Harpoon IPA

Brewed by Harpoon Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Boston, Massachusetts USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

Orange golden with a moderate off white head. Light malty and hoppy aromatic, but a little thin in the mouth with only a light moderate bitter finish. More a quick thirst-quencher than an top American IPA.

UPDATED: SEP 4, 2011 (12 ounce bottle - shaker glass) pours a clear golden yellow color. Has a hoppy aroma. Taste is a light malt. Has a hoppy clean aftertaste.

I guess this could be referred to as a middle-of-the-road sort of IPA. It had almost a honey sweetness throughout, which made it easily drinkable. The hops come first and then fade away. Lighter bodied for sure with some floral characteristics to the nose. I can’t help thinking it’s more of a non-IPA lover’s IPA. Overall, I’d say it’s not bad, but hopheads will find it lacking.

Bottle. Amber coloured IPA with a thin white head. Restrained hop aroma with some background malt. Decent fruity malt body with aromatic hop and only medium bitterness. Unremarkable.

Draft at Taco Mac. Pours orange with a thin white head. Aroma is bready and surprisingly malty with hints of citrus hop. Flavor is malty with touches of fruit and tingles of evergreen hops here and there. Maltier than expected. Bitter but balanced finish. Medium body and crisp mouthfeel. Overall, okay -- a bit of a let down. Perhaps the keg was not so fresh? Really lacked the hop aroma and up-front flavor of a good IPA. More like a pale ale.

Good beer. Taste of bitterness is well balanced not too much or over the top like other IPA. Personally I like the over the top IPA.

Harpoon IPA pours a copper/amber with a fast thinning head. There is some lacing. The taste is mild, but I get some bitterness. The aftertaste is a bit metallic, but crisp.

Tap. Notes of orangepeel, sweet, juicy floral hops. Light toasty dry caramel backing. Hippier, cleaner, better than expected.