Prelude Winter Warmer
Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, Maine, United States 🇺🇸
Strong Ale Winter|
Score
6.66
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This non-spiced winter warmer has a big malt presence, in both flavor and body. With an ABV of 6.7%, this seasonal specialty has a strong nutty malt flavor that’s balanced by the subtle hop notes and hints of chocolate.
Prelude is named after the Kennebunkport Prelude Christmas Festival which was started in 1982 and takes place annually in Kennebunkport, Maine; the birthplace of Shipyard Brewing Company.
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Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5
16 ounce can from Hamilton Super BuyRite. Mahogany brown pour. Frothy tan head. Sweet toasted malt aroma. Flavor is sweet toasted malt, caramel and toasted nuts. Perhaps a bit of raisin as well. Some peppery hops in finish. Tasty.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6
Draught from Habitat. Mahoganistical pourage. Nutty and malty. Sweet malt taste and faint hops.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Purchased at the brewery on my Portland trip. Now called "Prelude Winter Warmer". Pours a clean deep amber colour with a frothy warm beige head, decent stay and some creamy lace. Aromas of caramel and dark fruits. Pretty nutty taste with the darker malt and decent hop bitterness. A nice warming feel. Pretty easy to drink with a nice balance of hops, caramel, alcohol, dark fruits and nuttiness.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Poured into a mug, the appearance was a ruddy burnt dark orange somewhat muddy in color, almost brown in color. Slight messy lacing. The aroma had malty sweet notes of caramel, toffee and fig. Sly crisp spicy hops with a little bit of rye and a dash of vanilla meld nicely. Some nuttiness. The flavor is malty sweet with some quick spicy tones and then develops into the aftertaste and finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a nice sessionability about it. Mild carbonation. Malts seem to tame the spicy tones. Overall, American strong ale or English? Not sure but it is worthy of having again.
Earlier Rating: 3/29/2014 Total Score: 3.2
Reviewed from notes.
The appearance had a dark reddish brown body, slightly creamy colored one finger head that dissipated fairly quickly, small amount of light bubbles slowly rising near the edge of the glass.
The smell had light spices such as cinnamon, clove, and toasted malt, some really super light dark fruits that come out as it warms a little.
The taste was sweet yet spicey yet soft all around through previously mentioned flavors.
On the palate, it sat about a medium, soft carbonation on the tongue, sessionable, quick slightly spicey aftertaste and watery finish.
Overall, so Shipyard makes a decent winter warmer, check, I’ll come back to this if I ever get the chance to.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Dark brownish-amber color with a medium foamy light beige head that diminishes steadily to an outer ring. Strings of lacing. Malt, caramel, spice and fruit in the nose. Medium body with flavors of caramel malt, earthy hops and spiced fruit. The finish is fruity with a banana and malt aftertaste. Decent overall.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, best before 6/28/2015. Pours fairly crystal clear reddish brown color with a 2 finger fairly dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a light amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big caramel, toffee, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, raisin, plum, fig, light chocolate/nuttiness, herbal, floral, light pepper, and yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/bready malts, earthy hops, and fruity yeast notes; with good strength. Taste of big caramel, toffee, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, raisin, plum, fig, light chocolate/nuttiness, herbal, floral, pepper, and yeast earthiness. Moderate amount of herbal/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, toffee, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, raisin, plum, fig, light chocolate/nuttiness, and herbal/yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, earthy hops, and fruity yeast flavors; with a nice malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready, and lightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice English strong ale style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, earthy hops, fruity yeast flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV. A very enjoyable offering.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 7.5
Bottle from Signal Variety, Plaistow, NH. Aroma is caramel malty with a little bit of yeasty dough. Appearance is beautiful clear amber red with small white head and minimal lacing. Taste is moderately sweet with lots of caramel and liquor aftertaste. Palate is medium bodied with thick texture and average carbonation. Touches off reactions in the back of the mouth like tannins in wine. Finish is moderate. Overall, a nice looking beer with a good mouth feel. Not the most interesting aroma and taste in the world but highly drinkable and enjoyable for other traits.