Two Girls, One Beer.
Our place to review craft beers, New England beer events, and drinking establishments
28. shipyard smashed blueberry
Ever since I drank this, I’ve had a hard time taking Shipyard seriously. How could a brewery allow this monstrosity of a beverage be brewed on-site? Worst beer ever, she screamed.
The Pugsley Signature Series is at times, the only thing that keeps Shipyard off my shit-list. That, and the sweatpants I bought from their giftshop in Portland are pretty much my most significant item of clothing. God they’re comfy.
Shipyard Smashed Blueberry pours deep black with a slight blue hue. A bubbly beige head quickly climbs and just as quickly collapses, but lingers with laced webbing down the glass. The aroma is roasted coffee beans, cream, blueberries and vanilla.
Smoked malts provide a dry and earthy flavor, balanced out by chocolate malt for a touch of sweetness. The mild and tart blueberries compliment the malt without going too over-the-top. I think the best phrase that I found describing this beer was comparing it to a stack of blueberry pancakes with a cup of coffee. It is exactly that.
There is a slight indication of being a 9 percenter, but it comes nowhere near being a boozy beer. A very low bitterness cleans out the dry and roasty finish. It is full-bodied, with a medium carbonation and a fine mouthfeel.
This is a very interesting brew. Usually when I use the word interesting to describe beer, it’s meant with a more negative/sarcastic intention. “Inteerrestiing…”. But this time, I mean it in a good way. Smashed Blueberry is well-balanced, easy to drink, and has the perfect amount of blueberry acidity to leave it incredibly fresh-tasting. The beer itself has complexity to it, and the addition of fruit adds a great nuance. Very well done, Shipyard; A-.
