I have tentative plans to visit the Shipyard Brewing Company’s brewery when I am passing through Portland next month because I generally enjoy and appreciate their beers. This one was an exception to that general enjoyment for me. Maybe I had set my expectations too high and it fell short, but in the end it wasn’t a beer that I needed to have again anytime soon.
Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Company (Portland, Maine)
Name: Chamberlain Pale Ale
Style: Pale Ale (American)
ABV: 4.9%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass. $3.99 for 22oz
Aroma: Light, slightly earthy hop nose. Very faint caramel aroma?
Appearance: Light copper color with orange tint. Short, off-white head that dissipates quickly without a trail. Very clear with a few rising bubbles visible.
Flavor: Low hop flavor with a slight earthiness. Minerally finish with some cloying. Maybe a hint of a bready malt flavor? The aroma was a bit stronger than the flavor turned out to be.
Mouthfeel: Light body with some dryness on the palate. Medium to high carbonation, producing some bite (sharpness).
Overall Impressions: Weak overall aroma and flavor (compared to what I expect in an APA). Alcohol content typical for style. Really not much going on overall. Drinkable, but also forgettable.
Grade: C to C-
Shipyard Brewing Co. - Chamberlain Pale Ale
I’d never heard Chamberlain described as an IPA. To me, it’s always been an English-style pale, and by those standards, I think it’s a great beer.
Thank you for catching me on that! Even though I had American Pale Ale written on the evaluation sheet, it was filed in with the IPAs. I need to pay more attention when I pull out older reviews! I have tried to be more and more critical with my reviews (since I was enjoying everything) and Chamberlain was somewhat a casualty of that. It just wasn’t near the top of the list of my favorite Shipyard brews so that helped bring it down a few notches.