ABV: 0.5%
Calories per bottle: 105 (21 per 100ml)
This is the third Adnams low-alcohol beer we’ve reviewed, and it’s certainly the best.
Standard-strength Ghost Ship (4.5% ABV) is a well-established brand. So, it was a bold move to give the same name to a 0.5% beer, and then boast that the new arrival has everything its big brother has, apart from the alcohol.
According to Adnams, they produce Ghost Ship in their usual way and then remove the alcohol without damaging the flavour. If you’re curious, there’s a short animation explaining how they do it.
The brewery have even distributed marketing packs with the two beers side-by-side, so you can compare them. So, how do they compare? Pretty well, actually. They’re both well-presented in traditional brown bottles, with the instantly recognisable spooky pirate ship, with its tattered sails whipping in the wind.
They both pour well, with a nice reddish hue and a decent amount of head. As you’d expect, the 0.5% doesn’t quite have the feel of the 4.5% as it goes down the hatch. But that’s all that’s missing here. This is a top-notch pale ale, with just a hint of citrus. Nanny State is probably the beer it’s closest to; but this is a better beer with a more complex flavour. It’s even pleased the reviewers on Untappd, and they’re a tough bunch to please.
