The Erie Better Beer Bureau
The Erie Better Beer Bureau is a group dedicated to bringing good beer to Erie county and acting as an advocate for the customers of the Erie craft beer market. We aim to provide the most up-to-date and relevant craft beer news, reviews, opinions and information available. Must be 21 or older to view. As always, please drink responsibly.
Harpoon IPA — Reviewed By: Morey
Brewery: Harpoon
City – State – Country: Boston, MA USA
Style: India Pale Ale
Alcohol: 5.9%
Served: On-tap @ Six Pack House of Beer (West) in Erie, Pa
Reviewed By: Morey
INFORMATION: Harpoon’s flagship beer. The brewery states that this is an example of an English Style Ipa. It’s brewed with cascade hops and three different types of malts. It’s only 42 IBUs, but it’s also dry hopped. Harpoon cultivates their own yeast, and they say that it adds a fruity flavor to their beers (which explains the “white grape” flavor that I got in the taste).
APPEARANCE: Served in a tulip glass. The beer is copper orange in color, and has a very slight hazy quality. The head is off-white and is about a finger tall. Pretty decent head retention and lacing.
AROMA: I’m getting piney hops along with some earthy malts and grains. There’s also suggestions of white grape juice.
TASTE: You get the hops right up front, but they’re a bit on the tame side for an Ipa. The earthy notes from the malts start to take over not long after. I’m also getting that white grape flavor in the taste about mid-palate. The hops surface again towards the back end, but there’s more malts and grain than anything lingering after the swallow.
MOUTHFEEL: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
MOREY’S BOTTOM LINE: Not bad. Maybe just a notch or two above average. Not much in the way of citrus hops, and the hops just don’t provide enough umph overall. It’s still a good beer, just not one I’d purchase with all of the other options available out there. That being said, this would make for a good session/summer beer to quaff during a BBQ.
Score: 3.25 out of 5
About Morey
