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Coolship Red
Allagash Brewing Company
- From:
- Allagash Brewing Company
- Maine, United States
- Style:
- Fruit Lambic
Ranked #11 - ABV:
- 5.6%
- Score:
- 99
Ranked #290 - Avg:
- 4.46 | pDev: 6.95%
- Reviews:
- 130
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jul 09, 2023
- Added:
- Jun 02, 2010
- Wants:
- 990
- Gots:
- 124
SCORE
99
World-Class
99
World-Class
This blend of spontaneously fermented beer is aged on local raspberries. We begin brewing Coolship Red with Pilsner malt, 40% raw wheat, and aged whole-leaf hops. The unfermented wort is then transferred to a large shallow pan called a coolship, which allows the hot wort to mingle with wild yeast and souring microbiota in the Maine air. After fermenting and aging in French oak wine barrels for over two years, we add raspberries and let it rest for an additional four to five months. The finished beer is bright red in color with an aroma of raspberry and oak. Its raspberry-forward flavor is balanced by notes of light funk, apricot, and a tart, dry finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey
4.22/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
(8 oz draft pour at the brewery today; standard Allagash chalice)
Pinkish red and opaque liquid; keeps actively bubbling, thin collar because of it... tart acids, raspberry essence on the nose... same tart and fruit on the palate, with a mellow, nutty-yeasty note in the aftertaste... a few sips in, acetone emerges... mellow prickly bite on the tongue... not sure this draft is adequately displaying the full potential of this beer; probably ought eat something complimentary and/or finally grab a bottle for examination (2112)
Apr 21, 2023Pinkish red and opaque liquid; keeps actively bubbling, thin collar because of it... tart acids, raspberry essence on the nose... same tart and fruit on the palate, with a mellow, nutty-yeasty note in the aftertaste... a few sips in, acetone emerges... mellow prickly bite on the tongue... not sure this draft is adequately displaying the full potential of this beer; probably ought eat something complimentary and/or finally grab a bottle for examination (2112)
Reviewed by nickb2000 from New Hampshire
3.49/5 rDev -21.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.49/5 rDev -21.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Snifter Glass
Look: Hazy orange-brown, pouring zero head
Smell: Fresh raspberry, citric acid, and lots of yeast funk, hint of oaky tannins
Taste: Tart yeast funky with hints of raspberry. Oak tannins come on the finish with more subtle yeast notes and some light malt notes.
Feel: Moderate carbonation and a crisp finish
Overall: I was hoping for more raspberry as this ale was just super yeast heavy
Jan 15, 2023Look: Hazy orange-brown, pouring zero head
Smell: Fresh raspberry, citric acid, and lots of yeast funk, hint of oaky tannins
Taste: Tart yeast funky with hints of raspberry. Oak tannins come on the finish with more subtle yeast notes and some light malt notes.
Feel: Moderate carbonation and a crisp finish
Overall: I was hoping for more raspberry as this ale was just super yeast heavy
Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut
4.12/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bottled January 19, 2017. Appearance is a rusty amber with short-lived fizzy white head. Raspberries are still quite present on the nose, more so than I would have expected given the age of the beer. There's some light funk, oak and implied tartness to the aroma as well. Definitely a nice smelling beer.
Taste is much more complex than the nose. Quick, tart blast up front, followed by an intriguing raspberry / oak funk and a long finish that brings back a second clear wave of tartness. Faint notes of apricot lurk in the background.
Overall, if you like raspberries and are ok with a tart beer, you'll like this. I'm finding if somewhat of a sipper that's not quite as light and easy going down as the Tilquin Oude Gueuze I had a bit earlier, but it's definitely a good beer.
Oct 01, 2022Taste is much more complex than the nose. Quick, tart blast up front, followed by an intriguing raspberry / oak funk and a long finish that brings back a second clear wave of tartness. Faint notes of apricot lurk in the background.
Overall, if you like raspberries and are ok with a tart beer, you'll like this. I'm finding if somewhat of a sipper that's not quite as light and easy going down as the Tilquin Oude Gueuze I had a bit earlier, but it's definitely a good beer.
Reviewed by tekstr1der from New Hampshire
4.3/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
This is likely spot-on for style, but a bit too much pucker for me. Pours a beautiful berry-red with a quick-fading cap of white. Aroma is heavenly raspberry and very mild funk. Flavors are delicious as well, with tons of berry dominating. Very tart. So tart. But, I don't review so much for style attributes, but whether I enjoy. This one took me 2 sittings.
May 02, 2022
Reviewed by BBThunderbolt from Kiribati
3.95/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
3.95/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Thanks to Roy_Hobbs for this one, as part of the beatings he delivered during NBS BIF #15. 12.7oz Cork and Caged bottle (Packaged Dec 3 2020) poured into 14oz teku. Poured a lovely dark red color with about 1/8 inch of pink head that quickly dissipated and left no lacing.
The aroma was solidly full of raspberry, with just a light bit of grain in the background.
On the tongue, a big hit of bitterness punches the front of the palate, with raspberry dominating the rest.
The body was light, crisp, had decent carb, and a very dry finish.
Drinkability was very good, I'd like to have regular access to this.
Overall, a very good beer. A must-try if you see it.
May 01, 2022The aroma was solidly full of raspberry, with just a light bit of grain in the background.
On the tongue, a big hit of bitterness punches the front of the palate, with raspberry dominating the rest.
The body was light, crisp, had decent carb, and a very dry finish.
Drinkability was very good, I'd like to have regular access to this.
Overall, a very good beer. A must-try if you see it.
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire
4.12/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
375ml bottle from 2012.
Pours dark copper with a burgundy tinge. Quickly fizzling head with zero retention or lacing. Fairly evident raspberries in the nose with faint cider vinegar and diaper. Light bodied with a slickish, limp mouthfeel. Raspberries on the palate with a solid tartness but short of sour or jammy. Finishes with a nice balance of tart and raspberries.
Apr 21, 2022Pours dark copper with a burgundy tinge. Quickly fizzling head with zero retention or lacing. Fairly evident raspberries in the nose with faint cider vinegar and diaper. Light bodied with a slickish, limp mouthfeel. Raspberries on the palate with a solid tartness but short of sour or jammy. Finishes with a nice balance of tart and raspberries.
Rated by mvogt from Massachusetts
4.21/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Draft at the brewery.
Lovely clear pinkish red. Smell is tart and kinda funky. Flavor follows, oak and funk manifest most in the swallow.
Apr 10, 2022Lovely clear pinkish red. Smell is tart and kinda funky. Flavor follows, oak and funk manifest most in the swallow.
Coolship Red from Allagash Brewing Company
Beer rating:
99 out of
100 with
828 ratings
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