Ringwood Old Thumper (USA)

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

Wow it’s been a while since I had this, but this brewery has inspired me to brew my own beer. Maybe one of the best brewers in North America.

I was fortunate enough to order this casked, so I’m going to rate it based on that. A perfect bitter, period. Creamy white head, copper color, fruity and hoppy, with a touch of malt for the kill. I must have put a dent in the cask with how many of these I ordered. I know I sure as hell put a dent in my wallet. My only complaint is that you lose so much in the bottled version. Probably my favorite from Shipyard. The hog on the label looks so tough!

This ones a nice find, interesting flavors just a touch of slight smoke back there and it has a dry(not to bitter end). Great mix of flavors well balance beer that I will go back to now and then. I give this a high rating as each time I drink one I find more to like about it.

This is a tasty English-style ale. I have not had the one actually brewed in England, but Shipyard’s license-made version is one of the best US-made versions of a real English-style ESB I have had. It’s copper with a medium, dense, off-white head slowly shrinking. The aroma is nutty, fruity with hints of caramel and pine, bread crust, leaves, earth, and overall very English. The taste is very English, earthy and leafy with fruit, a faint hint of a yeasty tang, nutty with bread crust, hint of caramel and licorice, pepper. It is bready and nicely lightly sweet with a lightly dominant earthy bitterness.

easy drinker with a lot of sweet malty flavor. thin on the pour but packed with fresh crisp flavor. great session drink.

Wow, very impressed with this brew. Perfectly balanced, just enough hoppiness to go along with the brown sugar sweetness. My favorite Shipyard brew.

As you can tell I love ESB. Pours a beautiful brown color but with little or no head. Aromas of caramel and just a hint of citrus. Stays with the palate with a sweet finish.

Hand Drawn Draft at the Blue Anchor. Cask Conditioned I’m a bit suprised at the low rating on this one, but perhaps its because of the hand drawn and the fact that this was cask conditioned. Either way pours a nice head with prominent lacing thats mostly pure white. Incredible copper color in the glass. Flavor is quite remarkable. Not bitter in the least but incredible dense with flavors of malt, hop, caramel, and citrus. Slight hop bite at the end but no lingering bitterness at all. I’ll definitely be getting this again.