Allagash Coolship Resurgam
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Tasting Notes
Resurgam pours from a blend of spontaneously fermented coolship batches aged in oak barrels, delivering aromas of tart stone fruit, lemon pith, hay, and a faint barnyard funk from wild Brettanomyces character. On the palate it's dry and bracingly sour up front, with layers of apricot, green apple, and a subtle earthy woodiness from barrel contact. The body is lean and vinous, closer to a dry white wine than most beers. The finish is long, acidic, and clean, fading with a light tannic grip and lingering citrus zest.
About the Brewery
Allagash is based in Portland, Maine, and has been brewing since 1995 with a founding focus on Belgian-inspired ales at a time when that was genuinely uncommon in the American craft scene. They built their reputation on Belgian witbier before expanding into farmhouse ales, barrel-aging programs, and eventually spontaneous fermentation through their coolship, installed in 2007 — one of the first in the United States. Their wild and sour program is widely regarded as among the most serious and technically accomplished in the country.
Food Pairings
The beer's sharp acidity and dry finish make it a natural match for fresh chèvre or aged sheep's milk cheese, where the tartness cuts through fat and mirrors the cheese's own tang. Steamed mussels with white wine and shallots work well because the briny, oceanic notes echo the beer's funky depth. A simple roast chicken with herbs lets the fruity complexity of the ale read clearly without competition. Charcuterie — particularly cured duck or pâté — pairs effectively because the acidity lifts richness and the Brett character complements cured, fermented flavors.
Style Guide
American Wild Ale is a loosely defined category covering beers fermented with wild yeast strains, mixed cultures of bacteria (particularly Lactobacillus and Pediococcus), or Brettanomyces, often with extended barrel aging. The style draws heavily from Belgian lambic and gueuze traditions but isn't bound by their geographic or process rules, giving American brewers latitude to experiment with fruit, blending, and fermentation technique. Flavor profiles typically range from tart and funky to deeply sour and complex, with ABVs commonly running between 5–8%. What separates it from a straight sour ale is the emphasis on wild microorganism character — barnyard, leather, stone fruit — rather than simple lactic acidity alone.