THE HISTORY OF THE HARDEST WORKING BEER IN THE FRIDGE
In 1981, Redhook founders Paul Shipman and Gordon Bowker had a revolutionary vision that all beer drinkers deserved something different than the flavorless lagers or stale imports available at the time. Using second-hand and makeshift equipment, they opened the Redhook Ale Brewery inside a renovated transmission shop in Ballard, Seattle.
Four decades later, the beer scene, like our hometown of Seattle, looks very different. And though a lot has changed, we are still driven by our founder's original vision to make well-crafted, approachable beers for the people. Over the years, the recipes may have changed, but the spirit of entrepreneurship and work ethic still underlies everything we do in our pursuit of making the hardest-working beer in the fridge.
1981
Paul Shipman (left) and Gordon Bowker establish Redhook Brewery in an old Ballard transmission shop with the goal of brewing Seattle a better beer. Charles McElevey (right) is brought on as the first brew master.
1982
The first Redhook Ale ever is poured at the classic Seattle pub in Queen Anne, Jake O’Shaughnessy’s. The initial beer had a fruity taste and quickly gained a cult following as “Banana Beer.”
1985
Ballard Bitter is first released. Paying homage to the Scandinavian history of Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, Ballard Bitter’s hoppy profile becomes a hit with craft beer fans. Ya, Sure, Ya Betcha!
1986
Redhook Extra Special Bitter, a former Winterhook recipe, is released. Brewed continuously to this day, Redhook ESB plants a stake in the ground for the Seattle craft beer movement, and inspires a new wave of craft beers across the country.
1987
Redhook outgrows the Ballard brewery and moves to Fremont, inhabiting a historic building that served as a barn for trolley cars up until the 1940s. To honor that heritage, a new pub is christened, the Trolleyman.
1996
To keep up with demand, Redhook opened a new, state-of-the-art production facility in Woodinville, Washington, followed by a sister brewery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This setup made Redhook the first craft brand to have a bicoastal operation.
1997
Long Hammer makes its debut! Tracing its heritage from another Redhook classic beer, The Ballard Bitter, Long Hammer IPA helped introduce an entire generation of beer drinkers to the West-Coast IPA Style.
2010
Big Ballard debuts! Our tribute to our original stomping grounds, Big Ballard lives us to its name with a bold and aggressive hop profile, deep golden body and crisp finish.
Redhook Brewlab opens in the heart of Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. With an 8-Barrel brewing system on-site and 16 taps, Brewlab is a space where everyone can get a taste of our latest experiments.
Around the same time, we made the hard decision to close our Woodinville facility and transfered control the Portsmouth facility over to our friends at Cisco Brewers.
We will always look fondly back at our time in Woodinville and Portsmouth and are happy to know that great liquid still flows through both buildings.
2021
Storm Surge Hazy IPA debuts! A hazy for the people, Storm Surge is what we call a "West-Coast Style" Hazy IPA. It has the smooth body of a hazy, but still packs a signature West Coast hoppy bite.
Hazy Big Ballard debuts! A bold and juicy imperial IPA, this beer marks the first extension of our Big Ballard family.
2022
Lagersquatch Lager debuts! The legends are true! Turns out, he's a pretty chill dude who just likes to party. He taught us the ways of his signature beer - a smooth, straight forward lager with just a little hop bite, for those with a PNW disposition.
Tropical Big Ballard debuts! This juicy IPA boasts flavors of Pineapple, Orange, Starfruit and Coconut. Every sip puts you in a tropical state of mind, as if you were on a beach in Aruba, or perhaps Jamaica. Maybe Bermuda? Bahama? Come on Captain Ballard! He'll get you there, just take it slow...
Renowned Seattle Chef Shota Nakajima partners with Redhook to open Kobo Pizza in the Brewlab space in Capitol Hill.
2023
Redhook debuts the Big Ballard IPA family in a variety pack. The Big Ballard IPA Variety Pack features Hazy Big Ballard Imperial IPA, Big Ballard IPA, and Tropical Big Ballard Juicy IPA.
1981
Gordon Bowker (left) and Paul Shipman establish Redhook Brewery in an old Ballard transmission shop with the goal of brewing Seattle a better beer. Charles McElevey (right) is brought on as the first brew master.
1982
The first Redhook Ale ever is poured at the classic Seattle pub in Queen Anne, Jake O’Shaughnessy’s. The initial beer had a fruity taste and quickly gained a cult following as “Banana Beer.”
1984
Winterhook, Redhook’s legendary winter ale, is first brewed. Crafted with an evolving mix of malts and hops, Winterhook has been brewed annually since this date.
1985
Ballard Bitter is first released. Paying homage to the Scandinavian history of Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, Ballard Bitter’s hoppy profile becomes a hit with craft beer fans. Ya, Sure, Ya Betcha!
1986
Redhook Extra Special Bitter, a former Winterhook recipe, is released. Brewed continuously to this day, Redhook ESB plants a stake in the ground for the Seattle craft beer movement, and inspires a new wave of craft beers across the country.
1987
Redhook outgrows the Ballard brewery and moves to Fremont, inhabiting a historic building that served as a barn for trolley cars up until the 1940s. To honor that heritage, a new pub is christened, the Trolleyman.
1996
To keep up with demand, Redhook opened a new, state-of-the-art production facility in Woodinville, Washington, followed by a sister brewery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This setup made Redhook the first craft brand to have a bicoastal operation.
1997
Long Hammer makes its debut! Tracing its heritage from another Redhook classic beer, The Ballard Bitter, Long Hammer IPA helped introduce an entire generation of beer drinkers to the West-Coast IPA Style.
2010
Big Ballard debuts! Our tribute to our original stomping grounds, Big Ballard lives us to its name with a bold and aggressive hop profile, deep golden body and crisp finish.
Redhook Brewlab opens in the heart of Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. With an 8-Barrel brewing system on-site and 16 taps, Brewlab is a space where everyone can get a taste of our latest experiments.
Around the same time, we made the hard decision to close our Woodinville facility and transfered control the Portsmouth facility over to our friends at Cisco Brewers.
We will always look fondly back at our time in Woodinville and Portsmouth and are happy to know that great liquid still flows through both buildings.
2021
Storm Surge Hazy IPA debuts! A hazy for the people, Storm Surge is what we call a "West-Coast Style" Hazy IPA. It has the smooth body of a hazy, but still packs a signature West Coast hoppy bite.
Hazy Big Ballard debuts! A bold and juicy imperial IPA, this beer marks the first extension of our Big Ballard family.
2022
Lagersquatch Lager debuts! The legends are true! Turns out, he's a pretty chill dude who just likes to party. He taught us the ways of his signature beer - a smooth, straight forward lager with just a little hop bite, for those with a PNW disposition.
Tropical Big Ballard debuts! This juicy IPA boasts flavors of Pineapple, Orange, Starfruit and Coconut. Every sip puts you in a tropical state of mind, as if you were on a beach in Aruba, or perhaps Jamaica. Maybe Bermuda? Bahama? Come on Captain Ballard! He'll get you there, just take it slow...
Renowned Seattle Chef Shota Nakajima partners with Redhook to open Kobo Pizza in the Brewlab space in Capitol Hill.
2023
Big Ballard Variety 18pk debuts! The industry's first Imperial Craft 18pk features all three Big Ballards together in one package.
