Ahh, February. The month when the Spring seasonal beers start to become available--just in time to get you through Valentine's Day one more year. I've always loved Spring and Summer seasonal beers for their refreshing character, citrus notes, and occasional fruit infusions. The first Spring seasonal I tried this year was Copper Hook, by the RedHook Brewing Company.
The first thing I noticed when I poured it into my standard laboratory testing vessel was the bubbles. This beer is very carbonated, by which I mean very carbonated. It's not quite to a soda pop level, but it's fizzy for an ale. I found it refreshing and light. Its appearance is a lot like a fizzy yellow American pilsner, but with a slight coppery tinge and more lacing on the glass. The flavor is fairly nondescript, with neither flavors that make you cringe, nor flavors that make you go "wow"--despite the packaging, there is very little citrusy about this beer. Its finish is relatively clean and there is little alcohol harshness to it, although a slight hoppy bitterness is present (it is technically an American pale ale). It's a very easy drinking beer--in fact, by the time I finished this review (not counting the "next day" section), I had finished 4 bottles. That's 56 words per beer.
The next day: I woke up 5 hours later with a slight headache. The beer may taste refreshing, but don't forget that it's a 5.7% brew--drink some water accordingly.
Appearance: Coppery Budweiser.
Taste: Smooth, hoppy Budweiser.
Puzzle Factor: High-average Budweiser (5.7%).
Day After: Headachy Budweiser.
Rating: 7/10
This blog entry is dedicated to my friend Grimlocke, who quit drinking beer because he couldn't stop drinking beer.
