I didn’t have time to stop off at the house before heading over to a friend’s house to help him bottle his first batch of home brew, so I swung by the minute market to see what they had to get me through the evening. A couple of bottles from Redhook caught my eye, and I ended up grabbing a 22oz. Redhook ESB (ESB standing for both Extra Special Bitter *style* and Early Spring Beer *seasonal*).
Redhook ESB poured a thin, sticky white head over a copper-hued, ever-so-slightly hazy body mobilized by medium carbonation. The nose was strong and bread-heavy, with hints of floral notes.
Redhook ESB opened clean in the start with less carbonation than expected based on the activity in the glass. A big, bread middle defined the beer; a little bit sweet with a drying linger that faded into bitterness.
Nothing exceptional about this beer, but certainly a session-worthy bottle that wouldn’t get old as the night went on.
