Shipyard Prelude Ale

Brewed by Shipyard Brewing Company
Style: English Strong Ale
Portland, Maine USA

Serve in English pint, Snifter

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2007 bottling, best before Oct 08. This English Strong Ale pours a dark amber brown color from a 12oz bottle. Small to medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is caramel malts and some spices. A medium bodied English Strong Ale. The malts are caramel and semi sweet. The hops are earthy and “dirty”. The spices don’t seem to do much more than dirty up this beer. It’s a touch cardboardy and vegetative, and need to be a little sweeter to balance things out. Mellows a little as it warms, but still there is something seriously wrong with this beer. Thinks it’s more of a recipe thing than a bad-brewing thing but still, something ain’t right. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly biter and spicy.

Bottle, found in the beer cooler of the gourmet food shop on Schweitzer. Must be left over from last season. Pours a handsome copper penny hue with a rather thin almond head. Very inviting aroma equally of chocolate and caramel, undertones of burnt sugar. Brown sugar malts, light cocoa, light marzipan, hints of vanilla. Well balanced with a hoppy bitter finish. English strong ales can be really hit & miss for me. This one was a solid hit. Very tasty.

UPDATED: FEB 25, 2008 Pours deep amber color with small short-lasting head but really cool lace. Aroma is weakly spiced with some soured notes. Flavors are nuanced, with a lingering hop finish that welcomes the next sip. Spices detectable include mainly cinnamon and nutmeg. Mouthfeel is highly carbonated but soft and creamy. Were it not for the off-notes in the smell I’d really like this. 5-3-7-4-13
(re-rate from Hallandale beer fest, also bottle) Hazy purplish-brown. Smell is middle of the road mild malt. Not bad flavors: clean, malty but dry, a touch of salt, hoppy afterbit and a little alcohol in the finish. A little too fizzy.

350 ml bottle from pizza port. Copper colored with a fizzy white head. caramel, malt, and spice aroma and taste with a dry finish.

First of all- this is 6.8%alcohol- it says so on thier website. Very deep amber almost brownish color with a beige head. Nice and sweet and creamy ale with lots of kick to it. Nothing all too special. I was looking for more english hops but malt predominates this one.

[3503KE-20101204] Tap. Fairly bready yeast aroma with light candy hints. Clear, amber red body with a creamy light gray head. Chocolate malt bread yeast flavour has a light sweet aftertaste. Medium body is a little rough. Drinkable, nice for a Saturday afternoon.
(@ Pizza Plant, Buffalo, NY)

UPDATED: DEC 12, 2009 I tried again recently, the popcorn character was more pronounced in the nose. The finish had lots of burnt popcorn. Dark, burnt orange body with a light khaki head. The aroma has strong notes of caramel and pancakes. There is buttered popcorn, but it is subtle. There is also a little bit of cinnamon behind that. The taste has burnt bread crust with some pear core and cinnamon spice. The light body is sticky, but this is easy drinking. Decent.

This brown ale poured with a thin tan head, eliciting a spicy aroma. The flavor is heavily spiced roasted malt, with sharp bitter finish. Some vegetable flavors are detectable.

12/4/10. 12oz bottle. Clear, deep red pour with a big off-white head that fades to a ring fast. Light malty caramel aroma with a hint of cherry and spice. Sweet caramel malt flavor that is very one dimensional. Meh.

Bottle:   Fiery amber, quite clear, strong carbonation, decent sized head, foamy, so-so lacing.   Nose is primarily biscuity and nutty.   Reminds me of a toned down Hibernation Ale.   Pretty much the same on the tongue, certainly biscuity, malty, bready, with soft nutty notes.   Seems like there is another very light spice in there.   Maybe a dash of ginger.   Warming, but not alcoholic.   Body and mouthfeel are moderate, somewhat full.   Finish is a bit tangy, very minor astringency.   Perhaps its a bit green.   Other than its biscuity and nutty aftertaste, its a little minearaly on the tongue.   Yeah, this is a toned down Hibernation for sure, just doesn’t really have all the heaviness and fruitiness that Hibernation does.   Not bad for a Shipyard.