa, but really blueberry-atized -like that sickening blueberry compote they put on pancakes in shitty diners. Booze on the finish. Some unwelcome diacetyl. The blueberry is really sickening after a point. I enjoyed their cider-like brew with smashed pumpkin, but this stuff is not my fave by a long shot. Pass!

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 22:10:50 | More by CheezyBlaster

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.6/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Purchased from Healthy Spirits in San Francisco. Brought back to Sydney and shared with @tobeerornottobe and @LaitueGonflable.

Pours a deep but clear brown-black colour, with a moderate, but pretty filmy head of mocha to beige brown. Lacing is patchy and dotted. Body is pleasantly fluid and light, but holds masses of really nice tiny carbonation. Not bad at all.

Nose is genuinely wonderful. Big fresh blueberry notes, jumping off a roasty sweet basis. Slight acidity coming through, but it's subtle. The sweetness from the blueberries is extraordinary. It makes a really lovely aroma for the beer, and it works so well in the style.

I was afraid the blueberry character would be lost in the palate, but it's here and is strong, giving a freshness and sweetness and that classic blueberry acidity. But this is tempered and complemented wonderfully by the roasted grains, which sit underneath giving a subtle chocolate character and some bitterness to clean out the finish. It's a sophisticated palate, with fruit providing a twist and a starting point, but the beer itself providing the depth and complexity.

Absolutely lovely beer. Really well balanced, and genuinely, uncompromisingly interesting. The blueberries provide a really unusual and genuinely pleasant character, that (what's more) works really nicely in the basis of the beer itself.

Love it.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 07:55:47 | More by lacqueredmouse

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a mug glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color, with a thin light brown head that fades slowly and leaves a thin on the glass.

S: The aroma contains blueberries, roasted malts, coffee, vanilla and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out a little smoky with a hearty malt character up front that is quickly followed bursts of several different flavors such as coffee, chocolate, blueberries, vanilla and bourbon. There’s a little bit of an alcohol sting that comes in. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings a decent balance. I thought the blueberry flavor would be much stronger, but although isn’t subtle, it’s a bit subdued and works nicely for this beer. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

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

D: Flavorful, goes down easily, not too filling, strong kick, the label claims that this beer is a “hybrid between a Porter and a Scotch Ale” which is pretty accurate. It’s a solid beer to drink for a while when you’re looking for something a little different.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 00:19:12 | More by TheManiacalOne

chugalug06

Colorado

4.78/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Great tan foamy head. Brew stands very dark in color, could it be all the blueberries?

S - Lots of caramel and blueberries. Very sweet, but not sugary.

T - Sweet, but not overly sugary. Amazingly blueberry. Not induced blueberry, but actual blueberry. amazing how they made this taste SO good.

M - Wonderful. smooth. wet. great carbonation.

O - Amazing fruit brew. The best i've had. wonderful true berry flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 03:26:57 | More by chugalug06

peacehammer

California

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Fantastic sweet blueberry aroma. Dark pour, minimal head. Nice full body. Blueberry flavor is present from start to finish, but it doesn't take from the integrity of the beer. Toffee aftertaste.

I was very happy with this beer after it was strongly recommended to me from a few people. After not loving Smashed Pumpkin, it was nice to have a blueberry beer, that still held it's character.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 20:13:40 | More by peacehammer

suspect

New York

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle with gold foil around the cap into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass.

A: Deep brown color. When held up to the light, you can see some lighter brown notes around the edges. Aggressive pout leads to a light tan, 1-finger head that disappears and leaves spotty but decent lacing. I ding this appearance based on style. Some of the best looking Fruit/Vegetable beers have been much prettier than this.

S: Light chocolate notes, decent amount of blueberry from what my nose is picking up. Lots of dark malts and a faint whiff of alcohol makes its way at the backend of the nose.

T: Very nice mix of malts, chocolate and tobacco. Nice bitterness added in from either the cocoa, coffee or hops, I can't tell which but it definitely balances out the malts. Somewhere in the middle-later stages of the taste is where the blueberries come into play and they are definitely delicious. ABV well hidden in the taste.

M: Medium body, nicely carbonated. Creamy coating leaves a nice aftertaste that definitely reminds me of the Scotch ale half of this hybrid.

O: A very nice beer overall but left something to be desired given the style and the name. This is a good beer and I'm glad I have two bottles but the novelty will probably disappear after I finish that one.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 02:39:28 | More by suspect

Yagman3000

New York

3.3/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served from a 22 oz. bomber into an oversized glass stein.

Appears an odd shade. Mostly dark rich browns with a subtle purple tone underneath it.

Smell is way too understated for me. Even with agitating and swirling, I'm only picking up a mild chocolate.

I can taste the blueberry here and I'm really trying to. It has a pretty straight porter taste to it but not too strong on that regard. A bit dissapointing.

Mouthfeel is ok. I wish it carried a little more thickness to it, a bit of a warmer as the weather gets cold.

Overall a disappointment. Wish there was some trace of blueberry. False advertising! :(

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 03:37:47 | More by Yagman3000

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smashed Blueberry opens with a nose that thankfully does not resemble blueberry jam or pie, which is a serious concern of mine with fruit beers. Instead, while there is a hint of fresh blueberries around the edges, the beer mainly smells of dark malts, which bring coffee and tobacco, as well as molasses and caramel. The malt aromas are of roughly the intensity that would be expected from a solid porter. The overall effect is something like a quality piece of blueberry pie served at a '50s diner, complete with a cuppa joe and just a faint hint of secondhand smoke drifting over from the far corner.

On the tongue, the beer is simultaneously porter, scotch, and blueberry, the flavors intermingling beautifully. The malts and hops bring coffee, vanilla, anise, and touches of ash and peat, as well as a hoppy pine-and-lemon bite, and the blueberries add just a smidgen of berry flavor, nicely complementing the darker malts. Hops do tend to gain in intensity as the sugars die off, and halfway through a mouthful held long enough on the tongue, a strong grapefruit flavor comes through. Right at the end, a strong chocolate malt note blasts out. The aftertaste is mainly porter flavors--chocolate malt, ash, and coffee--with small hints of blueberry sticking to the teeth. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is quite good beer, and again thankfully does not resemble blueberry-based foods in any way. Instead, the blueberry sugars and esters provide a lovely counterpoint to the dark malt flavors, much like black coffee can taste lovely with berry pies. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 21:28:08 | More by jondeelee

rfgetz

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown with some hints of purple, disappointingly thin cap of brown bubbled, gone quickly. Scent leads with strong blueberry before solid roasted malt profile takes over, notes of char and baking chocolate. Taste again leads with lightly tart blueberry before hitting the malts - nice amount of baking chocolate and strong char character - odd fruity and medicinal cough drop like taste at the end. Also tasted best cold - more berry and less off-notes. Fuller side of medium bodied, dry finish. A good offering with some minor off-notes that keep this from being rated higher.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 14:22:29 | More by rfgetz

danmcg62

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours a deep, dark blackish blue with a nice khaki color head. This beer doesn't look a thing like I thought it would. I'm pleasently surprised.

S-Really sweet blueberry scent, almost smells like blueberry syrup. There's almost a sugary, choclately smell in there as well. Various types of malt are mixing in too.

T-Very thick malty flavor with very thick blueberry flavor. Mild hop bitterness at the back of the tongue. Nice flavor to this beer.

M-Real thick, syrupy feel in the mouth. Mild bitterness.

O-I am very impressed with this one. Really exceeded my expectations. Easy drinking, solid flavor, smooth taste. Well done Shipyard!

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 02:26:15 | More by danmcg62

SpdKilz

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A big thanks to HoppySuds for this beer. Cheers!

Appearance – Pours into a sniffer with an opaque dark chocolate color. Slight brown color is seen around the edges of the glass. A finger of mocha colored head is achieved with a moderate pour that dissipates quickly leaving little lacing.

Smell – Wow. Open the bottle and you immediately smell blueberries. And we are not talking about fake blueberries, but ripe, plump, juicy blueberries. I am honestly quite amazed. [edit – I realized what this smells like – somewhat like the blueberry filled pies as a child…which is ironic seeing as that stuff is probably really fake but I still get a lot of legitimate blueberry aromas). Slight chocolate, coffee, and caramel.

Taste – Fantastic. You can rip on Shipyard as much as you want, but this is a pretty good porter. Begins with heavy blueberry flavors which melds wonderfully with the chocolate and coffee flavors. A hint of tartness, roasted malts, and bitterness.

Mouthfeel – Medium bodied, moderate carbonation.

Overall – VERY glad I traded for this. I had this on my “wants” list for a while and finally decided to seek it out. I love a good porter when it gets cold (though I am more of a sour fan) and was intrigued by the description (and pretty good ratings) of this beer. I honestly feel this beer should be rated better but people have a preconceived notion that Shipyard sucks. This is a really good fruit flavored porter and I will be trading for another in the near future. No alcohol flavor or burn. Very well put together and done. Yes it is a bit one dimensional with the blueberry flavor, but hot damn if it isn’t tasty.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 00:51:57 | More by SpdKilz

claspada

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark, dark brown with a creamy khaki head. Ruby highlights are noticeable along the edges of the snifter. Not much lacing is left as the inch or so of head recedes.

Aromas begin with blueberry and dark roasted malts initially. I am immediately reminded of black blueberry coffee. As it warms the blueberry continues to emerge along with lots of bitter baker's cocoa and some lesser caramel maltiness.

The tastes begin with chocolaty dark malt mixing with some lighter raisiny sweet maltiness. A hint of vanilla underneath complements the blueberry that absolutely permeates the brew wonderfully but play second fiddle to the dark malt flavors. While the flavors are amazingly complex they are quite solid. A nice berry dark fruitiness mixed with a roasted malt backbone.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is smooth and yet slightly dry and bitter from the substantial roasted malt backbone of this beer. Alcohol is an afterthought here, really well balanced for such a high ABV.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised with this beer as I did no know what to make of a fruit/Scotch/Porter hybrid, but it all works; I think because dark malts and dark fruit flavors just blend amazing together. While I had to really search for the Scotch ale flavors compared to the porter dark roasted flavors, they do exist and make a really quality beer. Shipyard has been real hit or miss for me, but this works. Definitely recommended if you happen to come across it.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 01:34:28 | More by claspada

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a three finger cream head that fades quickly to a thin layer leaving some lace. Deep mahogany almost black color. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Blueberry nose. Flavor is strong, slightly tart blueberry and some coffee. Higher ABV is hidden. $7.99 for a 22oz bottle from Market Basket Concord, NH.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 22:19:39 | More by jdhilt

HoppySuds

California

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours black with a nice brown head. Almost like a dark porter.

Smells of chocolate and the blueberries diffidently come flying out. Malty and more dark tangy blueberry smell.

Taste is very different they I had assumed. It's really nice. Malty, chocolate with a light finish of tangy blueberry. This is not a fruity lambic or sour beer. It's malty, and deep, with 9% ABV that gives it some balls.

Overall I was impressed with this beer. It was a nice change up from the IPAs or IRS's or even just a good change from all of the Belgian trippels and quads. I was really looking for their smashed pumpkin beer but found this one instead and just went for it.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 21:50:13 | More by HoppySuds