Redhook Long Hammer IPA - Redhook Ale Brewery

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On cask served in a pint; Advertised as "IPA w/ Summit and Nelson"

Appears a still orange with a foamy off-white cap. Retention is fair and there is minimal lacing.

Aromas of tangerines and hop oil with faint tobacco and a sticky caramel base. Pretty straightforward with nothing really jumping out at me.

The taste is very similar to the nose with tangerines, a dose of hop oil and mild bitterness. Some sticky caramel holds down the low end. Balanced and drinkable.

Oily mouthfeel with a light medium body. Being on cask, the carbonation is low and turns this into more of an english style IPA with a twist.

Pretty easy to drink, but the flavor profile isn't overwhelming enough to keep me happy glass after glass.

Serving type: cask

03-06-2010 01:18:19 | More by ColForbinBC

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev +25.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On cask at the Brewpub in Portsmouth.

The beer pours a peachy orange color with fair head retention and OK lacing. On the nose I get a goodly amount of citrus and pepper, with a hint of green tobacco. Flavors replicate the nose in this very smooth, very drinkable IPA. The bitterness is dialed down a bit with the cask conditioning, but this beer is quite well balanced and is very, very drinkable. On the cask, this almost comes across as a British style IPA, and a pretty good one in fact. There is some bitterness, but it really doesn't dominate the flavor profile.

I know it's fashionable to put these guys down, but this beer surprised me. Nothing wrong with this at all, and I'd happily order it again.

Serving type: cask

03-01-2010 14:12:34 | More by johnmichaelsen

olympuszymurgus

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

long live long hammer! thank the good lord that the marketing team came up with this phallic expression for pushing such a beer on an unsuspecting public. gotta do. hopefully this beer becomes a beer that gets other people started on other flavors.
had on cask at red hook.
looks reasonable, orangey color, the normal casky head that slowly dissipates. actually in this case, very slowly. smells kinda like the fields of yakima. only if you're in your car with the ac on and the windows up. little citrus/grapefruit thing, little pine, little grassiness. the taste is underwhelming but not bad. little malt body to hold this beer up. maybe they are more worried about counting calories? the hops are there but a bit too light. it honestly feels like an unbalanced ipa that's trying to straddle it all and just comes out a little bland. very thin tasting. as much crap as i'm giving them, though, not a bad beer, and i know the path they put us down in the pac nw.

Serving type: cask

01-13-2010 07:51:40 | More by olympuszymurgus

RedDiamond

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

They say that Long Hammer dates back to 1984 and is actually the original Ballard Bitter that's been revisited and repackaged. I won't refute that, but it seems like a stretch to add a touch of dry hopping and reinvent a bitter as an IPA. Those of us who recall the old Ballard Bitter (Ya, Sure, Ya Betcha) have a tough time reconciling that the two are even remotely related. They would outwardly appear to have no more in common than a Prius and a DeSoto.

Redhook frequently offers Long Hammer on cask at their Forecaster's Pub. The cask pour emits a luscious floral hop aroma on a bright copper body with modest haze and airy suds. The flavor is dominated by classic pine-citrus notes courtesy of Cascade and Willamette hops. It also hints at mandarin orange and is not overly bitter. The conditioned body is serene and inviting.

I've also drunk bottled Long Hammer and found it to be among the more palatable of the inexpensive, widely distributed IPAs. The abundance of low reviews here is puzzling, as this is a perfectly fine ale. In addition, it's available everywhere, often at favorable prices.

Serving type: cask

03-30-2009 06:11:33 | More by RedDiamond

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

Served on cask at the Cataqua Public House (Portsmouth, NH) on 2/20/09 in a pint glass.

Pours a crystal clear copper with a finger of unimpressive soapy looking white colored foam. This really doesn't budge much but it also doesn't leave much lacing back either. The aroma is actually decent but just isn't very assertive at all. Floral hops and citrus, with a touch of sweetness. Some more warm-up and vigorous swirling get a little bit more release but not a lot.

The taste is similar to the aroma, with some light bitterness, citrus, and a backbone of sweet caramel and bread. The makings of a good IPA are here but it's just not robust or forward at all, with the taste just opting to fizzle out in the mouth. The mouthfeel is very light bodied with an almost watery feel at times. A bit of a creamy cask feel does come out some but not nearly enough and the overall feel is a definite major drawback of this beer right now.

Wow, this was one of the few beers that I've had where I think the cask conditioning actually hurt it. It was just WAY too light in mouth and the flavors at times barely got this out of Pale Ale territory. Not a very good IPA.

Serving type: cask

03-02-2009 17:58:40 | More by Kegatron

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.03/5  rDev +23.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A (maybe) rhetorical question: does beer taste better in cask? This certainly does. I've had it in bottles and on tap, but it's so much better in cask. A golden color with a thick white, very sticky head. Floral aroma, and a citrus (grapefruit) taste. Very smooth and drinkable. It held up well with jerk chicken wings and Hungarian peppers.

Serving type: cask

09-10-2007 22:12:54 | More by lordofthewiens

mcallister

Ohio

2.42/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Cloudy, murky orange colored. This beer poured and unbelievable, attractive 2 inch head with significant lacing.

Nose is slightly sour and hoppy with a burnt citrusy aroma.

Citrusy taste with a decent hop component but has the sour taste that many cask conditioned beer tend to have that turns me off on the mouthfeel and drinkability department.

Overall not a very good IPA but worth trying anything in cask.

Serving type: cask

04-21-2006 10:44:39 | More by mcallister

PatandDavid

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The most enjoyable beer during my visit to the brewpub. Pour when pulled was a lovely golden color, topped with a frothy and creamery head. Aromawise, I liked the light grassy/haylike notes. Medium mouthfeel. This beer was pleasant and easy to drink. The aroma was duplicated in the taste, and the grassy hops were the most notable and delicious element.

Serving type: cask

04-16-2005 18:14:34 | More by PatandDavid

mschofield

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a cloudy orange-amber with a small stark white head, lacing was very nice, sheets striated by thick rings.
Citrus hop aroma, tops a toasted malt base.
The citrus hops are strong in the taste (lemon and grapefruit), along with the toasted malt.
Not the most complex IPA out there, and truth be told more of a pale ale (not even really an English IPA). Nicely bitter, smooth, medium bodied, good drinking beer. Twice the beer on cask as it is from the bottle or tap.

Serving type: cask

03-02-2004 23:03:59 | More by mschofield

Boto

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

10-03: Had a nice treat. They had a cask version at the brewery. They even served it at the proper temperature. Dark golden with little carbonation. A little clear for a cask beer. Fairly decent hop (grapefruity) signature in the nose and taste. Good malty backbone. Not the most kick I've had in an IPA, but not bad nevertheless.

Serving type: cask

10-14-2003 00:17:52 | More by Boto

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

2.38/5  rDev -27%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Really thin and grainy malts, with some citric hop bitterness at the end, didn't really see too much standing out, very boring watery mouthfeel, and for a cask ale this was extremely below average, this beer is making it really hard for me to meet the minimum character limit for my rating (Cask- GBBF 03')

Serving type: cask

09-29-2003 01:26:54 | More by rastaman

zerk

California

3.38/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clear light copper with a quickly dissipating head that leaves some lace on the glass. Aroma and flavor of caramel and toasted malts, grassy herbs, and a fair amount of bitterness. Quite acidic. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, but a little thin, however. More of an English IPA in my opinion, and a good, if unspectacular example.

Serving type: cask

01-05-2003 13:01:44 | More by zerk

godzillalad

Ireland

3.83/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Nice refreshing IPA, not too bitter with a long lasting malty taste

Its the kind of beer I would drink a lot of if it wasn't quite so strong, but I drink a lot of it anyways...

Bottle in the picture is not the same as the bottle imported to Ireland.

Nice all round IPA

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 22:21:21 | More by godzillalad

Andrew041180

Massachusetts

3.51/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - somewhere between blonde and copper. Some visible carbonation, little head and lacing. Not great examples of what I look for in an IPA.

S - muted, but the scent of hops is detectable.

T - pleasant, but not spectacular. I taste the hops up front with a mild lingering bitterness. Pine more than citrus, malt plays a smaller part.

M - smooth, and without a sticky residue on the finish. Easy to drink.

O - I have recently been craving hops, so this one caught me at the right time. I liked it, nothing I would seek out, but far from something I would pass over.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2013 18:00:48 | More by Andrew041180

Burkbom23

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Really pale copper color. Some haze to it. Kind of dull looking. Lots of bubble of carbination. Pretty large white head with fair retention. Some lacing but not a lot. Mostly hops in the nose. Lots of resin. Pine needles, floral. Some malt backbone there too. Hoppy taste. Again, resin. Some bitterness towards the end, but not overwhelming. Some bready malt there also. Light medium body, kind of oily mouthfeel. Can really get a sense of the dry hopping, in the aroma, taste and feel. Really an easy to drink brew. Session IPA for sure. I wouldnt turn one down.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 01:22:47 | More by Burkbom23

1sophrosyne1

District of Columbia

2.99/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured in to an English dimpled pint glass, cold, then allowed to warm over 20 minutes of tasting.
A somewhat hazy medium gold foundation to a thin but rather durable head.
Mild citrus-sprayed weak flowers sit beside a more mealy aroma of corn tortillas with scallions.
The overall drinking experience, led by the taste and mouthfeel, is closer to that of a lager than an IPA. An oily alkaline cream makes for a less interesting flavor, but gives something to chew on.
It washes down the breadiness of pizza dough nicely, but wouldn't be the centerpiece of any table.
I would certainly drink it as a safe accompaniment to many foods with its pleasing, bright note of hops, but would not seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 03:04:54 | More by 1sophrosyne1

Roguer

Connecticut

3.39/5  rDev +4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A - Nice balance between a coppery IPA color and a more golden AAL. Slightly off-color head, decent head size, but poor retention. No lacing to speak of. Then again, this was in a standard pub glass. Decent amount of carbonation, but not at all special.

S - Small amounts of hops and citrus, some grapefruit, but nothing stands out strongly. For an IPA, the aroma is very subdued; for a normal beer, it smells nice enough, but I didn't detect much standing out.

T - Not bad at all. Some hints of grapefruit, some orange peel. A citrus sweetness, not very strong, but present, and it brings some nice balance. It's actually a nicely balanced beer. Some malts, toast, maybe a hint of pepper. A little bitterness, but not much compared to some of the hop bombs on offer. More bitterness on the backend, more sweetness on the tongue.

M - This is about as drinkable as an AAL, but I didn't feel particularly happy to swish it around and savor the flavors. Absolutely drinkable in bulk, if that's your thing; not quite as nice to savor as am individual experience.

O - This isn't a bad beer by any means, but it's not a particularly great example of the A-IPA style. Maybe it was when it came out; I can't say. For its price point and drinkability, it definitely ranks higher than your standard BMC/AAL, but if I'm grabbing an IPA, this isn't my first choice. Still, it wins points for favoring a little complexity and sweetness over simply emphasizing massive amounts of hops for their own sake.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2013 23:18:33 | More by Roguer

CT949

California

4.25/5  rDev +30.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

In my opinion, Long Hammer is an easy-drinking, tasteful ale. Is it one of the best IPAs on the market? No, but it's been one of my top-10 beers for five years or so, and I don't see that changing in the future. Honestly, to me it is more of an APA than an IPA.

Redhook (and realistically all Craft Brew Alliance beers) are hit-or-miss, but Long Hammer is a solid brew to me. I can see this being a solid transition beer for people entering the IPA realm.

Very drinkable, good taste, not too heavy, affordable.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:55:06 | More by CT949

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.21/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured minimal head on a clear, copper body.
The aroma has a mild lemon and honey smell to it. Not much though.
The taste is fairly tame for an American IPA. Moderate bitterness followed by lemon bitterness to finish.
The texture is crisp with moderate carbonation.
Not a bad drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 01:14:03 | More by Fatehunter

sam_bliss

Washington

3.49/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Long Hammer is a slightly cloudy light orange with a quickly dissipating creme head that leaves impressive lacing. Smells incredibly fruity. Tropical esters and citrus hops layer over light caramel malts. Bitterness hits the front of the mouth and mellows into a ruby red grapefruit taste that lingers throughout the drinking experience. The malts are crisp and biscuity; some chewy banana balances out a bit of soapiness and a sprinkling of pepper. The finish is surprisingly dry with a tiny hint of oily spice. The pine-needle hop flavor brings the lips in for another sip. A refreshing, well-carbonated, and medium-bodied brew.

This Redhook offering is typical of Northwest IPAs, but nothing jumps out as special and no aspect of the beer leaps out of the box.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 03:55:16 | More by sam_bliss

bbluemzbeer

California

1.06/5  rDev -67.5%
look: 1.25 | smell: 1.25 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

This beer was on sale at my local albertson store. I bought one bottle. I decided to take a chance on this one and I wish I did not take it.

Appearance - pours a clear golden yellow with a minimal head.

Smell -Like pine with minimal hops to it

Taste- unpleasant,likec bitterness with metal some citrus acidity. It taste like a battery acid from my car. How can someone brew this an beleive this taste good!

Mouthful - It is Mild, and light on the mouth.

Overall - To be honest, I'm upset that I spent 2 dolars and some change on this beer. Do not buy this even it is on sale!

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 06:23:09 | More by bbluemzbeer

CorvetteMike

Rhode Island

4.16/5  rDev +27.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

From bottle to glass golden color with small head.
a: Golden color, 1 finger width head
s: Mild citrus smell
t: Wonderful taste, no bitterness, or aftertaste
m: Medium body, with no aftertaste
o: Exceptional beer, very refreshing, with a very smooth taste

Sampled this beer while on vacation in Florida, will buy when in Rhode Island.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 23:47:19 | More by CorvetteMike

Choicetrucks

New Hampshire

3.14/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I found this IPA to be in fair running with Smuttynose's version, although Smuttynose has a serious edge. Being a New England clam, I find the Redhook variety a bit cloudy with some particulate flotation. Not sure why. Taste is much like many of the local brewery's I've experienced in the Mt.Washington Valley. This IPA is brewed and bottled in Portsmouth not Seattle. Maybe different there. I found it drinkable and rather tasty with a good hoppy tone. Being new to reviews but not drinking beer I guess I would have to say the community is being a bit hard on this IPA. I find it drinkable and palatable. I little heavy on the alcohol after taste. Nice pour and finish, not hard to put down, but not my everyday cold drink of beer. Good to go for the money!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 23:51:00 | More by Choicetrucks

Kastler

Washington

3.4/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a chilled beer mug

A - A very nice dark golden look. Although there was a tiny bit of sediment that came out of solution since I put it in a chilled glass. Head almost non-existent.

S - Minimal smell. Uncharacteristic of most IPAs

T - Nice hoppy taste. Pretty Mild

M - Good creamy mouthfeel

O - A decent brew, though pretty mild for an IPA. Was hoping for that bold, hoppy aroma and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 02:39:31 | More by Kastler

d1ckvanswype

Florida

3.89/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: A very nice looking beer, all golden and clear, though maybe a little underwhelming for the head, which was off-white and disappeared quickly.

S: Very light and clean smelling, hop oils featuring two notes: Sweet pine and mildly bitter yellow citrus fruit. Sweet malts round it out, very delicate nose for an IPA but not unpleasant at all.

T: The two note hop oils carry over into the flavor, again that strangely sweet and refreshing pine and a bitter yellow citrus, maybe akin to yuzu. Sweet, slightly bready and roasty malts make it rather enjoyable to drink, but there's no way this can be a real IPA. The hop presence and bitterness are too low, at least to me. This really falls into that weird APA/IPA midpoint category that seems to be cropping up.

M: Great mouthfeel actually, it feels rich and somewhat thick in the mouth, with a nicely spritzy feeling across the tongue from the hop bitterness and the salty carbonic acid. Barely, barley starting to get sticky feeling halfway through a bottle, not overtly resinous.

O: Not a BAD beer, certainly one that helped me get into the flavors of hops along with Sierra Nevada's Pale, but as I get into bigger, better beers this one seems more and more just slightly above average. Not talking down about this beer though, I still enjoy drinking it, I'm just out of the honeymoon phase about it.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 02:14:36 | More by d1ckvanswype