Shipyard Prelude a spicy complement to winter festivities

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The Beer Geek

Shipyard Prelude a spicy complement to winter festivities

This piece represents the opinion of the author:

Mac Evans

Columnist

November 14, 2008

Margot D. Miller

**HOLIDAY CHEERS:** Prelude is Shipyard’s winter ale. As a popular complement to the holidays, it is currently available at most local grocery and liquor stores.

Shipyard Prelude is terrible. Not only does it not live up to the standards of a decent winter ale, it is simply an unacceptable beer.

It is formed from the scum of beer making, and only the scum of beer drinkers would dare to admit that they like this travesty. Were I to go to a friend's party and find a 12-pack of Prelude purchased in an attempt to class up the party from the 30-rack of PBR next to it, I would politely say my goodbye, go home, and de-friend that person on Facebook.

That's a flat-out lie.

But it's worth a shot to discourage you from purchasing it so as to leave more for my roommates and me to drink.

Prelude became Shipyard's official winter beer last year due to its immense popularity, and the brewery revamped the packaging and extended its season of availability. It's a shame that it's only a seasonal beer because it outshines some of Shipyard's other flagship brews.

Prelude is a Christmas Festival in Kennebunkport, Maine, that was started in 1982 by businesses to give thanks to their residents. To this day the festival includes tree lighting ceremonies, art and craft fairs, programs from the historical society, meals at multiple venues, and Santa arriving by lobster boat escorted by "lobster elves."

In 1993, Federal Jack's restaurant and Brew Pub introduced the Prelude Special Ale to celebrate the holiday season, named after the celebration. Kennebunkport Brewing Company, which would become Shipyard in 1994, either brewed the original batch or continued to brew the beer once Shipyard was fully operational. In 15 years it has become a classic, and last year Shipyard made it its official winter seasonal ale, sporting a Maine artist's painting of Kennebunkport in the winter.

The beer smells...good. You can tell that you're in for a combination of a nice dark beer with spices of Christmas. The beer pours a dark clear and amber color, like cola with grenadine. It tastes malty, nutty, and like a nice, full-bodied English Ale. It has accents of cookies and a finish of hops, which is not overpowering. There is nothing offensively extreme in this beer, but has a nice blend of flavor to keep it interesting. I also feel warm as I drink this beer, which makes it really taste like watching a winter day from the inside.

This beer is the adult alternative to hot chocolate on a cold day, and just as satisfying. It is a great accompaniment to the snow about to fall, the progressively colder winter nights, or another freak snow day (if we ever have one). If you've had Shipyard before, you'll be impressed with the execution of this beer. Because it is Shipyard, a local microbrew from Portland, it is very affordable and very easy to find. The season for this beer has just started, so it can be found at Hannaford or any of your favorite local beer stores. Pick up a six-pack or even a 12, if my friends and I haven't already cleaned out the store.

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