Shipyard is one of the staples in my beer fridge. For me, it's about the brand's consistency year after year, especially with their summer brew. I've yet to try any of their specialty beers (big bottles), until yesterday, when I popped open a Shipyard XXXX IPA (Pugsley’s Signature Series).
I drank it fro a snifter glass (Dogfish Head in fact) and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The brew is an American Double / Imerpial IPA that has a hazy, amber look to it. The head was modest but disappeared fairly quickly. On first wiff, my nose was filled with floral scents, followed by hops, malt and the slight hint of booze.
From a flavor standpoint, it's stacked. I got a pretty strong blast of citrus hops and a piney-type flavor -- both of which bring home the 9.25% alcohol per volume. There was a slight sense of bitterness to it, but as it goes down the palate, it turns sweet. Not sure about the fruit flavor to it, though I got hints of grapefruit. As the beer got warmer, the tastes were heavier, which was a pleasant surprise.
On appearance, the beer looks heavy, but from a taste standpoint, it's about a medium body. It's definitely not a beer for your average bud drinker, but one that will surely impress the microbrewing fanatics out there. It's pretty hoppy and could be a nice after dinner-type brew.
This brew will find a way into my rotation.
Big Guy Rating: A-