Summerhook
Redhook Brewlab

 

 

 

 

 

A slightly hazy, white gold color. Lazy carbonation and a classic white foam cap. Plenty of sticky icky lace leftover.

A fruity, herbal mix with a light, sweet malty aroma. Maybe some sour wheat and pepper.

A very light, semi-crisp, certainly refreshing feel. Never dry but very clean.
A nice sharp, light wheat malt taste with a very gentle but pleasant red-fruity backdrop. Mild spice and herbal rye and hop counter balance.

Crush it.

 

 

$3.69 for a six pack. Slightly hazy golden blonde, with a towering head of 3 fingers. 20% opaque.

Aroma is clean with fresh baked grains, slight lemon zest, and orange peel.

Flavor starts off fresh with a nice shot of orange peel, but then the rye comes in, with dirt, coffee grounds, toffee, dirty sponge, and green pepper. Some of the citrus does follow through to the finish, but it's only there to compliment a refreshing characteristic.

Feel is refreshing, quenching, clean.

Overall, the taste dunks this one to the bottom of the beer ocean for me. How a beer can incorporate so many elements of garbage is astounding to me. Easier to drainpour than to drink.

Pretty bland. Getting some pilsner malt flavor. Subtle hop flavor. For a summer seasonal, it's what you're looking for. Light, crisp and somewhat low on flavor.

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a light golden amber with a thin, fine half finger head with good retention and light lacing. Aroma of light bready malt, clear rye, a hint of biscuit, grassy and lightly floral hops; nice aroma for a light rye beer. Flavor is mild biscuit malt, lightly tart rye, hints of lemon, finishes with mild rye tartness and light grassy hop bitterness. Light bodied with good carbonation. The aroma gave me hope, but the flavor on this is quite subdued. There is some nice rye malt here, but the malt in general tastes watered down. The rye tartness almost has citrus qualities. Easy to drink, but pedestrian for the style. A typical, safe and drinkable, but not memorable beer from this brewery.

Redhook Ale Brewery "Summerhook"
12 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, production coded "APR 01 16", sampled SEP 14 16
$2 @ Acme, Glen Mills, PA

Summerhook pours a slightly hazy golden body beneath a frothy head of bright white that holds well and leaves some very nice lacing behind. The aroma expresses clear rye malt and piney, grassy, and citrusy hops. It's light-medium in body and gently crisp across the tongue. As is often the case, the flavor follows the aroma with the rye remaining clear, displaying its soft spiciness and drying character even amidst similar pine-like hop components. A moderate bitterness (30-40 IBUs) balances it and it finishes dry, spicy, and hoppy with pleasant notes of pine. Quite drinkable, and nicely done!

On-tap 9/4/2016 at Battleship Brewhouse in Fall River, MA, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light gold color, with a short white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is faint but contains caramelized rye malts, citrus and some hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of caramel and citrus. Then a very mild hops presence comes in. There are some faint background flavors of rye and spice. The malt character is thin for the style but brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth but a bit watery, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: A little tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, this is a decent beer to drink for a while.

From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter. This decent golden rye pours a clear
lightly amber tinged straw color with a decent head of white foam that subsides to
a thick ring, thin layer, and light lacing. Nose of subtle rye and subtle sweet malts.
Flavors lightly exceed the nose with light spicy rye and a touch of lemon zest mingling
with a subtle herbal hop note. Decent mouth feel, crisp, easy drinking, moderate
carbonation, and a crisp spicy finish touched with hops. Overall a decent session
brew from Redhook.

Cheers

 

 

 

I've been pretty disappointed by most light ales because they lack good flavor. I grew up on Red Hook ESP living in Seattle and am happy to see it here in South Carolina. Typically a high gravity drinker, I need to find some low ABV beers that I like. Summer hook seems to hit all the marks. It has that classic Red Hook flavor, low AVB (4.7) and robust hops. I could drink 5 or 6 of these and be fine. Compared to any other sub 5% beer, this ale is light year ahead.

 

Looks pale yellow-orange.

Smells faintly of rye.

Tastes watery, but rye is present. Something is bitter in the aftertaste, something like grapefruit.

Feels alright, a little watery.

Overall, good summer beer, like it claims to be. Not overbearing, but certainly miles ahead of the likes of Bud Light in terms of flavor.