2015 BEER DISCOVERY TOUR: Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland, ME (July 3rd, Brewery Stop #22)

2015 BEER DISCOVERY TOUR: Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland, ME (July 3rd, Brewery Stop #22) The 22nd brewery visited during our cross-country beer discovery tour (click to read about the whole trip) was Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland Maine. We made our way down the coast to Portland and did a little site seeing and then grabbed a bite to eat at a great restaurant near the main historic area of town. We decided to stop at a few breweries in this part of town first before exploring out into the suburbs. Shipyard is one of the larger production facilities in Portland and they have a great selection of beers.

The brewery has a large swag and merchandise area, tasting room, and provides brewery tours year round. They don’t have any food on site and the tasters are done in large groups for FREE. Yes, you read that correctly, FREE. Not many breweries do this, and it’s a great way to gain loyal customers. There is truly nothing better than “free as in beer”. The tasting area is like a small bar with just a few seats and mostly standing room only. We were able to sample some of their beers after waiting for a new group to sample with. We had a great conversation with the bartenders and other people there, but only could do the beers one at a time and that dragged out the tasting longer than we wanted to be there.

The core line of beers tried were all average to above average in quality and style. They do distribute all over the east coast and mid-west so they were not completely unfamiliar with them. They also sell and fill growlers on site with everything they distribute in bottles to go. Overall this is a decent brewery providing free samples that shouldn’t be missed if you’re in downtown/historic Portland Maine and have the time to wait for a group to taste with. Beware they don’t taste everything available each time.

Shipyard Brewing Company
86 Newbury St.
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: 207-761-0807
E: info@shipyard.com
Web: https://shipyard.com/
Face: https://www.facebook.com/ShipyardBrewing

Export Ale Shipyard Brewing Co. • American Blonde Ale • IBU: 29 • ABV: 5.1% • SRM: 6 • OG: 1.052 MALTS: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Crystal, Wheat YEAST: Top Fermenting English HOPS: Willamette, Cascade Bright straw-yellow semi-clear draft, small bubbly white head that dropped quickly leaving some ringy lacing on the rim. The nose is like a little skunky with sweet fresh ground wheat and other grains. The front mouth is a bit flat and sligtly funky (yeast) with the mid expressing more of the malts but has some metallic acidity on the mid/back.

Monkey Fist IPA Shipyard Brewing Co. • English India Pale Ale (IPA) • IBU: 67.5 • ABV: 6.9% • SRM: 18 • OG: 1.064 MALT: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Malted Wheat, Munich, Crystal, Caramalt YEAST: Top-Fermenting English HOPS: Chinook, Cascade Orange/coppery hue, clear draft with some tight bubbly foam and slight lacing that had good retention. The nose is pretty sharp with citrus/acidic and pine hops, slight sweet caramel lingers. The front mouth is balanced between the citrus/pine resin and earthy/grass profile and the caramel malts. The mid to back mouthfeel is solid with a good amount of bitters lingering well past the swallow.

American Pale Ale Shipyard Brewing Co. • American Pale Ale • IBU: 55 • ABV: 4.5% • SRM: 4 • OG: 1.054 MALT: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Whole Wheat YEAST: Top-Fermenting English HOPS: Challenger, Chinook, Citra, Polaris, Huell Melon, Cascade, Centennial Golden bright yellow hue, full white foamy head that had great retention and large bubbly lacing. The nose is a lot of citrus and some sharper pine hits. The front mouth is mainly citrus pith and bitterness balanced between some mild cracker malts (lighter roasted). The mid-back mouth is mild as the carbonation is lower on this draft. Finishes somewhat dry on the back end.

Fuggles IPA Shipyard Brewing Co. • Single Hop IPA • IBU: 49 • ABV: 5.8% • SRM: 16 • OG: 1.055 MALT: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Crystal, Malted Wheat YEAST: Top-Fermenting English HOPS: Fuggles Clear amber/red hue draft with a solid white foamy head with long lasting retention. The nose is stronger citrus, tropical fruits and some spice mixed with a decent roasted sweet grain. The front mouth is pungent citrus notes almost lasting to a tart fruit vibe. The roasted grains come in on the mid to back to help balance the sharp notes. The mid-carbonation is solid, the lingering back spice and citrus pith is dry and slightly sweet.

Blue Fin Stout Shipyard Brewing Co. • Irish Stout • IBU: 43 • ABV: 4.7% • SRM: 40+ • OG: 1.052 MALT: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Black, Roasted Barley, Wheat, Maize Flakes YEAST: Top-Fermenting English HOPS: Warrior, Cascade, Tettnang, Goldings Solid opaic black with a decent tan head that dissolved into some smaller clumps, little lacing retained. The nose is pretty thin with just a small hint of coffee grounds. The front mouth is strong malt and burned bread crust that is backed with some coffee acidic bitters, hints of spice, licorice and dried hop cone bitters. The mid mouth is somewhat thin and watery, not like most stouts of this variety. The mid to back flavors linger with the roasted grains and sweet mollasses and sublte hints of bitter hop resins.

Chamberlain Pale Ale Shipyard Brewing Co. • English Pale Ale • IBU: 36 • ABV: 4.9% • SRM: 14 • OG: 1.055 MALT: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Wheat YEAST: Top-Fermenting English HOPS: Fuggles, Cascade, Glacier This is a mid-orange/brown hue and what head there was dissappeared quickly, leaving no lacing. The nose is really shallow and has only a little bit of wet breads. The front mouth is chewed bread malts and some washed out and old pine needles. Mid to back has some spice/pepper and caramel-malts start to show up. The mouth-feel is mild but not too chewy. The back end is long with biscuits and pine bitters there.

Summer Ale Shipyard Brewing Co. • American Pale Wheat Ale • IBU: ?? • ABV: 4.8% • SRM: 4 • OG: 1.050 MALT: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Munich, Malted Wheat YEAST: Top-Fermenting English HOPS: Saphir, Willamette Clear golden draft with some small bubbly white foam that dropped to a sheen quickly. The nose is toasted grains to english muffin dry, runs into almost sweet corn. The front mouth is bread-toasty and has a hint of sweet caramel malts. There is a dry hit on the mid-back of acidic citrus hops (lemon peel) and a back end spice hit of clover and fresh grass.