Allagash Curieux, TiarnA and Midnight Brett

Allagash Curieux - Ale aged in oak bourbon barrels (2013)

Brewed and Bottled by Allagash Brewing Co., in Portland, Maine. USA.

Year Round Brew.

25.4 fl. oz. / $16.99 USD (w/ Free Company Glass) / 11% ABV

About: "Allagash Curieux was our first foray into barrel aging. Curieux is made by aging our Tripel Ale in Jim Beam bourbon barrels for eight weeks in our cold cellars. The aged beer is then blended back with a portion of fresh Tripel. The resulting beer is soft with coconut and vanilla notes, with hints of bourbon."

Thoughts: Cork popped out like Nothin'! My second Allagash brew. I once had a 12 oz bottle of their Black. Looking at this bottle I wonder what kind of Ale this is. Is it one of their other ales that they've barrel aged? It doesn't really say on the label. It doesn't say much of anything on the label other than when, how many and how heavy.

One thing I didn't expect at all was for this beer to pour a really cloudy lime green yellow. Hold on, let me hit the lights. Curieux poured a really hazy soft yellow color with shades of orange and apricot. Carbonation is rampant and there's a huge marshmallow fluff head because of it.

The scent is really light. Especially for an 11% beer. I'm getting very soft notes of dried banana chips. Belgian yeast, vanilla and oak. It smells very crisp. It's not all too deep in character, but it smells good.

Taste is mild orange peel, citrus, yeast, soft pepper, rain, margarita salt and angel tears. Don't got much experience with Belgian Tripels, but this tastes great to me. Very peppery in the finish and those pepper flakes bounce around and pop. It's smooth and pleasurable. It's just not all that interesting. It's got a lot of thing I like such as peppery tones and spice though. It's a bit hazy feeling, but really soothing overall.

Allagash TiarnA - ale aged in oak barels (2013)

Limited Edition Brew.

12.7 fl. oz. / 14.99 USD / 7.1% ABV

About: "Tiarna is a blend of two beers, one aged in oak and fermented with 100% brettanomyces and the other fermented in stainless with a blend of two Belgian yeast strains. Both beers were brewed with a combination of 2 row and wheat malt in addition to specialty grains. It was hopped with Hallertau, Styrian Goldings and Cascade hops. The finished beer is dark golden in color with citrus, pineapple and bread in the aroma. The flavor of this tart beer has notes of grapefruit, lemon, and bread crust, and a long, dry finish."

Thoughts: Popped the cork like a willing cherry and a little smoke came pouring out. Sniffed it of course. Smells a little sour, a little fruity. Started the pour and it all came out bubbles. Stopped. It's lighter than I expected, but then again, I know nothing at all about this beer as I write these words. The whipped topping head on this thing just keeps... fucking... growing! Contents under pressure is right. The carbonation on this thing is off the fucking charts. It's like the Stuff from that old horror movie, the uh... Stuff.

TiarnA poured a very light cloudy yellow with so much carbonation that the head grew and ended up expanding out of the top of the glass and nearly fell down. It was so Stay-Puffed however that it just swayed in the wind of my table fan. Crazy shit. There must be a thousand million bubbles rising up in this beer.

Smelling it both at the head and the bottle and really the head isn't holding much of the scent back. It's bright, vibrant, fruity, and wild. This beer smells sour as fuck, dude. It took about five minutes for the head to die down near something acceptable to drink. Oh, and I poured it soft. So soft.

First gulp and it sure is wild. A little smokey, but not how you'd expect smokey to seem. It's more like stale cigarette smoke. Not terribly unpleasant though, so don't get me wrong. It's sour and pleasing to the tongue. It tastes good. It's not all that sour, which is a bit too bad... but it's got a flavorful and fun profile. The oak barrel aging is very light here. It's woody or woodsy or whatever you call it, but there's not much flavor of whatever barrel it was that's imparted in it. I don't know what these barrels were used to age, but if anything it's some sort of wine.

It's soft, fizzy, a little earthy, slightly tart, a little sweet, very low bitterness, and is overall enjoyable. Mouthfeel is a light to medium with a lot of carbonation. This tastes really good, but I wonder what justifies the price. How it was made most likely.

Allagash Midnight Brett Ale (2013)

Limited Edition Brew.

12.7 fl. oz. / 13.39 USD / 7.3% ABV

About: "Midnight Brett is chocolate brown in color, brewed with 2-Row, Midnight wheat, raw wheat and rye malt. It was hopped with a blend of Perle, Glacier and Simcoe hops. The beer was fermented with our house strain of Brettanomyces in stainless tanks. The finished beer has the aroma and flavor of fresh berries, sour cherries and a slight roasted character. The finish is pleasantly tart and fruity making this beer very drinkable."

Thoughts: I was down at the old watering hole when I saw an Allagash truck leaving the liquor store. I was headed in that direction anyhow, but consider me intrigued so I browsed the isle only to find a single bottle of this that wasn't there before. Strange that there would only be one, but I immediately grabbed it despite it being a bit expensive (but then again aren't all Allagash products?) and here we go. Oh cool, I just looked at the side of the label and this was bottled on my birthday. Nice.

Unlocked the cage and slid out the cork smooth and easy with a loud pop and a ton of smoke emerging. Midnight Brett poured somewhat true to its name with a solid dense raspberry brown, but a near black nonetheless. The frosty beige head was thick and lasted forever.

This smells pretty sour. I'm sure in for a treat aren't I? The malt profiles are bouncing all over the place. It's a funky one that's for sure, with that grimy raw wheat and rye battling it out on a pummeled floor of pale. Swirling the glass I get a hint of underlying sweetness, one of cherries, plums and figs... but once it settles that sour house yeast floods the nose. There are other odd notes in there, like cocoa, damp driftwood, and booze.

First sip and well, that's not all that sour at all. Everything was rather calm in fact. It tastes like berries, the middle is a very gentle haze with a hint of tartness, and it all rides out with a roasted nutty like quality. The wild yeast is the main flavor aside from the soft sweetness, and it hangs around long after the swallow. Nothing harsh about this one though. This is some really tame stuff. Tasty, and a little funky, but really really tame.

Mouthfeel is pretty standard for an ale, if a little light. It's clean and leaves a smooth texture in the mouth. This one is OK, but nothing great. I guess if you're into subtleties and all that you might like it a little more than I do, but I would have preferred it to be more up front and powerful.

Shipyard Bourbon Barrel Aged Smashed Pumpkin

Shipyard Bourbon Barrel Aged Smashed Pumpkin (2012)

Limited Edition Release (Bottle # 02105)

25.4 fl. oz. / $13.99 USD / 11.4% ABV

About: "Shipyard Brewing Company has released the first in its new line of limited edition bourbon barrel aged ales. In October, 350 cases of Bourbon Barrel Aged Smashed Pumpkin will be released in select markets. This beer has been brewed and carefully cellar-aged in small batches for over 100 days in decanted bourbon barrels. This line of unique beers allows Shipyard’s brew house crew to blend their creativity and passion for beer to create these special, limited release brews. These 750 milliliter (1 pint 9.4 fluid ounce) bottles are all hand filled, corked, and individually labeled with the bottle number. Recommend serving temperature is 55 degrees Fahrenheit in brandy-style stemware. Malt: Pale, Whole Wheat, Munich / Hops: Willamette and Saphir / Yeast: Top-fermenting English."

Thoughts: Barrel Aged Smashed Pumpkin poured a dense, cloudy and hazy apricot puree color, and with a little bit of a violent pour on the second try, a slightly yellowish head foamed up then quickly disappeared. Carbonation is very low of course.

First scent is straight up bourbon. I let it sit for about two minutes and went for it again, and this time I'm bombarded with beautiful spices: Tons of vanilla and cinnamon, with a little bit of nutmeg lingering behind. It's really boozy and sweet at the same time. It's got a light malt base which is excellent because it really allows the other factors here to shine through.

This baby is sweet as hell! It's heavy on taste, the spices are plentiful, and yet, nothing is overly extreme. It falls back at a moderate pace after the swallow, but the taste doesn't fade quickly which is a relief. It's got a decent spice kick to it. It's boozy, buttery, robust, spiced and just has a very nice flow to it. It's a bit one note, but it's a damn good one note and I'd say that this one is a lot better than anything else they put out. Though I might prefer their regular Smashed Pumpkin to this, but I haven't tried it in a year so we'll see.

Mouth feel is not really watery, not really syrupy, thought it tastes a lot more like syrup, it feels more like water. It's somewhere in between. Foam is very light and leaves a bit of a residue on the inside of the mouth when it's all said and drank.

Baxter Brewing Stowaway IPA

Baxter Brewing Stowaway I.P.A. (2012)

Brewed and Canned by Baxter Brewing Co., in Lewiston, ME. USA.

Year Round Brew?

12 fl. oz. / $1.70 USD / 6.9% ABV

About: "Bold, complex flavors with a solid malt backbone and assertive hop profile, along with cold conditioning, give this beer its crisp, clean, hoppy finish. Deep amber-to-orangish in color, Stowaway pours with a nice, creamy head; a huge hop aroma of citrus, pine and grapefruit notes; and a big, complex, and intense hop flavor from the 5 different hop varieties and double-dry-hopping procedure used in making this beer. The malt flavor up-front turns dry and crisp; Stowaway is full-bodied but with a dry finish and pleasant, long-lasting, hop aftertaste. This I.P.A. definitely leaves you wanting more."

Thoughts: Poured like an orangy amber, almost golden color with an off white head bursting and popping all different sized bubbles. It's an extremely clean looking beer, totally transparent and seems to have some pretty abundant carbonation.

It's got a bit of a classic IPA scent to it. Very citrusy right off, loads of grapefruit and lemon zest. Smells tangy, and tropical, and there's a sweet malt background to it. The longer you breath it in the more slowly frosts the nostrils.

Taste is... well, similar to the smell. Though it got pretty damn bitter relatively quickly, and then a strange sensation of burnt caramel that's a bit metallic tasting hit. After that a little bit of soap and even some sourdough bread. It's pretty peppery overall, and there's a slight grassyness to it after a short while. It's got a snap to it, but I wish some of that fruitiness stuck around after the first two gulps.

Mouthfeel is pretty oily.

There's a ton of hop bitterness in this that really pops. It tastes very raw, and equally strong. And despite that soapyness, it's still pretty good. The malt background doesn't do a stellar job of balancing out this bitter bomb.

Woodchuck Spring Hard Cider

Woodchuck Spring Hard Cider (2012)

Spring Seasonal

12 fl. oz. / $0.75 USD / 5% ABV

About: "Warm days and cold nights will make the sap flow in the woods (Tehehe), but keeping the cider flowing in your fridge is up to you. Start with our spring cider - the taste and aroma of fresh maple syrup and brown sugar will make you think you're sitting in a warm sugarhouse in the Vermont countryside."

Thoughts: I got this in a Mystery 6-Pack of beer stapled inside of a brown paper bag. Figured what the hell!

The Cider poured a completely transparent, nearly clear liquid with only the slightest hint of a yellowish green. A sliver of white bubbles held strong for about a minute from my viscious downward pour.

The smell of this is a perfectly balanced half and half mix of maple syrup and hard cider. Though the scent isn't very robust, it's enjoyable for the sour drink.

That little bit of sour in the scent gets completely lost in a gentle sweetness that immediately creeps in and languishes. The maple syrup flavor in this is off the charts good. The sweetness from that contributing factor as well as the brown sugar adds another layer on top of the sweet and sour apple flavors, ending in a doubly sweet cider with an almost unnoticeable hint of tang. The flavors are strong, but don't overpower at all, nor are they sickeningly sweet as to ruin everything. This is a very flavorful drink, yet at the same time quite mellow.

Mouthfeel is watery for the most part, and only slightly sticky at the end of it all.

I haven't had a lot of Hard Ciders in my life, but so far this would have to be the best I've ever drank. I'm always looking for Maple Syrup in beers and most of the time they've dissapointed me. This Cider however, was very surprising, especially as I had not read the label beforehand. I did not expect maple syrup at all. What a pleasant treat... and hey, this stuff must be selling well since there were not one but two bottles in the ? bag. 

Smuttynose Star Island Single

Smuttynose Star Island Single - Session ale brewed with spice (2012)

Year Round Brew

12 fl. oz. (x6) / $9.49 USD (w/ Company Pint Glass) / 4.7% ABV

About: "Visitors to Smuttynose Island, peering across the dark waters of Gosport Harbor towards the ragged rocks of neighboring Star Island, are sometimes startled by the fleeting sight of mysterious, alluring creatures swept up from the Atlantic’s cold, inky depths. Or so they tell us.

Our Star Island Single is an eminently sessionable, Belgian-style pale ale offering a beguiling mix of flavor and refreshment. This medium-bodied golden ale features a slight residual sweetness from Honey Malt and hints of citrus and tropical fruits from the unique Belgian yeast it is fermented with, leaving a crisp dry finish. Enjoy it sociably while you savor good times, tall tales, friendly company and life’s unexpected pleasures. Hops: Sterling. Recommended Food Pairings: Roasted white meats."

Thoughts: SIS poured an extremely light yellowish amber and featured a full and bubbly one and a half finger white head. The beer is a complete blurry haze and there's about one or two carbonation bubbles rising up every few seconds.

The scent is of a mix of spices and malt and not really much else. It's hard to pick anything up actually as the scent is so incredibly light. It smells a bit like rye bread to me, but then again not really.

The taste is slightly heavier than the scent, and tastes of the scent itself. This must be brewed with the lightest Belgian yeast in the world. Something about the taste of this isn't sitting well with me... it gets very chalky and almost soapy, and never goes through any other transition so that's it to the beer? It's slightly sour, a little bit peppery and it's got like a clouded, muted tang to it. Aside from that the taste is pretty light and not all that exciting. Not horrible by any means, but I was not feelin' it.

I feel dried out about halfway through the bottle. The beer is a little thin and watered down feeling.

I sampled about five of their beers and decided on this one and don't really know if it was the right chioice. I really should have gotten their seasonal for the sake of having a seasonal or even their regular IPA. Perhaps I should just stay away from anything that's got the words "Session Ale" in it, or hell, any beer with an ABV that dips below 5%... or as I like to call them, "light beers!" At least the Rep was cute and fun to talk to for a little while though. The next Smutty I go for will no doubt be one from their Big Beer series (though I'm not sure how I'd really feel about drinking a beer with happy faced Sperms all over the label).

Shipyard Applehead

Shipyard Applehead (2011)

Winter Seasonal - December through March (New Release)

12 fl. oz. / $1.85 USD / 4.5% ABV

About: "Master brewer Alan Pugsley has combined the subtle sweetness of cinnamon and apple with a clean, refreshing wheat ale to create a whole new beer experience. Malt: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Light Munich, Malted Wheat / Hops: Willamette, Hallertau / Yeast: Top-Fermenting English." 

Thoughts: Poured a very light and translucent Granny Smith apple green with a ton of carbonation bubbles going crazy and a little white head that vanished in an instant. 

Hmm. Smells pretty good actually. The spices and brew base are obviously a clone of their Pumpkinhead, except this smells really fresh. Incredibly fresh even, and even like a McDonald's apple pie (is that a contradiction?). Haven't had one of those in about fifteen years but this smells like I remember them.

Huh. Not sure if the smell trumps the taste, but that was the first thought that popped into my tiny brain, so it must, right? The smell actually closely resembles the taste and though pretty watered down feeling, there is this incredible little burst of pie crust that's coming through and quite simply saves the beer from the (b)land of oblivion. Must be the wheat background! The spices aren't bad or overpowering, and it tastes clean. It's sweet, and not at all sour.

This is pretty damn watery. Thin. And most surely gets boring after one beer.

Well, I finally broke down and tried it. I'm pretty hard to please when it comes to Apples, Cider and especially Beer with "apples". This beer isn't horrendous though. It's a great deal better than their lazy ass production of Pumpkinhead beers from last year. What, did it all just become too routine? "The zombie hordes will still buy it even if we don't try." This Applehead tastes like it would be on tap, freshly popped like a new cherry. I guess that's the key: a little effort. It is after all a new product. Will this beer steadily decline in quality over the next year or two? I guess we'll see.

Shipyard Pugsley's Signature Series Porter, XXXX IPA and Barleywine

Shipyard's Imperial Porter (2011?)

Brewed and bottled by Shipyard Brewing Co., in Portland, Maine. USA.
Rotating Schedule (Limited Release)

22 fl. oz. / $8.49 USD / 7.1% ABV

About: "Imperial Porter is a full bodied, very dark, malty beer with a good roasted character coming from the Crystal, Chocolate and Black Patent Malts used in the mash. Warrior, English Fuggles, and East Kent Goldings Hops balance the malts with a good hop bite. The beer has an OG of 1.070, rounding out after fermentation with just a slight residual sweetness and cutting dry at the finish."

Thoughts: Poured a super dark near black with a seven inch tan fluffy head that exploded violently out of the large mug! What the fuck!! Whoa... this thing is all head. The package store just moved these from the shelf into the cooler, and I don't know if the guy shook each one up beforehand just for shits and giggles or what. I poured it lightly into a tilted glass about halfway up and the foam just seemed to unexpectedly expand and triple in size. Then I let it calm for a while so I could finally get all the brew into one single glass. I just hope it doesn't explode in my gut and I start foaming at the mouth!

Smells very rich and hearty. Yep, this is dinner. Smells more chocolately than anything else. Major malts... after the way this one poured I'd say that it fits the definition of a Malt Bomb. Ha Ha Wow. I kill me!

Coffee, dark fruit and after swallowing and breathing in, a light amount of booze. It's got a very roasted flavor that lasts throughout every sip, every gulp and even in the aftertaste. After a short while, say about half-way through, the hops start to linger around the back of the tongue. It's got a really grassy undertone to it as if you licked the ground at the old park's football field (not that AstroTurf shit). Yeah, there's a little funk going on there. Hidden by the extreme malt of course, and it probably would have been masked by high alcohol if this one had a stronger presence. It doesn't though. The little bit of booze is fading into the backdrop quite rapidly. 

The small head that's on the brew now, even as I drink it, never fades away until the very end. That's cool. This one is thick, and heavy... but my throat feels very dry once it's gone.

I'm going to say that this is my least favorite out of the whole Shipyard Imperial series that I've tried thus far (five of them). This one is a little funkier than the rest. It's just not terribly exciting when all is said and drunk. Not counting the explosion of course. I'm not really much for Porters anyhow, but I'm not disappointed by this really. Simply not impressed. It's OK. In fact, the whole series of Shipyard Imperials has been pretty good to me I'd say. I hope they come out with something new in this line actually.

Shipyard XXXX IPA: India Pale Ale (Pugsley's Signature Series) (2010?)
Brewed and bottled by Shipyard Brewing Co., in Portland, Maine. USA.
Rotating Schedule (Limited Release)
22 fl. oz. / $8.49 USD / 9.25% ABV

About: "XXXX IPA is a non-traditional American IPA with a brilliant copper color and the classic citrus nose of Cascade hops. This beer demonstrates a unique balance of malt-inspired, delicate red grapefruit sweetness and lingering hop dryness. Cascade, Warrior, Summit and Glacier hops are used for bittering and Cascade hops are added for dry hopping after fermentation. This hop blend is well balanced with malted wheat, pale ale, crystal, and caramel malts. To full enjoy all the flavors, this ale is best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This beer pairs well with Cajun dishes, blackened fish, and BBQ."

Thoughts: Poured a fairly dark golden amber with the usual Shipyard bubble clusters that cling to the side of the glass. The foamy light tan head dissipated quickly as expected.

Got a huge whiff of strong citrus as I was pouring this. Seriously hoppy with a lingering grapefruit tone. As I lean in for the second time, there's some major malt coming through. Almost a little bit like a stout, but not quite. It's strong malt but very light chocolate tone.

Taste is a little hoppy, then really malty, then really hoppy. Interesting! Medium alcohol vapor after the second gulp when I breathed in. Some dark fruits, kinda like plum, floating around. Little bit like a rum fruit cake. It's a wee bit bitter, but really sweet and savory at the same time.

A little watery, smooth, goes in with a fizz, leaves a tingle on the tongue, and a slightly bitter mini-bite at the end.

I really liked this one. It was smooth and great tasting but didn't supremely impress me in any major way. It's definitely worth the cash, but with so many other brews out there that I haven't even tried yet, I'm not bound to go buy this one again unless there's some special deal or it's been a few years and I start over.

So far I've quite liked every Shipyard brew that I've tried (aside from Pumpkinhead unfortunately). Though, all of the other brews of theirs I've tried have been Imperials, and I have found myself most partial to the taste and feel (and after-feel) of Imperials. Their high gravity specialty brews have not disappointed me, not once! I'm hoping to round out all of their other brews before trying pumpkinhead once more for the third time next year. Maybe.

Shipyard Barley Wine Style Ale (Pugsley's Signature Series) (2010?)
Brewd and Bottled by Shipyard Brewing Co., in Portland, Maine. USA.
Rotating Schedule (Limited Release)
22 fl. oz. / $8.49 / 8.5% ABV

About: "A big beer made with six different malts: Pale Ale, Crystal, Caramunich, Wheat, Chocolate and Roasted Barley, and balanced with a very full hop charge of Summit, Challenger and Fuggles. With a complex fruity nose, a very full body, it's an interesting balance between grains and hops which ends with a pleasing dry taste. Best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit."

Thoughts: Beautiful looking label with a round gold sticker with a white star that reads "Cellar Aged". It's got that nice gold foil that I like about this series.

Poured a rich mahogany color with a short, tan head that left some clouds in the beers top.

So sweet. Smells like a sweet, malty chocolate milkshake with cherry flavored whipped cream topping. It's a little wheaty, and there's a hint of roasted coffee, but the chocolate malt is the predominating factor.

Prunes. Dates. Raisins. Essence of dark fruits. Smokey wheat engulfs. Very strong, and well balanced hops and malts. A slight alcohol tinge permeates throughout the mouth. After swallowing there's an instant sweet tingle.  There's no real harshness to it, but a little bit of a grassy after bite. It's really like a candy for adults. Goes down smooth. There's a slightly dry, crisp bitterness to the finish. It's full, not too foamy or frothy, but it becomes so when sneaking back up. 

This one isn't overly intense, in fact, it's pretty subdued for something of its kind. Drinkability is off the charts. This is some very dangerous stuff. Just the way I like it. So far I haven't met a Barleywine that I didn't like. I'd say that Shipyard scored again with this one. Their 22oz Bombers have so far all been excellent (there are some I haven't tried yet). The price is just right, the content is totally worthwhile, it's fairly strong stuff, and it comes in a pretty bottle. What's not to like? Final: I'm not completely 100% blown away, but I went away a very happy man.

Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout

Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Otter Creek Breweing Co., in Middlebury, Vermont. USA.
Year Round (Standard Release)
12 fl. oz. / $1.75 USD / 5.9% ABV

About: "Three cheers for our Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout! This weekend we took 3rd place in the Stout category at the Great International Beer Festival in Rhode Island! You asked for it, so we're brewing it. Wolaver's first dark beer, this oatmeal stout is black in color, with a beautifully creamy head. This full flavored stout imparts hints of coffee, chocolate, and roasted flavors. It is being brewed with organic rolled oats, organic wheat, and of course organic barley and hops."

Thoughts: Poured near black with a tan, tan chocolatey head.

Smells of coffee beans, but it's not overpowering. Malty and chocolatey. It's got a bit of a chocolate chip granola bar thing going for it. Pretty cool.

Tastes like a solid, bitter semi-sweet chocolate. Like cocoa. The dark roasted malt flavor comes in after the initial coffee and chocolate flavor with a light zing of alcohol. It lingers around after the gulp. Coffee and bitter chocolate are very well balanced. The organic oats really bring out a nice fullness to the beer. If the alcohol content were higher you'd most likely not be able to get it so easily. 

It's as the bottle states: rich and creamy. And it goes down super smooth.

This is a lighter stout with a very good taste too it, and a very well accomplished overall beer. It doesn't feel light though, nor does it weigh you down. It's a very approachable stout with no real downside. Wolaver's gets my approval once again.

Check out those bubbles!!

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry (Pugsley's Signature Series) (2011)

First Brewed: May 2011 (Seasonal?) (First Year Beer)

Brewed and Bottled by Shipyard Brewing Co. in Portland, Maine. USA. 

22 fl. oz. / $8.39  USD / 9.0% ABV

About: "This beer is a hybrid between a Porter and a Scotch Ale. This beer has a rich mouth feel and a body of complex intensity. Upfront, there are distinct flavors of coffee and chocolate beautifully accentuated by the aroma of fresh blueberries. The finish features a delicate balance of sweet fruit and dry hops. Malts: Pale, Crystal, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Light Munich, Torrified Wheat / Hops: Summit, Tettnang, Cascade / Yeast: Top-Fermenting English Food Pairings: Glazed Duck, Ribs, BBQ, Chocolate, Blueberry deserts."

Thoughts: Well it's not blue as I had previously worried it would be(!), so that's a good sign. Dark tan head that wasn't much of a build and faded out just as quickly as it started to form. Color is dark, dark brown. Can't see through this brew at all.

First thing I got hit with was the high alcohol level. Then it was somewhat like a strong ale, but kinda reminescent of a not-so-bad malt liquor. Gave it a few seconds and then that blueberry really started to come through. I'll start this one cold and let it warm while I drink it to witness the effects.

A high alcohol haze surrounds slightly burnt toast flavors that come through later like a blueberry bread or a jam smear. This doesn't taste like a blueberry muffin at all so don't go in expecting that. It's not sweet at all, but rather bitter instead like a spiked coffee. "Malt Beverage with Natural Flavor" is the description. This brew makes me happy, but it's a child-like happiness... that later slugs you in the face with harsh reality! And that's the way I like it.

Heavy mouth feel with a tickle and a pucker up. Leaves a feeling in the mouth that isn't a film, nor a slickness... it's somewhat dry, but not drying. If you're into wine, you may like this. But I wouldn't suggest being into wine.

Aftertaste is very pleasing actually. Better than I would have expected. The bitter and semi-sweet both work together quite nicely.

It's not an immediate go-to re-buy beer for me, but I just may try it again once or twice in the future. I'm not really much of a blueberry fan to begin with. They're like the WTF fruit of the berry universe. I much prefer blackberries actually. Drinking this makes me dream of that the label would read SMASHED BLACKBERRY instead. Damn, that would have been sweet. This is on par with their smashed pumpkin, they're both quite similar actually, but with the different headlining flavors.

Narragansett FEST Lager

Narragansett FEST Lager (2011)

Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)

Craft-Brewed and Bottled by Narragansett Beer Co., in Providence, RI. USA.

16 fl. oz. / $1.60 USD / 5.5% ABV

Info: "Winner of the silver medal in the 2010 World Beer Championship. Winner of the gold medal in the Oktoberfest category at the 15th annual Great International Beer and Cider Competition in Providence, RI 2011."

Look: FEST poured a light auburn orange with a small bubbly head that lasted a minute.

Scent: Smells like sweet malt, minor vanilla bean, with a wholesome citrus overtone to the whole brew.

Taste: Roasty. Toasty. Yeasty. Kinda sweet. Little bit spicy on the tongue after swallowed, and followed by a very slight bitterness. Sweet bubbling tingles around the tongue and when I lick my lips it's even sweeter. Damn good tasting... the bitterness is so very light, with that sweet coming through at just the perfect amount. This absolutely slaughters the competition taste wise. It's euphoric!

Feel: A heavy medium with an above average drinkability. Goes down pretty smooth.

Feelings: Probably the best $1.60 I ever spent in my life. This is one of those few beers that I just let sit in my mouth for long periods of time, and felt good. Much like I did with my second bottle of Pumking during the Halloween snowstorm / three-and-a-half day power outage. For this one I can't really imagine any room for improvement. It's near perfect, the best Oktoberfest I've ever had without a doubt. If it were stronger it most likely wouldn't taste the same, so that's the only downside to improvement that I can think of here. FEST is one of the best beers that I've had this year. I'd say that FEST is a FEAST... in itself.

 Update: The guys over at Narragansett gave thanks to my positive review on their twitter feed and blog. Much appreciated. Here's a screen cap: 

Magic Hat Hex Ourtoberfest

Magic Hat Hex Ourtoberfest (2011)
Autumn Seasonal - August 1'st thru October 15'th (Limited Release)
12 fl. oz. / $1.75 USD / 5.4% ABV

Specs: "A malty amber ale with hints of toffee and caramel and a slightly smoky finish." YEAST: German Ale / HOPS: Apollo, Hallertaur / MALTS: Pale, Vienna, Crystal, Cherry Wood Smoked Malt, Malted Rye.

Look: Poured out a hazy golden orange, like honey, with a dark bubbly head that didn't entirely fade. Something weird is happening in the bubbles. They're clumping together in some spots. I'll blow on em and they'll dissipate then form in other areas. What the fuck!?

Scent: Smells different from the rest straight off. Not really like a  märzen at all, which as I hold it in front of my computer monitor just now and see, oh of course, it's a red ale like Freaktoberfest. The scent has a very caramel undertone to it.

Taste: Bitter toffee. Coffee notes. Cherries and light toasty bread.

Feel: Medium bodied. Leaves an astringent feeling, and it's a bit drying.

Final: This one's not bad. It's a bit malty though, and there's not much going for it in terms of special recognizable qualities.  Wish there was more to say about this one, aside from that it tastes pretty good, but it was somewhat plain. It's their highest ABV from their seasonals, and has the coolest artwork, but I'm not really feeling the brew all too much and that's what matters most. I don't dislike it, but it just didn't live up to that wicked image.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

 Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Smuttynose Brewing Co., in Portsmouth, NH. USA.
Autumn Seasonal: August thru October (Yearly Release)

12  fl. oz /  $1.79 USD / 6.0% ABV? (Their website states 5.6%.)

About: "Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale is our homage to the craft and heritage of America’s brewers. Recipes calling for the use of pumpkins in beer date back to early colonial times, when brewers sought to extend their supply of costly imported malt with locally grown ingredients, such as squash and “pompions.” In that spirit, we brew our ale with the addition of pumpkin to the mash, along with traditional spices to create a delicious American original. Malts: North American 2-Row, Carastan, C-60 / Bittering Hops: Cascade / Flavoring Hops: Cascade, Liberty / Other: Natural Pumpkin Puree, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves."

Thoughts: Notice it's not a drawing of a pumpkin, but instead an actual photograph of one. Like they're trying to tell us: "Hey, we use the real stuff in this!" Well... Long live the orange flesh!

Light amber in color. No real orange or red at all... a bit on the yellowy side.

First smell was pretty straight up hops and malts, and reminded me of a Pete's Wicked Ale for some reason... like of the first time I chugged three of those in a row. On the second smell I got some of that pumpkin. It's very light on the spices, like nothing at all spices. As it warms the smell is pretty much the same spice-wise, but a little more of the pumpkin puree comes out.

All the pumpkin taste and mild spice falls back when those heavier malts and hops hit. The pumpkin is very earthy and real. This isn't any synthetic extract bullshit. Oh, and it's not sweet, far from it! This stuff is bitter as a motherfuck! I stopped drinking about a fourth of the way through to let it warm up, as I do believe this may not be meant to be consumed while chilled. Yeah, still about the same. Allspice and cloves with some mash backup. Pretty sour.

Medium bodied. A bit fizzy when you're drinking it, but it drys you out fast.

I didn't really dig this one too much. Of the more clove flavored pumpkin ales this one will be going towards the bottom of that particular listing. It just doesn't have enough "oomph!" Definitely needs more pumpkin, and less cloves.

 Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale (2013)

Autumn Seasonal.

12  fl. oz /  $1.49 USD / 6.3% ABV

Second Thoughts: I notice that bottle has a stamp on it with a Best By date of 11/23/13 and even more surprising, an ABV stamp of 6.3%. Seeing as the ABV was never listed on this beer's label, and all info on it varied from website to website, it's about time they did this.

Poured a really hazy golden apricot color with a quick fizzling head. Taking a closer look at that haze and it's not cloudy, but rather there are tons of small grainy speckles all throughout the beer. Carbonation is very light.

Smells pretty weak. Is this a lager base? The first thing you get is water, it's very watery. It does smell recognizable as a pumpkin beer obviously, but mostly from the moderately spiced aqua. The scent is a little unexciting and hinting at a sour mash.

The taste fares a little better. Whatever canned pumpkin puree they glopped into their vats, it sure is a raw and unseasoned one. There's hardly any sugar or sweetness in this at all. Maybe some burnt brown sugar in the beginning, and those spices try as they may to cover up that bitterness, but it's not happenin'.

I gave it a big fat MEH last time and no surprise that I'm getting the same reaction from this year's bottle. This one is begging for cinnamon and sugar around the rim of the glass. That's a bad thing. It's got some personality though - clove overload is more like it - and at least it isn't as watery as it smells.

Woodchuck Cidery Pumpkin Hard Cider

Woodchuck Cidery Pumpkin Hard Cider (Private Reserve) (2011)

Brewed and Bottled by Woodchuck Cidery in Middlebury, Vermont. USA.

Autumn Seasonal - Sept. and Oct. (Yearly Release)

12  fl. oz /  $2.19 USD / 6.9% ABV

About: "Every once in a while you know you stumble upon something glorious. That something just so happens to be our Private Reserve Pumpkin. We have combined our signature taste with a refreshing pumpkin finish. Limited to just two and half hours on the production line this is a true connoisseur's cider."

Thoughts: Bland brown on orange, with the same logo that they use for all of their beers. You're forced to read the neck label if you want to know what particular product it is.

Color is apple red. No head whatsoever, bubbles faded incredibly quick before I could even take the shot.

This smells pretty nasty. Rotten mashed apples and vinegar.

Huh. Well it tastes a hell of a lot better than it smells at least... kind of. Honestly, I only bought this for the sake of completion, but it's really not too atrocious. The pumpkin taste is minimal, but it does hit you as the initial apple flavor dies down. There's no spice at all, but it is pretty sweet and sour at the same time. I'm not really one to separate the reviewer and the self, but it's this kind of thing that calls for the exception. I know this tastes fucking horrible. But I've got a high tolerance for horrible shit. So why be so serious about it? Now I see the funny side of things and I'm always smiling!

Like a flat soda.

If you're really into cider (or wine) then you'll probably like this. The aftertaste is pretty gross and stale, like the smell of brown apple cores.

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale (Pugsley's Signature Series) (2011)
Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)
Brewed and Bottled by Shipyard Brewing Co., in Portland, ME. USA.
22  fl. oz /  $8.99 USD / 9.0% ABV

About: "Smashed Pumpkin is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aroma of pumpkin and nutmeg. The OG and final Alc./Vol. provide the structure and body. Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich Malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of Willamette and Hallertau Hops to balance the sweetness of the fruit. To fully enjoy all the flavors, this ale is best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Smashed Pumpkin pairs well with sharp cheeses, nuts, lamb, hearty stews and desserts like flan or pumpkin pie. Chefs find this an excellent beer to cook with in dishes such as braised short ribs."

Thoughts: Take a look at that absolutely beautiful packaging. This label is very classy, well done and the gold foil lettering is a great touch that really makes it stand out.

Big foamy bubbles that fade in a bout a minute and a half. Golden orange, just like a pumpkin. Not getting too many carbonation bubbles rising up, which is strange as I had expected there would be more.

 

Nose isn't too sweet, but damn those spices really hit, and you can tell it's going to have a bite to it. Nutmeg and ginger notes. Smells slightly similar to their Pumpkinhead, only taken to the next level. Way to the next level.

Alright, I've been looking forward to this one. Smashed is heavy on the booze factor which I like. You get all of the spices at the start of every gulp and then you're hit with bitter clove, then caramel-like nutmeg. This one isn't too sweet, and the taste maintains itself very well. It doesn't get any worse once you start getting through it like their other pumpkin brew does. I'm drinking mine very chilled by the way. I left about a fourth of it in the bottle to warm up to room temperature. Not as much dirty pumpkin as I would have hoped, but it's definitely out there, and a major step up from their best seller.

Feels good, man. There's a little tingling in the back of my throat. This brew gives off a sweet and relaxing warmth in the stomach. It's pretty smooth at first, but it gets frothy as hell, then tingly. Getting some extremely frothy belches out of this which aren't too pleasing, but at least the aftertaste isn't horrible. I've yet to try any of Shipyard's non-pumpkin brews, but I would say do away with the Pumpkinhead Ale and stick with making this one. Of course their Pumpkinhead is so ridiculously popular around here despite being below average, that it'll never happen. Bottom line, if you're going to buy anything from Shipyard like say, ever, get the Smashed Pumpkin.

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale (Pugsley's Signature Series) (2013)

Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)

22  fl. oz /  $7.49 USD / 9.0% ABV

Second Thoughts: It's been nearly two years since I first had this beer. It was one of the first ten I ever reviewed. I remember liking it and hating its little brother Pumpkinhead the abomination. Last year I didn't go near it, but this year I decided what the hell. This is one of the first pumpkin beers out in the "season". I'm quite skeptical to whether or not Shipyard has cases of this from two years ago just wasting away in their warehouse and I'm really just drinking the same beer again.

Bottlecap let out a loud hiss. Smells pretty damn good. It's like a decent quality pumpkin pie slice. It's got all the usual suspects but something strange is coming through on the back end of it all. The malt and hop profiles shine through beyond the spice, and it's a little boozy, but I like boozy and that booziness really mixes well with the pumpkin spice.

It's very sweet up front, spicy and full of pumpkiny goodness, then immediately after the swallow a messy slap of hazy bitter booze comes through and well - doesn't' quite ruin things - but puts a little damper on it all. The hops really come on strong, not that there's anything wrong with that, but combined with that not-so-subtlety hidden booze it doesn't quite make for the ultimate pumpkin pie experience. Still, it is a heavy beer and there's a lot to be admired about this one. It's sweet, spicy, harsh, uneven, beautiful and ugly all at the same time. It's flawed but in a very good way. I still say that from what I've tried, this is Shipyard's best beer.

What really saves this beer from being "messy" is the thick bready feel to it. It's like a meal in itself. It gets a little sour after a while, but that's all in the aftertaste. Overall it's what's to be expected from any standard pumpkin beer as far as I'm concerned. It's heavy hitting, spicy up front, the spices linger, it's got the "right taste" for a pumpkin brew, and it's savory. The only problem is that there's this underlying weirdness to the whole thing, like a certain part of it didn't get properly integrated into the beer and was left a harsh semi-sour muddy grassness.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale (2011)
Autumn Seasonal. 
Brewed and Bottled by Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. USA.
12  fl. oz /  $1.79 USD /  5.1% ABV

About: "Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale is a crisp and refreshing wheat ale with delightful aromatics and subtle spiced flavor. This beer was first brewed in August of 2002 at Federal Jack’s Restaurant and Brew Pub in Kennebunk, Maine where Shipyard began. Awards include a 2008 European Beer Star Silver Medal and 1st Place at the 2007 California Brewers Festival. Malts: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Light Munich, Malted Wheat  / Hops: Willamette, Hallertau / Yeast: Top-Fermenting English."

Thoughts: I dig the whole Headless Horseman dude on the label, but will I dig the beer?

Pumpkinhead poured a slightly cloudy yellow. Kinda looks like pee. Even though the head faded in less than a minute, there are a lot of rising bubbles in this, so it seems that there's some pretty decent carbonation.

 

Well if it smells like pee that's for me. I'm just kiddin'... smells like a watered down malt liquor mixed with natural ice with a little bit of creeping nutmeg and cinnamon. Huh, I guess I wasn't kiddin' after all.

Tastes pretty standard for a second then the flavor disappears and it's like a quick fading seltzer. It's weird too, because you can feel the spices when the brew fills your mouth, but when your brain goes to process it they run like hell. Not getting any of the pumpkin either. Wait, is there pumpkin in this? QUOTE: "To make Pumpkinhead, the brewery doesn't just toss some pumpkins into the brew kettle. The beer is made with a natural concentrated spiced pumpkin extract, which is added to a wheat beer during the brewing process." They don't toss pumpkins into the brew kettle? Well why the fuck not?!

Kinda foamy, and a little bit silky.

 

Aftertaste is pretty horrid. Not that I mind the taste of Natural Ice (I'm no snob when it comes to that beer - bring it on!) but I'm not intent on pouring concentrated pumpkin spice in the stuff. How is this beer so popular? I see frat boys and chicks buying it all the time. Oh wait, that explains it. Sorry Shipyard's Pumpkinhead "ale", but we're not going to be partying down anytime soon. Moving on.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale (2013)

Autumn Seasonal.

12  fl. oz /  $1.49 USD / 5.1% ABV

Second Thoughts: TWO YEARS LATER. So a few weeks ago the really small divebar that I frequent got rid of their Budweiser on tap and replaced it with Shipyard Pumpkinhead, a drink that I consider to be the Bud Light of pumpkin beers. Bud Light is still on tap though, as are Coors Light, Heineken, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. SN Pale Ale took the place of Shock Top Raspberry Wheat which took the place of Miller Light I think. That particular tap line made a huge step up. It's cool that they have a real craft brew and a seasonal on tap now, but this place really only caters to Coors Light drinkers. Nobody ever drank Bud there, except for myself and a pal from work. Of course a pint of regular beers are $2.50 while SN is $3.25 and Pumpkinhead is $3.75. I got four pints of the Shipyard Pumpkinhead at $2.50 before the price was set on it. I also got it with Cinnamon and Sugar around the rim.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead is a piss yellow beer that smells like cinnamon, wheat and water. It actually smells OK at first, but gets worse as you start to drink it. The taste is watery as hell and the spices are really subtle, with cinnamon coming out on top of everything. There's no real pumpkin whatsoever and it just tastes really synthetic. It's pretty pathetic for a pumpkin beer, though it's probably the most popular pumpkin beer in the world. Considering Coors Light is more than likely the most consumed beer on the planet, that shouldn't surprise anyone. The cinnamon and sugar around the rim of the glass didn't do much to improve upon the beer itself, aside from giving me a distraction from the watery nature of it. And I don't think that a pumpkin beer should NEED to have this done to it in the first place. It should taste good enough on its own.