Redhook Brewlab

Redhook Brewlab 25Oct2017

Redhook Brewlab is newly opened and is one of the few Seattle brewery locations, to which I have never been – not counting Redhook when it was in Fremont or Woodinville. I rode the D-Line downtown and picked up the 11 at 4rth and Pike. The brewery restaurant is in the newly constructed Pike Motorworks building.

The front door is on Pike Street but the brewery can be accessed from a courtyard with openings on Boylston, Pine, and Harvard. 

Looking at the front door on Pike with outdoor seating to the right and left

Entering from Pike Street you walk through an outdoor seating area – empty this time of year – and transition into the seating area. Straight ahead is restaurant seating and the kitchen with the brew kit to the left. 

Straight ahead view as you enter with the kitchen on the left behind the barrels

On the right is the bar and more restaurant seating. 

The view to the right of the entrance with the bar and a mural of a stylized Seattle

The beer list is displayed on a screen above the bar and lists ABV and IBU information. 

The beer list on TV. Get out your magnifying glass to see that #10 is missing

Tasters of 4 ounces, 10 ounce schooners, pints, crowlers, and growlers are available. I studied the beer list and ordered a tasting flight of 6 x 4 ounce samples. The tasters were served cold and needed time to warm up and reveal their full aroma and flavor.

Back row l to r: XP Pilsner Trial #3, WA Native III (IPA), Flannel Time (Saison). Front row l to r: Humulus Unum 431 Fresh Hop Ale, Insert Witty Name Here (Wit), and False Facts (Brown Ale).

Fresh Hop Crystallation, a fresh hop lager

Tasting Notes:

Insert Witty Name Here (Wit) (4.5%, 20 IBU): Cloudy pale yellow. Sweet malt, fruit, and phenolic aroma. Quick bite, then a sweet spicy coriander flavor. Sweet finish. Orange flavor late.

Flannel Time (saison) (6.1%, 24 IBU): Slightly hazy orange-gold. Belgian aroma of phenols. Dry malt body phenols and late bitterness. The phenols take on a smoky flavor. Sweet bitter finish.

Humulus Unum 431 (fresh hop ale) (6.5%, 45 IBU): Clear orange-gold. Dank hop aroma. Sweet malt, fruity (tropical) hops, and bitterness. Bitter sweet finish.

XP Pilsner Trial #3 (5.5%, 35 IBU): Clear gold. Beery malt aroma. Bready pilsner malt hop bitterness. Bitter finish. Malt forward and bracing bitterness with just a hint of hop perfume.

WA Native III (IPA) (6%, 60 IBU): Slightly hazy orange-gold. Piney hop aroma. Dry malt body, piney hop flavor, hop bitterness with a hint of hop perfume. Bitter finish.

False Facts (Brown Ale) (6%, 60 IBU): Clear red-brown. Roast malt and piney hops. Roast malt, bitterness, and sweet malt. Bitter finish.

Fresh Hop Crystallation (lager) (6%, 22IBU): Clear orange gold. Fruity, barely perceptible hop aroma. Sweet pilsner malt, dank hop flavor. Sweet finish.

One of my contentions about Redhook is that over the years they have lost their identity, if they ever had one. In opening up shop on Capitol Hill they have become another trendy night spot. They don’t have the class of Optimism or the funk of either Outer Planet or McMenamins Six Arms. The restaurant and bar areas are well-lit from sky-lights and windows. The extensive use of wood is pretty standard these days and gives the place a feeling of warmth. The greeting from behind the bar was friendly and knowledgeable and the service was first rate. The only detraction was the loud music which got on my nerves and interfered with my beer enjoyment. The tap list included 6 IPAs, 4 lagers, and two saisons, which is pretty much on trend. All of the beers I sampled were well brewed with no massive flaws or imbalances. I ate a plate of roasted broccolini, which was very good, finished my flight, ordered a schooner of the Crystallation (which I couldn’t finish), over-tipped the bar staff and stumbled out to catch the bus. 

I walked a few blocks to the bus stop, caught the 11, got off downtown, waited at Seattle’s favorite bus stop, and rode the D-Line back home to eat tuna spaghetti.