Red Hook Long Hammer IPA Review

As I've said before, I love IPAs, so here's another one for you to try! Red Hook brewery does an elegant job of crafting a beer with all of the unique qualities of an IPA, while also making it a refreshingly sweet and different experience.

At first I was disappointed with the beer and was rather unsettled. For being an IPA it did not give a frothy head that most other beers in the genre provide. Possibly I just messed up on the pour but from my experience, it was an initial let down. I was also discouraged by the color of the beer. Not that it looked like nasty nuclear waste or anything, but that it didn't have that rich, red oak color that I usually look for in an IPA. While the beer did have some red tint, it was a very clear beer that would sparkle in the sunlight.

Now that I've beaten the beer down enough, I must give credit where credit is due. This is one tasty beer. As I drank, the hops provided just enough bite to tingle my taste buds while also giving off some zesty/sweet flavors I couldn't precisely pick out. All I know is that this was a beer that I wanted to drink slowly, let it swish around for a while to really experience the combination of bitter and sweet. It was a very appetizing 17 minutes to my day.

While I was discouraged at first, this beer came back to win me over. With a strong presence of a hoppy bite, paired with a light sweetness and a smooth finish, it is a great one-two punch out beer. I guess I should learn a lesson mothers have been saying for ages. You can't always judge a book by its cover.

Overall Red Hook Long Hammer IPA Review: B (85/100)

Beer Details:

ABV: 6.5%

IBUs: 44

Brewer: Red Hook Brewery

Style: IPA

Price: $7.59/6 pack