Redhook Long Hammer IPA - Redhook Ale Brewery

Grundle20

Ohio

4/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance:
The beer pours golden yellow in color, not really what I was expecting. There's a big white head on the beer that displays both great retention and lacing. Color aside this was nearly the perfect looking pour.

Smell:
As the color of the beer would suggest the beer offers very little in the way of malty sweetness. The scent is for the most part that of bitter grapefruit but it's a little weak. Paired with the citrus notes there's an underlying medicinal and new leather like smell. Stylistically I think it could use some malt sweetness but on the whole I find the scent to be pleasant, albeit a little weak.

Taste and Mouthfeel:
Hops obviously take the show here given the apparent lack of caramel malts in this beer. This makes for a very clean, light, and refreshing beverage though. Generally I appreciate the overall balance of sweet malts and hops in an American IPA but I have to admit it's kind of nice drinking something that stands out from a ridiculously flooded genre. Towards the end of the drink as the clean citrus hop bitterness subsides a rather undesirable reminder of the lack of foody malts comes through in the way of a very grainy and dry pale malt finish. Bitterness rings on in to the aftertaste.

Drinkability:
Well I can't say this is the best example of an American IPA but it's certainly an easy drinking example. Overall the beer is very light with a good amount of flavor so ultimately this beer goes down very easy.

Bottom Line:
Easily the best Red Hook beer I've ever had and probably the best commercial non seasonal IPA I've ever had. I'm glad I know this beer is decent because given its availability this will make for a nice go-to beer. It won't wow you but it's worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2007 22:03:09 | More by Grundle20

Tonmeister

Georgia

3.15/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Bottle poured in a 16oz Goose Island glass.

A: golden amber with a solid white head when poured aggressively, but the head has dissipated and is now very thin and not solid. I can see through it. The lacing dissipates when tilting the glass.

S: piney, citrusy, earthy with a slight hop presence and a nice sweet blend as a result from the malt

T: earthy, lemon, citrusy, hoppy. It's not as sweet as it smells, but it still fairly well balanced. It seems pretty light for an IPA.

M: Thin bodied with moderate carbonation. It goes down very easily.

O: This is a very smooth beer. It goes down fairly smooth. I would't consider this an IPA. More of a Pale Ale, a very good one at that. Only reason I don't consider it an IPA is because I like it more bitter… with aggressive hops.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 03:30:08 | More by Tonmeister

Roman5150

Michigan

3.18/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750 ml bomber into Duvel glass

Appearance: clear golden orange with 2 finger bubbly white head, lots of lacing

Smell: citrusy, grapefruit, lots of floral action, lemon, hay

Taste: It has an initial hint of citrus and grapefruit, but it is immediately replaced by a corny, bready dull palate, which fades into a sharp lingering bitterness. The nose indicated a lot more flavor, but it really is the corn/bread taste that dominates the palate, with a dry bitterness that doesn't really please. You can taste the adjunct macro in it, which is sad because I didn't rated this not initially knowing Red Hook was owned by InBev (which makes sense why I see this at every gas station).

Mouthfeel: High carbonation but rather thin bodied

Overall: An alright IPA, better than the rating may indicate, especially for the price, but nothing I would seek out. It was about $2.50, otherwise I would not have given it much look. Not to be biased or discriminate, as before I knew Red Hook was owned by Anheuser-Busch/InBev, I thought I tasted a hint of corn taste. I bet this was even better before they sold out, but i'm not gonna go there.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 03:25:35 | More by Roman5150

jroberts8811

Missouri

2.5/5  rDev -23.1%

06-19-2013 00:15:01 | More by jroberts8811

BeerMeInStl

Missouri

3/5  rDev -7.7%

06-18-2013 02:48:07 | More by BeerMeInStl

mcaulifww

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -15.4%

06-17-2013 13:19:49 | More by mcaulifww

jaxon53

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -7.7%

06-15-2013 23:05:26 | More by jaxon53

Evoforen

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev 0%

06-15-2013 19:34:33 | More by Evoforen

ZachKelly

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev 0%

06-14-2013 18:36:55 | More by ZachKelly

jordanmckell

Texas

3.25/5  rDev 0%

06-14-2013 16:43:06 | More by jordanmckell

Beerswag

California

3.25/5  rDev 0%

06-14-2013 01:43:27 | More by Beerswag

godzillalad

Ireland

3.83/5  rDev +17.8%
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

cgarrapy

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev 0%

06-13-2013 20:07:06 | More by cgarrapy

Paccamacca

California

3.25/5  rDev 0%

06-13-2013 04:51:33 | More by Paccamacca

PackenGreen

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +15.4%

06-12-2013 11:19:37 | More by PackenGreen

Eriktheipaman

California

3/5  rDev -7.7%

06-12-2013 01:58:47 | More by Eriktheipaman

neckbeered

Montana

3.25/5  rDev 0%

06-10-2013 20:59:19 | More by neckbeered

movieman7

New York

3.75/5  rDev +15.4%

06-10-2013 13:55:53 | More by movieman7

Ajlvt

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-10-2013 13:53:15 | More by Ajlvt

backphish

Texas

3/5  rDev -7.7%

06-10-2013 02:03:14 | More by backphish

PatGreer

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-10-2013 00:09:48 | More by PatGreer

Hallertau

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -7.7%

06-09-2013 22:03:32 | More by Hallertau

Nutwood

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-09-2013 21:59:03 | More by Nutwood

bwgassman

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +15.4%

06-09-2013 03:40:50 | More by bwgassman

jimbodude5

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-09-2013 01:10:58 | More by jimbodude5