If the interruption in the usual state of affaris cause by the Super Bowl and Chicago’s Super Blizzard did anything for me, it let me catch up on a few postings I’ve been meaning to do. That includes talking about a few beers.
At this time, I have before me Redhook Brewery’s Winterhook. It’s the 30th anniversary edition of thir winter English style ale. Like a Christmas Beer, each year’s edition has some variation in the recipe, but generally involves pale malts with a few dark chocolate malts, and, for this year, flaked rye, along with the roundup of Pacific Northwest hops. This bottle was sent to me for my comment by Redhook, and arrived wrapped in an “ugly sweater” woolen bootie. It seems appropriate to pop this one now, since it’s from the Seattle area, which has been much in the Sports news of late.
Poured into a glass, the beer has the warm body of an English Brown Ale, with a head the dwindles to dishwasher suds. The beer does present a brown ale taste, a bit earthy and toasty, with notes of honey and some fruit esters. Despite using piney Cascade, Centennial and Nuggets hops, the impression of of earhty English style hops, perhaps a balance from the malt. This tips in at 6.)% abv, just at the high edge of a session beer. The end result is something rather smooth and easy to drink.
