Redhook ESB

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

Pours out a nice neutral golden amber forming a nice white foamy head. Aroma of hops and wet forrest. Flavor is of a nice malty and hop that balance well with a bitter ending. Pretty good beer, could see this as a great sessionable beer during all times of the year. Not on the same level as say Rogue’s Brutal Bitter, but keeping everything in perspective, its a good bitter that is easily obtainable. Red Hook produces decent quality beers that are readily available to the average joe. Much better that the swill from AB and the other mega’s, but not exactly in the same sphere as the micro’s that are now "the" beers and ales to truly experience.

Hazy golden color, light tan head, some very tiny bubbles mixed with some larger soapy ones. Fruity, citrusy, grapefruit aroma. Heavy hoppy flavors mixed with a sweet malty base. Sweet-but-bitter flavor profile, very well-balanced. Good stuff.

I can’t believe I haven’t rated this yet; it was one of my "gateway" beers. Pours a copper orange with a thin white head. Smell of sweet malt and surprisingly some alcohol. The taste is rather mild with an earthy hop and light malt flavor. Not a bad beer to have in the fridge when your BMC buddies come over.

Bottled. A clear, golden beer with some beige head. Hops, malt, more hops, beef-stock and some alcohol makes the aroma. The flavor is quite hoppy and piney, but is too short on malt to make it a balanced beer. It’s not bad though. It is full-bodied, and with a piney finish followed up by malt and stock. A nice beer, but a bit on the hoppy side, definately not the average English ESB. (070119)

clear copper appearance with diminishing head. A nice yeasty and hoppy aroma that is consistent with the yeast and bitter flavor. Overall, an agreeable brew that can be bought at most supermarkets.

355ml bottle. Pale copper body with a white head. Light aroma, some caramel malt, citrus, hoppy. The flavor has a pleasant malt profile with a balanced hop level. OK bitter finish. A decent bitter that not would offend anyone.

12oz. Bottle: Aroma is weak and smells generally of floral hops and caramel malts. Poured amber in color with a small, off-white head that mainly diminished. Clear and lightly sparkling. Flavor is moderately sweet and lightly bitter. Tastes of caramel, brown sugar, and a little hops. Starts bitter but then gets sweet and malty. Medium body. Lively carbonation. Medium-duration, sweet, dry, finish. A slightly below-average ESB that is not very bitter and is too sweet.

Draft: The best option at the beer stand I stood in line for at the Wizards game. Thats said, it wasn’t the best anything else, although I was plesantly suprised. I think overall Redhook might "benifit" from its parent company in terms of ratings on this site. People on here can often be too snobish and instantly write of something that is associated with AB as pure grabage. This wasn’t a world beater by any stretch of the imaginiation, but it was a tasty ESB/Amber.