Redhook 8-4-1 Expedition - Redhook Ale Brewery

cgmees

Texas

3.43/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Billed as an imperial brown ale, brewed with brown sugar and cherry wood smoked malts.

Appearance was a rich dark brown color, hint of cloudiness. Huge foamy brown colored head.

The aroma is a little underwhelming, with a big brown sugar presence, along with some caramel, a little smoke, and a bit of alcohol.

Taste had a mild earthiness, some chocolate and smoke.

OK Drink ability. Was not as impressed as I hoped to be from this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2010 16:41:36 | More by cgmees

Kelp

New Hampshire

3/5  rDev -17.6%

04-29-2013 06:53:23 | More by Kelp

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Should have had this a couple years ago, as the honey is probably long gone, but we'll see. From spring 2010.

pours a nice creamy almost 1 finger head that fades at a med pace, decent lacing, semi clear but darker chestnut brown color.

Nose is huge, tons of brown malt aromas, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, candied pecans and other hearty nuts, sugary sweet almost syrup, hint of minerals, and faintest hint of cherry wood smoke.

Taste starts with more toasty brown malts, even slightly creamy, sweet brown sugar galore, molasses, light toffee and caramel like, lots of fluffy soft brown malts and even light aged brown malts like an old ale taste. Toasty, with a light candy, candied pecans and again hearty nuts, with a light syrupy candy, and faint hint of toasty oak. Hints of grassy hops, and touch of minerals and salty like flavor from earthy hops and touch of smoke. Unfortunately the honey is gone aside from slight hint if honey sweetness in the middle. Finish is still fairly sweet with lots more brown sugar, soft toasty malts, and hint if smoke and chewy spicy hops lingering.

Mouth is med bodied, slightly creamy and fluffy, nice carb, pretty much no booze.

Overall pretty nice, just missing the honey. Great brown malts, nice sweet flavors, and even nice blend of hops. Booze is hidden well, and the aging really seemed to make it better I think.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 01:50:43 | More by jlindros

iemailjack

Florida

3/5  rDev -17.6%

01-09-2013 01:55:27 | More by iemailjack

BourbonDork

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

12-23-2012 05:01:25 | More by BourbonDork

andthevolcano

Delaware

3.75/5  rDev +3%

11-07-2012 03:01:41 | More by andthevolcano

Yodo

Colorado

2.75/5  rDev -24.5%

11-04-2012 03:30:43 | More by Yodo

simonmoyse

Washington

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%

09-02-2012 21:57:59 | More by simonmoyse

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - a hazed but rich amber with a pale mocha cover. Not very thick but has good staying power, leaving some good legs of lace on the glass.

Aroma - sweet malt and pungent citrus, reminiscent of arrogant bastard. Notes of oak after setup, an interesting and inviting smelling beer.

Taste - base malts are not as sweet as I would have thought. Bitterness kicks in quickly, leaving some acrid flavors in the wake. Is that the wood or the beginning of off-flavors or infection? Is it the bitterness of the hops? So many possibilities, it's a bit hard to figure out but it's a little rough and may be a tedious glass to work with. Ends with the bitterness, dry and a little harsh, and some light abv warmth, well-hidden for 9.5%. Grows on me some as it warms and the palate adapts but there I am questioning the beer's integrity at this point, a bit of a distraction.

Mouthfeel - medium feel, crispness is lively but not off the charts, so an infection here is unlikely.

Drinkability - peculiar. Not all bad but took some getting used to. If the bitterness could be dialed down a bit I would like this more.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 16:41:02 | More by brewdlyhooked13

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.08/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Review from 5/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a dark red brown, thin off-white head. Aroma of caramel malt and light fruit. Spice and fruits apparent on opening. Smells nice. Initial flavors of hops, fruit and light malt, middle spicy with fruits. Finish sharp, acrid, like quinine. The aftertaste is not good. An interesting beer with a major flaw in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 21:20:16 | More by LiquidAmber

crobinso

Colorado

2.75/5  rDev -24.5%

05-30-2012 23:24:02 | More by crobinso

tln13

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%

04-20-2012 23:24:40 | More by tln13

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We pour a rich red-brown brew. It glows bright ruby when held to the light. It holds a half finger tall tan colored head that recedes at a medium pace. The lacing left is sticky and thick. Carbonation appears average and a full, thick haze permeates the liquid. The aroma is full of caramel, sugars, and deep malts. These are the strongest components, and make the beer smell much like a traditional Scotch ale. There is an added sweetness of maraschino cherries and honey mixed with booze. These act more as highlights, rather than trying to overwhelm the malty core. On the far back there is a softness of cream, and a thick pine spice with warmth. As we sip, the flavoring opens up with sweet and sugary caramel malts. There is a flash of honey and mild wood, but the latter is more chalky and drying. To transition to the middle we have cherries and general fruit sugars, which bring us to mild candy esters at the peak. Here, too, the malts continue to sing, but they appear deeper and less sweet as in the front. The finish is distinctly of cotton candy and chalky candy corn. The booze finally comes in as black pepper, and mixes nicely with more charred malts, darkness, and sweeter wood. The aftertaste breathes of spicy booze continued from the finish, coffee metallics, and earthiness. The body is the upper limits of medium, and the carbonation is higher. There is a slight coating, but the tongue is ultimately dried. There is little slurp or snack, but the beer drinks smoothly. The abv is appropriate.

Overall, what we found to be the best thing about this brew was the finish of each sip. There was a beautiful balance of strange sweet flavors and dark, woody malts and char. From the aroma, however, we expected something a bit spicier and a little less sweet. Ultimately, this beer has great drinkability, and is a nice change for the style, with some darker components.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 01:14:18 | More by TheBrewo

bluesplit63

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +9.9%

12-05-2011 13:38:40 | More by bluesplit63

nmann08

Maryland

4/5  rDev +9.9%

11-28-2011 22:39:52 | More by nmann08

elNopalero

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

To paraphrase something overheard when this was recommended to me, ‘perhaps the best thing ever bottled by Redhook.’ Aww. And, quite possibly true. An imperial brown ale. Even I, who has written about my end of the affair with brown ales, found this one really enjoyable. Great malty aroma and a bold malt backbone that balances the hops on this. Deceptively easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 08:39:58 | More by elNopalero

ElGallo

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +9.9%

11-19-2011 20:43:35 | More by ElGallo

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

dark caramel in color with an off-white head that reached a height of around two inches before settling back down. Light lacing coating the side of the glass. Aroma is hops, piney with light citrus notes but a load of cinnamon and spice as well. Seems as though I have run into this before with another of their one off's, just seems really familiar. Letting it open up gives me nice touches of caramel and bready malts, a rich and well balanced hoppiness that seems to fade in and out during the session. Nice feel, hearty with great carbonation that still allows it to have some pop to it. Whatever the ABV was it was well hidden and I was able to enjoy this one thoroughly without issue and leaving that nice dry, lightly bitter finish capped it

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 01:26:44 | More by mikesgroove

hreb

Washington

3.78/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cold 22oz bomber dated Mar 08 10. At 9.5% ABV time shouldn't have done it any harm, I hope (I should note that I only recently came into possession of this bottle from the store -- I didn't let it sit around for a year myself). Served in pint glass, beer is deep brown with a hint of red, appears very syrupy, with a thin but dense dark chestnut brown head which falls quickly. Super malty aroma.

First sip is powerfully subtle. Yes, this is wicked malty. Yes, there are the standard nutty and toasty notes you expect in a beer this color. Yes, there is or was brown sugar in there. Yes, it's a little heavy, final gravity wise. But the malt isn't cloying and the roasted barley doesn't become chalky. Hop flavors are secondary and not particular defined, just straight up alpha acid bitterness. This has about as close to zero aftertaste as you can possibly imagine. It's just that perfectly balanced.

Not only that, but there's nothing to betray the alcohol content, either.

The label makes a few additional claims which flavor-wise aren't the dominant parts of this beer:

1. Oak-aged. I'd say the 8 brewers were 100% successful using oak to mellow and enhance the flavors without adding new "smack you in the face with a plank" ones.

2. Brewed with honey. I wouldn't have guessed. My guess is the yeast fermented the adjunct entirely, drying the brew out a bit and pumping the ABV.

3. Cherry-wood smoked malts. I don't see it at all. Any smoked malt flavors are completely buried underneath roasted malt flavors for me.

In spite of all the good things I have to say about this beer, it'll never be a great beer. The high-wire balancing act is impressive, but the result is a not particularly interesting high ABV ale. Its subtleties are more bland than complex. I guess what I'm saying is, don't waste your time, because I'll finish this one for you. :)

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 04:12:24 | More by hreb

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.1/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

8-4-1 Expedition Ale (the spring 2010 batch)--an oak aged ale brewed with honey--begins with a sweet, malty nose, loaded with brown sugars, apricot, pear, hints of banana, and a nice grapefruit hop counter, all atop a baked-bread grain base.

On the tongue, the hops kick in immediately, washing the tongue with grapefruit and pine notes. Beneath this is a good layer of malts, including brown sugars, vanillas, a hint of cola, and white grape. Just at the end, the cherry-wood smoked malts make an appearance, bringing a husky, yet sweet grain touch. The aftertaste is mainly hops, though some of the sweet malty fruit esters linger on. Mouthfeel is medium-light, and carbonation is medium-high.

Overall, while I quite like the flavors in here, I find myself wishing that the hops weren't as prevalent, as they tended to overpower the malts and wash out many of the fruity, sugary notes. As well, a slight alcohol tinge (9.5% ABV) is present in the mouthful, increasing in potency at the very end of the aftertaste. I found the beer very drinkable, but not quite to the level that the "Limited Release" label, or the "8 brewers working in 4 teams" story led me to believe.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 02:31:08 | More by jondeelee

cdkrenz

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cellared for a year above 45 degrees.

A - A perfect reddish brown complexion allowing traces of light to pass. The head is strong and frothy at more than an inch tall and having some nice stamina. It's color is medium tan, almost caramel colored.

S - Aroma is that of caramel but it has a weak strength.

T - Somewhat spicy with caramel, roasty bread.

M - Thick with a certain coarseness on the tip of my tongue. It leaves a sticky trace throughout my mouth with each swallow.

~ Based on the characteristics of the brew I would have imagined it to be released in the fall or winter as opposed to the spring. Regardless, the beer is worth your time and I have to say, over the past year it aged well.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 18:23:59 | More by cdkrenz

Duff27

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Spring 2010 bottle

Pours a thin, quick receding head, Beer is a murky brown. Lacing is nil. Nice alcohol legs though.

"Smells like Double Dead Guy" Big malty smell.

Brown sugar with a touch of smokiness. No hops detected. Tastes like DDG as well, hah...albeit a little subdued, which isnt a bad thing. Noticeable alcohol but not too bad.

Thick mouthfeel, a little syrupy.

Not bad at all. Split this bomber, may get a bit much for one person. Best Redhook I've had thusfar. Thanks TATURBO.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2011 01:03:03 | More by Duff27

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a deep brownish color with good carbonation and a small tannish head. Nose is oak, vanilla, honey and sweet. Taste os sordove warm, syrupy, vanilla, oak. I did not find anything IMPERIAL BROWN about this as advertised. Big honey, oak, light vanilla and booze.
///
One year later this 841 is holding up and tasting nicely. Plenty of oak, vanilla, wood, sharp booze, honey is sordove sticky and coating on the mouth. Some nuts and toffee from the Imp Brown. Overall. Doing well!

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 03:54:38 | More by barleywinefiend

ChugginOil

Illinois

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A big thanks to mikesgroove for the extra!!
2010 vintage

This was disgracefully consumed from the bottle so the appearance aspect is a bit flawed. But from what I could tell, this brew was a nut brown color. The nose was of brown sugar and molasses. The taste was a bit oxydated but not much. There were some sweet bready malts along with molasses and brown sugar. A year on this brew has really hidden the 9.5% ABV. The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth. Overall, this is a great ale that takes age pretty nicely and has a nice flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 21:04:10 | More by ChugginOil

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up in Kansas, bottled in March 2019

Pours crimson with 2 fingers of tan head. Great head retention & average lacing

S: Plums & cakey notes, plus some leafy hops once warm

T: Follows the nose, subtle boozeyness, a hint of cherry, vanilla & herbal hops up front. Some oaky/boozey notes as this warms, also a bit of pine & caramel, plus more figs & a touch of raisins

MF: Kind of thin bodied for the style, firm carbonation. This thickens up a bit, once warm, good balance

Not a bad take on the style, but not a good as I hoped. Still; I'm happy to see Red Hook spread it's wings, love the extra effort on gussying up the bottle art as well...

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 05:59:43 | More by russpowell