Allagash Coolship Red | Allagash Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Allagash Brewing Company
Maine, United States
allagash.com
Style: Lambic - Fruit
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.70%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Spontaneous beer aged with raspberries.
Added by gregc on 06-02-2010
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 85 | Ratings: 517
4.95/5 rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
I love raspberries, so this review is a bit biased toward this beer. That being said, Red is my favorite Allagash product to date. From the moment I popped the cork, the raspberry aroma punched me in the nose & I knew it wouldn't let me down. Pours a nice red, perfect tartness & that raspberry flavor is just incredible.
★ 324 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
I love raspberries, so this review is a bit biased toward this beer. That being said, Red is my favorite Allagash product to date. From the moment I popped the cork, the raspberry aroma punched me in the nose & I knew it wouldn't let me down. Pours a nice red, perfect tartness & that raspberry flavor is just incredible.
★ 324 characters
4.29/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
We did a back to back of 2015 and 2016 CSR so this is a review of both. The 2015 was a little darker, both had this watermelon like look, with the brighter 2016 more along those lines. Both in color and that sort of faintness near the top of the glass. Musty aroma. Not too acidic. Balanced and approachable with good raspberry character. Some wash rind cheese that I've noticed in Allagash's Coolship beers. The 2016 had a little soapiness and was grainy on the finish, which I wonder if it will improve with time. I liked the 2015 better overall.
★ 548 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
We did a back to back of 2015 and 2016 CSR so this is a review of both. The 2015 was a little darker, both had this watermelon like look, with the brighter 2016 more along those lines. Both in color and that sort of faintness near the top of the glass. Musty aroma. Not too acidic. Balanced and approachable with good raspberry character. Some wash rind cheese that I've noticed in Allagash's Coolship beers. The 2016 had a little soapiness and was grainy on the finish, which I wonder if it will improve with time. I liked the 2015 better overall.
★ 548 characters
4.72/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
2014 Vintage, so has a little bit over a year on it
A: I wish I could post a picture of this beer. It's red, hazy with a little head that dissipates quickly. Streams of tiny bubbles just streaming up the sides of the glass. S: Funky raspberry, basement, rotten hay, and oak. Everything you want out of a sour. T: Starts with a sweet raspberry, flowing into this sour bite, going into the end with a little more sweet raspberry and oaky dryness to clean the palate. M: It's moderate with some stingy carb that helps with the clean finish of this beer. O: A beer I've wanted to try so badly and I'm not disappointed at all. These beer is so well balanced. This is so reminiscent of LPF.
★ 684 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
2014 Vintage, so has a little bit over a year on it
A: I wish I could post a picture of this beer. It's red, hazy with a little head that dissipates quickly. Streams of tiny bubbles just streaming up the sides of the glass. S: Funky raspberry, basement, rotten hay, and oak. Everything you want out of a sour. T: Starts with a sweet raspberry, flowing into this sour bite, going into the end with a little more sweet raspberry and oaky dryness to clean the palate. M: It's moderate with some stingy carb that helps with the clean finish of this beer. O: A beer I've wanted to try so badly and I'm not disappointed at all. These beer is so well balanced. This is so reminiscent of LPF.
★ 684 characters
3.88/5 rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Pours a hazy garnet with a thick soapy band of lacing around the edges of the glass as the head recedes. Nose expresses cherry notes, a light medicinal quality and dish soap. Taste follows nose - there is a distinct suggestion of Palmolive in the flavor profile. Mouthfeel is light in body and mildly acidic with an effervescent carbonation. A solid beer despite the soapiness; however, I don't see this cellaring well.
★ 423 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Pours a hazy garnet with a thick soapy band of lacing around the edges of the glass as the head recedes. Nose expresses cherry notes, a light medicinal quality and dish soap. Taste follows nose - there is a distinct suggestion of Palmolive in the flavor profile. Mouthfeel is light in body and mildly acidic with an effervescent carbonation. A solid beer despite the soapiness; however, I don't see this cellaring well.
★ 423 characters
4.53/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Split a bottle with a local fellow beer geek recently. Beautiful deep red pour and a nice light tart flavor. Would love to get more of these! Solid stuff!
★ 157 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Split a bottle with a local fellow beer geek recently. Beautiful deep red pour and a nice light tart flavor. Would love to get more of these! Solid stuff!
★ 157 characters
4.12/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
really great sour. smell was outstanding. not overly sour. no sour aftertaste. wish the bottle had been bigger. but overall a great beer. wish they distributed in my area more
★ 175 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
really great sour. smell was outstanding. not overly sour. no sour aftertaste. wish the bottle had been bigger. but overall a great beer. wish they distributed in my area more
★ 175 characters
4.71/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
A terrific raspberry lambic. Head to head with Rose de Gambrinus. Color is more faint than Rose, but the nose is equally good. Taste is fruity, funky sour just as you'd want. A bit more sour and a bit less funk than Gambrinus. In the end Gambrinus is a bit better, but this is a damn fine beer.
★ 294 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
A terrific raspberry lambic. Head to head with Rose de Gambrinus. Color is more faint than Rose, but the nose is equally good. Taste is fruity, funky sour just as you'd want. A bit more sour and a bit less funk than Gambrinus. In the end Gambrinus is a bit better, but this is a damn fine beer.
★ 294 characters
4.28/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured gently from a 375ml bottle (dated 23Feb15) into a tulip.
LOOK: Pours with a quarter finger's worth of white foam that dies to a line within the whole time of 5 seconds. Rising bubbles are small in size and high in quantity. Coral red (look it up) in color with a moderate amount of cloudiness. Lacing is thin and hardly there.
SMELL: Has strong aromas of raspberries, sour yeast, and oak that entangle with mild aromas of tobacco, hay, wheat, and earthy yeast. This honestly smells like an American Wild Ale more than a fruited lambic.
TASTE: Initial taste is of strong flavors of raspberry and very strong sour yeast. Strong oak flavor and mild flavors of hay enter right after. Mild earthy yeast and tobacco flavors finish off this amazing symphony on my tongue.
FEEL: Light-bodied and moderately carbonated. Goes down somewhat rough. Finishes very dry. Sourness from the brew agitates the tongue.
★ 907 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured gently from a 375ml bottle (dated 23Feb15) into a tulip.
LOOK: Pours with a quarter finger's worth of white foam that dies to a line within the whole time of 5 seconds. Rising bubbles are small in size and high in quantity. Coral red (look it up) in color with a moderate amount of cloudiness. Lacing is thin and hardly there.
SMELL: Has strong aromas of raspberries, sour yeast, and oak that entangle with mild aromas of tobacco, hay, wheat, and earthy yeast. This honestly smells like an American Wild Ale more than a fruited lambic.
TASTE: Initial taste is of strong flavors of raspberry and very strong sour yeast. Strong oak flavor and mild flavors of hay enter right after. Mild earthy yeast and tobacco flavors finish off this amazing symphony on my tongue.
FEEL: Light-bodied and moderately carbonated. Goes down somewhat rough. Finishes very dry. Sourness from the brew agitates the tongue.
★ 907 characters
5/5 rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Simply incredible. Had it on a private tour with Rob. Perfect blend of raspberries, lactobacillus, and oak. Nothing overpowers and nothing sits in the background.
★ 162 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Simply incredible. Had it on a private tour with Rob. Perfect blend of raspberries, lactobacillus, and oak. Nothing overpowers and nothing sits in the background.
★ 162 characters
4.34/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I'd heard about Cool Ships. My wife, a wine drinker, and I were 1st timers at the brewery on a Friday, just happened to ask the server as I was about to leave if they had any of this CS? He said no but they were releasing some on Sat. 2 per customer @10am. Got my wife out of a warm bed at an ungodly hour to drive 25 miles to get in an already forming line at 8:45. She was ever so happy, NOT, to be my "mule" so I could buy 4 not just 2. Drank one after a little chilling at the motel and was not remotely disappointed. I like sours and this was pucker power but in a nice way. A couple are going back to Fl. to share with a friend. Oh, did I say I went back later that day and bought two more! Pricey though for 16oz bottle @$15/per but I guess after a 3 year wait this is ok. Worth the wait. Worth the price. Yea Allagash!
★ 839 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I'd heard about Cool Ships. My wife, a wine drinker, and I were 1st timers at the brewery on a Friday, just happened to ask the server as I was about to leave if they had any of this CS? He said no but they were releasing some on Sat. 2 per customer @10am. Got my wife out of a warm bed at an ungodly hour to drive 25 miles to get in an already forming line at 8:45. She was ever so happy, NOT, to be my "mule" so I could buy 4 not just 2. Drank one after a little chilling at the motel and was not remotely disappointed. I like sours and this was pucker power but in a nice way. A couple are going back to Fl. to share with a friend. Oh, did I say I went back later that day and bought two more! Pricey though for 16oz bottle @$15/per but I guess after a 3 year wait this is ok. Worth the wait. Worth the price. Yea Allagash!
★ 839 characters
4.79/5 rDev +9.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Beautiful reddish pinkish hue, smells of a raspberry vinegairette sorta smell, but in a very, very good way.
The taste is puckering, raspberry goodness, with a slight vinegar quality to it, and very drying on the end.
Exceptional brew.
★ 240 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Beautiful reddish pinkish hue, smells of a raspberry vinegairette sorta smell, but in a very, very good way.
The taste is puckering, raspberry goodness, with a slight vinegar quality to it, and very drying on the end.
Exceptional brew.
★ 240 characters
4.46/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours reddish pink, smells vinous, raspberries, red wine vinegar. Taste is acidic, red wine vinegar like, a little burn from the acidity, some subtle oakiness. The one was bottled 2/2015, so it's still young, will let my second bottle age for awhile.
★ 251 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours reddish pink, smells vinous, raspberries, red wine vinegar. Taste is acidic, red wine vinegar like, a little burn from the acidity, some subtle oakiness. The one was bottled 2/2015, so it's still young, will let my second bottle age for awhile.
★ 251 characters
4.04/5 rDev -8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Well I just popped a beauty from @walderek
Allagash Coolship red (aged in oak with raspberries. Bottle date Oct. 18, 2012
Pours a beautiful amber with hints of pink toward the edge of the glass when held up to the light. Frothy finger of loose foam quickly recedes and disappears within a minute. Smells of a dry white wine, like a chablis or maybe more in the direction of a Spanish Cidra. Taste begins litely sour with the chablis qualities then builds to a stronger raspberry tart meets sour. Finishes more raspberry tart.
Sat on this one for a while. I like it pretty well. Wish I had tried it fresh as well to compare.
★ 626 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Well I just popped a beauty from @walderek
Allagash Coolship red (aged in oak with raspberries. Bottle date Oct. 18, 2012
Pours a beautiful amber with hints of pink toward the edge of the glass when held up to the light. Frothy finger of loose foam quickly recedes and disappears within a minute. Smells of a dry white wine, like a chablis or maybe more in the direction of a Spanish Cidra. Taste begins litely sour with the chablis qualities then builds to a stronger raspberry tart meets sour. Finishes more raspberry tart.
Sat on this one for a while. I like it pretty well. Wish I had tried it fresh as well to compare.
★ 626 characters
4.55/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
March 2013 release
Best pure "framboise" I've had (over FFAC, RdG, LPF, Wild One Rasp, etc)
Nose: tart, raspberries, funk, lemons , rye
Taste: very sour, very funky, raspberries, touch of "band aids" that comes with aged RdG or LPF.
Overall: I'm not a huge framboise fan but this is the one of the best.
★ 307 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
March 2013 release
Best pure "framboise" I've had (over FFAC, RdG, LPF, Wild One Rasp, etc)
Nose: tart, raspberries, funk, lemons , rye
Taste: very sour, very funky, raspberries, touch of "band aids" that comes with aged RdG or LPF.
Overall: I'm not a huge framboise fan but this is the one of the best.
★ 307 characters
3.82/5 rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
@ Quintessence - Cherry-red color, small pink head.
Cherries, raspberries, lemon peel, malt, nearly no funk.
Taste reveals a lot more raspberries, backed up by lemon zest, Bretts, crisp mouthfeel. Acidity is decent at first, but results in a long fizzy, sour aftertaste. Light to medium body, very convincing taste.
★ 319 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
@ Quintessence - Cherry-red color, small pink head.
Cherries, raspberries, lemon peel, malt, nearly no funk.
Taste reveals a lot more raspberries, backed up by lemon zest, Bretts, crisp mouthfeel. Acidity is decent at first, but results in a long fizzy, sour aftertaste. Light to medium body, very convincing taste.
★ 319 characters
4.14/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
375 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Bottled March 20, 2014.
Appearance - Pours a hazy pink. Small white head. Settles quickly to nothing.
Smell - Awesome. Oak. Lemony acidity. Lots of acidic raspberry. Lightly funky.
Taste - Super oaky. Lemon sourness. Raspberry starts tame and gets extremely sour. Even gets a little acetic. Very intense.
Mouthfeel - Medium body. Intense sourness makes it less crisp. Well carbonated.
Overall - It's delicious, but I think it's too sour.
★ 480 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
375 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Bottled March 20, 2014.
Appearance - Pours a hazy pink. Small white head. Settles quickly to nothing.
Smell - Awesome. Oak. Lemony acidity. Lots of acidic raspberry. Lightly funky.
Taste - Super oaky. Lemon sourness. Raspberry starts tame and gets extremely sour. Even gets a little acetic. Very intense.
Mouthfeel - Medium body. Intense sourness makes it less crisp. Well carbonated.
Overall - It's delicious, but I think it's too sour.
★ 480 characters
4.47/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Well and truly red. Like Hawaiian Punch red. Lively carbonation pulls throughout. A flash of pale pink head bubbles, fizzes, and then disappears. No cap or collar. No lacing. Just effervescent red. Some deeper purple notes outside of direct light. Decidedly hazy.
Smell: Macerated raspberry layered with oak, straight up lacto, and some solid funk. Earthy in good measure with a big punch of oak barrel. Raspberry flesh, juice, and even some fruit tannins. Bracingly tart. Sharp acidity pushing almost to vinegar. Tons of fruit, even some hints of cherry skin and cranberry. Very mild hint of acetone as it warms, but you have to dig for it. Funky with some ripe fruit and then some. A bit damp and earthy.
Taste: Acidic and decidedly so. Lactic acid builds as it warms with some solid citric notes as well. Tons of juicy raspberry flesh. Oak is prevalent and becomes more so as the beer warms. Some backing raspberry sweetness to try and balance some of the hyper acidic and tart elements. Damp and musty earth. One of the most tart and acidic beers I've ever encountered. Pops of tart raspberry up front with a bit of a thin middle and then a ton of puckering tartness on the back. It lingers. A vague sort of yeast lingers in the back. A touch of acetone as it warms.
Mouthfeel: Mediumish body. Carbonation runs close to medium, but treads light. Bracingly try on the finish. Smooth at the same time.
Overall: Where I'll have my viking funeral.
It's Allagash and it's a coolship release. It's fruity and crazy sour. It's worth any and all drives to Maine. Seriously though.
★ 1,595 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Well and truly red. Like Hawaiian Punch red. Lively carbonation pulls throughout. A flash of pale pink head bubbles, fizzes, and then disappears. No cap or collar. No lacing. Just effervescent red. Some deeper purple notes outside of direct light. Decidedly hazy.
Smell: Macerated raspberry layered with oak, straight up lacto, and some solid funk. Earthy in good measure with a big punch of oak barrel. Raspberry flesh, juice, and even some fruit tannins. Bracingly tart. Sharp acidity pushing almost to vinegar. Tons of fruit, even some hints of cherry skin and cranberry. Very mild hint of acetone as it warms, but you have to dig for it. Funky with some ripe fruit and then some. A bit damp and earthy.
Taste: Acidic and decidedly so. Lactic acid builds as it warms with some solid citric notes as well. Tons of juicy raspberry flesh. Oak is prevalent and becomes more so as the beer warms. Some backing raspberry sweetness to try and balance some of the hyper acidic and tart elements. Damp and musty earth. One of the most tart and acidic beers I've ever encountered. Pops of tart raspberry up front with a bit of a thin middle and then a ton of puckering tartness on the back. It lingers. A vague sort of yeast lingers in the back. A touch of acetone as it warms.
Mouthfeel: Mediumish body. Carbonation runs close to medium, but treads light. Bracingly try on the finish. Smooth at the same time.
Overall: Where I'll have my viking funeral.
It's Allagash and it's a coolship release. It's fruity and crazy sour. It's worth any and all drives to Maine. Seriously though.
★ 1,595 characters
4.45/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Consumed on 5/17/14
Note: Bottled March 20, 2014, purchased at brewery
Note 2: Review 800
Appearance: Legitimately, objectively, remarkably red - deep red tones, with some lighter pinks around the edges and some purple at its core - basically, the color of raspberries - hazy - pours with a medium-sized, light pink head and retains some wisps of a cap - doesn't leave much lacing, but it's still very pretty
Smell: I really have no choice but to describe this as "nose-puckering," because it straight-up smells very sour - sharp, acidic sourness, with some damp, funky lactic aromas - an abundance of raspberry, with a ton of ripe raspberry flesh - oak becomes increasingly prominent as this warms, imparting some woody aromas and funky wood aromas - light, light touch of acetone in the back, but otherwise this is stellar
Taste: Awesomely sour, basically - among the most sour of sour beers that I have sampled - mouth puckering with a residual sourness that you can feel almost burning down your throat - sharp and acidic, as well as damp and lactic - perhaps not as much of a straight-up acidic sourness as some offerings from Cantillon (sorry, Allagash), but there's a nice mix of different kinds of sour - raspberries are big in the flavor, with tart, sour raspberry flesh - minimally sweet, just a dry, tart, sour fruitiness - oak, some wood funk, some yeasty funk, and maybe a hint of vanilla - very light hint of acetone, but it works
Mouthfeel: Medium body, low but adequate carbonation, sour and funky finish
Overall: Truly, the coolest ship
This is a gem. Intensely sour, with some great, tart raspberry flavors... And this is a fresh bottle. I can only imagine what is going to happen with this in a few years. This is definitely worth driving up to Maine to get (as well as anything they create with their coolship).
★ 1,839 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Consumed on 5/17/14
Note: Bottled March 20, 2014, purchased at brewery
Note 2: Review 800
Appearance: Legitimately, objectively, remarkably red - deep red tones, with some lighter pinks around the edges and some purple at its core - basically, the color of raspberries - hazy - pours with a medium-sized, light pink head and retains some wisps of a cap - doesn't leave much lacing, but it's still very pretty
Smell: I really have no choice but to describe this as "nose-puckering," because it straight-up smells very sour - sharp, acidic sourness, with some damp, funky lactic aromas - an abundance of raspberry, with a ton of ripe raspberry flesh - oak becomes increasingly prominent as this warms, imparting some woody aromas and funky wood aromas - light, light touch of acetone in the back, but otherwise this is stellar
Taste: Awesomely sour, basically - among the most sour of sour beers that I have sampled - mouth puckering with a residual sourness that you can feel almost burning down your throat - sharp and acidic, as well as damp and lactic - perhaps not as much of a straight-up acidic sourness as some offerings from Cantillon (sorry, Allagash), but there's a nice mix of different kinds of sour - raspberries are big in the flavor, with tart, sour raspberry flesh - minimally sweet, just a dry, tart, sour fruitiness - oak, some wood funk, some yeasty funk, and maybe a hint of vanilla - very light hint of acetone, but it works
Mouthfeel: Medium body, low but adequate carbonation, sour and funky finish
Overall: Truly, the coolest ship
This is a gem. Intensely sour, with some great, tart raspberry flavors... And this is a fresh bottle. I can only imagine what is going to happen with this in a few years. This is definitely worth driving up to Maine to get (as well as anything they create with their coolship).
★ 1,839 characters
4.38/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a hazy peach/pink lemonade color with a very modest head that quickly fades to a ringlet; plenty of dotty lacing drapes the side of the tulip
Smell: Nostril tingling acidity and funk; unsweetened raspberry jam quite pronounced; oak and vanilla undertones
Taste: The acetic quality of this beer jumps out provoking tongue-tingling puckering along with raspberry fruit flavor; by mid-palate, some funk builds but becomes more pronounced, after the swallow; dry and acetic in the finish
Mouthfeel: Medium body but the lack of carbonation doesn't quite cut it
Overall: But for the disappointing carbonation, this is a top flight beer; the fruit and the tartness is just right; while I might prefer a touch less acidity, I understand what's going on here
Thanks, wildcats10, for the opportunity
★ 812 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a hazy peach/pink lemonade color with a very modest head that quickly fades to a ringlet; plenty of dotty lacing drapes the side of the tulip
Smell: Nostril tingling acidity and funk; unsweetened raspberry jam quite pronounced; oak and vanilla undertones
Taste: The acetic quality of this beer jumps out provoking tongue-tingling puckering along with raspberry fruit flavor; by mid-palate, some funk builds but becomes more pronounced, after the swallow; dry and acetic in the finish
Mouthfeel: Medium body but the lack of carbonation doesn't quite cut it
Overall: But for the disappointing carbonation, this is a top flight beer; the fruit and the tartness is just right; while I might prefer a touch less acidity, I understand what's going on here
Thanks, wildcats10, for the opportunity
★ 812 characters
4.37/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A- Ruby blood-pink body, one finger light pinkish head. Quite a bit less head and retention than I'd expect for the style, but certainly not flat in appearance. No lacing. These pinkish-purple beers are always a thing of beauty.
S- Raspberry juice, touch of wheat, a good bit of funk that mixes with the raspberry juice. A different kind of funk than Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus, certainly less funky but it does have a distinct, leathery character.
F- Not particularly complex but quite tasty- raspberries, a bit of musty hay, vinegar (5/10 sour), no lactate, a bit of lemon helps round the palate out. The acidity is nicely balanced with the raspberry sweetness which is not jammy at all. The raspberry presence is basically its essence without the jam or syrup that we're used to in other walks of life.
M- Medium bodied, sufficiently carbonated but seems to me that this is a little flatter than I would expect of a wild ale.
O- Beautiful looking wild ale with a nice raspberry character that translates very well to the beer's character without being too unbalanced.
★ 1,077 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A- Ruby blood-pink body, one finger light pinkish head. Quite a bit less head and retention than I'd expect for the style, but certainly not flat in appearance. No lacing. These pinkish-purple beers are always a thing of beauty.
S- Raspberry juice, touch of wheat, a good bit of funk that mixes with the raspberry juice. A different kind of funk than Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus, certainly less funky but it does have a distinct, leathery character.
F- Not particularly complex but quite tasty- raspberries, a bit of musty hay, vinegar (5/10 sour), no lactate, a bit of lemon helps round the palate out. The acidity is nicely balanced with the raspberry sweetness which is not jammy at all. The raspberry presence is basically its essence without the jam or syrup that we're used to in other walks of life.
M- Medium bodied, sufficiently carbonated but seems to me that this is a little flatter than I would expect of a wild ale.
O- Beautiful looking wild ale with a nice raspberry character that translates very well to the beer's character without being too unbalanced.
★ 1,077 characters
4.41/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Pours bright red, super bubbly. Great looking. Smell of crazy sour raspberries. Taste is very sour. Raspberry and lemon flavors, not really any funk. Very acidic. Mouthfeel is very effervescent. It doesn't seem too complex but the raspberries are balanced out nicely with the sourness. Upland lambics are crazy sour and this is a notch below those, and I prefer this one.
★ 371 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Pours bright red, super bubbly. Great looking. Smell of crazy sour raspberries. Taste is very sour. Raspberry and lemon flavors, not really any funk. Very acidic. Mouthfeel is very effervescent. It doesn't seem too complex but the raspberries are balanced out nicely with the sourness. Upland lambics are crazy sour and this is a notch below those, and I prefer this one.
★ 371 characters
5/5 rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Had this in tap at the Allagash tap takeover at Novare Res on April 5, 2014. The color was most amazing. It looked like Kool-Aid. After trying this I feel like I've never before had a real lambic. This changed my outlook on lambics forever. After being bowled over by the appearance, the taste, smell and mouthfeel each provided pleasant support to the initial, Wow once this was placed in front of me.
★ 402 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Had this in tap at the Allagash tap takeover at Novare Res on April 5, 2014. The color was most amazing. It looked like Kool-Aid. After trying this I feel like I've never before had a real lambic. This changed my outlook on lambics forever. After being bowled over by the appearance, the taste, smell and mouthfeel each provided pleasant support to the initial, Wow once this was placed in front of me.
★ 402 characters
4.53/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle opened on 1.29.14
Bottled On: Oct 18, 2012
A - Pours a clear light red-orange with a fizzy white head that is gone instantly.
S - Tons of raspberry, funky-tark. Amazing nose!
T - Nice raspberry, then lots of tart oakiness.
D - Light body with good carbonation, tart finish.
O - Amazing nose and flavors with a nice tartness and funk.
★ 345 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle opened on 1.29.14
Bottled On: Oct 18, 2012
A - Pours a clear light red-orange with a fizzy white head that is gone instantly.
S - Tons of raspberry, funky-tark. Amazing nose!
T - Nice raspberry, then lots of tart oakiness.
D - Light body with good carbonation, tart finish.
O - Amazing nose and flavors with a nice tartness and funk.
★ 345 characters
4.54/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
amazing brew here, as authentic a lambic as i have gotten from the united states, its sour, dry, funky, and unlike even some of the best belgian ones, it is beautifully carbonated. the use of raspberries here is lovely as well, not as intense as say an atrial rubicite, but used more elegantly and refined in a special way. the bright pink color of this is gorgeous, while the white head on it is fluffy and permanent, with a certain enticing character. it smells as good as any raspberry beer out there, tart from the fruit, but also very sour from the wild yeasts and critters, which manifest themselves in an acidic and lactic mouthwatering aroma. the flavor is sour beer first, raspberry next, but the fruit stays all the way through the finish and slings to the edges of my mouth as the rest of it is dried out completely. such a clean finish for a beer this flavorful. the yeast profile is amazing, as good as any, thats the point of this coolship project from what i understand, to make very authentic and delicious wild yeast ales, this is so punchy and juicy and sour and awesome, i wish they would distribute to colorado, what a gem this beer is. nearly flawless on the overall, i cant think of a single thing i would change.
★ 1,235 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
amazing brew here, as authentic a lambic as i have gotten from the united states, its sour, dry, funky, and unlike even some of the best belgian ones, it is beautifully carbonated. the use of raspberries here is lovely as well, not as intense as say an atrial rubicite, but used more elegantly and refined in a special way. the bright pink color of this is gorgeous, while the white head on it is fluffy and permanent, with a certain enticing character. it smells as good as any raspberry beer out there, tart from the fruit, but also very sour from the wild yeasts and critters, which manifest themselves in an acidic and lactic mouthwatering aroma. the flavor is sour beer first, raspberry next, but the fruit stays all the way through the finish and slings to the edges of my mouth as the rest of it is dried out completely. such a clean finish for a beer this flavorful. the yeast profile is amazing, as good as any, thats the point of this coolship project from what i understand, to make very authentic and delicious wild yeast ales, this is so punchy and juicy and sour and awesome, i wish they would distribute to colorado, what a gem this beer is. nearly flawless on the overall, i cant think of a single thing i would change.
★ 1,235 characters
Allagash Coolship Red from Allagash Brewing Company
4.39
out of 5
based on 517 ratings.
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Drank from a 12.7 fl oz (375 ml) corked and caged bottle
Date Bottled: Dec. 21, 2015
Served in a tulip
Huge thanks to my friend Bill for sharing this with me.
The hazy, light magenta body was capped by a finger tall, bubbly, bright white crown that slowly faded to a lasting ringlet. No lacing whatsoever.
Berry notes came through big time in the nose. Not sure if this was a cherry or a raspberry beer initially. Somewhat tart yet also sweet. Slightly medicinal perhaps. Soon, the fresh raspberry notes took over. Really pure, bright and fragrant. There was a slightly powdery and dry yeastiness. Bit of lemony tartness as well. Spectacular.
Raspberry notes dominated in the flavor profile. Tart and fresh. Sour but not overly so. Slightly funky. Wheaty and lemony in the center. Touch of lemon rind on the back end. More raspberry too. Raspberry seeds perhaps. The finish was sour and dry without being too intense. Hint of oak.
Frothy, fluffy mouthfeel. The liquid was highly carbonated and contained an intense, large bubbled effervescence. Crisp and sprightly on the palate.
There is usually a distinct difference between authentic, naturally fermented Belgian fruit lambics and their American counterparts, but Allagash's Coolship Red tasted like the real deal. This brewery might be the only one in the country that has mastered the art (and science) of using a coolship to achieve such nuance and complexity in their beers.
★ 1,436 characters