Beer # 83 Pugsley's Signature Series Smashed Blueberry

Pugsley's Signature Series Smashed Blueberry


Shipyard Brewing Company
Portland, Maine, USA
Independent
Flavoured Strong Ale 9.0 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 625 ml.
$7.60 (Canadian) At The LCBO


Twitter: @shipyardbrewing


I was going to say this was my first beer from Shipyard, but I remembered I had a bottle of the Smashed Pumpkin last year. It just so happened it was around the time of my epic cold/flu battle where I got very little work done on the blog. I remember trying to start it and tasting it, but I was too ill and I could not describe anything in it so I abandoned a fair number of postings last year. So I will say this is officially my first "taste" of a Shipyard Brew.


Shipyard stated in 1992, as Federal Jack's Restaurant and Brewpub in Kennebunk, Maine. However in two short years demand for their locally crafted brew outstripped their ability to produce, so in 1994 Investor Fred Forsley and Brewer Alan Pugsley set up Shipyard brewing company in Portland.  Shipyard has grown enormously over the last 18 years. The are currently the 3rd largest Microbrewery in New England (After Boston Beer Company, and Harpoon Brewing Company both of which I have visited.) Shipyard is also designated as the 15th Largest Microbrewery in all of the United States.

Onto the Tasting:

The label states that tonight's beer is a hybrid of the styles of porter and Scotch ale, I however could not determine if they use fresh blueberries as the label only states "flavour." The beer uses 5 grades of malted barley and torrified wheat, as well as three hop varieties: Summit, Tettnang, and Cascade.


Pervasive aroma of fresh blueberries filled the kitchen when I opened the bottle. It poured a very dark purplish brown. Not unlike the colour of prune juice. The head was short with the same colour of the head on a pint of Guinness, light tan to brown with small bubbles. The aroma is sweet and fruity, especially blueberries, with a dark roasted malt under tone. Slightly smoky, and chocolate with a touch of burnt sugar and licorice. The attack is sweet hard candy with dried blueberries. Then comes a different layer. After the fruit a dark ale smashes through with notes of chocolate, coffee, malt sugars, then the beer fades down to a more subtle sun-dried blueberry, currant, and a "Cherry brandy" type of alcohol. The alcohol content is quite noticeable. Aeration gives a burst of hot alcohol more berries, and a hint of hops. My lips are sticky after tasting, just like eating fresh berries.


When I first poured the beer it was a little too cold, and as I tasted it it seemed to be two distinct beers fighting for dominance. It felt like a lambic was competing with a stout. However as I sipped and typed the beer melded together at the proper serving temperature of 55 degrees, and became something wonderful. As I have said before, if the brewer has gone through the trouble of putting a temperature at which the beer should be consume on the label, chances are he knows what he is talking about.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional   


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6 Exceptional
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience:  6/6 Exceptional


Final Thoughts:



This beer took a short time to open up but once it did it made quite the impression. Surprisingly well balanced and well suited to food. The bottle recommends BBQ, and glazed duck. I recommend you try the beer. I hope I can get Smashed Pumpkin again this year and post it because I would like to see more from this brewery.


Cheers
Happy Independence Day
CJT


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