In May of 1981, Paul Shipman and Gordon Bowker founded the Redhook Ale Brewery in Seattle, Washington. They had a hunch that a growing nurnber of beer drinkers shared their preference for beer with the depth, distinction, and variety found in the classic brews of Europe. They also observed a nationwide growth in the import beer market and felt that a locally brewed product of the same quality would be welcomed by draft-beer drinkers in the region.

The spot they chose for their brewery was a former transmission shop in an industrial area of Ballard, Seattle's Scandinavian neighborhood. The location was also attractive because the surrounding residential community still retained strong European traditions. And on August 11,1982, the first pint of Redhook Ale was sold in Seattle.

The first year of production resulted in 2,000 kegs. Almost all of that beer was consumed within a 5-mile radius of the brewery. Blackhook Porter was introduced in June, 1983, and immeiately established a loyal following. By 1983, both the sales and number of retail outlets exceeded projections and the company moved into the black. The biggest boon for the brewery came with the introduction of Ballard Bitter in the spring of 1984. The immense popularity of this new offering created a demand which surpassed the production capability, even with the addition of the bottling line in 1985.

In keeping with Redhook's commitment to the neighborhood, the new brewery was built in the historic red-brick Fremont Car Barn, just one mile from the original brewery. This building has actively served Seattle's work force since the turn of the century, and, according to local historians, it is the source of many Seattle legends. In 1908 it housed the Seattle Electric Railway, which became the Seattle Municipal Railway in 1919. The Car Barn served as a terminus with accommodations for trolleymen until the 1940's when trackless trolleys replaced the rails city-wide. The 26,000 square-foot building provided space for expanded brewing capacity as well as a brewpub, which was named "The Trolleyman," in commemoration of this rich history.

Brewing began in this facility in September, 1988, and it soon became clear that the acquisition of a Steinecher brewhouse positioned Redhook as the most technically advanced craft brewery in North America, assuring prodct consistency, quality, and availability.

Consumer thirst for specialty beers has caused increased demand which has driven the growth of the microbrewery industry tremendously. In order to respond to this development, Redhook made a commitment to brew enough beer to satisfy the burgeoning demand.

In July of 1994, a second brewery was completed in Woodinville, Washington, 20 miles east of the Seattle location, the third Redhook Brewery was commissioned in Portsmouth New Hampshire in September of 1996. The additional capacity provided by this new brewery allows Redhook to expand distribution while continuing to maintain the high quality that is the hallmark of craft brewing.