Redhook ESB

Brewed by Redhook Brewery
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Woodinville, Washington USA

The aroma was nutty with a strong presence of caramel and a light fruity nature. Some cherry fruit was notable as was a light metallic note. The beer poured into the glass lightly hazy golden amber with a white moderate head that fell slowly to lace the glass. The flavor was lightly bitter with a mineral flavor and a moderate level of caramel. The flavor was fruity and nicely done. The finish was dry with lasting light bittering into the aftertaste. The body was medium. Apparently they have the diacetyl under control at Redhook. I may have to try more of their wares to see what else might have changed! 12 ounce bottle. 053007 (Had this one because someone told me they finally had the diacetyl under control, he was correct!)

Pours amber with a foamy head. Flavor and aroma are light hops. Not bad, but sort of thin and sweet.

Got this beer in a Redhook Sampler pack. Light foamy head. Pours amber colored with a distinct sweet hoppy smell. Taste is somewhat bitter, but goes down very refreshing. Great beer, will definitely not be sharing the other two.

slight hop aroma. taste is some hops with maybe a little bit of malt sweetness. goes down pretty smooth. nothing special but not bad.

Sample, Portsmouth, NH Brewery. Pours a copper/amber color with an off-white head. Aroma is simple, just hops. Taste is hops with slight slight malt. I found it pretty watery and unimpressive.

Bottle. Pale copper color with nice off-white head. Aroma of hops, not very strong or complex. The flavor is of hops, with a little bit of malty sweetness -- not overpowering. Feels a bit thin.

355 ml bottle dated 111907. Pours copper with a lot of carbonation and a generous creamy off-white head. It does not have the look of a standard English Bitter but rather that of a honey ale. The aroma is distinctively malty to me. The taste is more hoppy than malty and it feels light in my mouth. But it is not hopped up enough to be an IPA. My overall impression is that this is distinctiive and above average but not so much like most Bitters I have had. Not something I would decline in the future.

This was my entry in Redhoook many years ago. The draft still outshines the bottle but even it just cannot compete with many other ESB’s on the market. Why - hard to explain but tastes weak (weak malt, weak hops), just tastes watered down. Finish like many Redhooks is somewhat funky.