Day 190, July 9 / Hooker Irish Red Ale

Day 190 /  July 9, 2011

Hooker Irish Red Ale

Thomas Hooker Brewery / Bloomfield, CT

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Think globally.  Drink locally.

I have a sticker on my cooler that says that.  Right next to the Pietasters sticker and the Batman sticker.  No, I won’t grow up.

Anyway, while on a trip to New England, I asked our waitress if they had any local beers.  She recommended Mystic Irish Red.  Which is actually Thomas Hooker’s Irish Red, slightly rebranded for the town we were in.

Now, I’ll admit I am a beer geek, but I had never even heard of Hooker beers.  There’s definitely a joke in there, but I’ll leave the pun to Hooker’s marketing department – check out the banner at the end of this page.

The Thomas Hooker Brewery spun off from a local brewpub in Bloomfield CT.  The brewery is named for the founder of nearby Hartford, the Puritan minister Thomas Hooker (1586-1657).  I doubt he’s approved the current marketing campaign.

Anyway, the brewery produces 8 year round brews and 3 seasonals.  The Irish Red surprised me – I generally don’t expect a whole lot of flavor from a red ale, but this was quite good.  It was deep red in color, not much head to the pour.  But the taste was malty, and maybe just a little nutty.  Like me.  I may have to find some to bring home!