From the Redhook Section

Beer Log: February 24, 2008

State; Hungry, dehydrated, eating chicken and rice.

One time for the Westcoast. Every time I hear of this brewery, I keep thinking of Tazz, the wrestler from ECW. Tazz was pretty bad ass in his day, and I still get chills when I see his first entrance www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdx7g88Bm3g into WWF back in the day. The boys from Red Hook actually sell their stuff in Reliant Stadium for the Houston Texans games, along with Widmer.

It kind of irks me that the Texans can't manage to sell St. Arnolds and Shiner beers in the stadium. Maybe not Lone Star, but if we are going to have a little variety at the game, let's promote some of our own stuff. What does Houston owe to the durn Pacific Northwest. Let them sell their stuff at the booty Seahawks games. But I digress.

I have a bit of a fetish for hoppy beers right now, I had some Broken Halo IPA at a bar, nice stuff. I sent the wife on a mission to find me some bitter stuff at the grocery store, and she comes back with Red Hook ESB. You'd think ESB would be really bitter, as we got in Baltimore at Wharf Rat. Well let's see...

Red Hook ESB:

The beer has the word CHILL on the bottle, so I don't feel bad about drinking it cold. I've had the beer at Texan's games, but I forgot what it tasted like, as by the time I get into the stadium, I've already had at least 7 beers. So the ESB makes me think it should be hoppy, but I'm still learning. The color is a good FAMU Orange, with a white fleeting head, and slight caramel scent. I wonder, "How is the head fleeting if it's a bitter beer?", and "where's the flowery hops aroma?" The beer is even a little cloudy. It has a sweetness and caramel taste to it, damn! It's got low carbonation and hops, and an only slightly bitter finish. It's very drinkable. This is pretty surprising.

The wife recommended I look it up on Beer advocate, and it looks I have much to learn. Both my beer book and Advocate both says that "despite the name, Extra Special Bitters are not bitter at all, more malty". Well hush my mouth. Red Hook has done a great job with this beer and it seems great for mass marketing. It has enough noticeable flavors, but it doesn't eff you up on the hops, and it's actually much more drinkable than the pale lagers they pour down your throat in the States. I'm still thirsty as all get out after my 9 mile run a couple hours ago, so I'm grabbing another one. Oh it's real.