I picked up two cases of Redhook from Magruder’s last Friday. With the NFL conference championships on Sunday, I needed some solid session beer in the fridge and Redhook fit the bill.

My first case was the Redhook Brewer’s Choice Variety Pack, which includes six each of four beers:

• Long Hammer IPA, delicious and drinkable, this hoppy ale is 6.5% ABV
• Slim Chance Light Ale, on the other end of the beer spectrum, this light beer is only 3.9% ABV
• ESB, this amber ale is Redhook’s signature brew
• Winterhook, Redhook’s winter seasonal, a malty and tasty ale

I mixed my second case myself, with two six packs of Long Hammer and two six-packs of Widmer Hefeweizen.  Widmer Brothers Brewing Company (Portland, Oregon) is actually a separate brand from Redhook, but the Redhook and Widmer brands are both owned by the same company since a merger in 2008, as described in a Seattle Post-Intelligencer article.

I like the affordability of Redhook even though I don’t buy the beer on a regular basis.  We visited the Redhook brewery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in December 2003 and my notes from the visit describe a “great tour and generous samples.”