Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin

[JeffPorter]

Is it fair to compare this beer the GL Pumpkin?

This beer, is essentially and IPA (get it? Imperial PUMPKIN ale...yeah, I know...)



It's a nice hazy pumpkiny orange. Small head that leaves quickly.

All the spices and flavours are there. It's big, and yummy. But I find the aroma VERY boozy. In fact, I think the the booze overwhelms the spices just a little.

I'm also detecting just a tiny amount of funk in the aroma too! Not sure where that's coming from, though. Or is that just fruity tartness?

The taste does remind you you're drinking a big beer, but the back nine is all pumpkin, spices, and a little bit of burn.

Reminds of the flavours in a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice latte when you get an extra shot of espresso. All the spices are there...but so is an extra hit of caffeine!!!

I really like it, but not sure I like it more than ST. I love that in the Pumking, you get absolutely lost in the spices and the pumpkin. Whether you love or hate some of the Black Water stuff (Chokolat included), one thing ST doesn't do is false advertising. Those beers taste like the labels indicate.

I'll have to buy a few more...

[Bonesey]

I'm also detecting just a tiny amount of funk in the aroma too! Not sure where that's coming from, though. Or is that just fruity tartness?

Shipyard uses the infamous/famous (depending on your politics) Ringwood yeast, which yields some fruity esters.

[cratez]

This one's a doozy in my opinion. Huge pumpkin flesh and ethanol aromas with pumpkin pie, all the requisite spices, and a higher-than-normal hop bitterness in the flavour. No booze to taste, although some alcoholic warmth hits you after a while. Lush mouthfeel, drinks well for the weight. Precisely the type of beer that I look forward to for the fall season. And more American crafters at the 'BO is always a good thing. Give this one a go-round.

[Cale]

I was really looking forward to trying this one tonight, but it seems Dundurn didn't order much and it was all gone by the time I managed to get there around lunch. They even already had some phantom stock for it! I hope there's a lot of this stuff to go around for future restocks.

[Streets]

Just picked up a bottle on my lunch break (last one on the shelf at Dundurn), and now I'm really looking forward to cracking it this weekend!

[Cale]

You son of a bitch!

[Streets]

Just saw your post Cale, I must have just beat you to it. I was there shortly before noon today . Hope you managed to grab some Garrison, there were 4 on the shelf when I was there, and I think there was more Fullers 1845 in the back.

[Cale]

Just saw your post Cale, I must have just beat you to it. I was there shortly before noon today . Hope you managed to grab some Garrison, there were 4 on the shelf when I was there, and I think there was more Fullers 1845 in the back.

Oh there's definitely some Garrison and 1845 in my fridge I didn't clean out the store though, I believe there were still two of each left (for anyone interested) - but the 1845 may still in the back.

I'm not a huge pumpkin beer nut so I'm not too concerned about missing out on the initial run of this - let me know how it tastes though!

[Ukie]

Just saw your post Cale, I must have just beat you to it. I was there shortly before noon today . Hope you managed to grab some Garrison, there were 4 on the shelf when I was there, and I think there was more Fullers 1845 in the back.

So you both were there on Thursday.

Streets, Nice Sunglasses!

You came through the store like jonathan e in Rollerball! LOL and here I was blaming Cale, sorry!

I picked up a bunch of the new ones the day before in Burlington, and yes the Shipyard is good. Probably my favourite, have to agree with Cratez in his review. Trying the Saranac pumpkin for supper.

[Streets]

Haha, were you there too Ukie? I just popped in quick on a break from work so I was definitely a man on a mission. Grabbed the last Shipyard, a couple Garrison, four 1845s, a Funnel Blower, a sixer of Smashbomb and then got the hell out of there!

And thanks (I think). I don't always where sunglasses indoors, but when I do they're prescription and I'd bump into things without them .

[Bytowner]

Definitely two stories to this beer. Up front it's rather unappealing. Huge raw pumpkin flavours made worse by the grain, ginger, and English fruitiness. Bleh! Yet, at the back end, you get some really nice spice. Once you swallow it you certainly get a great taste of pumpkin pie with a good dose of cinnamon. Subdue the immediate liveliness of the malt, yeast, and ginger and I would highly recommend.

[G.M. Gillman]

I've always enjoyed the Shipyard beers but I couldn't get into this one. It seemed more a pumpkin wine than a pumpkin beer with a lean body and a gingery top-note that seemed herbal at times, as if you blended a Riesling wine, a Scots heather ale and pumpkin pie spices. There were some very estery flavours too if I'm not mistaken (hence the white wine analogy). Interesting but not my cup of tea.

Gary

[midlife crisis]

But vastly improved with the addition of a few ounces of stout! (or in my case, B.O. Nutcracker Porter).

[G.M. Gillman]

Right, I remember this now, and must try it. It may be the extra body (and flavour) it gets from the addition that makes the difference.

Gary

[TheSevenDuffs]

Drinking an '11 and a '10 side-by-side right now.

The '11 is excellent. Good pumpkin flavour with nutmeg and cinnamon. The alcohol is slightly noticeable. A light hop bitterness is evident in the finish.

The '10 is a lot different. No hop presence at all. The malts are much more noticeable, providing not only sweetness but a noticeable bready character to the beer. The pumpkin and nutmeg are also present but slightly muted compared to the '11.

An interesting comparison.