The Beerspotter Redhook Late Harvest Ale

Redhook Late Harvest Autumn Ale

Where Spotted: D’Vines, 3103 14th St. NW

Price: $8/six-pack

Tasting Notes: Late Harvest is sort of a thick-bodied brown ale, slightly sweet and heavy on the malts. A bready dryness keeps the caramel flavors at bay, while the respectable alcohol level (5.9 percent abv) lets the simple tastes linger. With just a faint whiff of cinnamon, there’s not much in the way of spice—but for a mid-range beer it’s a pleasant overture to the pumpkin-and-gingerbread lineup that will follow come October.

Pairing: The relative dryness of this brown ale will go great with roasted nuts in the colder months, but until temperatures drop, try it fireside with s’mores. Sweet notes will shine next to the graham crackers and chocolate.

On the Hook: “Red Hook” is also another name for the FBI’s Digital Collection System Network, a sophisticated wiretapping program that collects data from land lines, cell phones, and the Internet. It’s probably best to buy this beer in person.

Seen an interesting quaff lately? E-mail beerspotter@washingtoncitypaper.com.