Redhook Winterhook - Redhook Ale Brewery

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Houlihan's restaurant in Maple Grove, MN. They were out of the Sam seasonal so this would have to do. Like most of the Redhook brews, this beer is unoffensive and taste watered down, even at 6.1%. There's some lightly roasted caramel and not much else. I don't know what's "winter warmer" about this, reminds me of a basic amber.

UPDATE: Bottle from Liberty St. Tavern.
The current bottled version has a nice, seemingly dry-hopped bite to it, but on the other hand there's also an unpleasant metallic taste. I'd still call this an improvement.

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2007 06:11:51 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

2.83/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Ruby tinted with a nice sized tan head, leaving lacing around my glass fine but hey it's there. Aromatics: The cascades weigh in nicely here upfront floral and piney not bad not a lot of malt sweetness but definitely not bad the hops are nice. Flavor: Is definitely tame, low pur of caramel malt tones slightly spiced not bad at all, with what I was expecting to be a roaring hop profile was nothing at all just a mild finish of hops, disappointing but I was expecting much. Mouthfeel: Thin not much texture lacks body, smooth carbonation for a winter seasonal this is a light beer. Drinkability: Is mediocre cant' picture myself buying this ever again.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2003 23:10:48 | More by WVbeergeek

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.23/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured out a dark tea/coffee color with just a hint of off-white suds and lots of lacing.
Nose is caramel, a slight spice and hops and that is about it. Some alcohol comes through. Taste is bland but the hops do bitter the mouth up in the end. Mouthfeel is a little oily and ok overall

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2009 03:01:01 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

2.48/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Dark, dark amber; clear. Very nice lace, although the head died quickly.

The aroma features an overheated electrical engine smell--not appealing. Plasticky. Sorry, this one is a miss.

Good mouthfeel, high carbonation, rich. Flavorwise, I really can't get over the smell that seems to be present in the taste. This is a malty beer, even though it is masked. I can give this one some points for decent balance.

Overall, I would describe this as a miss. Certainly, this is a beer I won't be seeking out again.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2005 03:16:56 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

3.53/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nice reddish color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy tan head, with some minimal sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, slight hops, with some spices. The taste is malty, slight hop, spicy. Medium body. Drinkable, this is a nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2008 01:27:36 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.48/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours with a five finger off-white head leaving a good lace. Nice crystal clear amber color. The nose is hoppy with some spices. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Flavor is a mellow blend of spices with a nice hop backbone. Decent winter ale. $1.50 for 12oz from Capitol Convenience, Concord, NH.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2007 23:40:07 | More by jdhilt

Jason

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

One winter seasonal that I have probably seen the most improvement over the years is Winterhook. Its been around since 1985 in one form or another but seems to be on the stable path for several years now. Bright clarity off of the deep copper color brew, awesome looking lacing as it leaves a web like trail down the glass. Malty aroma of toasted grain and caramel, hint of floral and grassy hops as well. The smoothness is certainly there with a small crispness that drops off quick in the medium body. Spicy, herbal and bit time floral hop flavor don a balanced bitterness that lingers far into the drying finish.

High in drinkability, flavorful and a bit complex yet approachable enough to bring to a holiday party. By far its one of my favorites each year.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2007 04:13:24 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.08/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Light brown and foamy, left alot of foamy lace. Crisp and refreshing, nice qualities for this syle beer. Very smooth and long malty center, Mild/mellow hop finish. nice balance and drinkability. Good session brew. A pleasant quaffer. Tried this one on tap. Didnt have the time to let it warm up abit in the glass.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2004 02:17:32 | More by Billolick

Zorro

California

3.03/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A clear red colored beer with an OK short tan head.

The smell is sweet and malty with a woody tea like aroma and faint hints of spice. Spice is mainly vanilla and spruce with maybe a hint of citrus.

The taste begins malty and a little woody in the finish. Vanilla and a bitter hop finish are the first things to emerge here with a spruce or pine flavor.

The mouthfeel is OK.

An OK winter warmer and nothing more. If I want a good version of the style I would get 2 below or an Alaskan Winter Ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2007 04:44:50 | More by Zorro

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Portsmouth Brewery Chataqua Public House on 11/1/08.

Pours a deep, clear amber with a 1/2 finger of creamy off-white head. Solid covering of retention leaves a soft cascade of lacing behind. The aroma is fresh, floral hops with a bit of spice to it and some underlying malt sweetness.

The taste is a slightly tangy mix of citrus and caramel malts with a nice floral tasting hop bitterness that wraps everything up nicely. The mouthfeel is light-medium bodied with a crisp carbonation up front that spreads out into a more creamier feel.

This is probably one of my favorites from Redhook with some nice chewy sweetness but it's the freshness of the hops here that really did it for me with this pint. Tasty and pretty easy drinking for the size.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2008 18:02:26 | More by Kegatron

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Deep clear crimson in color. Medium sized creamy and dense boned white head. Retention is good and lacing is nice. This beer has got a bit of that dry hopped West Coast hop aroma that I love. Piney, citrusy and grapefruity. There is also some slight maltiness noted on the nose. While there is a caramel malt presence noted, this year's edition has more of a West Coast hop presence....the flavor and bitterness. Grapefruity and piney. Not too bad. Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated. Body about medium full. Yeah, this is an improvement over the last few years, but it's still not one I'm gonna run out and buy a 12 pack of every year.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2003 03:21:55 | More by Bighuge

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.13/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Winterhook doesn't seem as consistent as it used to in earlier years. A little thin appearance and malt wise. Reminiscient of some hybrid red and porter, but neither one comes across like it should. Hopping very good, tastes like Cascades?

Would be a much better beer if it were thicker, like a true winter beer should. Maybe I'm slamming it a bit much, but I think this is just fine for a summer beer, I want some heft in my winters. . .

A little bit of chocolate and roasted nuts underlie the surface. Good hopping. Serviceable.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2009 22:38:15 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

First had: on tap at Redhook, Woodinville, WA

Board info called this a English-style strong ale.

Poured a clear chestnut color with a frothy beige head that retains well. Toasty malts in the aroma, nutty with a bit of sweetness. Nutty taste, malty, toasty, a bit bland. Some light hops come through near the end for a slightly bitter finish. Medium mouthfeel and somewhat drinkable, but not that great. Reminded me more of an amber ale than a winter warmer or strong ale.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2011 17:08:58 | More by Rifugium

DoubleJ

California

3.85/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had already reviewed this beer and thought it was bland, but I accidently put this in my shopping basket, but now I'm glad I did. Retry! On to the beer:

This beer is copper in color, hues of orange with a solid head on top and trickles of lacing. The aroma is hoppy....a clean and crisp fruity aroma. Bit of caramel too. The taste is a winner. Pleasantly hoppy and malty. Good mix of caramel and sweet dough to go with the grapefruit and piney hop flavors. There's also a hint of orange flavor. Finishes clean. A good drinkable beer overall, and one that paired well with my spicy pork tenderloin topped with BBQ sauce.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 03:17:38 | More by DoubleJ

Gusler

Arizona

3.23/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a limpid deep garnet color, the head impressive in size, the color a light tan, frothy in texture, as it self-destructs a sealing sheet of lace is formed. Nose is malt loaded and sweet, hints of caramel, crisp and fresh, the start is lightly sweet, the top skeletal in feel. Finish is striking in its acidity, the hops indifferent in their spiciness, very dry and lingering aftertaste. Drinkable beer, but is a bit thin-waisted for me to give it much credit.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2003 23:16:56 | More by Gusler

Brad007

Vermont

3.73/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a amber color with creamy one-finger head. Aroma is nice and spiced. Taste is malty upfront with the spices disappearing in the back of the throat. Not as overpowering as other examples I've had. Very smooth like a pale ale. I supposed it still qualifies as a winter warmer but the spices are not overpowering like other examples I've had.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2007 23:06:24 | More by Brad007

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Sam Adams Sensory Glass. 2008 Style.

Color is a light carmel brown. Pours a decent head that leaves a medium level of lace.

Aroma is of piney hopes. Some spices are also noted. Taste is of similiar piney hops. A slight hint of carmel is also tasted.

Mouthfeel is smooth, but bitter (due to the hops). Leaves a dry taste in mouth.

Overall, a solid beer. I would recommend this winter style ot anybody.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2008 02:11:56 | More by mothman

tavernjef

Minnesota

3.63/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Color is a clearish coppery brown, medium sized head of light tan hue, fades slow to a thin puff and lace sticks in moth holed-sheets. Smell is roasted malts, somewhat hefty and heavy, sweet with solid caramel and toffee thats reminiscent of burnt cookies. Hop notes of deep pine. Mostly coming through as it warms. Taste has a good portion of sweet malts, caramel, lightly burnt, lightly earthy, hops come across late with a fairly nice bite and bitterness that lends some dried pineyness. Some spiced grab shows through in the finish along with a smidgon of alcohol thats a bit warming. Feel is medium bodied and has a light grainy texture with a hop kick in alot of the finish with a spicy note. Not bad for Redhook, I was expecting something lack luster, but the late kick this has kept me intrigued.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2003 17:49:05 | More by tavernjef

mactrail

California

3.05/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Lovely cherry-toned coppery amber in color. Nice foam in the Brewery Vivant tulip with some champagne bubbles and a pleasant spritz on the tongue. Flattens out after a while to a dull fruity ache.

Moderate body makes for a rich but thirst-quenching gulp. Slight fragrance of caramel with a little mustiness. Timid sweetness subsides into dark graininess. A touch of wintergreen and kale. Settles into a long, long hoppy taste that is rather bitter and radiates that herbal note. Just a little dry woodiness as if there was a splash of Belgian yeast and a glug out of the barrel.

This used to be one of the several winter beers I'd look forward to, and it does have some fruity charms. Increasing bitterness in the aftertaste wins back no old friends, however. From the 22 oz bottle bought at Baron's Marketplace in San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 04:49:48 | More by mactrail

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +24.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep chocolaty opaque brown; tan head has fine bubbles and persists some. Aroma is rich and creamy and fairly malty with strong hints of spice and coffee. Flavor is mainly malty and has a roast coffee overtone and hints of spice and hops. Very smooth, perfect for the winter holidays.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2007 23:38:56 | More by Cyberkedi

ccrida

Oregon

2.85/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into a shaker, bronze with a tight, creamy off-white head that leaves light lace

Smell is almost non-existant, faint caramel. Served to cold, but I nursed it for a while with out much change...

Taste is malty, sweet caramel and a touch fruity, with a hint of tinniness on the aftertaste thats the main ditraction in this otherwise thicker, sweet amber.

MF is average, creamy in the mouth and not to heavy in the belly.

Drinkability is average. This is fine, and a bit distinct, but not in a great way.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2008 06:37:27 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - The body is a very dark brown but clear. The head was just gorgeous. It lept up instantly, held on for a while, pitted beautifully, and left tons of shaving cream lacing on the glass.

Smell - The sweet malt aroma is faint, yet very winteresque. There seems to be a mild hop balance as well.

Taste - The flavor is thinner than I had anticipated from the nose, but the malt sweetness is good. It's very one-dimensional though and pales in comparison to the taste that I had on-tap at the brewery. I didn't write a review for that one because I didn't take any notes, but I remember it being much fulller and substantial.

Mouthfeel - Very little carbonation to this light to medium-bodied ale. It's very light and smooth; thin in the mouth yet non-intrusive.

Drinkability - This has the ease and drinkability of a summar ale yet the yearning flavors of the strong, old style. I think it's lost in a time warp. It's too light for the acclaimed style yet too dark and malty for a summer refresher. The worse of both worlds? It's really not that bad, but I must consider it a miss on most counts.

Update - The 2004 bottle is better than the one I sampled in '03. It seems a bit bigger and the hops are definitely bigger, at least I'm picking them out that way. I still thought the Mouthfeel should be bigger for the flavors but am otherwise moving all the other ratings to 4.0.

Update - The 2005 vintage is right on par with the '05. The Mouthfeel is still lacking but overall it's a good brew.

Update - The 2009 vintage has now extended the pattern. This beer has nice flavors and actually looks pretty cool but lacks a strong body.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2003 04:27:46 | More by RoyalT

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Redhook Ale Brewery
Winterhook

LOOK: Dark amber colored brew bordering on brown. Off white head forms and leaves a considerable amount of lace.

SMELL: Herbal, tea like aromas with a sweet toffee like maltyness.

TASTE: Toffee/caramel flavors from the malts and a strong hop bitterness. Hop character here is very coarse, leafy, resinous and full of pine. Caramel malt sweetness paired with a herbal bitterness that makes for a well balanced brew.

FEEL: On the light side of medium bodied, well carbonated, and smooth. Drinks effortlessly.

OVERALL: Though the vintage changes every year , this winter warmer drinks almost like a dark pale ale. Surprising amount of hop character for a winter warmer, and is a refreshing option in the holiday rotation.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 19:32:29 | More by Stinkypuss

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev -22%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a clean copper/ orange-ish color, with a white head. In the aroma, a sweet, sugary fruitiness. In the taste, malty, and a very sugary corriander taste. A big body, with a small bite in the mouthfeel, and a dry sugary, orange-ish aftertaste. Kind of candy like, and a nice body.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2007 16:47:31 | More by OWSLEY069

TheLongBeachBum

California

3.53/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: Tall thin 12 ounce bottle. Labeled like the picture in the BA Database. The Bottled On Date finishes in ….08 03 the previous numerals are worn and not that discernable. Twist off cap was destroyed by my Samuel Smiths Bottle Opener.

Appearance: A clear but dark looking copper color body underneath a light tan colored head that is creamy looking, smooth and has a good longevity. Thick lacing eventually thins as the beer is downed, but the lacing looks good. Backlit it has a deep ruby hints. Solid conditioning. It looks great in my McEwan’s Scotch Ale Glass Goblet.

Nose: Biscuit and oatmeal with some sweet malts. Has a nice hop nose that rises at the back end with some feint pine oils. A baked bread nose builds as the temperature rises.

Taste: Malts start the beer, with some bitterness in the middle. The finish has an oatmeal cereal feel with a light sourness to it. As you drink through this it has a simple feel that is good but can be a little one-dimensional.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy at first with a spiky carbonation aided by a porridge like feel in the back end. Bitterness cuts the oatmeal porridge in the latter third. Finishes dry and acidic.

Drinkability: Easily dispatched and a nice drinking beer but a little too one-dimensional and a tad thin at times.

Overall: Thanks to BigHuge for the chance to finish off this Winter Ale before the Spring breaks through. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2004 07:39:50 | More by TheLongBeachBum