Redhook Winterhook - Redhook Ale Brewery

RedDiamond

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I think I'd previously described the color of this ale as like "moonrise over Venus" owing to its radiant scarlet glow. That original bottled beer review dates to 2003, back in my "Jimi Hendrix" phase of beer reviewing. Far out.

Returning to this ale at the source where it's brewed reveals a beer of far more hops than I remember. Both the aroma and taste impart a bright hoppy immediacy like a handful of Cascade pellets. Hop flavor posits an herb and spice flare against an alt-like nuttiness that delivers more character than I was expecting. And the freshness of the draught is notable. If I had to venture a deconstructionist guess I'd say Winterhook is IPA hops on ESB malts with an alt-like yeast.

Very effective as a winter warmer. Almost compelling.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2009 04:27:46 | More by RedDiamond

Brent

Kentucky

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

Like the sign on a junkyard I sometimes pass: "striving to be above average." Nice brown-copper color. Lots of nutty roasted malt notes, leaning a bit toward the sweet side. Winter warmer? More of a robust brown ale. Pleasant but not memorable.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 00:33:24 | More by Brent

blackie

Virginia

2.8/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

appearance: A somewhat reserved pour creates a thin, off white head. The beer is copper in color.

smell: Smells pretty nutty. A considerable aroma of grassy hops is present. Dark fruits, maybe some light raisins and dates. Smells average, nothing special, but unoffensive. Definate sharp alcohol aroma, which should have been easily covered up given the fact that this beer is only 6.1%. Tastes worse the more I drink, which is confusing.

mouthfeel: Carbonation is a low medium and the body is medium.

taste: The same nuttiness from the aroma is present here. Hops are moderate, and provide only bitterness. Not much else to it, really. Kinda boring. Finish is slightly astringent with some roasted flavors lingering.

drinkability: easy to drink, but not very good

Bottled 10/18/05

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2005 04:02:59 | More by blackie

champ103

Texas

3.83/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: A deep copper/red color. It has a great head with lots of sticky lace.
S: Sweet malt with some dark fruit flavors (raisins and plumbs) and nice floral hops.
T: Similar to the nose with dark fruits and some peach, but much more hop bitterness than I was expecting. Very good overall.
M/D: I found this very watery and thin in the mouth. There is no coating of the mouth that is present in many other winter warmers. Though, it is very drinkable. The low ABV for the style helps in this department.

A nice winter warmer. Not as "big" as some other beers of this style. That is not a bad thing at all, actually that is what I like most about it. The people at Redhook did not try to over do this beer, and what you get is a very drinkable and tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2007 06:10:41 | More by champ103

alexgash

Connecticut

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

Dark copper brown body with a sticky, light-tan head.
Smells of rich sugary toffee malt. Big spicy, sprucey hops are there too. Not bad, although there are also some faint metallic notes.
Toffee cookie dough malt flavors start it off. Hops come in midway to balance the light sweetness. The hops are bitter, piney, and kind of citrusy. Chewy, medium-big body. Some residual sweetness trespasses in an otherwise resiny, bitter finish. A surprisingly decent strong ale-ish beer. I was prepared to find this thing mediocre (like other Redhook beers I’ve had in the past).

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2004 21:51:36 | More by alexgash

GClarkage

California

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12/08/04- Purchased at Piazza's Market in San Mateo, CA

Presentation- Poured into my Englander pint glass. 12 oz bottle with born on date of 11/02/04.

Appearance- Pours a dark amber color, 1/4-1/2 inch brownish head and above average lacing.

Smell- Mostly sweet hops and a tad of spices. Maybe a little medicinal or bubble gum scent.

Taste- Hmmm, don't taste a whole bunch of spices. Pretty much tastes like a decent IPA. Maybe a little clove or spices mixed in, but for the most part some pine and fruity hops. Towards the end I may have picked up some kind of roasted malt flavor also.

Mouthfeel- Decent carbonation, not thick at all. Goes down nicely.

Drinkability- Wouldn't choose this as a winter warmer, as it really didn't warm me up, but as an IPA with a tad bit of spices makes it interesting. Definite decent beer worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2004 04:13:26 | More by GClarkage

drpimento

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not too bad. Aroma's a bit hoppy but none in the flavor. Flavor, however, is decent with a ttinge of dry-roastyness. Nice rich dark amber, reddish color. Light head that lasts somewhat. Almost no lace. Fairly balanced. ok mouthfeel. Decent finish. Could be a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 00:25:30 | More by drpimento

tdm168

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark caramel amber with a mountain of brownish, off white head that is dense and foamy and has great retention. The nose has a rather big hop aroma that is piny, earthy, and spicy. The flavor has a caramel sweetness to it as well as a slight spice character with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish is pretty hoppy with some citrusy, piny, earthy notes. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

I like that there is a winter warmer that is a little hoppier and not so over spiced, this is though a little simple and I'm indifferent about it overall. Nothing really stands out for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 22:41:23 | More by tdm168

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Good enough with a dark brown color and a full inch of slightly opaque head. A bit of stickiness to the head as well.

S - Smells has only a slight bit of wood but mostly sweet malts of caramel or toffee.

T - A bit of herbal taste that is somewhere between medicine and tea with bittering hops and a sweet finish. I want to say it's balanced but that herbal tea flavor is giving me a dry taste in my mouth.

M - Light to medium but very dry and herbal.

Overall not something I would reach for again and pretty light for a winter warmer. Drink is balanced for what it is but it just taste like their ESB only double which means too much herbal tea flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 01:29:01 | More by DrDemento456

merlin48

Kentucky

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

Has a pretty medium copper color after poured into a pint glass. Little head retention, but nice lacing that hangs around. Pleasant nose is a bit complex, but dominated by malt sweetness, hops, and a hint of woodsy spices. Medium bodied in the mouth, definitely crisp with hops. I swear that there are some kind of spices trying to reach out and bite your tongue. Dry aftertaste and definitely a belly warmer. Above average for a seasonal ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2003 22:51:47 | More by merlin48

Vancer

Illinois

2.73/5  rDev -24%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Welp, this one doesn’t warm the cockles of my tummy. Oh yeah, good start with nice looking DATED label (bottled 11/27/05, 6% abv). Sharp dark mahogany pour, topped by a frothy tan head, which unfortunately died rather quickly.

Pronounced leather and spices in the aroma, this should be good…. but wait! Darn! A moderately harsh leather and floral bite on the quaff. Just not enough malt to balance it out properly.

Crisp and tart, the 6% fries the little hairs off your tongue. If offered freebies, this is drinkable – if I have to buy, I’d go with several others before this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2006 16:31:56 | More by Vancer

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A dark, caramel color beer. Not as heavy as imagined. Small, thin head, but it did stay a bit in spots.
Smelled like caramel, roasted malt and almonds. Not very powerful.
Taste had about the same. Nut, roasted malt, caramel. Thinner than a winter ale ought to be, lower alcohol content. Can drink it fairly well.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2006 16:39:12 | More by Mebuzzard

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

poured a medium copper color with sparse head. Smell is mainly of malt with some dark fruitiness mixed in. Taste is of caramel, malt, and dark fruit with little hops present.. Finish if fruity with some alcohol notes. An OK beer, reminds me winter will be coming soon.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2005 00:59:22 | More by tgbljb

mynie

Indiana

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Kind of light for the style, a wonderful shimmering red with a retentive white head and bubbles sparkling clear like champagne.

Smells of surprising hops against traditional chocolately warmer malt, no hint of alcohol. West coast hops, cascade, I think. Lightly floral and above average bitterness.

Starts out with the same mild hop kick of an average APA, but that moves quickly into the rounded, sweet malt of a warmer and ends on a sweet, bready note. No real sign of yeast or alcohol.

Definetely a warmer, but probably the hoppiest warmer I've ever had. This isn't to say that it's hoppy on a grand scale, just that warmers usually don't have any hop presence at all. This is nice change of pace, and that fact that it's free of the usually burny warmer aftertaste (which often contrasts poorly against sweet malts), is a good thing.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2007 06:14:17 | More by mynie

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a deep copper color with amber highlights and a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of malts and spices. Taste is malty, bready, some nutmeg and cinnamon, good flavor but not great for this style. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is a good quality beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 20:50:36 | More by tone77

Bierman9

New Hampshire

4.03/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This Bier has a clear, dark copper/chestnut color. Head is tan and creamy, lasts well, and leaves excellent lacing. Body bordered on medium, and it felt fairly smooth on the tongue. Plenty of hops in the nose, with a touch of sweetness as well. Flavor starts a bit malty, with a hint of sweetness, caramel and spiciness. It is soon followed by plenty of hops, west-coast style, which stick nicely on the palate. Nice Bier!
Prosit!!!

overall: 4.1
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4

645

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2003 21:08:14 | More by Bierman9

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.22/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm surprised this beer hasn't been reviewed. Redhook East is a good brewery, and the pub serves great food. Anyway, this winter seasonal is a nice dark amber color with a fairly thick creamy head. Good lacing. It has a sweet molasses smell to it, and a fruity, cinnamon taste. Good mouthfeel, not too carbonated. A very drinkable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2006 12:52:21 | More by lordofthewiens

KarlHungus

Minnesota

2.4/5  rDev -33.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

This beer pours a clear pale amber color. The head is small, and recedes very quickly into almost no lacing. The aroma is of caramel malt, but is very faint. The taste is like the aroma. The mouthfeel is medium-light bodied with annoyingly high carbonation. Overall, this is an extremely pour example of a winter warmer, and a bad beer all around. It isn't bad enough that I can't finish one bottle, but I won't drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2008 21:58:40 | More by KarlHungus

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - reddish brown amber, light tan head, thin cover with no breaks. Thin stringy lacing.

Aroma - an initial burst of citrus gives way to a slightly metallic nose. That settles down and lets a slightly sweet and toasty malt aroma through. That fades too, but is still slightly noticeable.

Taste - hops hit first, well to the bitter side with a shallow sweetness to them. There is a malt taste in there as well, once you get accustomed to the hops. Lightly toasted in nature, while they don't completely stand up to the hoppage, they do okay. The finish is mostly a solo reprise of the hop flavor profile, just to a diminished degree.

Mouthfeel - good body, smooth, solid and filling as a winter warmer should be. Average carbonation.

Drinkability - this could be a great session beer for hopheads in winter. I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2005 15:57:22 | More by brewdlyhooked13

Floydster

California

3.38/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle that was purchased as a part of a six pack at Ralphs for around seven dollars

Poured into my Ommegang glass with a reddish brown color and a slighly off white head that was about a half inch, not much retention and very little lacing

Smell was bready malt aromas, some mild hoppiness, caramel, some fig, other dark fruits, and some scents

Taste was chewy from the beginning with some nice hoppy accents to balance it out, some berry flavors throughout, the finish was pretty dry and only got a little sweeter once the beer warmed, caramel flavor that was identified in the aroma was a nice part of its taste, definitely had an amber-like malt character, subtle and a taste that kept me coming back for more

Body was really thin for a winter warmer, I prefer them much thicker personally, good level of carbonation, but the taste did not last long

Could drink three or four of these before I got really full from its heaviness, alcohol percentage is not very high but this beer would get old after a while

One of the better beers I have had from Red Hook, certainly not the best winter beer I tasted this year but not too bad, recommended mainly because it is so inexpensive

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2008 16:47:11 | More by Floydster

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

RedHook WinterHook Ale- Mugsys bar Rte 70 ( Toms River/ Bricktown)

Appearance- A nice dark red with a thick white head
Smell- bitter hops with a citrus and floral
Taste- bitter. Citrus and floral hops. good!
Mouthfeel- sharp bitterness. Nice little aftertaste. No bubbly carbonation.

Overall, a good Ale that I enjoyed but Sierra Nevada would be a sufficiant replacement and slighty more enjoyable!

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2004 21:46:04 | More by NJpadreFan

kmpitz2

Tennessee

4.13/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This beer poured a deep red to slightly brown color with a finger of head that fell to coat the beer. The nose was sweet, very sweet caramel with a light touch of hop. Not too bad. The flavor was well balanced between the sweet caramel and sweet grapefruit and piney hops. Where the beer lacked was in the mouthfeel. It was just too thin. Overall a nice easy sipping beer that was good to start a night. I'd have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2004 19:50:39 | More by kmpitz2

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I saw this sucker on-tap and decided to sample it; I'm a sucker for new stuff, what can I say? The body is surprisingly clear, and a little lighter than I would have expected also, with an amber color. The head is off-white, two fingers tall, and both retention and lacing are pretty good.

The aroma mixes hops, malt and spices, but overall, it isn't especially powerful.

I honestly expected this beer to be bad, but I have to say it won me over, as it is pretty good. The hop profile is pretty powerful, with bright citrus and a floral flavor that come through immediately. The bitterness is light, however, because the big malt base eclipses it before it can really go to work on your mouth. The malt brings lots of toasted flavors with a little bit of grain. Toffee and sweet caramel are also prominent. Pretty evenly balanced between the malt and hops here, with an ample amount of each. I don't really pick up any spice additions, so if they're in there, the traditional ingredients are obscuring them, which is fine with me.

The rich malt base in this one deserves a little bit of a longer finish, which could be accomplished by beefing up the body a little bit. The carbonation is moderate, but the body is a touch light.

Winter Hook isn't a bad beer at all, and it is probably worth a try, especially because it tends to pop up at places that might not have a stellar tap list.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2011 17:39:46 | More by Hojaminbag

Reidrover

Oregon

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ok wife took me out to "The Outback" Steakhouse tonight for me birthday..they had not much of intrest on tap ( Newcastle Brown and Black Butte being the best)..so I tried this new keg of Winterhook..what the heck..might as well. Came in the 22 oz mug.
Served slightly too cold , despite me asking for a "slightly" chilled glass..so let it stand a while.
Actually afer the chill haze was gone, its quite a good looking beer ,light chocolaty brown with garnet accents..lovelly coffeen'creme coloured head.
Good malty aroma with wine like smell of alcohol.
Pretty nice taste , malty smooth, chocolate , liquorice then it gets bitter with noticable alcohol warming in the throat.
Nice and smooth on the palate.
A quite enjoyable brew with my Prime Rib..and New York Cheescake to finish!
Tastes though it was stronger than 5.58..but the waitress had no idea!

Serving type: on-tap

10-10-2003 04:22:06 | More by Reidrover

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First brew from the Redhook Brewery, and I am not dissapointed... their winter warmer is a decent stab at the style... appearance was a nice caramel color with a minimal head... taste was about average for a winter warmer... a little caramel sweetness on the palate with some spices present, maybe cinnamon, but a little more bland compared to some other winter warmers I've sampled... I was pretty satisfied though, having copped a single 12oz bottle from Wine and More in West Orange for about $1.79... at 6%, there was a nice alcohol glow pervading from the drink, and the sweetness lingered on the mouth for a bit... great drinkability and the alcohol is hardly noticeable behind a sweet finish... Recommended...

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2007 00:44:14 | More by dsa7783