When I initially started reading around to see what beer stories I wanted to post, it looked like the pickings were slim.  Then I found a few, The Father-in-law threw in one, and then I found myself trying to limit the group to a reasonable number.  I think there is a pretty well rounded selection.

So for the news from this week . . .

  • When I first came across the video for this new beer pouring system a few weeks back I just thought that it would be pretty much limited to to stadiums and the like.  Now that I read that a home version is in the works I will continue to pay attention even though I cannot see the need to ever pour beers that fast at home.
  • When I see articles that involve beer and Seattle (being two of my favorite things) I usually don’t pass them up, so here is a new beer to consider.
  • I heard bits and pieces of the story behind this brewery before, so it was nice to read a little more about it.  It is good to have those little details in your pocket when pouring the beers for someone.
  • Since we were just talking about Georgia beer laws this week, this one caught my eye.
  • I would never call it the best beer I have ever had (like one of the quotes in the article), but I do agree that it is very tasty and a big step up from the previous spring seasonal.
  • There are enough unfinished beer books sitting around the house right now so I have no plans to add this one.  I did read the original and quite enjoyed it, so I would recommend picking up this new edition if you have yet to read it.
  • A collaboration between Cigar City and The Bruery you say?  I say I can wait to get my hands on a few bottles!
  • Closing today with mention (again) of an opening tomorrow.  The Shipyard Emporium will have their Grand Opening tomorrow evening from 6-10PM.  Having the chance to stop in (and sample a few beers) during a soft opening last night I can say that you should get there when you can, whether tomorrow or later on.  Here are a few pictures of the place.
59011694 A Grand Opening

Go say hello to Ron! (via http://www.orlandosentinel.com/)

Cheers!

 

Since we went from sunny and eighty something degrees to frost in a span of two days I am going with a summer seasonal review to maybe influence a compromise somewhere around seventy degrees. Also because I am pushing through all the old reviews.

Actually this one is a beer that I already posted earlier this year. The reason that I decided to go ahead with sharing this evaluation is because I had no recollection of reviewing this beer previously and I find it interesting to see the differences in my tasting notes. There are beers where I have wanted to go back and do another review to see how my palate has evolved, but this one was revisited by accident. That was a good scenario since my original notes were no influence on these.

Now for this week’s Friday review . . .

Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Company (Portland, ME)

Name: Summer Ale

Style: American Wheat Beer

ABV: 4.80%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass. Gift from Cousin Adam.

Aroma: Lightly sweet with some grainy maltiness underneath. Pretty clean overall aroma.

Appearance: Golden yellow color. One finger, off-white color head that dissipated pretty quickly and left a little bit of a trail. Crystal clear with rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Some buttery, grainy maltiness with a light hop bitterness that is somewhat dry toward the finish with an odd tingling sensation on the palate. Very light overall flavor profile.

Mouthfeel: Light body with a decent level of carbonation that helps add some bite and crispness. Finish leave a bit of an unpleasant flavor.

Overall Impressions: Goes down easy (easier when cold and less so from there), but not all that enjoyable. The buttery quality and bitterness seem to build on the palate as the glass empties. I would not necessarily turn down a free one, but it will not be on my shopping list for future summers.

Grade: C- or so

5229334054 f537fc8992 Shipyard Brewing Co.   Summer Ale Take 2

Shipyard Brewing Company - Summer Ale

 

If the weather is hot and sunny it must be summer already, right?  Maybe not, though it sure has felt like it the last handful of days here in Central Florida.  With the weather pretending to be summer it made sense to post another beer review in honor of that season, despite it only being April.

There is also something with this one that I notice from time to time when looking back over reviews done many months ago.  After reading the notes that I took while drinking it, I am a bit confused by the final grade that I gave it.  It makes me wonder what the circumstances were during the evaluation that would have bumped the final grade up a bit.  So for this one I will write the original grade that I wrote down and then also what I would have expected the grade to be only by reading the tasting notes.  That only seems fair.

Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Co. (Portland, ME)

Name: Summer Ale

Style: American Wheat Beer

ABV: 5.1%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.  $8.99 for a six-pack.

Aroma: Moderately strong grainy nose with (seemingly) a slight, spicy hop character somewhere in there.

Appearance: Light golden color.  Two-finger, off-white head with moderate retention and no trail.  Crystal clear with many visible bubbles rising.

Flavor: Medium amount of light grainy, wheaty (surprise, surprise) flavor with a very slight note of hoppiness.  The finish is a bit dry with some sharpness.

Mouthfeel: Light body with a high amount of carbonation that lends some bite (and some of the sharpness at the finish).

Overall Impressions: Crisp and refreshing, though not with a great overall flavor.  It is good for hot weather if served ice cold.

Grade: B (originally written) and C (would have expected)

Did I forget to mention that this picture is lost as well?

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