United Nations of Beer

Hook & Ladder Backdraft Brown

by Robb Zerr
(Beer Delegate, FL, USA)

Hook & Ladder Backdraft Brown (4.5% ABV)
Hook & Ladder Brewing, DC, USA
See our DC beer guide

Even though I live in Florida now, I come from the land of grains and hops. I remember watching my first hops harvest in Washington State, far away from the hustle and bustle of the microbrew capital of the world – Seattle.

I suppose that's why I'm still a pushover for really hoppy beers. Not just any hoppy beers mind you, but ones that know how to balance the hops against the other flavors of the beer. There is an art to keeping the hops in check without them becoming weak or willowy.

Thankfully, the Hook & Ladder Brewing Company knows its beer and those robust Cascade hops I am so fond of. Their Backdraft Brown is a classic American style brown ale, which is a smooth, full-bodied beer with a nice roasted flavor and just the right balance of Cascade hops to deliver a slightly bitter aroma and an authoritative hoppy finish.

It is not only a great sipping beer, but it will go well with smoked meats, roast pork and even an aged gouda (I admit, I borrowed this from their website – I was gouda-less during this review because of our annual GoudaFest the night before).

So, let's get on with the review. When poured into a proper pint glass, this is one sudsy beer. The head is huge and almost root beer-like in appearance. As the foam subsides, it continues to look a lot like root beer in the glass, so if you want to have an adult beverage at a kid's party or an AA meeting – tell everyone it's root beer - they'll believe you.

Hook & Ladder is a Washington D.C.-based brewery with an interesting history. It began in the kitchen of volunteer firefighter Rich Fleischer in 1994. He was a firefighter in the San Francisco area, the actual birthplace of the beer.

After several false starts, Rich was joined by his business-minded brother, Matt. Under their joint direction, Hook & Ladder has returned to top form, becoming one of the country's fastest-growing craft beer operations.

Growth has been slow, but steady. You can find the brewery’s products in 11 states right now. As such, you still have to hunt around a bit for it. But trust me, the search is well worth your time.

Why, you say? Because it's a tasty beer? Well, that's part of it, of course. But it's worthwhile for another reason. The company donates part of its proceeds from each sale to burned firefighters and burn survivors across America.

To date, the company has donated more than $60,000 to local charities. That's pretty cool, considering a lot of the bigger breweries don't have such a direct connection between their products and a worthwhile cause.

Now, I know what you're saying – dark beer can be pretty heavy to drink. In the interest of a fair review, I opted to pop open a couple more bottles and quaff them in fairly rapid succession. (I know. A selfless act in the interest of research.)

I can tell you (hic) that it doesn't become heavy feeling, while delivering a respectable 4.5% ABV. If you want more horsepower, go for the Hook & Ladder Golden Ale which is 5.5% beer.

If you're watching your little firefighter waistline, you may want to go with the Hook & Ladder Lighter, which is a three-two beer but only has 94 calories.

For my money, I'm sticking with the Backdraft Brown, which is alarmingly delicious and satisfying, especially for a beer from the Washington D.C. area.