Favorite Shipyard Beer

Best Shipyard I had was Shipyard Barley Wine Style Ale (Pugsley's Signature Series). The other two I tried were very mid--pack in the style.

 

They had a BA Double ESB that was really good a couple years ago. Then always thought their APA and Export Ale were easy drinking beers.

 

I've been thinking about your post. I think I've always assumed that Shipyard beers would come off the line with higher levels of diacetyl than average. Ringwood without a proper rest leading to perceptible levels from the get go. I'd be curious if this isn't the case and I don't know the technicalities well enough to know if diacetyl levels only become noticeable as the beer changes over time.

 

The one without diacetyl. Oh wait...

 

The BBA Smashed Pumpkin was incredibly tasty... Brought a growler of it back to CO last fall and couldn't have been happier with it. And that's coming from a big-time pumpkin beer hater!

 

This was discussed in the now 8 years old, controversial Chronicles of Ringwood blog - particularly in the Questionable Fermentation Practices entry.

 

This blog is entirely accurate, though they have started doing diacetyl rests on most of the beers.

 

Those are my two favorites as well, although I like Smashed Blueberry too.

 

I like Monkeyfist but I remember it being bashed for not being balanced enough and yeah I sorta get it but then again Im not a huge IPA guy. To me its is a bit weird that their most popular beer (Pumpkinhead) doesnt even taste like a beer but whatever I can still find some things I like from them.

 

Yeah he sounds like he (and the brewery) don't know the yeast. That yeast is famous for needing roused as one strain is a quick floculator and the other is the true top cropper, if it's not roused by spraying then it all flocs out too early. And there's not much of a problem with diacetyl in cask conditioned ales as they condition and are vented, but obviously the brewery chose to not to do a d-rest for their bottled and kegged efforts, which is a bit amateurish

sounds like mess

 

This article is a really good, concise source of info:
http://www.professorbeer.com/articles/diacetyl.html

Hopefully that helps.

 

Yet to find it.

 

I'm HUGE into their normal Pumpkin offering. It's my favorite Pumpkin beer, and I've tried countless!

 

I've only ever seen the Pumpkin ale. Mainly because the store usually have a TON of it sitting around for some reason. I've always passed on it for Schlafly.

 

Have visited and worked in Maine since the 70's and watched the craft beer breweries make in-roads including Sea Dog, Cadillac Mountain, Allagash and others. Then, the "popcorn king" appeared on the horizon. I know the Maine folk love their home-grown talent, but I was stunned when Shipyard appeared and their popularity went off the charts, including acquiring Sea Dog and truly screwed up some fine, tasty brews.

Well things are changing and improving with regard to local very good beers being brewed in Maine....such as Maine Brewing and Oxbow. Over the last two years Shipyard sales have cratered thanks to the people in Maine starting to truly embrace better craft beer. Thank God there is a new, real appreciation of all the great styles and taste of of well crafted and brewed beer beyond the use of a singular bad yeast know as Ringwood!

 

Cask Old Thumper at The Coat of Arms in Portsmouth.

 

In defense of the yeast- if you read some of the links in this thread you'll see it's more how Shipyard uses it than what they use.

 

Fascinating read. Was it ever confirmed that this was Shipyard? If so, when you mention controversy, to what extent? I'm going to Google it now, but this all quite interesting to hear about and read.

 

Shipyard is my go-to brewery! I love their Old Thumper and especially their Double Old Thumper, which I heard they are discontinuing. Their barrel-aged beers are all quite good. Their Imperial Stout is better than you might think.

It's all in the Ringwood yeast that they use.

 

As a teenager, Bluefin Stout was a catalyst to my beer journey. Haven't had in many years, though. Prelude is solid for the style.