Tonight's beer review is the Redhook brewery's winter seasonal entitled Winter Hook. The Redhook brewery is not very well know in these parts. I have visited many beer stores where the proprietors have either assured me that Redhook is a local Brooklyn Brewery that went under or that it is simply not available on the East Coast. Neither of these propositions are correct.
Redhook brewery is based in two locations - Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Woodinville, Washington (yes they brew on both coasts). Interestingly, the bottles carry both cities on their labels, so I have never been able to ascertain which coast's brew I am drinking. One of my goals is to try to get the same variety from each brewery and see if I can taste the difference. While the yeast, hops and barley are probably identical, the water should make a difference. Of course, this presupposes that I could taste the difference, but it would be fun to try.
Redhook is not very easy to find on the East Coast, but it does have a presence. I have been able to purchase ESB and Blonde Ale (my friend Yehuda F has become quite fond of this variety and asks me to pick up a six whenever I can find it) on Queens and Long Island. I was able to locate the Winter Hook by chance at Bridgeview near the Bayonne Bridge in Bayonne, New Jersey. For reasons I can't explain, Bridgeview has never made it to the Beerfly on Beeradvocate. I wish I passed near it more than once a year.
Winter Hook (also known as Winter Ale) is a ruby-copper colored Ale that has some similarities to Pete's Wicked Ale, but with a little more sophistication in its flavor. The aftertaste is a little like caramel, maybe even a little nutty, but not as over the top as Saranac's Season Best. The Winter Hook goes well with meat dishes, especially cholent (a meat and potato stew that simmers for about 20 hours before it is served).
Redhook is under the kosher supervision of the OU. To see the experts' take on Winter Hook Winter Ale, please follow this link http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/153/27875 .
As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.
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