Hampshire Special (HSA) Ale
Geary Brewing Company in Portland, Maine, United States 🇺🇸
Strong Ale Regular|
Score
6.78
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Hampshire has a huge toasted malt flavor balanced by assertive hoppiness. The finish is long and lingering with the malt and hop notes blending with alcohol warmth. Two row English malts (pale, crystal and chocolate); Cascade, Mt. Hood and East Kent Golding hops.
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7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Location: 12 oz bottle from the Brickskeller, 7/31/09
Aroma: Caramel, fruits, raisin, apple, biscuit, light grassy hops in there as well
Appearance: Reddish-copper color, thin white head
Flavor: Bread/biscuit, caramel malts, a touch of fruit, some earthy hops
Palate: Medium body, creamy mouthfeel
Overall Impression: This was an interesting beer. Nice enough, with a decent complexity. An interesting nose. Balanced and enjoyable, but leaning toward the malt side for sure.
Aroma: Caramel, fruits, raisin, apple, biscuit, light grassy hops in there as well
Appearance: Reddish-copper color, thin white head
Flavor: Bread/biscuit, caramel malts, a touch of fruit, some earthy hops
Palate: Medium body, creamy mouthfeel
Overall Impression: This was an interesting beer. Nice enough, with a decent complexity. An interesting nose. Balanced and enjoyable, but leaning toward the malt side for sure.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Aug 2009
at 11:18
6.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
12 ounce bottle from Beer Run in Charlottesville, VA. Pours a clear reddish color with a large head. Good head retention and lacing. Aroma is caramel, green apple and dark fruits. Taste is toffee, caramel, toasted malts, green apple, other light fruit notes. Medium bodied.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Apr 2009
at 00:51
5.6/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 4
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Weak lemon grass aroma. Clear golden, no head. Tastes a bit like battery acid and lemon with candy underneath. Wheat and grass finish. Quite tart initially, quickly yielding to a pleasant bitterness.
Tried
from Can
on 26 Apr 2008
at 14:59
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
12oz bottle. Pours a transparent, amber-orange color. Very sweet and malty, with a well balanced hop backbone. The aftertaste is a little odd, with a lingering spicy alcohol tinge. Almost a Barleywine in taste. Piny and rich. Would be interesting to try on draft.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Mar 2008
at 20:51
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Copper brown body with a small white head... or maybe that was just my pour. Lacing stays around. Smels of suary malts. Sweet taste with a hint of hops. Some fruity tastes as well. I actually liked this beer. A slow drinking type of beer it was.
Tried
on 28 Dec 2007
at 19:17
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
12oz bottle-pours a dissipating white head and amber color. Aroma is medium malt-caramel. Taste is medium malt-caramel/some chocolate, secondary bitter/earthy hops, yeast. Nice. Good/OK carbonation. Best of Shipyard related beer I can remember.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Nov 2007
at 20:03
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Pours a mostly clear reddish-brown color with a medium thick and creamy light tan head that has good retention. Patchy lacing on the glass. Equal parts toasted malt and hops in the nose. Medium, smooth body with a moderately hoppy character supported by sweet caramel and malt flavors. Mild spice and alcohol are present too. The finish is hoppy with touches of toasted malt and fruit in the aftertaste. Straightforward and easy to drink, this is a pretty good session beer.
Tried
on 17 Aug 2007
at 15:16
4.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 3
Texture 4
Overall 3.5
Thanks to jjpm74 for the chance to taste this brew. I’ve never seen it in the burgh. Twist off 12 oz bottle. Darker amber orange brown color. Barely perceivable high quality girdle head. Thick sweet aroma almost honey like. Strong, coating, center of tongue bitter bite. Fills your mouth with ale; impressionating, sweet high alky ale. Quite a substantial lump of brew. It tells you that you’re gonna get an alky buzz if you drink too many. Refined quality. Barely any carbonation, but what’s present is ever creamy. Nearly puckering. Though I taste overwhelming roasted malts, there is a hint of an IPA bitter influence. Finish is just like the beginning., strong and coating, but lasting bitter bite. Not quite as good as Pyramid Snow Cap Ale but better than Summit Winter Ale.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Jul 2007
at 10:57
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle. Nutty toffee malt and straw aroma. Dark reddish amber with large head. Very sweet caramel malt and moderately bitter grass/hay finish. Moderate alcohol finish. A bit harsh but overall good.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Jun 2007
at 17:14
3.5/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 4
Flavor 3
Texture 4
Overall 3
12 oz bottle...copper...mild foam...I think im smelling hops...very hidden though...smells fresh and a tad fruity...seems like its overdone...the beer is just trying too hard to be something its not...in other words, off-balance
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Mar 2007
at 23:36