Big Mamie Indestructible Pale Ale
Narragansett Brewing Co.

Big Mamie Indestructible Pale AleBig Mamie Indestructible Pale Ale
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From:
Narragansett Brewing Co.
 
Rhode Island, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
Ranked #1,047
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
81
Ranked #25,393
Avg:
3.55 | pDev: 10.7%
Reviews:
27
Ratings:
66
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 04, 2023
Added:
Nov 10, 2015
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  21
Roll out the Barrel: At 4.5% and 30 IBU’s, Big Mamie Indestructible American Pale Ale is the 3rd installment in our new sessionable lineup. This easy-drinking APA is brewed just for the winter months. It pairs great with all of your favorite holiday foods, and because it’s not too heavy you won’t have to pass on a third helping of mom’s mashed potatoes. Big Mamie is available on draft and in 16oz tall boy cans through late fall and early winter.

Quality Supreme: Big Mamie is brewed with U.S. Pale, Cara Belge, Vienna and Special B malts, and is carefully balanced with U.S. Chinook hops. To achieve an indestructible American finish, the beer is then dry hopped with U.S. Liberty for a crisp and bright taste.

Taste & Enjoy: Copper in color with a sweet, floral hop aroma, the Big Mamie Indestructible American Pale Ale is an easy-drinking APA brewed specifically for the winter months.

The History: Recognized in American history for firing both the first and last U.S. Navy sixteen inch shells during World War II, the USS Massachusetts, otherwise known as “Big Mamie,” served her country proudly for many years. However, despite her storied history, Big Mamie was on her way to the scrap yard to be stripped of her parts by 1964. With her heroic past and New England pride in mind, Narragansett Beer spearheaded a fundraising movement with the local Massachusetts community to save the beloved ship from destruction. Thanks in part to ‘Gansett’s charitable efforts, in 1965 Big Mamie made a victorious return through Narragansett Bay to the Fall River, Massachusetts waterfront where a half million adoring fans lined the shores to welcome her home. The vessel is still docked there today as the crown jewel of America’s Fleet Museum at Battleship Cove.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by selecter70:
Photo of selecter70
Rated by selecter70 from Massachusetts

3.72/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Mar 24, 2018
More User Ratings:
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Golden color and clear. Modest head that recedes to rim bubbles but no lace on the glass at all.

Nice floral hop aroma. A bit of slightly sweet malt. Some caramel. Attractive.

Relatively dry given the caramel upfront taste. Highly carbonated which detracts from the thinner body. The hop bitterness is subdued but with the spritz, it provides balance.
Nov 04, 2023
 
Rated: 3.5 by Maltyhead from Massachusetts

Jun 23, 2020
 
Rated: 3 by BeerTest from Florida

Jan 14, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by Patches826 from Massachusetts

Aug 01, 2016
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Narragansett Brewing Co. "Big Mamie Indestructible Ale"
16 fl. oz. can, production coded but not freshness dated.
$1.42 @ Trader Joe's, South Burlington, VT

Appearance: Very hazy deep amber body beneath a creamy head of white. The head retention is better than average and it leaves some very nice wide rings of thin lace about the glass.

Aroma: Caramel malt with leafy/grassy and floral hops.

Flavor: As the aroma suggests, malty with a distinct caramel component laced through with grassy, leafy, floral, and mildly spicy hops. A stiff bitterness centers it, and it finishes dry with residual grassy and leafy/earthy hops lingering.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-light in body, and crisp with a standard level carbonation.

Overall: A slightly hoppier and more bitter caramelish pale ale. The malt and hops follow the English style, but it lacks yeasty fruitiness. Nothing new, nothing exciting, and not particularly well rounded.
Jun 08, 2016
 
Rated: 3.52 by dsshuck from Delaware

May 18, 2016
Photo of dbrauneis
Reviewed by dbrauneis from North Carolina

3.52/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Pours a deep golden honey in color with a moderate amount of active visible carbonation and some moderate orange, brown, and reddish gold highlights. The beer has a two finger tall sudsy foamy light tan head that slowly reduces to a medium sized patch of medium thick film surrounded by a large patch of thin film covering the entire remainder of the surface of the beer and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of caramel malts with a hint of sweetness and slightly stronger than moderate aromas of earthy, herbal, and citrus/grapefruit pith hops.

T: Upfront there is a moderate flavor of caramel malts with a light amount of caramel sweetness. That is followed by moderate flavors of earthy, herbal, and citrus/grapefruit pith hops which imparts a moderate amount of bitterness which slowly fades away.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly creamy with a hint of dryness in the finish.

O: I felt obligated to purchase this one after growing up in Southeastern Massachusetts and taking numerous school field trips to Battleship Cove when I was in school. Nothing special as a beer but it did remind me of some good times from my childhood. Easy to drink and sessionable but I would not go out of my way to find it.
May 13, 2016
 
Rated: 2.26 by TTripp725 from Pennsylvania

May 07, 2016
Photo of tone77
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
A thanks to the founding father of the canquest, woodychandler, for this beer. Poured from a 16 oz. can. Has a tan color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of grapefruit, malts. Taste is very mild. Some malts and citrus, hardly any bitterness. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a refreshing beer, but lacking any punch.
Apr 27, 2016
Photo of DrMullet
Reviewed by DrMullet from Florida

3.71/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Lots of head. Pours a golden/burnt orange.
Smell is balanced with an earthy citrus.
Taste follows the smell, citrus/earthy malt. A hint of hops.
Mildly bitter finish
Apr 09, 2016
Photo of Cavanaghty
Reviewed by Cavanaghty from Maine

3/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured from a can into a pint glass.

Appearance: Amber color with a thin beige head.

Smell: Pine notes, with a hint of malt and citrus.

Mouthfeel/ Taste: Smooth medium bodied. Taste of bitter hops and pine notes.

Overall: Good beer, I would have this one again. I also like that it was made to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the USS Massachusetts' retirement to a museum.
Apr 06, 2016
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bought a can of Big Mamie whilst in Ft. Lauderdale to take on a cruise. The beer poured a orangish copper with white head that left a nice lace. The scent and taste carried hints of grapefruit. The mouthfeel was medium in body with good carbonation. Overall its was pretty good and I'd have it again.
Apr 01, 2016
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.81/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I saw this battlewagon a few weeks ago at Wheatland Distributors, but a) I had a bad feeling that it was not going to be sold as a 12-pack and b) I had a load as it was and I did not feel like asking for a favor upon which I was physically incapable of following through. When I returned, I felt empowered to ask, but sure enough, it was only available as a case. Grr! I then solicited for assistance and it came through in the form of a local entrepreneur, Jeff Anderson of Angry, Young & Poor, who routinely shops at that distributor. Not only did he buy the whole case up front, but he transported half of it to a CANvenient location where I could pick it up & repay him. Bravo! The CANquest (tm) triumphs.

From the CAN:"Hi-Neighbor!"; "Made on Honor[,] Sold On Merit"; "The USS Massachusetts (aka 'Big Mamie') has the distinction of firing both the first and last US Navy shells in World War II. With this proud history in mind, the citizens of Massachusetts banded together in 1964 to save the battleship from being scrapped by raising thousands of dollars in her name. Narragansett Beer helped lead the charge for those fundraising efforts. On June 12, 1965, Big Mamie made a final triumphant return to the Fall River waterfront where she would become a public museum. More than 500,000 people, swelling with honor and pride, lined the shores of Narragansett Bay and the Taunton River that day to welcome their ship home in a roar of jubilation. Over the past half century, she has been joined by several other vessels to form the largest collection of historic naval ships in the world, America's Fleet Museum at Battleship Cove. In celebration of this accomplishment, over 50 years in the making, we offer you Big Mamie Indestructible American Pale Ale. It's a flavorful and easy-drinking pale ale, as solid and reliable as its namesake. Just make sure not to tell everyone else about it. Loose lips sink ships."

There I was, in Battleship Cove as the Cyberleader, between Cthulhu & the USS Massachusetts (BB-59) when suddenly, a deafening Crack! was heard by all. "Bong, bong, bong! All hands, man your battle stations! Down & aft port side, up & forward starboard! Make all readiness reports to the bridge! Unidentified enemy CANbatants detected!" It saddened me, in my former life as a retired U.S. Navy Storekeeper, to hear this, as I was clearly one of the enemies, but I CANmenced a solid Glug to keep things off-balance & moving. A finger of foamy, tawny head soon appeared on the surface of the water, but it was quickly fading into wisps. In the meantime, Cthulhu had swung a couple of its tentacles around my neck just as the first wave of Cyberpeople began to board the Big Mamie. I took a deep breath and smelled very earthy, slightly minty hops. My sensors defaulted to an EIPA, despite what was emblazoned upon the side of the CAN. I finally achieved purchase on one of Cthulhu's tentacles and prised it free while I took note of color. I noted same as Deep Amber/Light Copper to Copper (SRM = > 13, < 17) and stored this knowledge for future use. As I prised the second of Cthulhu's two tentacles off of my neck, I suddenly felt my human tongue restored! I took a massive draught into my mouth hole in order to experience this beer while I still had a human tongue & gullet. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste was right on the border between an EIPA & an AIPA. It had an earthiness (English) initially, followed by a peppery mintiness (AmeriCAN) on the tongue. I was just turning to take a swing at Cthulhu, when my legions, having overtaken the crew of Big Mamie, swung her guns broadside & let fly, blasting Cthulhu into sushi! Since it was finished, I likewise finished, relishing the earthy, minty dryness in my throat as I led my legions off the ship and back into hiding. We must not be found until we are ready! In the interim, I urge you to give this a ChANce.
Mar 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.06 by Beersilio from Massachusetts

Mar 07, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by JamieDuncan from Maryland

Mar 07, 2016
 
Rated: 3.62 by tpauer from New Hampshire

Mar 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.26 by Johnct from New York

Mar 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Rcaisse from Massachusetts

Mar 02, 2016
Photo of VelvetExtract
Reviewed by VelvetExtract from Massachusetts

2.87/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Can. Poured a dark orange color. Wasn't expecting it to be that caramel colored. Aroma was pretty much all malt. A little metallic. Some earthy hops. Flavor was heavy on sweetness and caramel maltiness. Bready. Little to speak of in terms of hops. Has some fullness in the body especially at 4.5% ABV. Not what I was looking for.
Feb 20, 2016
Big Mamie Indestructible Pale Ale from Narragansett Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 66 ratings