Redhook Long Hammer IPA - Redhook Ale Brewery

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

2.98/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Grapefruit to golden yellow with a small thin white head. Moderate citrus aroma. So-so taste that is astringent and still very overcarbonated. For an IPA, not very drinkable.
Expirey date was a couple of months ago, but it was sold to me past that date.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2007 03:27:58 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

2.93/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Yeasty orange-gold with a single stream of small bubbles in the exact center of the glass. The head is ivory-not-quite-ecru in color and is reasonably firm. When the cap begins its descent, assorted chunks and wisps of lace are left behind, though they aren't abundant.

Redhook IPA smells like a watered-down APA since, rather than being eagerly hoppy, it's reluctantly hoppy. Orange and grapefruit esters approach the nose with caution... nay, trepidation. If the nose is any indication, this beer isn't an IPA by my definition.

It's a little better on the palate; at least we're up to average now. IPA is more hoppy than the nose had me believing, but it's still on the tame side. The bittering is a little too harsh and unsupported; more malt would definitely be welcome. I'm not sure what varieties of hop were used. Whatever their identities, they haven't been used to good effect.

The finish is neither short nor long with the flavor bugging out before the bitterness (not a good thing). The mouthfeel is roughly midway between light and medium for the style with an acceptable amount of carbonation. Like every other one of this beer's attributes, it's much closer to a (light) APA than an IPA.

Redhook beer has yet to make a favorable impression on me (I did like the Winter Ale come to think of it). This IPA doesn't measure up. It lacks most of the qualities that I look for in beer of this style. The mustachioed dude on the label says "Ya sure, Ya betcha". My reply is "Uh no, no thank you".

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2005 20:24:52 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.35/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Saw this on the shelf last week, hadnt remembered ever seeing it before so I decided to pick one up. Poured a decent amber color, very clear with alot of carbonation. A smallish wite head formed but qucikly left leaving behind only a slight amount of lace. Nothing really spectacular here. Smell was light, some grapefruit and orange peel tones, a touch of sweetness, but it needed to be stronger to give more of a punch. The taste followed that up almost exactly. It had a smooth crisp, light feel. Good carbonation, not slick or oily and left a decent dry finish, but felt a tad thin to me. The flavors were al right, just nothing that was gonna make you stop and take notice of it.
Overall tis was ok. It just came off as a bit too light for me and thats why it doesnt get a better score. I would put it right above average, only because it is not bad, however needs to be juiced up a bit to have some of those flavors start to come out. Really should have a bit more of a pop to it. Not a bad session beer, and the light profile really allows you to throw it down in quantity.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2007 18:42:41 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.1/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle shared with my roommate.

A: The pour is a clear golden color with a fluffy white head that clings to the wall of the glass.

S: The nose starts off with citrus hops, floral hops, and perhaps a bit of urine. Some bread and cracker type malts are present as well.

T: This is moderately bitter, but not necessarily in a good way. Bitter grain flavors, primarily overcooked bread, along with a bitter pine flavor from the hops. Some mild citrus undertones as well as some floral notes.

M: The body is medium and so is the carbonation after the beer comes up to temperature.

D: Not really my favorite IPA, but it's not as terrible as some of the ratings indicate. But it is about as average as its score here.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 04:32:01 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.28/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Reviewed from notes.

This is not a good beer. While I'm glad that something like this is becoming more mainstream, it's not something I enjoy like seeing Sierra everywhere, as I do not enjoy drinking this beer.

Pours a moderate copper color with a white head. The nose brings faint hints of citrus and pine with a pretty hefty dose of generic doughy bread in place of actual hop characteristics. The taste is the same way; this is just a generic base with a mild sprinkle of hops. Medium feel with no appreciable bitterness levels. Drinks fine, but there's no reason to want to drink more of this.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 16:05:32 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 ounce bottle - $1.49 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia

Appearance: Pours a clear, copper body with a thin, white head. Thin, delicate lacing on the way down.

Smell: Grassy, citrusy hop scents overlaying a very basic pale maltiness.

Taste: Pale malts with a medium sweetness. In succession: citrus, soap, grass. Medium bitterness. Dry, only faintly bitter finish. Redhook simply phones it in with this one.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: As an India Pale Ale, it's very basic, very average, but not very memorable.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2009 02:00:35 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Apearance: Pours a clear golden color with a frothy head that leaves some splashy lacing

Smell: On the piney side of the IPA world, the aroma has a touch of the malt coming through as well

Taste: Starts out with a good dose of piney hops that grows in intensity through the finish; a touch of perfumy sweetness on the tip of the tongue at the end

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with prickly carbonation

Drinkability: Perhaps the recipe has changed or perhaps we just have a case of piling on A-B, but this beer is better than other reviews attest; my beer was bottled within the last 40 days, and that may be positively affecting my view as well

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2006 01:52:26 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.55/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Schooners Patio Grille in Santa Clarita, CA.

Pours a clear apple juice color with a 1 inch puffy white head that fades to a film. Thin rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt and herbal and pine hops. Taste is of sweet malt up front with an herbal and pine hop flavor that comes in on the finish. Mild hop bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and clean mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good basic IPA. Nothing too great but not too bad either.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2011 19:10:45 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a light orangey color ale with a small foamy head with average retention. Aroma of citrusy hops is quite pleasant. Taste is also dominated by some citrusy hops with some very subtle notes of malt. Body is slightly thin with some medium to low carbonation. Interesting and better then expected.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2007 20:28:33 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Compares quite similarly in the bottle as it did on tap. Still as pine-ey and citrusy in the nose as in the keg with a very mild malt character. I usually like my standard IPA's to have a lighter body to let the hops show cleaner, but this is a bit too thin in the malt flavor and the body. Expectedly over-attenuated to increase the alcohol, but sacrificing the flavor and body. The malt seem a bit strained, allowing a grainy-bite to occur and the hops show a mild metalic flavor under a lacking sweetness and creaminess. It's not bad beer, I've just gotten used to drinking better.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2006 13:46:27 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.2/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Fat Bob's Smokehouse in Buffalo,came to the table in a standard pint glass a lighter golden with thin formed soapy-like head that stuck around for most of the pint being drank.Very light hop aromas for an IPA faint pine and citrus with some dry bready malt showing through as well,at first swallow you get a touch of hop quality a little pine resin but it fades out quick and becomes a little bland I was hoping to get some nice hop to cut through the bbq but it really didnt hit home.A pretty average beer that with some pretty average bbq last night.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2007 12:25:19 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +24%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A really nice American-style IPA. Golden in color with a short lived, bright white head. (Limited head retention is expected in many higher alcohol brews). The aroma could be a bit bigger, but offers some bright, citrusy hop notes and a nice sweet malt. The body is pretty firm; the carbonation is a little lower than some American-style IPA's at @ 2.5 volumes/ltr. CO2. The flavor is well balanced between sweet malt and a zippy hop flavor (cascade?). The finish is long lasting with a lot of malt and a hop bitterness that is distinct, but not overwhelming. Nicely done.

Re-review / 1 June 2007: The new double label is very nice; and it remains a "delicate", really well-balanced and drinkable IPA. The head retention was much better, and it left a wide ring of lace at the outset of the glass. There's still a nice hit of citrusy in the nose, and I'm also picking up a bit of spiciness, and more citrus rind in the flavor. Very nicely done.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2002 06:38:11 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a shaker pint glass at Paolo's Ristorante (Washington, DC).

Another lost review found randomly during cleaning today. This was imbibed in late April, 2010. It pours a clear straw topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises grapefruit rind, cantaloupe, sweet caramel, and cucumber. The taste holds notes of orange peel, light caramel, grass, grapefruit rind, and lemon peel. A strident bitterness pervades the finish something fierce. Balance be damned, apparently. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a rather dry finish. Overall, an okay IPA, but not one I'd wanna drink again, really. It seems like they tried to make this a hop-bomb, but only managed to make it too bitter.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2011 07:19:30 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

2.95/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A little backstory, before beginning: back in the early-early '90's, I was just getting my feet wet in the wide, wonderful world of beer, and cartoonist Peter Bagge was inaugurating his newest comic book series, "Hate." In the first issue, protagonist Buddy Bradley admits that he has become something of a "beer snob", being among all of the "mini-breweries" of the Pacific Northwest and displays a bottle of Redhook Ballard Bitter. Next time I shopped for beer, I grabbed a 6'er, curious to try Buddy's beer, and what do you know, I liked it, and for some years the BB had a regular run in my refridgerator's rotation.
But times change...I taste it now anew, for the first time in years...
clear, pale amber hue, 1/2" silky white head, with copious bubbles.
Aroma: soapy, and slightly sweet, minor fruit, muted peach, muffled apricot, nothing to speak of, really...
Taste: more soap! a bit floral, herbal, I can taste the hops on the tongue, (Centennial?), but they are so small, and disappear so quickly, that it barely counts! There's a cameo of spiciness,(a hint of ginger, even cinnamon) and a fairly decent initial texture,but the body is too, too thin for my taste, and this brew's miniature charms drift away like a leaf in an autumn gust. It's not terrible at all, but I can't really see that "IPA" belongs on the label, not anymore. I remember it being bigger and bolder than this!
Yes, times change. Buddy Bradley, the former slacker spokesmodel, is now married with a daughter, and the Redhook Ale Brewery has been practically bought out and wussified by Anheuser-Busch, and that cool, stubby brown bottle is now a tall, green-labeled longneck.
Cheers to what once was, and to my next, better beer. (hmm, there's a growler of Masala Mama in the fridge, calling my name...)

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2004 01:34:04 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.03/5  rDev +24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a light gold color with thin white lace head. The aroma is good. It has a sweet malt scent with floral hop notes. The taste is fine. It is dry and hoppy. There is a good balance of malts and hops here; a pleasant tasting ale. The mouthfeel is outstanding. It is a low/medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good IPA. I would buy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2004 01:47:09 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

2.73/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Never reviewed it so here it goes. Beer poured from a bottle into a shaker pint glass (rogue). Beer has a big white head of small and medium bubbles, moderate to low carbonation and is yellow with a slight haze. Looks fine.

Beer smells like nothing -- well it's a little malty.

Beer is medium bodied with almost no hop flavor and all hop bitterness. it is mildly malt -- I'm really disappointed. I haven't had this beer in years and I remember liking it...oh wait that's Redhock IPA, nevermind, this beer sucks.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 01:07:02 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

3.2/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a murky orange-yellow color with a white head. The aroma is a mix of orange and papaya with a little bit of pine and bready malt mixed in. The flavor is pineapple and orange citrus with bread and caramel malt. The bitterness is fairly low and the beer is easy to drink. Thin to medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 04:26:27 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

3.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: The beer is very hazy yellow in color and has a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin off white head.
S: There are light aromas of herbal hops and passionfruit in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and also has some hints of pine resin along with a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels a bit shy of medium-bodied, somewhat crisp and a bit thin on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is rather easy to drink and has an interesting aroma/taste but doesn’t really deliver a hop punch compared to other IPAs. It’s like an APA with a bit more hops.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 00:38:28 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

3.55/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out an amber color with a foamy, two-finger head. Leaves a little lace.

S - It smelled of Cascade hops and pine.

T - A good dose of hops and pine flavors. There is also a subtle malt taste. Slight bitter bite.

M - Crisp and smooth. A light to medium-bodied beer.

D - An okay IPA. Not the best in the world.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2007 03:32:02 | More by zeff80

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.7/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Sampled May 2007
Pours with a brilliantly clear, almost polished copper color and is topped by an initially three-finger thick, pale tan colored head that leaves a lacy pattern on the sides of the glass as it slowly recedes. The aroma is a mix of medium hop levels and dry malt. Notes of grapefruit, bergamot, dusty malt, fresh milled grain, and soda crackers are all fairly noticeable in the aroma. A solid, if somewhat muted nose.

A medium sweetness is balanced by a clean, slightly herbaceous bitterness, both of which linger on in the finish. Dulled, yet still noticeable, bergamot flavors mix with notes of pine and even a note of menthol which creeps into the finish from time to time. An interesting mix of hop flavors are noticeable in this beer. This beer is certainly a bit muted by today's more hops until it hurts standards, but this is a very well balanced, easily drinkable IPA.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2007 21:41:37 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On-tap 11/29/07 at Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub in Pawtucket, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep gold color, with a thin white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of pale hops, caramelized malts and some citrus.

T: There’s a pale hops bitterness up front that dominates the taste. Some caramel & citrus sweetness comes in next. The malt character is on the thin side. The after-taste is slightly bitter.

M: Crisp but not very smooth, light-to-medium body, medium-to-high carbonation, dry and slightly sticky finish.

D: Not too tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, decent kick, not the best representation of style, I didn’t really like this one too much. There are many other IPA’s that I would pick first.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2007 19:14:00 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.48/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

There little ploy worked, I picked this long hammer ipa on a whim, wasn't much else in that store that excited me. I now see it's the old dog in a new package, well at least I know it's fairly fresh, born on date Nov 29 06

Pours efferevescent bronze with a 2 fingers deep offwhite head. Some lacing & head retention

S: Faint perfumy hops & a little lemon, not much considering how much hops are in the taste profile

T: Lemony & grapefruit hops up front with a little fruittyness. A little breadyness as it warms. Finishes citrussy & dry

MF: Medium bodied with restrained carbonation. Balances okay

If this is in fact 6.5 ABV its well hidden. Drinks pretty darn easy, but seems to be a bit too timid style-wise an an AIPA. This ins't a bad one to go with if you are limited in choice. I have fond memories of supping Ballard's Bitter at the Dragon Hill Lodge in Seoul, a oasis in a sea of crap American & Korean beer, so this will always have a soft spot in my heart. I'll take this over the esb, which has lost all its character IMO. A good training wheels IPA IMO. This 12 pack will get consumed within the next 72 hours, loads of football this weekend!

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2007 03:53:07 | More by russpowell

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This IPA pours out as a nice looking copperish gold color, the head is pretty good looking. The lacing is nice and thick for a typical ipa. The smell is hoppy and has a good malt aroma too. The taste has a pretty good bitterness to it. The mouthfeel is light and refreshing. Overall the beer has pretty good quality from start to finish. I enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 22:37:39 | More by Knapp85

Halcyondays

California

2.85/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle

A: Slightly darker than golden yellow with boring, fizzy head.

S: Bits of malt and hops.

T: Very light for an IPA, malts are the predominant taste with a hint of hops and apple, does not seem like a 6.5% beer.

M: Light-bodied with not a lot of carbonation.

D: Drinkable beer, nothing objectionable, just a little to pallid compared to what I look for in an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2007 22:51:41 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

2.75/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

The beer poured a light gold color with a thin head. Very weakly carbonated. The aroma was average, as I noticed a slight bit of malt and a minimal floral nose. The IPA tasted weak, and was unbalanced with more maltiness than hops. The malt dominated the initial taste, but was quickly subdued by a slight bitterness which lingered on the tongue. This seemed way too sweet for this style, and clearly the expected IPA bitterness was not strong enough.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2003 22:27:13 | More by Gavage