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Tasting notes… Prelude 2007 The Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland, ME (USA)
Preface: This is a sample of Prelude 2007 that the folks at The Shipyard Brewing Company sent to me recently. (The notches on the label say “Best Enjoyed Before: November 08. As it is 20 November I will cut them some slack. As usual: “I assume this is a well cared for beer from the time it was sent to me until it's time I had a chance to taste it. This sample was kept refrigerated until a half hour before was opened. The tasting notes are as follows...” N.B. - Twist off bottle top. Appearance: This is a crystal clear deep garnet red brew with a head that is linen-tan foam with bubbles just barely large enough to sparkle, finishing in a creamy, slowly ebbing, rocky head. Aroma: The first impression is the aroma of sweet roasted malt followed very quickly by a dusty herbaceous hop presence. I am led to believe this will be a rustic beer. Mouth feel: The mouth feel is full and nicely carbonated. What carbonation there is lends a slight acidic spike (don't I just loved at that acidic spike to most beers?) To what starts out as a sweet beer and finishes with a great deal more hops than first impression. Flavor: The initial flavor, sweet, almost peppermint sensation followed very quickly by slightly astringent floral palate-cleansing flavor of what are obviously hops. The balance between the flavors follows very closely that of classic British ale. However, being brewed in the United States, the sweeter more robust flavors end up sitting this dance out while enthusiastic hop flavors end up hauling their sweets back on the floor to finish the dance. Finish: Dare I say it, the finish to this beer is almost refreshing. However emphatic the hop in the flavor, by the very end, it takes a more subtle route, yielding to some of the sweetness and finishing nicely balanced. Comments: This is perhaps one of the less emphatic, less rowdy, of the winter brews that I've tasted. In fact, if I were to describe this in a single word, it would be "genteel". This is not a bad thing. If I were to have cooled case of this standing by, and perhaps a pound each of some fine New England cheddars, I would not be embarrassed at all to entertain more than a few friends. (If they brought a few loaves of bread.) The Shipyard Brewing Company: http://www.shipyard.com/ What others Say: BeerAdvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/139/288 RateBeer (the 2006) version: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/shipyard-prelude-holiday-ale/4468/
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