Allagash Coolship Red - Allagash Brewing Company

DarthKostrizer

California

4.05/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to whoever shared this one at Jerz tasting

Look: Pours a nice light red color with about a 1/8 inch head that does not stick around very long and neither did my pour

Smell: The nose is very fruity with raspberry being the front runner. You also pick up the tartness in the nose which makes me think the beer will be overly tart

Taste: Boy was I wrong about the beer being overly tart. The beer has a great balance of tartness to flavor ratio. Again the beer is pretty much just straight raspberries which I really liked very light and fruity. Good flavor

Mouthfeel: Light body with ample carbonation and a bit dry on the finish

Overall: It was a good beer but I am not sure as good as everyone at the tasting was acting like it was. It is one of the beer wild ales I have had because of the balance. So highly recommended

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 20:53:36 | More by DarthKostrizer

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.68/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks to BlessedBeBeer for this one. 375ml corked and caged bottle poured into a Cantillon flute. Shared with schen9303.

Pours a 2 finger foamy light pastel pink head with poor retention. Beer is a stunning, clear red. No Lacing, poor legs. More lambic looking than wild ale here. Extra points because I think it might be categorized wrong.

Nose is robust tart cherries. Wet hay, cobwebs, light cheesiness, dank rotting wood. Again, more lambic-like than wild ale. There's a conspicuously missing Brett presence also. Nontheless, really good but a bit muted.

Opens tart lemon, cherry, cobweb, band-aid, and plastic. Fruit presence is noted but hides behind a big gueuze profile. Really magical. More building sourness in the middle as the cherries emerge a touch more, sprinkling the tartness. End is yeasty with a puckering finish and tart, dry aftertaste. One of the best American Wild Ales I've had to date. As close as it gets to traditional Belgian lambic.

Light bodied with high carbonation. Prickly and lively in the mouth and dry and puckering going down. Dry and filmy finish with a bone dry aftertaste. Outstanding.

This beer comes out of nowhere for me. While I've tried a number of Allagash's limited offerings, none of them even come close to the achievement that is Coolship Red. Whether you age it or decide to drink it now, I'm sure you'll be impressed by this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 01:57:47 | More by SpeedwayJim

ElGallo

New Hampshire

4.1/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks JR for sharing this one. Poured into a snifter (right after sharing a Supplication). Bright sparkling red in color, small head, a little lacing, decent carbonation. Smells of fresh raspberries with some mild funk. Tastes fruity and a little tart, but not as sour as I expected. Nice dry finish. Like a piece of veal or a single A pitcher, this is a young sour, with many intersting years to come in the bottle. And though its jealous and boisterous cousin Mattina Rossa wants to take center stage, the Red is the bottled raspberry sour of public release for now. It is very nice at such a young age; hopefully I'll get to try some again a few years down the road.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 02:44:17 | More by ElGallo

AgentZero

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Bright red colored beer, little bit cloudy, with a white head that faded to a nice ring and left a bit of lace.

S - A little bit funky, lots of raspberries. Smells pretty sweet with some decent tartness.

T - Very sweet and raspberry tasting with not tons of funk yet. Decently acetic and sour. This is one of the better tasting Allagash beers I've had.

M - Medium bodied, lower carbonation, dry finish.

O - Out of all of the Allagash beers I've had this one is probably the best. Not world class exactly, really good with some potential to develope.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 18:18:06 | More by AgentZero

Sean9689

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Mike for this rare tick, much appreciated! Poured into tulip.

A - Pours a cherry red color, thin collar, some wisps on top.

S - Sweet cherries, oak, fruity funk. Not exactly a fresh fruit notes, but more of a processed fruity note...think Fruit Rollup's...or Sweet Tarts...something like that. That said, it's not a bad thing, just not fresh fruit.

T - Tastes fruity, oak, tart/sour notes. Not quite as sour as I was expecting from the previous reviews. Don't get me wrong, it's tart/sour, but not in a huge amount. More fruity tartness then a funky sour.

M - Light body, good carbonation, dry finish.

O - A decent sour, not mind-blowing...perhaps I had overly high expectations on this one? That said, it's good, but not on the upper level of American Wild Ales.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2011 15:28:06 | More by Sean9689

MasterSki

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Mike generously shared this bottle, and I luckily have another bottle courtesy of Greg (Reagan1984). Served in a Bruery tulip.

A - A finger of white foam settles to a thick ring, partial cap, and minimal lace. Bright red, lightly hazed body.

S - Raspberry, sweet tarts, a bit vinous, some lactic character, hint of grapefruit and oak. Lots of raspberries - quite sweet, although not out-of-line for a fresh fruit lambic. Funk and acetobacter are fairly low at this stage.

T - Taste is again hefty on the raspberry and sweet tart. Some nebulous doughy pale malt, light oak. Pretty acetic stuff, reminiscent of sour raspberry candy.

M - Medium-low carbonation, medium body, and a dry finish with some obvious tannic oak character in there.

D - Quite enjoyable stuff, albeit extremely fruit-forward at this stage. I'm looking forward to see how this ages compared to genuine lambics and am curious to see what sort of complexity is inherent in Maine's wild yeast. I hope they can ramp up production on this, as it's one of Allagash's best offerings.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 17:34:18 | More by MasterSki

nhindian

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle poured into a Cantillon cervoise. Bottle generously sent by 603BeerMe, thanks so much Clark!

Bottled on 11/04/2010.

A - Pours a deep rose color, almost like a blood red mixed with grapefruit juice. It actually has a big, bubbly head, about 2-fingers in head and light pink in color, but it's so active that it completely fizzles out within 10 seconds, leaving mere traces of it's existence. Some slight lacing, but it's not exactly sticky so like the head, it's gone quickly after its appearance. The body is cloudy, but you can still see some carbonation streaming up the sides.

S - The nose on this is simply exquisite. Unlike some sours, the tartness and microorganisms that live in the beer don't overshadow the fruit, and you can quite clearly distinguish the large amount of raspberries in here. Likewise, there isn't an overwhelming amount of sweetness that detracts from the other flavors. A nice amount of funk balanced with acidity, it definitely comes across as sour. There's a strong bleu-cheese note in here, like a Roquefort or Gorgonzola. Has a bit of musty dankness as well, like wet hay or a dusty crawlspace.

T - The taste starts with a heavy kick of tartness, drawing comparisons to the some of the best Belgian sours I've had. All of the notes from the nose are present and accounted for here as well, with juicy raspberries leading the way. It is all-together fairly earthy, from the vine-picked quality of the fruit, to the mustiness, to the funkiness, it all draws a vision to the little shack that Allagash fermented the beer in, quietly transforming into the beer it is today. Some lemon, leather, and grass as well, and even the oak comes across nicely.

M - Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with good carbonation. Very dry which makes the flavors that much more sharp and clean. The tartness gets into the corners of the cheeks to keep them on edge and ready for the next sip.

D/O - Drinkability is high. I have to say that this is in the same echelon as the Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen I've had, and definitely the best 'framboise' I've had. It doesn't have the sweetness that unbalances some beers, and it's not overly sour to the extent that it's hard to drink. Every flavor in this is clear and accentuated, and it is simply a joy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 05:45:52 | More by nhindian

dasenebler

Maine

4.25/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

375mL, corked and caged. First and only(?) batch released August 2011.

Pours a radiant pink with a short-lived bubbly head.

Aroma is incredibly fragrant and fruity, with huge raspberry notes. Lots of funk and acidity, with some oak as well.

The flavor is very sour, bordering on Cantillon territory. Wow. Dry, oaky and mouth-puckeringly tart. The raspberry is mostly in aroma, though some fruit comes through on the palate. The mouthfeel is highly carbonated at first, but fades quickly.

This is a pretty remarkable beer for an American brewery to be making. Though not technically a Lambic, this is a very authentic tasting beer. I'm excited to see what other sours come out of the Coolship series.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 02:13:58 | More by dasenebler

tehzachatak

Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12.7 oz bottle poured into two oversized wine glasses (split this, my only bottle, with a friend).

A - pours a hazy pink- almost a pink lemonade color. tiny bit of incredibly fizzy white head dissipates almost immediately to nothing.

S - a lot of funk- my girlfriend says "it smells like goat cheese". definitely some aged cheese smells. really can't describe it all that well. little bit of raspberries, definite funky flavors.

T - phenomenal. no way around it. huge hit of raspberry flavor- but not sweetness- this is really really dry just the raspberry flavor. a little bit of oak, but not too much. red wine vinegar, hay and lemon can also be picked up. one of the sourest beers i have ever had, but in a almost citric acid-tartness flavor. in the middle, there is a big hit of funk similar to the nose, but not quite the same. never had a beer, even a lambic, that is really anything like this. little bit of blue-cheese esque funk at the end.

M - thin and fairly carbonated, but the tartness is definitely the defining characteristic. i don't even feel like i'm drinking an alcoholic beverage- no alcohol character at all that i can detect.

this is a pretty stunning beer- hard to review as it is so incredibly different than most beers i've had. i really, really enjoyed it though- wish there were more than 400 bottles.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 02:16:54 | More by tehzachatak

Hopilator

Maine

4.43/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I picked up two of these 375 ml bottles at the brewery the day they released this batch a few weeks ago. Popping the cork on the first one, I was greeted by a champagne fizz, with a hint of raspberry for the nose. Pouring the beer into your standard Allagash glass, a small pink head rises quickly, and recedes even faster, to nothing.

The first few sips reveal a very delicate wild ale, with the obvious raspberry on the tongue, but is not to sweet or tart. Pleasant, light sourness. I enjoy the little bubbles of carbonation that attack your tongue, though, there is virtually no head retention, or lacing.

A very refreshing beer. I would imagine it would pair perfectly with some fine, dark chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 22:35:44 | More by Hopilator

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to my buddy George I was able to snag a few of these.
A nice fluffy pink head forms and begins fizzing very loudly. It’s a really bright purpleish/pink color and lasts only for about 30 seconds. Then it fades to nothing. The beer is a hazy pink color that reminds me of pink lemonade. No lacing at all.
Aroma is at first acidic and tart. Best described as a raspberry vinaigrette. Irt’s almost too easy just to say raspberry and I do get fruit even berry.. but less specifically defined as raspberry. Some more depth and some oak as it warms.
Tart, acidic, dry, lemon, vinegar, very light berry. Not very sweet at all, so you are getting the essence of the raspberry flavor without too much sweetness.
Really refreshing and delicate. Fairly acidic. Very bright on your tongue with pinpoint carbonation.
Nice little beer. Very happy I was able to score a bottle and take care of a few trading buddies.
Late in the glass I tried pairing this with some dark chocolate. Well that was a bad idea. Don’t do that. The tartness and acidity cut way too much to the bone for the chocolate flavor. Oh well, I tried. Wish I had some nice blue cheese or some creamy brie. (BA page suggest pairing with chocolate..I respectfully disagree)

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 22:41:56 | More by Reagan1984

sk8man121

Maine

4.35/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12.7 oz bottle ($15 at the brewery) poured into Allagash Coolship tumbler. Bottled 11/4/10.

A: Pours a brilliant, deep pink with strawberry highlights. If there's any such thing as "phosphorescent red," this is it; like kool aid, really. Quickly rising effervescent 2-finger head dies just as fast into a thin ring on the glass. Leaves no lacing.

S: Extremely traditional lambic smell right off the bat; hay, barnyard funk. Raspberry is there, but fainter than expected. Smells very clean.

T: Immediate gueuze-like characteristics hit the palate; lemon, hay and tons of acidity. Red-wine vinegar dominates the center, as well as just enough raspberry to get the point across. This is an EXTREMELY DRY lambic; not a touch of sweetness going on here, which makes it all the more drinkable. Top notch.

M: Spritzy as can be; exactly what I was hoping for. Rather thin otherwise, but characteristic of the style.

O: All I can say is what a shame this is such a limited release. If this was readily available, I could drink it on a weekly basis. The most lambic qualities I've seen in an Allagash release by far, and it works ohh so well.

Beg, borrow and steal for this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 22:56:53 | More by sk8man121

grub

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

lantern corps beer summit 2010 - day 2, oct 9/2010. Jw347 contributed this one. thanks john!

375ml corked and caged bottle.

pours hazy dark pink, nearly red, with a small white head. the head drops fairly fast and leaves a few spots of lace.

aroma is nice. date and cherry. nail polish remover. big vinegar sourness and acidity. white bread. bit of feet. some nut and seed character.

taste is good. similar to the aroma, but with mellower sourness. caramel. earthy.

mouthfeel is good. just under medium body. medium-low carbonation level.

drinkability is good. good balance. nice depth. restrained acidity.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 15:26:24 | More by grub

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-pours a beautiful dark cherry red with a very light pink colored head that is rather creamy.

S-the nose has a great funk to it, awesome earthy mushroom funk, light notes of leather, hints of acidity with a ton of ripe juicy raspberries that are moderately sour.

T-strong notes of leathery brett with a fair bit of earthy funk. the raspberry fruit is lighter than the nose with just a hint of sourness and a touch of mineral flavor to it.

M-creamy full body, soft on the palate with a lighter carbonation still lively on the back of the throat with a lightly dry finish.

D-this has a great funk to it that is well integrated with the fruit flavors. the nose is extremely vibrant and colorful but the flavor is slightly less so. still great stuff and extremely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 15:13:46 | More by cpetrone84

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From a bottle, pours a bright cherry red with a soapy head, and a lot of interior bubbles. Nose is bright, bright, and funky. Lambic-like and a touch medicinal. Flavor is mineral on the front, a touch of that medicinal quality, and herbal. Very full and funky, though not especially fruity. Pretty good, and it's impressive that Allagash was able to make this, as it's so distinctive from their other sours, including Gargamel, etc. Ultimately it has flaws, and the nose is a lot better than the mouth, but it was a pleasure to try.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 21:47:13 | More by JAXSON

deltatauhobbit

Maine

4.6/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to the Allagash crew for providing this for our SMBDC meeting. I've been fortunate to have this on a couple occasions, but the sample at the meeting was the largest I had received to date. Finally getting around to putting this on BA.

Pours a hazy pinkish color, no head or lacing in the tasting glass.

Smell had a strong presence of raspberry with a slight funkiness.

The taste really emphasized the raspberry fruitiness of it with a nice crispness, not overly carbonated like some lambics could be but I'd say it's the right amount for this beer, the sour/tartness isn't extreme but there is an acidic backdrop.

Probably my favorite of all the coolships so far, this is definitely one I hope they're able to make more of.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 23:14:51 | More by deltatauhobbit

ToasterChef

Maine

4.47/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Reviewed from my tasting notes of a decent sized sample I consumed at an epic tasting event held with the members of the SMBDC. A big thanks to Rob Tod and Jason Perkins for donating this beer.

Pours as a clear pink and brown mixture with a pink foamy head. It is incredibly pretty. Just looking into the glass, I can tell this is a special beer, a feeling I would have even if I didn't know the significance of this beer. The nose has a lot raspberries, as well as some musty yeast notes and a little sourness. The flavor has qualities of a fine fruit juice with a sour middle and effervescent finish. Sour juice flavors linger on after each swallow. Throughout each taste there is a lot of raspberry. It has a medium body and leaves behind a good coating. It has excellent drinkability; no single aspect is too strong (you could argue that the raspberries are ever-present, btu even they are restrained and taste great, the benefit of aging on the actual fruit and not using juice or an extract). This is an amazing beer, perhaps the finest Allagash product I've had to date. I do hope I am able to try it again someday.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2010 22:55:16 | More by ToasterChef

Brez07

Maine

4.25/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled this at the recent Southern Maine Beer Drinkers meeting. 3oz pour into a tasting glass. Thanks to Jason and Rob at Allagash for letting our group try this beer (along with Resurgam)

A: Pours a cloudy ruby/grapefruit color. No head or lacing, but the small sample doens't really allow for any. My pour was towards the end of the bottle, so there were some floaties (likely from the raspberries)

S: Light raspberry essence. Other fruit flavors came out (such as apple), but nose was mostly raspberry. Small hint of funk in the finish

T: Wonderful burst of fruit, again mostly raspberry. After this, the beer goes dry and slightly tart

M: Light bodied, low carbonation, dry finish

D: Very delicious beer which I am extremely grateful to have tried. The one thing I would like to see is more carbonation though. Looking forward to when these Coolship beers are released to the public

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 13:31:02 | More by Brez07

BrewedAwakening

Maine

5/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into 3 oz tasting glasses at the Southern Maine Beer Drinkers Club August meeting, as a gift from Rob Tod and Jason Perkins.

A: slightly hazy, with the hue of fresh raspberries. very reminiscent of a rose petal.

S: fresh raspberries and barnyard, almost like standing half way between the raspberry patch and the horse stables on a hot summer day.

T: taking a sip of this beer is like picking a fresh raspberry, popping it in your mouth, and squishing it between your tongue and the roof of your mouth until the fruit dissolves. as the raspberry fades, the complexity of the wild yeasts comes into play.

M: stays beautifully in the mouth with a fruitiness and crispness, hangs on the tongue as the flavors unfold.

D: extremely drinkable. with every sip, my mouth began to salivate as a sign that my brain wanted more! i feel very lucky to have experienced this beer. i can only hope this is a sign of things to come from Rob and Jason.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 23:32:49 | More by BrewedAwakening