Sparhawk Golden Ale

Formerly brewed at Casco Bay Brewing (Shipyard Brewing Co.)
Style: Golden Ale/Blond Ale
Portland, Maine USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker

Bottle. Slightly hazy gold/light amber color with a frothy, moderately lasting white head. Lots of big bubbles throughout after the pour. Kind of a sweatsock/ basement musty aroma with some slight citrus hoppiness in the background. Flavor like an over-lemony American Wheat...No real character, just kind of doughy and too sour. Could be improved with salty pretzels, but mostly just Blehhh.

A darker golden colouring with some bitterness and sourness. The finish is somewhat hoppy but the flavor is rather watery behind the initial hops.

UPDATED: AUG 20, 2007 This rather simple-looking bottle from the South Portland Hannaford. Golden amber body that is almost clear but slightly murky with head that is initially about an inch, but fizzles down to about a quart inch but leaves pretty good lacing. Smells sweet and hoppy, but a little off somehow, though I’m not sure how. Tastes much hoppier than the scent or style would suggest. The overall taste I can only liken to Kennebec Gurglin Sturgeon Stout, which is sometimes good, but has a burnt weird bitter metallic flavor to it sometimes. Not sure I’d buy this one again, not my kind of thing.

Bottle - Poured a hazy golden yellow in color with a thin white head that faded quickly. Aroma is slightly hoppy... not strong or distinct. Flavor is hard to describe and not particularly pleasant. Some hoppiness, but also a fair amount of sourness. Watery palate. Finish is slightly bitter. Not very good and not worth repeating.

(Bottle, best before 3/22/06) Pours a clear golden with a white head. Aroma a little soapy. A little bit of lacing. Mouthfeel OK, but actually watery. Taste: hard to describe, something weird - marshy, perhaps? like rotting organic matter. Probably not particularly appealing for a beer. Some bitterness too, particularly in finish. This one needs some work.

Draft. Light gold color with a small head. Aroma just reeks of adjuncts and grains. Taste is watered down orange and apple juice with some cereal thrown in. In fact, you could say it’s a light liquid breakfast but that would make youthink there was some real flavor in this. I guess this is a new company contract brewing. I really hope they revise the recipe.

For a golden I was quite happy with this beer. It’s a very refreshing clear fizzy beer that backs a decent amount of malt and hop flavors. Finish is very clean and doesn’t linger around too long. Great summertime beer.

Golden color with nice head. Gentle citrus hop aroma. Tasting is a quick and light hop hit with medium bitterness, but all over too quickly. Not bad, but nothing too exciting here.