Shipyard Bourbon Barrel Aged Smashed Pumpkin - Shipyard Brewing Co.

AlTrombley

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +1.8%

12-30-2012 13:15:30 | More by AlTrombley

seplo

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

05-21-2013 01:33:23 | More by seplo

kijo522

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

05-14-2013 21:19:06 | More by kijo522

Chisfinest84

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.8%

04-20-2013 20:59:31 | More by Chisfinest84

AJ01923

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

03-13-2013 02:43:43 | More by AJ01923

AOShabaz

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

03-07-2013 00:51:31 | More by AOShabaz

shehateme

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

03-07-2013 00:47:44 | More by shehateme

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.14/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bomber shared with bth86 and myrik, thanx guys for the pint:

Bottle no. 01209:

A: hazy brown colored body, looks like super small chunks of pumpkin floating around b/c carbonation is seen bouncing off of it trying to get to the top, some light lacing, small half finger white head

S: pumpkin intially, but bourbon really comes out as the beer warns, it pretty much gets stronger the more it warms

T: pretty much the same as above with a bit of ginger coming out slightly

M: medium, not sessionable, no harshness on the tongue, bourbon aftertaste, watery finish

O: interesting for the most part, perhaps a bit too much bourbon coming out all over, uh..., not sure if I would have this again ... ???

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 23:55:10 | More by kangarooAdam59

codasnap52

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

02-10-2013 04:28:11 | More by codasnap52

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.91/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From corked, caged bottle no. 01455, 2012 batch. Sampled on February 7, 2013.

So it is a few months past season but the pour is still very attractive copper-orange with the soft, silky off-white to tannish head that sits on top the whole time. Nice clarity.

On the nose I am getting plenty of malts and pumpkin spice and a bit more booze than I might have hoped for.

The body is full and creamy.

The taste is also fairly boozy like the aroma with the pumpkin spice up first and the bourbon in the batter's box. It is too bad it was more like hard liquor than a pumpkin ale but that might have been due to the amount of time that passed since this was bottled.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 01:53:58 | More by puboflyons

Dope

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2012 batch, bottle 03407

A: A very murky golden-orange. Moderate sized fluffy white head. Fades pretty quickly. Decent retention at least and quite decent fluffy lacework.

S: Wonderful strong bourbon mixed with pumpkin and pumpkin spices. Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves primarily it seems. Swear I even get a little apple cider in there. Great combination.

T: Strong bourbon up front (but not overpowering). Mixes with the pumpkin and spices. Wonderful combination again. Primarily caramel, toffee and vanilla mixing with the nutmeg and cinnamon and pumpkin. Bourbon fades a bit in the middle leaving the spices to stand alone a little stronger now. Some nice oak mixes in with the spices in the lingering aftertaste. No sign of alcohol other than the belly warming sensation.

M: Medium bodied and not nearly as thick or heavy as you'd expect for the ABV.

O: What the? Giving Shipyard 4.5s? I'm confused, myself. This beer is awesome. I'm not even a fan of regular Smashed Pumpkin (think I gave it a 3.5ish). This mega barrel-aged version is just superb. Great complexity between the bourbon and pumpkin and spices. Perfect balance of flavors to boot. Alcohol almost completely hidden. They really did well with this one. Definitely seek one out if you like pumpkin ales. I honestly think this may dethrone Pumking for me. That's saying a LOT.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 05:33:02 | More by Dope

SpartanCavie

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a stemmed glass, with a 'honey' color true to the bottle's description. Foggy, and almost opaque.

The smell of spice and the non-hop/aroma creates an almost sour scent. It may be the high ABV plus spice combination creating the effect.

As others have mentioned, this beer has a surprisingly low alcohol taste, given its high ABV. I kept waiting for it to kick in, but it never did.

Taste is crisp at first, while the flavors arrive. The pumpkin isn't overbearing, as is often the case with other pumpkin beers. Rather, each flavor appears to be represented equally. This is potentially a downside, for those who prefer a strong pumpkin flavor to dominate the palate.

The finish is clean, like that of a 20+ year aged scotch. Between tastes, however, it feels thick. As another reviewer stated, it feels viscous.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 06:50:10 | More by SpartanCavie

ChrisL24481

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -17.3%

11-23-2012 18:14:52 | More by ChrisL24481

Auror

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into an over-sized brandy snifter.

Appearance- Pours a murky gold with a small head. Not much lacing to speak of, despite the 11+ alcohol percentage. Reminiscent of a frothy honey.

Aroma- Oak, alcohol, plums, grapes, vanilla, tannins, and nutmeg. Complex nose... a lot going on here.

Taste- Lacks a lot of the components and punch of the nose. Starts with some cinnamon and dark fruit flavors, but they are a bit muted. Alcohol warmth comes at the end, but again it is evident, but not as strong as I suspected. As it warms, bourbon notes appear more readily.

Mouthfeel- Thin and syrupy. A very viscous texture between sips. Carbonation level is low, but it's there. Alcohol isn't a primary feel despite the high abv and bourbon aging.

Overall- Nothing offensive, but thin and lacking flavor. Fairly easy drinking. I'm not sure this style suits itself to barrel aging. Apparently, it was aged for over 3 months, but the spices and any pumpkin notes from the original are already much subdued, but there's not an intense barrel flavor either.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 00:49:43 | More by Auror

mdaschaf

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a rather light orange/amber color with a small tan head on top with little bits of lacing that form all around the glass.

S: A heft amount of spices, both cinnamon and nutmeg, with a bit of bourbon, mostly vanilla and a bit of caramel.

T: More spices on the flavor profile and more vanilla, with less bourbon. The spices come through again as cinnamon and nutmeg with a bit of clove and pumpkin spice.

M: Medium bodied, but on the thin side for what I was expecting/hoping for. Medium carbonation. Little bit of warmth as it goes down.

O: It was ok, a little thin. Better than regular smashed, but I was hoping for a bit more from this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 23:54:45 | More by mdaschaf

Cavanaghty

Maine

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Bottle #02825 2012 Edition.

Appearance: Hazy light brown/amber color. Thin biege head that went away quickly.

Smell: Pumpkin spice, cinnamon, nutmeg. Bourbon/Scotch smell, and alcohol is strong.

Mouthfeel/Taste: Smooth, full bodied and warm. Alcohol, bourbon, and nutmeg up front. Stays a very spicy and warm beer throughout.

Overall: Not what I expected, but very well crafted. Glad I spent the money on this one to enjoy around Thanksgiving. Couldn't think of a better one to try on this holiday.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 22:03:39 | More by Cavanaghty

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 750 mL corked and caged bottle from 2012. Bottle 01492. Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass. Served slightly chilled.

Appearance: Dark orange to medium brown in color. A very light beige lacing that forms around the edges.

Aroma: Big cinnamon and nutmeg upfront clashes with the bourbon and a pretty noticable alcohol aroma. The barrel notes are not completely integrated at this point. Some subtle vanilla and pumpkin notes are there as well. Much more spice forward than I remember the base beer.

Taste: Still has a big spice note, like the aroma, but the barrel seems more evenly integrated. Nice combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice lends an interesting spice note. Some caramel and a touch of butter from the base beer. Bourbon and vanilla notes provide some complexity and added heat.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with a nice bit of carbonation.

Overall, I like this beer, but it still feels far too hot. The barrel is clearly not fully integrated yet and the final beer feels hot. Still despite all the flaws here, I am still enjoying the beer. Perhaps some time would do this well. Right now, it is too hot and unbalanced.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 02:10:18 | More by Gosox8787

Daktyls

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy dark amber color with a one finger head that dissipates quickly to a single layer of bubbles on the top and around the end of the glass.

S: Aroma is darker and sweeter than 'normal' Smashed Pumpkin. There is quite a bit of brown-sugary sweetness, a little bit of bourbon and hints of pumpkin spice and malts.

T: Taste is much similar to the aroma, there's a lot of mild sweetness present with the malt notes though not much of the pumpkin or spice notes are present in the beer. Some of the bourbon flavorings are presently, though mildly.

M: This beer is somewhat thick and syrupy (medium viscosity, thicker than water, not as thick as syrup) with a very little amount of carbonation.

O: Overall, this is a great beer and quite tasty. Definitely a little kick with the high alcohol content, but very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 23:18:54 | More by Daktyls

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy orange amber color with a smallish white head that quickly dissipates to a cap. Smells of bourbon and oak with a huge hit of pie spices and a bit of malty caramel. Hop aroma, well I can't find any behind the pungent nutmeg and allspice. The flavor is actually kind of complex. Sweet sugary malt with a bit of alcohol, some oaky vanilla, a hint of bourbon and a shit ton of pie spices. Long lingering sweet spicy flavor long after each sip. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sugary spicy mouthfeel. To be honest I have no idea what possessed me to pick up this bottle as I normally despise Shipyard beers. Well color me pleasantly surprised by this beer! The sweet malt the spice and the bourbon treatment just really seem to work with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 02:50:19 | More by johnnnniee

davey101

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Limited Edition 2012, Bottle No 00992. Cellar Aged. 750 ml C+C bottle into a tulip at cellar temperature.

A - Pours a slightly hazy dark orange body with two finger off white head. A nice cap settles in. Excellent lacing and retention with some alcohol legs.

S - Pumpkin pie spice in the form of cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice. Light pumpkin flesh and brown sugar. The finish is buttery with a touch of vanilla and oak. Very delicate and inviting. I was expecting a bourbon bomb but it's actually very subtle.

T - Pumpkin pie spices lead into rich and buttery bourbon notes. Not overtly sweet or bourbon rich, this seems to be a perfect balance of flavors. The aftertaste is of cinnamon and a light booze warmth.

M - Medium bodied. Somewhat silky but with low carbonation. Drinkability is quite high.

O - Pumpkinhead is the laughing stock of the pumpkin beer community...which I guess isn't staying much. But the smashed version has always been a huge improvement to a mediocre beer. Stuffing that beer into a bourbon barrel just works. Its light and subtle and provides just the right oak, vanilla, and buttery notes to compliment the spice heavy base beer. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 02:17:09 | More by davey101