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Prelude

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Named after the Prelude Christmas Festival, held every year since 1982 in Kennebunkport, the birthplace of Shipyard. This English-style brown ale is an unspiced winter warmer with a big malt presence in flavor and body: strongly nutty, with hints of chocolate. Cascade, Tettnang, Fuggles and Goldings provide subtle hop notes. 6.7% ABV and 47 IBU.

ABV
6.7%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter47 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
deep amber20
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
nuttymaltychocolate
nutty
malty
chocolate
noble hop
toasty
caramel
Aroma
The nose leads with toasted malt and hazelnut, immediately suggesting the beer's nutty backbone.
also:bready
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Prelude

◎ Appearance

Deep amber to brown, clear and bright with good translucency. A dense, tan head forms and clings to the glass with fine lacing. Carbonation is moderate and steady, supporting the substantial visual presence of this winter warmer.

deep amber-brownclearpersistent headfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with toasted malt and hazelnut, immediately suggesting the beer's nutty backbone. Subtle chocolate and caramel notes emerge beneath, while restrained noble hops—Tettnang, Fuggles, and Goldings—add a refined herbal and slightly floral undertone without dominating.

hazelnut, malttoasted, caramelnoble hopsrestrained

◐ Taste

Firmly nutty across the palate with strong malt character and a full, round mouthfeel. Chocolate and toffee sweetness provides depth, while the 47 IBU bitterness emerges gently in the mid-palate, integrating with the malt rather than contrasting sharply. Smooth and bready notes extend through the body without harshness.

nutty, maltyfull-bodiedchocolate, toffeebalanced bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is moderately long, with lingering malt sweetness and a gentle noble-hop dryness that fades gracefully. Toasted grain and a hint of hazelnut persist in the aftertaste, leaving a warming, satisfying conclusion.

moderate lengthmalt-forwardwarming
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
79
Appearance
78
Finish
77
Serve at 10–13°C

Serve at 10–13°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Prelude

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About Brown Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Brown Ale?

Brown Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Brown Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same nutty, malty, full-bodied character as Prelude will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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