Adnams, a local brewery based in Suffolk, UK, first opened back in 1872, focusing on the production of cask ales. More recently in 2010, they created a distillery to add to their beer line, offering gin, vodka and whiskey to the product line.
In recent years, Adnams has expanded their product line even further, with the release of a new cider and alcohol free beers – including the pale ale for this review – Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5%.
Ghost Ship is not an alcohol free exclusive, it is a carefully de-alcoholised version of the original beer, taking its name from Adnams 600-year old haunted pub.
The description from the bottle itself describe it as a beer with ‘Bold citrus falvours flavoured from citra hops’, with further information on the website starting they use a selection of malts – Pale Ale, Rye Crystal and Cara, with Citra and American hop varieties to create the distinctive flavour.
Let’s see how we get on!
Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% Initial Review
For this review, I am trialling a 500ml bottle which I have kept in a cool cupboard – lower than room temperature but warmer than the fridge.
Opening the bottle, there is the definite presence of citrus and fruity aromas. It definitely smells like a pale ale, but slightly more ‘delicate’ than the alcoholic version.
Pouring into a glass, it has the same colour characteristics as the real thing; a rich amber with just a slight head when poured into a pint glass. Looking at somebody pour this across a room, there’s no doubt you would think this is a proper beer.
Upon first taste, it is smooth with little presence of any carbonation. Slightly bitter with a definite fruity aftertaste.
The delicacy of the aroma matches the taste – slightly floral with tropical and citrus flavour profiles, it has a slightly dry mouthfeel and balanced like a real pale ale.
Whilst enjoyable on the first few mouthfeels, excitement of the drink dies down and starts to feel rather generic. At no point is this a bad drink, but doesn’t offer some of the excitement of other non-alcoholic beers we have reviewed.
However, in comparison to the alcoholic version of Ghost Ship, it is a very good match. The flavour profile is not too dissimilar, and the lack of alcohol doesn’t leave a ‘gap’ that is so common when producing an alcohol-free beer through the de-alcoholisation process.
Where Can I Buy Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5%?
Adnams Ghost Ship is one of the more popular alcohol-free beers on the market – well, the supermarket shelves anyway.
The bottle for this review was purchased from a local Tesco superstore, but you can find it as other supermarkets including Waitrose, Sainsburys, Asda and Morrisons. This (and other (alcoholic)) drinks can be purchased directly from Adnams online store.
Pricing for individual bottles is around the £1-1.50 mark, depending on where you buy it and ongoing promotions.
If you want to purchase online, you can do via the following e-tailers:
Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% Ingredients, Nutritional Information and Calories
The ingredient list for Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% contains the following:
Water, Malted Barley, Malted Rye, Hops, Yeast
| Nutritional Information | Per 100mL |
|---|---|
| Energy (KJ/KCal) | 98 / 23 |
| Fat (g) | <0.10 |
| of which saturates (g) | <0.10 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 4.4 |
| of which sugars (g) | 0.1 |
| Protein (g) | 0.5 |
| Salt (g) | <0.1 |
The Overall Verdict?
The alcohol free Ghost Ship is a great version of the ‘full alcohol’ version and matches the aroma, taste and enjoyment of the real thing very well. As a non-alcoholic pale ale in its own right, it is just above average. It is an enjoyable drink to have one or two in place of alcohol, but struggles to impress on its own merit.
If you like pale ale, or Ghost Ship for that matter, it is definitely worth a trial. But be prepared to find something more interesting available on the market!
Adnams Ghost Ship Details
