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Beer Advent Calendar – Day 18: Bourbon Barrel Aged Prelude presented by James Sanborn

@sanborn13

Beer Advent Calendar – Day 18: Bourbon Barrel Aged Prelude presented by James Sanborn

To celebrate the Holiday Season, 2Beerguys.com and Seacoastbeveragelab.com have teamed up with beer bloggers around the country to host the second annual beer bloggers advent calendar. This is the season of sharing and we intend to share our love of beer with you. 31 Bloggers Blogging – click here for the running list of beers/bloggers.

Let’s see who is spreading holiday cheer today!

Blogger: James Sanborn
Blog Name: Insurance Guy Beer Blog
Twitter: @sanborn13
Facebook: Facebook Page
Untappd: Untappd Profile
Beer: Shipyard Bourbon Barrel Aged Prelude Special Ale
Brewery: Shipyard – Portland, ME
Beer Details:

  • Style: Winter Warmer
  • ABV: 9.5%
  • IBUs: Unknown

Commercial Description:

We are excited to announce the release of our new Bourbon Barrel Aged Prelude Special Ale! Our winter favorite has been enhanced by a 6 month stint in Bourbon Barrels which added smoky notes and a bourbon enhanced finish. This amped-up, 9.5% ABV, winter warmer will be available in select markets and in limited supply this December.

Why I selected the Barrel Aged Prelude:

Prelude has long been one of my favorite winter beers. I drank Prelude in college while others were drinking the cheapest beer they could find. When I saw Shipyard was releasing a Bourbon Barrel Aged version of Prelude I knew I had to try it. Fortunately Bier Cellar in Portland was able to put a bottle aside for me and I decided to open it today. This is a 750 ml cork and cage bottle with the year and bottle number on the label. Not sure how many bottles were produced but it is a 5 digit number so I assume there were a lot of bottles.

The beer pours a very dark brown with lots of bourbon aroma. Minimal carbonation and taste has a fair amount of bourbon flavor with a nice alcohol warmth. Be sure to let the beer warm slightly as it has a much more complex and enjoyable flavor. Overall this is a powerful beer that is entirely different from the original Prelude Special Ale. I only purchased one bottle of this beer but it certainly would be a good candidate for aging with its high ABV. Overall a really nice example of barrel aging and something you should try if you get a chance.

About the James Sanborn:
I sell insurance for a living and drink beer for fun. Last year I decided to mix the two and started marketing special insurance programs for craft brewers, brew pubs, beer bars, package stores and anything else beer related in New England and beyond. If I can help you, send me a message on Facebook or Twitter. – http://insuranceguybeerblog.com/

About Shipyard Brewing Company:
The Shipyard Brewing Company has been making award-winning, hand-crafted beer in Maine for nearly 20 years. Now one of the largest craft breweries in the country, the company has its roots in the picturesque seacoast village of Kennebunkport Harbor, where, in 1992, entrepreneur Fred Forsley and master brewer Alan Pugsley started Federal Jack’s Restaurant & Brew Pub, the birthplace of Shipyard ales.

The craft brew industry was just starting in Maine and Alan had recently moved here from England where he’d learned to brew under the legendary Peter Austin at the world-famous Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire. The launch of Federal Jack’s coincided with the birth of America’s craft beer industry and, just two years later, demand outpaced the brewing capacity at the pub and Fred and Alan opened the Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland in 1994. By 1996, the company was the fastest growing craft brewery in the country.

Shipyard beers are all about drinkability, consistency and balance and every batch is brewed by hand in small batches using only the finest ingredients, including top-fermenting, multi-strain yeast from Ringwood Brewery. Try it and you’ll see why it’s the taste that sets Shipyard’s beer apart.

The Shipyard Brewing Company 86 Newbury St., Portland, Maine 04101 207-761-0807 shipyard.com

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