#long hammer

I am so into Red Hook IPA - it’s yummy, right?

Pour

Poured into a SA Perfect Pint glass (different pour above, because I wanted to use the Red Hook sample glass).

Apperance

Redhook's Long Hammer IPA pours very clear and golden with a tinge of orange. The head is one to one and a half fingers, lasted a couple of minutes and left faint lacing.

Aroma

Very faint nose, with very small hints of the malts used.  Doesn't overpower like many IPAs.

Taste

Bitter hops are more muted than most IPAs, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Hopheads may be a little discouraged, but average beer drinkers will enjoy the balanced taste of the hops in this brew.  Slight sweetness upfront smooths the rest of the taste, leading to a cleaner aftertaste.

Body

This IPA has a bit of a heavier mouthfeel than would be expected.  It's still clean and crisp but it carries a little more weight than most IPAs.

Finish

Although the hops are somewhat muted, there's a definite bitter aftertaste associated with this brew. It is noticeably less than that of other IPAs, probably because of the slight sweetness, but still a strong enough characteristic to stand out.

Rating: 

Brewer: Red Hook Ale Brewery

Type: India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.5

Color: Brass Trumpet (SRM 8.4) 

Review: In proper IPA fashion this beer is packed with flavor. It hits all your tastes buds and it's staying power is strong enough that is that you'll still feel the flavor in the front of your mouth afterwards. In fact the taste is more present after you've swallowed then when it first hits your lips. The smell is similar to pine... yes this beer smells like a Christmas Tree according to us okay? This light headed beer wasn't one of our favorites however we feel there is a place for it... with your meal. Lets be clear that this isn't something to drink with dinner or lunch... this is something we would love to see used in kitchen. We plan on trying using this while cooking chicken... we'll let you know how it turns out.

Cheers,