Ringwood Old Thumper (USA)

Brewed by Shipyard Brewing Company
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Portland, Maine USA

(Bottle) Good, but didn’t really taste like a bitter. Very earthy, with the malt dominating. The malt has a lot of complexity to it. At the same time, refreshing and not too heavy. A bit creamy, although not too much for my tastes. Overall, very good., although atypical of this style. Almost reminiscent of a good Irish ale.

On tap. Amber with a white head. Nutty, earthy caramel nose and flavors. Not bad, but a bit thin overall.

Pours easily with an initially three finger thick, frothy, tan colored head that sits atop a clear, cranberry stained, copper colored beer. The aroma is fairly fruity with notes of apples, pears and berries in evidence. A kiss of herbal hops, bready grain, some caramelized malt sugars and a woody sort of not provide a soft balance to the up front fruit notes.

The taste is quite fruit focused as well; flavors of pears, plums and berries all are quite evident up front through to a lingering note in the finish. Bready / biscuit like notes, sweet / lightly caramelize malt sugars. This has a solid hop character to it as well. Nothing like a brash American use of hops, but they form a solid counterpoint in this beer; the hop flavors are a touch grassy, definitely herbal with a slight menthol edge, some soft citrus notes and a definite bitterness that runs throughout the flavor profile. Light and quaffable with just enough heft to the body to keep thing interesting and to carry the fruit and hop notes.

This might be one of the more enjoyable beers I have had from Shipyard; the Ringwood yeas has not been abused here and provides a nice complexity to this beer. The aroma is perhaps not a perfect mesh of aromatics, but the flavor of this beer just melds together quite well and makes for a beer that I am really enjoying the prospect of quaffing a full 22oz bottle. I have finally been pleasantly surprised by the Ringwood yeast, especially since the American craft brewing scenes (especially when bottled) seems to have been one story of abuse of this yeast after another.

Purchased: Bevmo, Palmdale CA

Name: Shipyard Old Thumper
Date: 09/01/1994
Mode: Draft
Source: The Coat of Arms,

redish amber, thin head with nice thick lace, pleasent hop aroma, nice bitter hop flavor with a slight underlying malt character, bitter finish 9/94: smooth, slight bitter, comes on strong, smooth finish

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.7/5.0
Score: *4
-------- /> The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Clear pour with a soft white head. Crisp bitter start and finish with slight bitter lingering after taste.

Pours amber with 1 inch of white head that recedes quickly. Decent, loose lacing. Nose is wheaty roast, shoebox, mild spicy hops on the third sniff. More wood, hops, grainy, slight apple in mouth and aftertaste. Well-balanced bitterness and soft carbonation. Pronounced dryness.

Clear amber with an off-white bubbly head. Very nice aroma of bread, toffee, and pear. Sweet toffee flavour with a fruity kiss and a perfectly balanced bitter finish. Excellent!

Nice golden color with a small white head that quickly dissipates. Slightl floral/hop boquet. Light mouth feel with some bitternes and hop flavor byut not much, A touch of malt present too but you really need to look for it. dry finish.