Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale

Brewed by Harpoon Brewery
Style: Belgian Ale
Boston, Massachusetts USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Fantastic pale beer. Bottle poured pint glass. I love Belgian yeast so naturally I gravitate towards this beer. Medium hoppiness after the strength of the Belgian yeast taste initially. Loved this beer and loving this Wintery Mix Harpoon 12 pack.

Bottle from Wegman’s. Pours copper with dark straw hues on the bottom of the tulip glass. About a finger of off-white splotchy head. Nose is very floral, spicy, peppery, and rock sugary funky. Tastes semi-dry, floral, with a solid hop flavor, some funky rock sugary malt notes, and a crisp finish. This one is worth a buy.

Pours orangey, medium head, some spices and fruits and hops. unspectacular but not bad either.

Pours copper with a one finger white head. Smells of banana.. some faint yeast. The taste is of light hops with a belgian twist. This is nothing to get excited about.

On tap at the brewery, served in a tasting glass. Pours clear yellow with a small, off-white head that fades slowly, leaving behind a moderate amount of fine lace. The nose is spicy, with cinnamon and nutmeg, along with notes of lemon, pale malts and herbs. The flavour is moderately sweet and spicy up front, becoming spicier towards the end with a slight hop note. The finish is spicy with light malts. On the palate, it is medium in body with a dryish texture and soft carbonation. Overall, this is a decent spicy brew but is perhaps too simple for its name. 2011-11-25

Appearance: clear oranges – on the deeper darker side of orange. Off-white head fades fast into a bubbly collar and a splotchy spotty head.
Nose: spiced apples, cinnamon sticks, allspice. Cantaloupe, kiwi, pear, pineapple, coconut shavings. Mulling spices are pervasive. Apple skins and plums mingle. Candied essence – maraschino.
Palate: spicy and dry with a long parching finish. Crisp sweetness. Stewed peaches, apricots, and kiwi. Tropical fruit skins in the back along with nutmeg. Flower seeds for earthen nutty crunch – mild and hides along the edges.
Final Thoughts: I tasted this particular Harpoon event and of all the beers on draft that were new to me, the Belgian Pale Ale was my favorite. A nice balance of spice, tropics, booze, and earthen elements to stand proud with the native Belgian Pale Ales. Definitely one of the better Harpoon offerings.

Pour is light amber brown with a small white head. Good lacing when it fades. Aroma is extremely fruity with some yeasty characteristics in the background. Flavor is dominated by the Belgian yeast but with some nice hop presence. Spicy, floral, light fruits. Light bodied.

(Bottle (best by 11/15/11) from Candia Road Convenience) Pours clear amber with a finger of off-white head. Aroma of spice, Belgian yeast and fruit. Tastes of fruit and yeast with a bit of a spicy-peppery finish.