Redhook Winterhook

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

Serve in English pint, Trappist glass

Pours a deep sharp amber color. The head is initially strong, thick, tan, and ceamy with lacing (poured into a lager glass which may account for head). The aroma was very hoppy, piney (shrubber85), with some malt charactr. The taste is dominated by hop too, with a seconday malt character. Tastes like an amber/brown ale mixed with an ale of moderate hop bitterness (pale ale, esb). There is also some belgian sour/earthy smell and taste too it, maybe i’m misreading that. Palate is interesting on account of the carbonation.

Bottle. Very strong pine/cedar resin aroma - hard to detect anything else. Clear medium amber color with small head. Moderate malt and strong hops flavor with really only a hint of the pine - from the aroma, I was afraid it would taste like Pinesol. Very interesting how it has such a strong pine aroma but it doesn’t come out much in the flavor.

UPDATED: DEC 23, 2006 Bottle: Amber color with off-white, thin head and no lace. Floral aroma with hints of citrus and pine. Quite apealing. Wonderful spices, citrus, and pine in the mouth, hops present through out. Finish is a little weak, as was the body, but a pleasent pine flavor lingers. I found this to be a very fine beer, just not a very good example of the style.

UPDATED: NOV 29, 2006 Bottle Dark amber pour with almost no head. Light malty aroma with some spice. Flavor has a nice blend of hops, spice, other wintery things. Very thin, smooth, and drinkable.

Tap at Old Chicago, Old Town, Wichita, KS. Pours like weak tea, with minimal lacing. Spicy malt aroma. Interesting blunt hops with a slight unsweetened tea finish. Watery mouthfeel. Nice brew.

clear copper colored with a small head. notes of spicey nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon in aroma. spicey at first with a bready malt finish. nice, but needs more spices. light-med bodied.

Pours a burned amber into the glass with a minimal head and minimal lacing. The nose is of roasted hops, some mild pine notes as well. Not terrible, but not "rich" and "hearty", per se. The mouthfeel is a bit thin for a winter brew. The malts are pale/slightly biscuity, with a dry palate and dry roasted finish. Some pine resin notes make their way to the back palate, where there "might" lurk some pie spices (which is nice for the pine, not so much for the spices). Overall, it just seems like there are a few good individual contingencies, of which none seem to compliment one another well.

Bottle - Pours a copper red.... Nose is strong hops and citrus.... Taste is rather grassy and bready... Not a big fan of IPA style winter brews .. but its decent