Summer Ale
Shipyard Brewing Company

3.5/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a medium golden yellow with moderate head.
Smell is a light sweetness with faint wheat.
Taste starts malty then grassy with a pretty mild wheat finish. Faint earthy spice at the end.

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3.08/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served from a tap in conical pint glass at Elbow Too in Laurel, NY.
A: Pours a clear golden color with no more than a one quarter inch head, modest retention and some lacing.
S: Light aromas of lemon citrus and cracker.
T: Palate follow nose. Very low level of bitterness (or flavor, to be honest). Clean finish.
M: Very light, modest carbonation.
O: Very little of the flavor I would expect from a wheat ale. In a blind tasting, it could have passes for a somewhat more flavorful adjunct lager. On the upside, light, refreshing, and drinkable. Probably will not be back.

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2.29/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

**
08/13/17

Bottle to snifter.
LOOK: Yellow...no head.
AROMA: Weak. Veggie, grass, hay.
TASTE: Funky mold, with some citrus.
FEEL: thin to medium body. Pretty flat also.

Not pleasant.


**

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2.05/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Pours a lightly cloudy golden straw color with a finger of white head. Not much retention but leaves some splotches of lace.

The aroma is basically non-existent, but what is noticeable is some lemon and moldy wheat bread.

The flavor is surprisingly lemony and honestly a bit tart. There's a faint hint of bread here but the flavor is so muted by the lemon it's just not worth mentioning.

The feel is just the worst thing ever. It's extremely watery and even a bit oily, with carbonation so high I thought my stomach was going to explode after each sip. It actually burns going down.

Overall, I expected a mediocre yet drinkable summer ale, and got a terrible and completely undrinkable turd sundae. I don't know why I keep trying beers from Shipyard. For every solid beer they make, there's about 4 shitty ones waiting to take a huge dump in my mouth.

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3.06/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a light straw with a finger of head. The nose has notes of wheat, lemon and skunkiness. The flavor follows the nose with a particular focus on the lemon essence.

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3.12/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

This pale wheat ale pours a light yellow, slightly opaque color with a thin white head and a fairly high amount of carbonation. The smell is quite mild with some grain and caramel malt tones. The flavor is also pretty mild with flavors of cereals, sweet caramel, and some mild herbal notes. The body is light and the finish is semi-dry. Pretty uninteresting beer overall. It’s not bad to drink, but it’s not particularly refreshing or summery without any notes of citrus or strong herbal character.

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3.48/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep golden amber with plenty of white foamy head but only moderate lacing. Taste was mainly malts with a very slight hop bitterness. Very similar to an American blonde ale with a little more flavor. A very light and refreshing summer ale for a hot day.

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3.27/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A; crystal clear; medium gold in color; 2 finger ivory head that receded to a thin cap; OK lacing;

S: pilsner malt, wheat, grass, and a hint of spice;

T: a little sweet up front; kind of a wheaty metallic flavor; light, metallic bitterness on the finish - not especially enjoyable;

M: light to medium bodied; moderate carbonation;

O: not terrible, but also not something I would seek out again;

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

On Cask at Cask and Vine dry hopped with Citra. Slightly hazy deep yellow color with a decent off white head. Earthy spicy light tropical fruity with bits of citrus. Still quite buttery and that ruins it for me.

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3.48/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best before 1/10/2016. Pours lightly hazy deep golden yellow color with a 2 finger dense and rocky white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of lemon, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, biscuit, light honey, herbal, grass, light pepper, and yeast earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance of pale malt, earthy hops, and moderate fruity yeast notes; with solid strength. Taste of lemon, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, biscuit, light honey, herbal, grass, light pepper, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate herbal/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of lemon, pear, apple, wheat, cracker, biscuit, light honey, herbal, grass, light pepper, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Good robustness and balance of bready malt, earthy hops, and moderate fruity yeast flavors; with a good malt/bitterness balance and a slight bitter astringency lingering after the finish. Medium carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp, and lightly sticky/bready/chalky mouthfeel that is okay. Alcohol is very well hidden with zero warming present after the finish as expected of 5.1%. Overall this is a solid English pale wheat ale. All around good robustness and balance of pale male, earthy hops, and moderate yeast ester flavors; and very smooth and crisp to drink. A fairly enjoyable offering.

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

Pours a clear straw yellow gold color with white head. Wheat, cereal grains, and yeast on the nose; follows onto the palate. Light bodied. Finishes with wheat and a little sweetness.

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2.96/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Had it on draft at a bar. It is light and sessionable, which is nice during the summer. Overall though, it is boring. Mouthfeel is watery, taste is unspectacular, smell is average. I would say it's worth trying, but other summer beers are better (Sam adams, brooklyn).

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3.59/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

It's a lot different from any other summer beers I've had. Creamy malt, with flavors of biscuit and cracker, finished with just a little hop bitterness. There's a little bit of the characteristic wheat malt, but it's not immediately noticeable as a wheat beer. It tastes more like a traditional English pale ale, like Bass or similar. It's nice. Drinkable and tasty.

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3.27/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Pours a deep clear gold with a thin smear of white head. Voluminous carbonation is visible as well. The aroma Is strongly malt with some bubble gum. Taste wise it is mostly malt and kind of corn syrup sweet. The body is not bad, not too heavy or watery, but very carbonated.

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2.77/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

I was told this was a german wheat but it tasted and smelled more like it had a very neutral yeast in it. I downgraded the beer due to a metallic taste I get. I also know I have a very low threshold for this flavor and get it in a lot of beers.

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3.6/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

My old neighbor from the 'wego gave me a bottle of this. It poured a clear copper with no head and no lace. The scent had caramel malt notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with caramel malt presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall its a good beer.

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3.42/5  rDev +10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle. Pours deep golden with tall, long-lasting, fluffy white head and lively carbonation. Aroma is of floral and grassy hops, bready malt and some citrus. Body is medium and crisp. Floral hops, pale malt and citrus fruit fill the mouth. Finish is light. Good session brew

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3.25/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

12 oz bottle, poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Pours a clear, very effervescent, pale golden color with a quarter of a finger of white-colored head that quickly dissolved away into a lacing of foam that completely covered the top of the beer. Looks like a MBC beer, unfortunately.

Aroma: Ok aroma. Some notes of toasted malt, imparting some notes of English muffins, followed by some notes of corn and/or rice adjuncts. Smells like a BMC beer, unfortunately.

Taste: Doesn’t taste like a BMC beer, however. There’s some good, bready, toasted malt flavors followed by some caramel and brown sugar-like sweetness, some lemony citrus, a touch of clover, cilantro and honeysuckle.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and nicely carbonation. With an ABV of 5.1%, there is no alcohol on the palate.

Overall: Decent beer, with some nice flavors. I wouldn’t turn it down if offered, but as there are many, many better summer beers out there, I’m not getting it again on my own.

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3/5  rDev -3.5%

I'm generally a fan of the Shipyard line, and while I'm not as down on this one as the Bros, I have to say this is one of the less inspired offerings from Shipyard. Just 'blah' and a bit harsh and metallic on the palate. Picked up a 12-pack on sale (about a buck a bottle) and still can't say I'd buy more even at that price.

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3/5  rDev -3.5%

an extremely plain and almost flavorless summer beer, which is odd because it has more body than it needs to with this little flavor. brassy color, a little dull looking from the bottle but holding a decent white head and leaving some patchy froth lacing as I drink it down (very quickly). the best feature is the feel, great carbonation and a clean finish, but that's expected because there isnt much flavor to clean up. a really mild two row malt base is basically irrelevant, and the hops are for balance only, no real flavor to them. the thing I taste the most is the yeast, which is a clean and very basic ale yeast. I think more grain profile (not body) on this beer would make it a little better, but its good for mindless summer drinking. I much prefer it with spicy food, can cleanse the palate pretty will without getting too filling. nothing special though overall from shipyard. they save their magic for the signature series.

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3.1/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

On tap in a Sam's pint glass.

A- Clean and light golden color. About a 1/2f head, super white. Nice lacing.

S- Light grain and malt aroma.

T- Lots of pasty grain.

M-Bone dry, bitter, pasty. Oddly easy drinking.

O- More "crafty" than craft.

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3.03/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle was poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: This beer poured a minimal head that reduced to a thin layer. It is a hazy pale orange with good clarity and vision of bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: Light bready malts, some vanilla, Ringwood yeast, and grassy hops.

Taste: Same as above with a little bitterness in the rear.

Mouthfeel: Light, refreshing, a little chewy, and medium carbonation. Nothing exciting.

Overall: Decent summer beer. Very simple. Not too crazy about the Ringwood yeast too.

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3.42/5  rDev +10%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Best Before Sept. 2014, suggesting it was bottled a few months ago. Just recently purchased in a sixpack, I was gifted half of that by the buyer, who did not care for it.

Poured from the 12 oz. bottle into a Harpoon IPA glass

a: Clear amber with a finger thick white head which receded to thin surface foam and spotty lacing

s: Bready malt, perhaps a little light fruit

t: At first a sharp tartness over bready malt, Smooths out late.

m; Light to medium, good body.

o: Not a bad summer brew, very similar to the Saranac Kolsch I had recently, and some of the same observations apply. More body than many lagers, but not a whole lot of distinctive flavor. Except for initial tartness, I did not get the lemon flavor others have reported.

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4.05/5  rDev +30.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a wheat glass.

Appearance: Pours a surprisingly clear gold with a two-finger white head and heavy carbonation. I expected this to be hazier because it's a wheat beer. Lacing was about moderate for the style.

Aroma: Smells of lemons and wheat. Some citrus notes, some faint toast and some hops round out the nose. I like the aromas of this beer.

Taste: The taste follows the nose, and I dig it. It's what I want out of a summer beer - easy, refreshing, citrusy, wheaty and mild. Sessionable. Not complex but doesn't need to be and isn't trying to be. It's a nice, wheaty, bready, lemony summer ale.

Mouthfeel: Easy on the palate, as it should be.

Overall: It's not a sipper. If you didn't know that when you bought it, you're a bit of a stooge. It's a really good summer session ale for pool parties, cookouts, watching ballgames, beaching, etc. There's a reason the label has a picture of a lounging lobster on it.

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3.1/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – The beer pours a golden color with a two finger head of pure white foam and tons of tiny carbonation bubbles seen streaming up through the clear body. The head has a decent level of retention, slowly fading to leave a heavy level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma of the beer is biggest of a caramel smell along with a bready and wheaty smell. Along with these aromas are some lighter notes of a light fruit aroma of some orange and a bit of pear and apple.

Taste – The taste begins a wheat bready flavor mixed with lots of caramel sweetness. As the taste advances the breadiness dwindles ever so slightly being replaced by a lighter cracker taste. Along with the change in the bready flavors, the caramel changes as well with it losing ground and being replaced by some orange and a hint of grapefruit hop. With a light flavor of an herbal hop nature joining in at the end of the taste, one is left with a very lightly hopped, moderately sweeter bready flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the average to slightly thicker side for a summer style ale with a carbonation level that is average to just below average. While it looked like it would have had tons of carbonation it didn’t feel like it, with a more effervescent feel likely being better for creating a more refreshing summer style ale.

Overall – An OK summer ale. It’s pretty easy drinking and non-offensive, a brew that most anyone would drink making it good for large summer style gatherings.

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