Ghoulschip
Allagash Brewing Company


Beer Geek Stats
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- From:
- Allagash Brewing Company
- Maine, United States
- Style:
- Pumpkin Beer
Ranked #11 - ABV:
- 6.9%
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #3,352 - Avg:
- 4.19 | pDev: 10.26%
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 26, 2022
- Added:
- Sep 25, 2010
- Wants:
- 244
- Gots:
- 74
SCORE
93
Outstanding
93
Outstanding


Notes:
Allagash Ghoulschip is our version of a pumpkin beer. We brewed it, on Halloween 2008, with a monster mash that included shredded Maine pumpkin and toasted pumpkin seeds. After much toil and some trouble, molasses were added to the boil. The wort then spent the night outside, in our Coolship, possessed by the yeasts of beers past. In the morning, the cooled wort was racked into a stainless tank and pitched with our house yeast. After primary fermentation the beer is then transferred to oak barrels. Ghoulschip fermented and aged in the dark recesses of our cellars for almost three years. The resulting beer is light bodied and pumpkiny in color. Apricot dominates the aroma, with vanilla and caramel lurking in the background. The flavor profile is scarily clean, with a dry, tart finish that will haunt you. Boo.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
4.21/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by Rug from Massachusetts
Bottled August 2021
This is a bottle I came across recently that really piqued my interest. A coolshipped Pumpkin Beer? Sign me up! When I came to the beer’s BA page, I realized that I had it as a want for years and forgot all about it, so I’m very happy to have just stumbled upon it. Let’s pop it open and see what it’s all about
Pours a cloudy pale gold with 2 fingers of creamy white head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing
Shockingly, it is not very pumpkin-forward in the nose, more funky than anything, but the pumpkin plays a nice supporting role. I’m picking up on aromas of wet hay, lemon yogurt, sharp oak, old leather, cooked pumpkin, light cinnamon, vanilla, and tannic white wine
There’s more of a pumpkin bite in taste, but I still wouldn’t call it prominent. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting lemon juice, brown sugar, white wine, straw, pumpkin seed, and light leather. The swallow is more interesting, bringing notes of lemon yogurt, vanilla, roasted pumpkin, pumpkin seed, toasted oak, and a touch of molasses
A medium body pairs with moderate carbonation, resulting in a sharp and tart beer. Finishes mostly dry but coats the mouth. Still, it drinks well below its abv
This is awesome stuff. More subtle than I would have expected, but masterfully done nonetheless
Apr 26, 2022
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by Rug from Massachusetts
Bottled August 2021
This is a bottle I came across recently that really piqued my interest. A coolshipped Pumpkin Beer? Sign me up! When I came to the beer’s BA page, I realized that I had it as a want for years and forgot all about it, so I’m very happy to have just stumbled upon it. Let’s pop it open and see what it’s all about
Pours a cloudy pale gold with 2 fingers of creamy white head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing
Shockingly, it is not very pumpkin-forward in the nose, more funky than anything, but the pumpkin plays a nice supporting role. I’m picking up on aromas of wet hay, lemon yogurt, sharp oak, old leather, cooked pumpkin, light cinnamon, vanilla, and tannic white wine
There’s more of a pumpkin bite in taste, but I still wouldn’t call it prominent. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting lemon juice, brown sugar, white wine, straw, pumpkin seed, and light leather. The swallow is more interesting, bringing notes of lemon yogurt, vanilla, roasted pumpkin, pumpkin seed, toasted oak, and a touch of molasses
A medium body pairs with moderate carbonation, resulting in a sharp and tart beer. Finishes mostly dry but coats the mouth. Still, it drinks well below its abv
This is awesome stuff. More subtle than I would have expected, but masterfully done nonetheless
Apr 26, 2022
4.16 by Taenim from New Jersey on Jan 27, 2022
4.04 by ummswimmin from New Jersey on Oct 30, 2021
3.55 by vfgccp from New York on Oct 26, 2021
4 by bigred89 from Maryland on Oct 12, 2021
3.75 by atlbravsrno1 from New Hampshire on Aug 22, 2021
4.24/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by lordofthewiens from New Mexico
The beer is a hazy dark orange color with a large, long-lasting white head. There is a bit of lace.
Nice aroma. Fruit, spice, vanilla.
Taste of apple, apricot, pumpkin spice, vanilla. Tart.
Crisp, dry finish.
Very nice.
Jun 27, 2021
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by lordofthewiens from New Mexico
The beer is a hazy dark orange color with a large, long-lasting white head. There is a bit of lace.
Nice aroma. Fruit, spice, vanilla.
Taste of apple, apricot, pumpkin spice, vanilla. Tart.
Crisp, dry finish.
Very nice.
Jun 27, 2021
3.03/5 rDev -27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
by stephs281 from Massachusetts
If a pumpkin chugged a case of natty light, then relived its dysentery symptoms into an oak barrel while a jar of molasses whispered words of encouragement, then you get ghoulship.
Oaky!!Has a good head. Definitely a sour with a unique taste. Barely got a taste of the pumpkin or molasses. The oak came through very strong. Felt like I was just drinking an oak sour.
Nov 07, 2020
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
by stephs281 from Massachusetts
If a pumpkin chugged a case of natty light, then relived its dysentery symptoms into an oak barrel while a jar of molasses whispered words of encouragement, then you get ghoulship.
Oaky!!Has a good head. Definitely a sour with a unique taste. Barely got a taste of the pumpkin or molasses. The oak came through very strong. Felt like I was just drinking an oak sour.
Nov 07, 2020
3.77/5 rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
by VelvetExtract from Massachusetts
Bottle. Been dying to try this brew for years and years. The beer pours a dark hazy orange/amber color. Like the dim glow of a jack-o-lantern. Giant head that holds up. Two full fingers. The truly spooky aspect of this beer is the large chunks of detritus that float are dance within the beer. Yikes. Smells acidic, sour, tangy, and woody. A vanilla element is noticeable to me as well. Some spices found in pumpkin pie, too. A really unique aroma. Flavor is also not exactly like any other beer I have had. Still get that vanilla. Also the spices aren't too bold but noticeable enough. Reminds me of some of HaandBryggeriet's sours actually. I do get some pumpkin/yam/sweet potato. It sorta tastes like a sour slice of pumpkin pie. This is very oaky. The sourness is wrapped in a sweetness and they are married throughout. This is one of those beers thats 'yuck' during a sip then 'yum' during another. Carbonation is very soft. Alcohol is masked well. More of a hot mess than I was expecting but I have been waiting to try this strange, strange beer for almost a decade so I am pleasantly pleased by the sheer oddity of it.
Oct 15, 2020
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
by VelvetExtract from Massachusetts
Bottle. Been dying to try this brew for years and years. The beer pours a dark hazy orange/amber color. Like the dim glow of a jack-o-lantern. Giant head that holds up. Two full fingers. The truly spooky aspect of this beer is the large chunks of detritus that float are dance within the beer. Yikes. Smells acidic, sour, tangy, and woody. A vanilla element is noticeable to me as well. Some spices found in pumpkin pie, too. A really unique aroma. Flavor is also not exactly like any other beer I have had. Still get that vanilla. Also the spices aren't too bold but noticeable enough. Reminds me of some of HaandBryggeriet's sours actually. I do get some pumpkin/yam/sweet potato. It sorta tastes like a sour slice of pumpkin pie. This is very oaky. The sourness is wrapped in a sweetness and they are married throughout. This is one of those beers thats 'yuck' during a sip then 'yum' during another. Carbonation is very soft. Alcohol is masked well. More of a hot mess than I was expecting but I have been waiting to try this strange, strange beer for almost a decade so I am pleasantly pleased by the sheer oddity of it.
Oct 15, 2020
4.75/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by SaisonMaker from Massachusetts
Awesome stuff like all of their coolship beers. I don't like over the top spiced or sweet pumpkin beers but I wish this one had more spice. Really great. Allagash makes world class beer.
Aug 30, 2020
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by SaisonMaker from Massachusetts
Awesome stuff like all of their coolship beers. I don't like over the top spiced or sweet pumpkin beers but I wish this one had more spice. Really great. Allagash makes world class beer.
Aug 30, 2020
3.75 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota on May 15, 2020
4.28 by smb71481 from Vermont on Nov 16, 2019
4.06 by hozersr from Pennsylvania on Oct 29, 2019
4.5 by mike22ne from Massachusetts on Oct 27, 2019
4.46/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by REVZEB from Illinois
Hazy burnt orange body with a white head. The easiest way to explain this beer is a traditionally soured pumpkin ale, really neat. Smell has the pumpkin spices intermingling with the molasses, oak, green apple, pear, caramel, and slight barnyard funk, the mixture is very alluring. Taste adds vanilla to the molasses and oak, a citrus flair and subtle hay to the orchard fruit, and the spices finish the beer well within the yeast, earth, and slight funk. It somehow manages to bridge the wildness of the wild ale, and the spices of the pumpkin ale, though nose is more powerful the taste is more complex. Body is a little on the heavier side, decently carbonated, with yeast and spices textures to carry the load. This is was fun one to try, unlike anything I have ever had before
Oct 24, 2019
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by REVZEB from Illinois
Hazy burnt orange body with a white head. The easiest way to explain this beer is a traditionally soured pumpkin ale, really neat. Smell has the pumpkin spices intermingling with the molasses, oak, green apple, pear, caramel, and slight barnyard funk, the mixture is very alluring. Taste adds vanilla to the molasses and oak, a citrus flair and subtle hay to the orchard fruit, and the spices finish the beer well within the yeast, earth, and slight funk. It somehow manages to bridge the wildness of the wild ale, and the spices of the pumpkin ale, though nose is more powerful the taste is more complex. Body is a little on the heavier side, decently carbonated, with yeast and spices textures to carry the load. This is was fun one to try, unlike anything I have ever had before
Oct 24, 2019
4.47/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
by Gatch from Massachusetts
Bottled Aug. 7, 2019 and picked up at the brewery on Oct. 12. Great to finally visit and got lucky with the timing, because it was on a day when they released this beer as well as James & Julie.
Love the color. Super funky and woody in the nose. Almost bourbon, but that’s the heavy oak treatment. Similar with the flavor; wild and oaky with plenty of autumn character. It’s a stretch to say the pumpkin is discernible but this isn’t a pumpkin beer; it’s a wild ale with fall flavors added to make it completely unique while retaining the delicious qualities of their base coolship beers. Properly dry, tart, and carbonated. Really well done.
Beers like these are better because of the story and the process that go into making them. Allagash crafts a story better than almost any other brewery in the country.
Oct 14, 2019
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
by Gatch from Massachusetts
Bottled Aug. 7, 2019 and picked up at the brewery on Oct. 12. Great to finally visit and got lucky with the timing, because it was on a day when they released this beer as well as James & Julie.
Love the color. Super funky and woody in the nose. Almost bourbon, but that’s the heavy oak treatment. Similar with the flavor; wild and oaky with plenty of autumn character. It’s a stretch to say the pumpkin is discernible but this isn’t a pumpkin beer; it’s a wild ale with fall flavors added to make it completely unique while retaining the delicious qualities of their base coolship beers. Properly dry, tart, and carbonated. Really well done.
Beers like these are better because of the story and the process that go into making them. Allagash crafts a story better than almost any other brewery in the country.
Oct 14, 2019
4.04/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by JDavidRice from Connecticut
Smells like apple juice. Not tasting any pumpkin or molasses. Thin head, very little lacing. Effervescent mouthfeel, and very sour at first but that quickly fades to a dry, clean finish.
Aug 01, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by JDavidRice from Connecticut
Smells like apple juice. Not tasting any pumpkin or molasses. Thin head, very little lacing. Effervescent mouthfeel, and very sour at first but that quickly fades to a dry, clean finish.
Aug 01, 2019
4 by Nichols33 from Massachusetts on Mar 04, 2019
4.49/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by GreesyFizeek from New York
On tap at The Publick House in Brookline, MA.
This one pours a light clear orange-ish color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.
I don't get much actual pumpkin here, but I do get some spiciness and molasses in the aroma, along with big notes of creamy stone fruit, caramel, lemon, white wine, and oak. This smells incredible.
This is an oaky and spicy delight, with a great caramel and molasses malt backbone, with vanilla and oak playing off the sour apricot and lemon. As with most Allagash beers, the funk is well expressed and clean, with no crazy off-flavors at all. I love how much oak I get off of this, it almost adds a cinnamon spice sort of flavor.
This is light bodied and very clean, and very drinkable, with an acidity that doesn't linger all that long.
For almost any other breweriy, a semi-spontaneously fermented pumpkin wild ale would be a pure and unmitigated disaster. Luckily, Allagash is not like most other breweries.
Feb 04, 2019
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by GreesyFizeek from New York
On tap at The Publick House in Brookline, MA.
This one pours a light clear orange-ish color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.
I don't get much actual pumpkin here, but I do get some spiciness and molasses in the aroma, along with big notes of creamy stone fruit, caramel, lemon, white wine, and oak. This smells incredible.
This is an oaky and spicy delight, with a great caramel and molasses malt backbone, with vanilla and oak playing off the sour apricot and lemon. As with most Allagash beers, the funk is well expressed and clean, with no crazy off-flavors at all. I love how much oak I get off of this, it almost adds a cinnamon spice sort of flavor.
This is light bodied and very clean, and very drinkable, with an acidity that doesn't linger all that long.
For almost any other breweriy, a semi-spontaneously fermented pumpkin wild ale would be a pure and unmitigated disaster. Luckily, Allagash is not like most other breweries.
Feb 04, 2019
4.02/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by JohnnyHopps from Indiana
Appearance - The beer poured a golden orange color with visible carbonation and a white head.
Smell - The beer smelled like an average sour but with hints dryness in back.
Taste - At the front, candy sugar collaborated with brown sugar. There was not much pumpkin or pumpkin seed amid the sourness, but it dried out in back. With each aftertaste, I wanted to drink more.
Mouthfeel - With fairly aggressive sourness came aggressive carbonation.
Overall - It was a good sour, but I did not get what the label promised.
Jan 27, 2019
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by JohnnyHopps from Indiana
Appearance - The beer poured a golden orange color with visible carbonation and a white head.
Smell - The beer smelled like an average sour but with hints dryness in back.
Taste - At the front, candy sugar collaborated with brown sugar. There was not much pumpkin or pumpkin seed amid the sourness, but it dried out in back. With each aftertaste, I wanted to drink more.
Mouthfeel - With fairly aggressive sourness came aggressive carbonation.
Overall - It was a good sour, but I did not get what the label promised.
Jan 27, 2019
4 by trevorpost from Pennsylvania on Jan 13, 2019
3.9 by alexsergio from New York on Dec 08, 2018
3.65 by crobinso from Colorado on Dec 02, 2018
3.65/5 rDev -12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
by wisrarebeer from Wisconsin
Bottled 24 Sep 2015. Thanks Tim!
Amber, clear color with great puffy head. Medium nose with characteristic American sour style. Traditional American-style sour, not as unbalanced and sour as others, but still more sour than balanced.
Nov 18, 2018
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
by wisrarebeer from Wisconsin
Bottled 24 Sep 2015. Thanks Tim!
Amber, clear color with great puffy head. Medium nose with characteristic American sour style. Traditional American-style sour, not as unbalanced and sour as others, but still more sour than balanced.
Nov 18, 2018
4.19 by JakerLou from New Hampshire on Nov 18, 2018
4.5 by paulish from New York on Nov 10, 2018
4 by gbiello from Massachusetts on Nov 04, 2018
4.45 by NYR-Zuuuuc from Connecticut on Nov 02, 2018
4.23/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by WOLFGANG from South Carolina
Draught
Apr 23, 2018
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by WOLFGANG from South Carolina
Draught
Apr 23, 2018
4.18 by Stinger80OH from Ohio on Nov 13, 2017
4.22 by 7irondave from Massachusetts on Oct 29, 2017
4.15/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by ManapuaMan from Massachusetts
Sour, crisp, complex. Picked up a couple bottles from the brewery - enjoyed one within a couple weeks and the other a few months down the road (properly stored). I'm sure continued aging would impact the flavor profile but, as it stands, there's no noticeable difference between the two. Copper- burnt orange hue with a thin, puffy head. Aroma is pear, green apple, musty cellar and oak. I can't pick up any pumpkin on the nose. Taste follows right along with pear, dried apricot, roasted pumpkin seeds and green apple. The pumpkin seeds come into play by way of a light toasted-ness in the body but there's no pumpkin flesh. Cheek tingling-sour that's more restrained than pronounced, musty and funky but not spicy. Outstanding beer that drinks crisp and finishes dry.
Apr 24, 2017
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by ManapuaMan from Massachusetts
Sour, crisp, complex. Picked up a couple bottles from the brewery - enjoyed one within a couple weeks and the other a few months down the road (properly stored). I'm sure continued aging would impact the flavor profile but, as it stands, there's no noticeable difference between the two. Copper- burnt orange hue with a thin, puffy head. Aroma is pear, green apple, musty cellar and oak. I can't pick up any pumpkin on the nose. Taste follows right along with pear, dried apricot, roasted pumpkin seeds and green apple. The pumpkin seeds come into play by way of a light toasted-ness in the body but there's no pumpkin flesh. Cheek tingling-sour that's more restrained than pronounced, musty and funky but not spicy. Outstanding beer that drinks crisp and finishes dry.
Apr 24, 2017
4.25 by AngusOg from North Carolina on Apr 24, 2017
4.38 by N1Nkasi from Connecticut on Feb 27, 2017
4.22 by AMCimpi from New York on Feb 22, 2017
4.23 by epyon396 from Pennsylvania on Jan 30, 2017
4.6 by ScientificSquill from Massachusetts on Dec 20, 2016
3.75 by waiting4lunch from Massachusetts on Nov 11, 2016
4.59 by BirdsandHops from Oregon on Nov 09, 2016
4.18 by paresis from Massachusetts on Nov 02, 2016
Ghoulschip from Allagash Brewing Company
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
321 ratings