Shipyard Prelude Special Ale - Shipyard Brewing Co.

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.78/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

"Anger is a prelude to courage."

--Eric Hoffer

Georgia clay with bonfire orange highlights and a capable enough crown of golden khaki colored foam that develops deep divots as it descends. Several lonely scraps of suds are the only glass decoration.

The nose is lightly butterscotch-like (classic Ringwood yeast diacetyl) and lightly toasted bready, with more maltiness than hoppiness. Chocolate and roasted malt could not have been added with a very heavy hand. No spices are appreciated.

Prelude Special Ale is classic Shipyard in that it's buttery and tastes vaguely English. The hop bill include a Yank (Cascade), A German (Tettnang) and two Brits (Fuggles, Goldings). There's still a fair amount of hoppiness, which isn't that surprising since this past winter is still visible in the seasonal rearview mirror.

The darker malts still aren't adding much. Prelude is crystal malt-dominant and is nicely balanced in terms of sweet and bitter. The hops add an earthy-herbal-spiciness that gives the beer a winter warmer vibe without having to rely on added spices. PSA is different and interesting... and just good enough to deserve the higher of the two considered taste scores.

Too bad the mouthfeel took a wrong turn somewhere along the way. It's too thin for the style/ABV and the bubbles are both harsh and poorly buried within the liquid. There's definite work to be done here.

Prelude Special Ale, despite not being *special* beer, is one of SBC's better efforts. A better mouthfeel would not have increased the scores on either side of it, but it would have made this a more enjoyable experience. Worth a single each winter.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 12:53:30 | More by BuckeyeNation

kell50

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

05-06-2013 22:08:13 | More by kell50

Dduquette

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

05-05-2013 20:51:37 | More by Dduquette

trotnixon

Maine

4/5  rDev +6.1%

04-24-2013 10:43:15 | More by trotnixon

cnwillis31

Maine

4/5  rDev +6.1%

04-23-2013 21:20:31 | More by cnwillis31

ScaryEd

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

04-18-2013 23:25:30 | More by ScaryEd

bacasnax

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

04-01-2013 00:18:30 | More by bacasnax

DMB

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

03-31-2013 02:29:57 | More by DMB

Lare453

Florida

4/5  rDev +6.1%

03-24-2013 19:22:50 | More by Lare453

Falcone

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

03-14-2013 20:33:44 | More by Falcone

csmartin6

Illinois

3/5  rDev -20.4%

03-08-2013 21:47:08 | More by csmartin6

TwoForty

Florida

4/5  rDev +6.1%

03-04-2013 22:20:50 | More by TwoForty

GRG1313

California

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

03-02-2013 18:21:12 | More by GRG1313

viverlee

Ohio

2.8/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

There’s no way it’s just 6.7% ABV. I won’t believe it.

Here’s a simple rule, for Winter Warmers, Doubles, Imperials and other Strong Ales: Beer shouldn’t sear your nostrils or your mouth. What’s really at fault here are my expectations and the thought that here’s supposed to be a warming booziness. Instead for some reason it’s cold. Real cold that shoots straight from the glass up the nose and doesn’t improve with the first or second sip.

Toffee, pomegranate juice and rubbing alcohol mix awkwardly in a fine mahogany glaze.

It’s Chimay Première without the distribution or the flavor.

Beeradvocate Rating: 85

ratebeer Rating: 73

Hayward Abbey Rating: 72

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 03:20:15 | More by viverlee

LJWalker

Alabama

3.25/5  rDev -13.8%

02-25-2013 03:36:24 | More by LJWalker

jerefreakinmiah

Texas

4/5  rDev +6.1%

02-24-2013 20:53:33 | More by jerefreakinmiah

WreckingBrew

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +6.1%

02-24-2013 20:45:38 | More by WreckingBrew

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

02-23-2013 15:56:04 | More by Kelp

Boone757

Maryland

4/5  rDev +6.1%

02-23-2013 15:46:14 | More by Boone757

pogoowner

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +6.1%

02-19-2013 01:02:31 | More by pogoowner

hitshtwithsticks

California

3.25/5  rDev -13.8%

02-06-2013 09:12:30 | More by hitshtwithsticks

nebula1999

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +19.4%

02-03-2013 22:03:01 | More by nebula1999

dpage27

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

02-02-2013 18:21:17 | More by dpage27

GaryFields

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +12.7%

01-31-2013 01:57:45 | More by GaryFields

mttaylor1066

Connecticut

4.31/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A very good American winter warmer. Not a must-buy but worth buying by the six pack.

Appearance: Brown mahogany body with red highlights. A persistent head that laces nicely down the side of the glass.

Smell : Light malt on the nose with some floral hop notes. Doesn't really set you up for the taste, but it is rather pleasant.

Taste : A mix of biscuit malt and pomegranates... no winter spices that I could pick out but the sweet malt mixes nicely with the hop bitterness and the fruity flavors carry nicely through on the tongue. Delicious holiday stuff!

Mouthfeel : Not as full as I would expect for a winter ale, but not terribly disappointing either.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 21:28:51 | More by mttaylor1066