Allagash Brewing Releases Coolship Red to Several States

Most craft beer is fermented in the usual way, by pitching yeast. Yeast has been the catalyst for fermentation since before people even knew what was going on. Ancient people didn’t know what yeast was, they just knew that the “liquid bread” tasted great and made them feel good, too. It was thus a popular beverage among ancients who loved it for its many wondrous qualities.

Spontaneous fermentation is generally a thing of the past, but it does exist in today’s modern craft beer world and one of the most beloved of these naturally fermented beers is Coolship, a beer perfected by the folks at Allagash Brewing. In the past, this beer was exclusive and hard to find, released only from the brewery’s tasting room. This year, as many are aware, things have been different (understatement of the century!) and Allagash is also doing things differently, releasing its Coolship Red to several markets.

If you haven’t heard of Coolship, it is one of Allagash Brewing’s most sought- after beers and we at Great Beer Now are more than aware of this beer’s exclusivity- we haven’t tasted it in several years. It’s a unique beer and it has several different variations. Coolship Red is so- named for its red color and brewing process. It is fermented au natural and aged on raspberries. Allagash uses French oak wine barrels for the fermentation, which takes several years (!) before fresh Maine raspberries are added. The fruit is added for the final four months of the aging process, resulting in a beer that sports a bright red hue with flavors of wood, raspberry, apricot, and funk.

Which lucky folks will be able to purchase bottles of Coolship Red? According to the Allagash Brewing web site, the lucky recipients include Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and California. The first five make sense, as they are all reasonably close to Maine. California is the surprise in the group but hey, this is certainly great news for craft beer fans in the Golden State.

Spontaneous fermentation has come a long way since the days of ancient history. No longer a random freak of nature, Spontaneous fermentation is a controlled process today and the results can be quite alluring. if you can track some down, do so! Allagash Coolship Red is a spontaneously fermented beer you certainly want to try. It’s a classic in its class and one of the finest examples of its type.

To see if Coolship Red or other Allagash beer is sold near you, be sure to check the Allagash Brewing Beer Finder.