ya sure ya betcha

The first brewery I ever visited was the Redhook Brewery in Woodinville, Washington. I had a blast there and just missed the brewery tour, but got some delicious bratwurst instead. Now, I know they've been bought out by some craft beer group, but I still have fond memories of this place. This beer, the Big Ballard Imperial IPA, is a tribute to one of the first beers they brewed, the Ballard Bitter IPA.

Appearance - Light auburn color, nice frothy head (about a finger's width). I enjoyed the head retention, especially in IPAs. Looked slightly bubbly. 4.0/5.0

Smell - Piney, floral hops. Distinctive scent, but not overwhelming. I prefer my Imperial IPAs to have a potent aroma, which this was lacking. 2.5/5.0

Taste - There are five hops used this in beer (Alchemy, Williamette, Sterling, Northern Brewer and Cascade) and they are expertly blended well together. Imperial IPAs seem to go either over-the-top strong or extraordinarily smooth - this beer is the latter. There are lots of IBUs (73), but I didn't think it was really that bitter. Grapefruit, pine, hint of sweetness from the malt. 4.5/5.0

Feel - Unerrily smooth, the head tasted thick. Minimal aftertaste, the flavor hits you strong then dissipates. 4.5/5.0

Drinkability - This beer falls into the category of Imperial IPAs that will kick you in the butt without you knowing it. I would pick up again, if anything, for the nostaglia of it coming from the first brewery I visited. - 4.0/5.0

Bring Down the Hammer, baby

I'm trying all sorts of IPAs lately, and I had never tried the Redhook Long Hammer IPA. I tend to enjoy the Redhook beers - I had actually been to the brewery in Woodinvale, WA. A side note, the food there is really good and the brewery tour is free.

The Long Hammer IPA seems like IPA 101. The brew has the hop flavor to it, but it's way less intense that one would expect. You still get the bitter taste, with a brief aftertaste that lingers. The 6.5% ABV is on the higher end of the Redhook varieties. I would say that the Long Hammer IPA is a good IPA for those who want to ease into trying IPAs, not someone who really appreciates them.