Redhook Brewery - Redhook ESB

For the Sixth Beer of Christmas, I drank a better version of Harry Potter's butterbeer.

Redhook Brewery
Redhook ESB

While snowed in over the weekend, we puttered around while the Harry Potter movies played on the TV in an all day marathon. Drinking this, I thought back to the movies but I would much prefer this buttery treat.

The white head that forms is first made of large while bubbles, but those quickly break down into a thin cap of bubbles to tiny that they almost look like whipped cream. The beer itself is bright copper in color and clear enough that I can read my computer screen through the glass. Fine wisps of  lacing hug the glass with each drink, leaving a cascade of white lines and the beer disappears.

The aroma is a mix of light floral hops, sweet caramel malts, and butter. The technical term for the latter is diacetyl (DIE-a-see-till.) This rather interesting article will help you learn to discern it if you do not detect it on your own.

Starting out sweet, the taste carries forward the caramel of the aroma along with some biscuit and citrus fruits. The finish brought on the hop bitterness with a very grapefruity flavor. Medium bodied, this brew is definitely thirst quenching and sessionable. The buttery scent carries into the taste only a bit, but a creamy butter-like smoothness is prevalent with each drink.

Redhook describes their ESB as smooth and bold. I think that's apt. And I think I'll have another.

Stats
Brewer: Redhook Brewery
Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Website: http://www.RedHook.com/
Style: Extra Special Bitter
Alcohol Content: 5.80% ABV
Interesting Note: Like many breweries, Redhook has a humble origin. The brewery began in a transmission shop in Seattle, Washington. Before long, demand led them to build an east coast location in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.