Redhook Winterhook

Brewed by Redhook Brewery
Style: English Strong Ale
Woodinville, Washington USA

Mahogany appearance with a small, off white head and good lacing. Fairly hoppy aroma, with pine in the forefront balanced a bit by caramel malts. Moderately sweet taste, some resin, with a woodsy edge. Medium bodied, well carbonated mouthfeel with a short lived finish.

Sampled from bottle. Pours clear, dark brown with a thin, collared head. Aroma is very subtle with only some earth and coffee notes. Flavor is slightly bitter with chocolate, pine and black pepper. Bitterness lingers. Medium-full body, moderately carbonated. Other than its looks, a decent beer. Quite hoppy for the style

Seems to be the seasonal trend. Just toss in some roasted malts and barley, and act like it is roasted chestnuts. Well, this was sessional, but definitely not seasonal. I made up a new word! Well, like I said. Nut brown pour with amber hints. Tan head. Lots of roasted malts, some dark fruits. Nothing really stand out about it. I feel cheated usually by seasonal brews, and this one also being the case. Lots of caramel in the aftertaste.

Bottle. Pours red amber with an off white head. Floral hop aroma with some sweet caramel malt. The flavor is well balanced, for floral hops, a bit lighter than the aroma, and sweet caramel. Not bad.

Light amber color with a generous head that settled to a nice coating. Sweet, fruity, floral nose. Fruitiness is apparent early, followed by a smooth transition to an overripe fruit aftertaste that is bitter with noticeable alcohol. Decent lacing. A good beer that I will drink again next Winter.

12oz bottle. Pours a lovely ruby-twinged amber with a tannish head. Aroma is distinctly hoppy, with some added components of juniper, coriander, and a bit of caramel. Taste is creamy and fairly full, with an initial flavor of roasted malt, caramel, and spices giving way to a crisp and very dry finish of hops and rye. I am not usually a fan of hoppy brews in the winter, but this one is a pleasant surprise.

Pours ruby/amber, tan head. Aroma is hoppy with herbal-pine. Taste, hoppy with caramel malts. Overall mouthfeel and finish is hoppy and caramelized. Found the beer to be too hoppy and lacking any significant spices to make this one a trully enjoyable winter ale.

A pretty standard tasting winter ale. Red Hook turns out good stuff, and this is no exception, but stacked up against the other NW micro winter brews, it is not quite as good.