The Five Points Brewing Company
Hook Island Red
6%
Hackney, London, UK

I got very excited last summer when Five Points Brewery, a short walk from Hackney overground station opened and visited on two different brewery open days. Every beer I tried within the brewery was tasty but it was the Hook Island Red that really showed the most promise. I previously said very good things about their pale ale here a few months ago here. But it was the red ale that I fell in love with.

Not that many breweries do a red ale, well not enough anyway. I am not an expert on brewing, so I don’t know, but perhaps creating a red ale is tricky? Or making it good at least. Hyperbole alert, but I would stick my neck out on the line by saying that the Five Points Hook Island Red is one of the best, if not thee best red ale in London. It was the stand out beer when I visited the brewery twice last summer and I think they’ve improved the recipe since then to make it even better. It is brewed with Chinook, Coloumbus and Simcoe hops and as you expect from a red ale is very hoppy but is full of flavour.

So one of the many reasons I love the Hook Island Red is because it includes rye, 20% rye to be precise. There’s so many flavours and tastes to experience when a gulp hits your pallet but that’s exactly why I love it. They say, “A full bodied, aromatic Red Rye ale brewed with malted barley, the addition of 20% Rye to the recipe, and with Chinook, Columbus and Simcoe hops.” Seems like these Chinook and Simcoe hops are pretty amazing, right?

Five Points are the kings of red ale.

OVERALL: 4/5