Redhook Long Hammer IPA - Redhook Ale Brewery

1sophrosyne1

District of Columbia

2.99/5  rDev -8%
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 +4.3%
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 +30.8%
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 -1.2%
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 +7.4%
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 -67.4%
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 +28%
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 -3.4%
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 +4.6%
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 +19.7%
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

Huffs

New York

3.48/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Sam Adams glass, nice full head developed. Lasted and laced well with a nice creamy look and feel. Appearance was golden to amber and cloudy. Aroma was malty with a hint of caramel, hop on the back. Taste had a nice malt / hop balance with caramel and slight citrus notes. Mouthfeel was creamy and full with a lingering, yet dry aftertaste of grain.

Serving type: can

04-20-2013 22:20:56 | More by Huffs

PaulK

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +33.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours a nice color, reasonable sized head. The head recedes rapidly though, which leaves something to be desired. Also, the bottles are a rather odd shape, but I won't hold that against them. Just seems like a pointless marketing tactic that I'm not a huge fan of.

S - Smell is okay, but it's hard to smell the hops. Nothing special in the smell.

T - I personally think it tastes amazing. I would compare it to a number of higher quality APAs, but it isn't as bitter as I think of for an IPA. I'm a big fan of the flavor, but wish they could have gone a little harder on the hops.

M - Thick and well carbonated. Despite the head receding, the mouthfeel is great. I try to drink these beers in a smaller glass and pour half at a time to keep the carbonation strong.

O - Overall, this has quickly become my favorite everyday beer. It's cheap enough to sit around and drink a few without hitting your pocket, but tastes comparable to much more expensive beers. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who's a fan of creative pale ales.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 19:21:49 | More by PaulK

WalterHeisenberg

New Mexico

4.65/5  rDev +43.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Aggressive pour into pint glass
A: Clear honey yellow golden nice fat foamy white head. Lingers for a few minutes. Minimal lacing.no apparentl carbonation Looks very nice
S: lemon heads.Very floral Malty hint of hops. Smells good
T: lemony malty hoppy peppery upfront malty lemony in the middle hoppy down the back. Very minimal bitterness.Very balanced. Malty after taste. Hint of metal hint if that of alcohol
M:slightly syrupy smooth Not watery
O; Easy drinking looks good tastes good drinks smooth. Low bitterness for an IPA. 6% nicely hidden. A quality brew for a bargain price. Would definitely drink again.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 04:53:56 | More by WalterHeisenberg

StJamesGate

New York

3.71/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Straw yellow with loose lagery froth that goes fast.
Sweet lemon hard candy nose with some cornmeal grain underneath.
Lemon butter cookie up front with classic pine and citrus Cascade end.
Lemon Starburst finish and some oily, bitter peel linger.
Light, crisp, slight cling, soft.

Bright, snappy and refreshing. And totally not an IPA - too thin, 44 IBUs don't cut it and the 6% is neither here (IPA) nor there (APA).
Almost more like overstrength, dry-hopped hopped English blonde. Nice for summer, and there are some hops (though I miss the Willamette berry). Just don't believe the label.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 15:33:38 | More by StJamesGate

TheSixthRing

California

3.49/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Brew date of January 2, 2013

Appearance - Pours a hazy golden orange with a finger width head, sub-par retention, and a layer of microbubbles that spots the surface. Spotty lacing.

Smell - Aroma is floral with lesser citrus notes, and plays nicely off a slightly toasted bread malt undertone.

Taste - Sweet bready malts and faint hints of caramel to start, supported by a soft floral and mild orange pith bitterness that hit mid-taste and fight the malts for supremacy well into the finish.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied. Nicely carbonated. A touch buttery at first, but finishes semi-dry.

Overall - Once upon a time this was one of my favorite IPA's... Oh how things have changed. Fairly weak in the hops department, in fact it's almost probably a touch more malty than it is hoppy. Red Hook might wanna consider rebranding this beer as a dry-hopped pale ale, because it doesn't cut it anymore in today's hop-heavy IPA world... then again, without that 'IPA' moniker, it might not sell as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:11:40 | More by TheSixthRing

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

3.18/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Serving type: 12-ounce can. “SEP1412” is written on the bottom, which I assume is the canning date. Yikes.

Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is hazy gold. Two fingers of fluffy, white head left an even skim and ring around the edge.

Smell: Floral hops and bready malts. Given the age of the can, I assume most of the hops have fallen out. However, there are hints of grapefruit citrus.

Taste: Decent mouthfeel and floral hops offer a nice bitterness. Bready malts, hints of orange and grapefruit.

Drinkability: Meh. It does not help that this can is almost six months old (I need to be much more vigilant in the beer aisle), but this is not keeping pace with competitors. I will need to try a fresher can in the future, though.

Serving type: can

03-10-2013 19:52:34 | More by TheQuietMan22

ItsTheLimit

Florida

3.36/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Short-nose bottle poured into a standard pint glass.

Fairly standard appearance, pale golden to amber color, small thin head that loses retention very quickly. Some visible carbonation. Nothing spectacular, but not bad.

Light citrus-y smell with some grassy notes present. Some floral hops are noticeable as well.

Taste is almost closer to a pale ale than what's expected from an American style IPA. Some citrus and hops in the front, but somewhat muted. Hop bitterness is present in the finish, which is actually quite nice.

This is a very light-feeling beer with nice carbonation. Goes down very smoothly and hides it's alcohol well. Relatively refreshing, given the style.

This is a decent, if unspectacular beer. I could definitely see getting this at a bar or restaurant if other options weren't available and not being disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 01:42:42 | More by ItsTheLimit

PaleZombie

Arizona

3.31/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

A- Very light golden straw color, with a small amount of carbonation bubbles. Mildly cloudy.

S- Floral citrus smell, some mild hints of hops and malts. Not very strong.

T- Floral hints at first followed by some grapefruit taste, mild hop flavor, with a medium/mild bitter taste in the finish.

M- Medium carbonation with a fairly light body and very smooth. Somewhat dry.

O- I liked this beer. Personally I would not go as far as considering it an IPA but more of a pale ale. However labeling aside This is very drinkable and I would consider it the easy drinking lawnmower beer of IPA's very refreshing smooth. Great easy drinker and crossover beer for those new to the IPA style.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 07:09:11 | More by PaleZombie

Jellopants356

Montana

2.83/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Color is a dull amber, almost lagerish. Smells a bit sour, not a good sign. Ugh, there's no hops. Totally devoid of soul. Thin mouthfeel to boot. Not impressed. I usually rate beers on the high side, this one is especially bad, so below average it goes.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 04:01:35 | More by Jellopants356

aparabola

Nevada

4.21/5  rDev +29.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Haven't had an IPA in awhile. So refreshing! Surprised from the overall ratings. Am I missing something? Little help? I guess there are a lot better IPA's? I have had my fair share. In pub's, etc. I really like this one!!! I always pour into a chilled glass. This one was yummy to me. Can anyone recommend a better IPA?

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 00:29:52 | More by aparabola

weonfire

Kentucky

3.54/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter glass.

A - Beautiful golden yellow/brown. white head. about 1 finger head. head faded after 2-3 min.

S - Citrus hops. flowery, grapefruit. makes me smile.

T - Duller then expected. Isn't poor but smell is much better than taste. Citrus just isn't there.

M - A bit watery. viscosity is low.

O - flavor could be better. while living out in seattle i did drink a bunch of these. when a particular beer isn't doing well, redhook slaps a new name on that particular beer recipe. so the brew i sip today probably isn't the same recipe i had back in 2008. any rate - its descent. good $4 beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 17:21:39 | More by weonfire

carolinahophead

North Carolina

3.34/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

This is poured from a 22 oz bomber.
Straw gold color with a bold head . A lot of carbonation present.
Light citrus and malt aromas. Light taste for an IPA . You do get the hop bitterness up front and but the carbonation does over take the taste . This could be a pale ale .
Medium mouthfeel with a short finish.
Lets say this an average IPA , it's not bad , easy to drink, but at 6.2 % watch out if you session it. Might be a good choice in warm weather .

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 21:54:29 | More by carolinahophead

Earpe

North Carolina

3.74/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A very good IPA....one you can usually get at your local store. this is my fall back IPA when i cannot get to the store that carries my favorites. the color is that of a dark golden.

the smell is that of citrus (grapefruit), it goes down with a little bite, but overall it is smooth. 6.2 %abv, and it is not the double IPA's I love (like i said it is my stand by). over all i rank it as one of my top 10 IPA's (probably around 6 or 7). Long hammer's bottle does not look like what is pictured above.

If you love IPA's....you will like this...Southern tier 2x and Laguntas Maximus are steps above this IPA, however you will pay a little more for them.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:30:16 | More by Earpe

George75

2.68/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a golden color with about a finger of thin head that dissipates quickly into a thin white film around the edges.

Slight citrus (orange) aroma with some notes of grass. Very underwhelming for an American IPA.

Taste is also underwhelming for an American IPA. Almost no malt sweetness and very little actual hop flavor with pronounced bitterness from start to finish.

Carbonation is probably the best part of this beer as the mouthfeel is excellent. Slightly buttery reminds me of a bitter Sam Summer Ale.

Overall this is a mostly poor example of a modern American IPA. I expected a lot from this beer but alas it did not deliver. Their Winter Hook, on the other hand is amazing!

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 00:21:15 | More by George75

silverking

Florida

3.2/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

well, it's a clear golden brew with a white head that dissappears almost as fast as you can pour it. Pine, citrus, and malt notes fight for dominance on the nose, although there is no clear victor. Malt definitely strikes me as the most prevelant flavor, although citrus is a close second, with the pine only becoming apparent in the finish. The finish is bittersweet. The carbonation is over the top, but it is counter-acted by a beautiful oily mouthfeel. I feel like I am becoming more scrupulous in my reviews, but maybe that is a good thing. This used to be one of my favorite brews, but now it's okay at best.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 23:55:14 | More by silverking