Last Friday, Redhook Brewery tour guide and comedian Ben led me through Redhook's Woodinville plant and many beers. We chatted about my first Ballard Bitter in 1984, Redhook's innovative brewer Nick Crandall's pilot brew program, the brewery's history and one too many pirate jokes. If you've never toured the brewery, I highly recommend it.

Afterward, over a giant plate of nachos in their adjacent Forecasters Pub, Redhook retail supervisor, quality control taster and all-around cool person Valerie Hackett gave updates on Redhook's National Climate Declaration to reduce emissions, their partnership with Carl's Jr. to produced the Redhook Beer Battered Cod Fish Sandwich, the brewery's recent hiring of ad agency Duncan Channon and Redhook's desire to get back to their roots, with retro bottle and can releases and beer release parties.

Redhook took another step toward their goal with this news today. ...

Redhook Brewery, a Seattle staple since 1981, is unveiling a retro-style ESB design (Extra Special Bitter) today to pay homage to their brewing history in the Seattle. The throwback design will be featured on both bottle packaging as well as on a new 16 oz. can also introduced today. Both packages are available only in the Northwest.

As one of Redhook's original beers, ESB helped establish the craft brew landscape in Seattle in 1984, and remains one of the most-recognized in the brewery's portfolio. Brewed in the style of a traditional British Extra Special Bitter, Redhook ESB is distinguished by its balance of caramel malt sweetness and spicy, citrusy hops, making it a favorite among beer lovers for more than three decades.

A lot has changed in Seattle over that time, but ESB has continued to stay true. Said Redhook Brand Manager Karmen Olson, "Redhook has grown beyond what Paul Shipman, Gordon Bowker and those of us who grew up in Washington in the 80s and 90s could ever have imagined, and we wanted to reflect on the past and recognize the important role it played in Seattle's history. As the ‘Granddaddy of Craft,' ESB is a huge part of Redhook's Northwest heritage, and giving it a throwback design is one way to pay tribute to those roots."

12-oz bottles and 16-oz cans will each be available at on- and off-premise accounts in the Northwest. ABV 5.8%; IBUs 28

The Redhook ESB Retro campaign will include regional #TBT scavenger hunts, pop-up retro fitted vending machine (near the original brewery), presence at local sporting events, Washington State ferries and more.

Yes please!