Skip to main content
Skip to main content

Hot on HuffPost Food:

See More Stories
Tell us what you think for a chance at $1000!


Redhook's Slim Chance Suffers From a Light Beer Identity Crisis

Six pack of Slim Chance Light Ale
This spring the Redhook Ale Brewery is rolling out Slim Chance Light Ale, billed as "the only craft light ale available nationally." Understand all those qualifiers?

Give Redhook credit for seeing a niche: The beer market probably has room for a light ale (most light brews are lagers). Oddly enough Slim Chance, which is "brewed in the blonde-style," is extremely lager-like: golden and crisp with only fleeting glimpses of the sweet or fruity characteristics one would expect from a brew flaunting its ale-itude. Undertones of fruits such as apple give way to butter, breadiness and a finish reminiscent of a number of macro-brewery light lagers.

With a name like Slim Chance, Redhook clearly isn't targeting the savviest of suds sippers and instead is skewing -- or, given the design, "surfing" -- straight towards the middle of the market. Though nothing is wrong with this beer it's not a standout, making it feel more like a ploy than an earnest attempt at crafting a better light beer. Plus at 125 calories Slim Chance is at the upper end of the low-calorie spectrum, so diehard dieters will probably head elsewhere.

Light craft beers are tough to tackle. Redhook's latest offering is no exception. But what's most disappointing is the brewery's inability to deliver anything interesting. Mostly, Slim Chance tastes like missed opportunity.

Filed Under: Raves & Reviews, Drink Recipes, New Products
Tags: beer, Light Ale, Light Beer, Redhook, Redhook Ale Brewery, Slim Chance, Slim Chance Light Ale, speakin suds

Sponsored Links

Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

DanGarion

4-14-2009 @6:13PM DanGarion said... Sam Adams Light isn't a national brand distributed nationally?
Reply

DanGarion

4-14-2009 @6:15PM DanGarion said... Nevermind Sam Adams is a lager... duh!
Reply

Frank

4-15-2009 @2:30PM Frank said... I don't know... I picked up a sixer last week as a change of pace.

I could see it stuck in the big middle (not cheap enough for a light, not unique or interesting enough for something that price), but I could also see it being a lighter beer selection for when I want something nice, but lighter.
Reply

3 Comments / 1 Pages

Most Popular Stories

  • FDA Still Struggling to Define

    FDA Still Struggling to Define "Gluten-Free"Read More

  • This Omelet Recipe Is Written On the Egg Itself

    This Omelet Recipe Is Written On the Egg ItselfRead More

  • Why Jewish Food Disappoints

    Why Jewish Food DisappointsRead More

Latest Flickr Feed


Sponsored Links