222. Shipyard Pumpkinhead

Drinking this while watching NC State vs. Miami in ACC college basketball play.  First time trying a Shipyard (http://www.shipyard.com) product. Poured into a tulip glass.  Half a finger of white head.  Little to no retention, similar to a cider or soda. No discernible lacing on the glass.  Copper color with rose colored highlights.  I can smell more pumpkin pie spice such as cinnamon and clove than I do actual pumpkin.  Any semblance of pumpkin is hard to pick up.  

The taste provides malt sweetness, some spice notes, and that's about it.  It's quite watery, lacking flavor, little body, with high carbonation.  There is a bitter finish, but not in the way that I think it's the hops.

Overall, this is a pretty bad beer.  I'm contemplating giving it the drain pour, but I think I'll hold onto it.  It's more cider than beer, maybe they should try to market this as one.  Yeah..I'm not drinking this ever again.

Grade: D

Price Paid: $1.67 (12 oz bottle)

221. Fullsteam Fearrington Fall Heirloom Apple Rye IPA

"Rustic, tangy, bitter, sweet.  The true flavors of fall in the South.  Because the world has enough pumpkin beers.

Pressed heirloom apples - Foggy Ridge, Dugspur, VA

Wrens Abruzzi Rye - Harvested by Carter Farms, Eagle Springs, NC and malted by Riverbend Malt House, Asheville, NC

Jarrylo and Cascade hops

7% ABV, 58 IBU"

Decided to have a beer  to go with my dinner (jambalaya) while watching the NFL playoffs (Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers).  Fullsteam looks to be embracing locally sourced products to go with their beer.  Definitely helps with their marketing, although I haven't had a beer from them that has wowed me yet.

This beer was poured into a Guinness pint.  It has a clear caramel color with two fingers of beige colored head with a sea foam consistency.  Moderate retention that leaves sheets of lacing around the glass.  I detect aromas of apple, grass, tangerine, pine.  

The aroma of apples is not nearly as apparent in the taste.  It's less than subtle, almost a little hard to discern.  I can taste more pine and a slight spicy note from the rye.  Very silky smooth mouthfeel.  Lightly carbonated and surprisingly full bodied.  Finish is is bitter as expected, although it's tamer and more reminiscent of an APA than an IPA.  Bitter finish.  

The combination is ambitious, certainly intriguing, but I think it fails to really deliver.  I know my curiosity was piqued, which led me to purchase the beer.  It's tasty, different, but otherwise forgettable.  

Grade: C-

Price Paid: $6.49 (22 oz bomber)

220. Woodchuck Hopsation Hop Forward Cider

"We start with our original small batch hard cider and infuse cascade hops to impart their sensational pine and citrus aromas.  The smooth apple character of our signature hard cider balances perfectly against the bitterness of the hops.  Some may just call it a hopsational cider."

After having several stretches of beer or liquor drinks, I had the hankering for a cider and grabbed the first one I could find and put it into the fridge.  Lo and behold, Woodchuck's Hopsation is what I ended up grabbing.  The beer was poured into a pilsner glass.  It has a pale, straw color with green highlights depending on the lighting.  Pretty interesting, actually.  Interesting aroma of sour apple, lemon, lime, and a touch of pine.  It certainly left me wondering what I might be in for.

The first thing I notice is the sweetness, as in, the lack thereof when compared to other Woodchuck ciders.  Less cloying, more refreshing.  Also, I can taste some of the hop influence, but it's very subtle.  I've had the green apple cider before and I can say that I like the complexity of this beer more than the green apple variant.  Some grassy notes also extend on the palate.  Light bodied, but medium carbonation.  

I know when I first got into hard ciders, my primary experience was with Woodchuck.  My taste has changed with the times and I'm sure I wouldn't rate those ciders nearly as favorably as I had in the past.  That said, I feel like this is one of the better offerings I've had from Woodchuck and is different from many of the others I've had, aside from the barrel aged variants.  If you find this one, give it a try.

Grade: B+

Price Paid: $1.79 (12 oz bottle)