Shipyard Brewing - Double Old Thumper

Let me start out by saying that I have been looking forward to cracking open this bottle since the day I bought it.  Classified as a Strong Bitter or Double English Pale Ale, this brew is in a style class that you don't come across every day.  I am also a sucker for English-based styles.  So when a brewery decides to make a big, "Americanized" version of a classic, my ears perk up and I become intrigued.  

Double Old Thumper is a collaboration brew between England's Ringwood Brewery and America's Shipyard Brewing Co. based in Maine.  The beer itself is a double version of the British Grand Champion beer Old Thumper, brewed and distributed in England by Ringwood.  It appears as though Ringwood essentially handed over the recipe to Shipyard and gave them free reign over the recipe and distributions rights in the US.  Personally, I'm not really a huge fan of this arrangement, assuming the way I described it is accurate.  A beer is only as good as the brewers behind it.  And that includes the brewery too!  So when you hand off the recipe to another brewery, it becomes a different beer, and should be marketed as such.  But, regardless of my opinion, it doesn't change the fact that I have a beer in front of me that needs some drinkin'!

The initial aroma and look of this 11.2% ABV brew is very inviting.  A powerful wave of rustic hop aromas are easily found after I finish filling my mug.  The color is a brilliantly clear dark amber, similar to a cherry wood.  Unfortunately, this is where the good aspects of this beer end.  My first sip tasted like a volatile cocktail of Karkov vodka, fermented raisins and moldy barley grains...  I really don't want to go back for another sip, but I will just to further reiterate how bad the first taste was.  Yup... still terrible.  The aftertaste left behind is almost sour and leaves that slick, oily feel coating my tongue.  I'm throwing in the towel... this monstrosity is being banished to the drain gods.

I couldn't stop making this face for at least 5 minutes after taking my first sip... awful.

Overall - I don't think I really need to explain any further how bad this beer was.  By far, this has been my worst beer experience in a long time.  Shipyards quality control must have been drunk when they tasted this beer.  There is no way this should have been distributed as is.  I feel bad for Ringwood Brewery, their good name has been sullied.  I wont be chomping at the bit to taste anything else from Shipyard until I drink enough to forget what Double Old Thumper tasted like.