Shipyard Brewing Company’s New Wheat Ale Sails onto Shelves

PORTLAND, MAINE – (May 13, 2010) – Shipyard Brewing Company announces the release of Shipyard Wheat Ale.  This new beer is available year-round in 6-packs, 12-packs and on draft. 

Shipyard Wheat Ale is a crisp, refreshing, American style wheat ale with a soft golden color and nice copper hue. 

This filtered wheat beer has 4.5% alcohol by volume and is made with 60% Malted Wheat and 30% Pale Ale Malt.  There are touches of Light Munich and Caramunich Malts and a hint of Crystal Malt. 

This beer is subtly hopped with Glacier and Hallertau Hops and an exciting new aroma hop called 04-188.  Grown in the Pacific Northwest, this experimental hop is a hybrid of Cascade and Fuggles and is also used in dry hopping to give this beer a pleasing, earthy aroma. 

“Shipyard Wheat Ale is a very intriguing beer.  Immediately upon opening the bottle you smell the hop characteristics, which is a little unexpected in a wheat beer and is one of the qualities that sets this beer apart,” said sales and marketing manager Bruce Forsley.  “Based on feedback we’ve received from customers, there is a desire for lower alcohol session style ales that do not sacrifice flavor, and this beer hits the mark.” 

 This beer pairs well with lobster, sushi, light fare and salads.  The package features an iconic illustration of a mermaid in a harbor holding cool, refreshing Shipyard Wheat Ale to welcome a ship rounding its way into port.

Shipyard Wheat Ale is available across the Northeast and Florida.  Distribution is expected to expand to other markets throughout the year. 

Shipyard Brewing Company is located on the historic waterfront in Portland, Maine and produces 16 varieties of award-winning English style and seasonal beers.  Its products are distributed in over 35 states.  A full list of Shipyard Brewing Company’s distributors can be found at this link:  http://www.shipyard.com/pdf/distrolist.pdf.

www.shipyard.com