100 Barrel Series #21 - Weizenbock
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall

100 Barrel Series #21 - Weizenbock100 Barrel Series #21 - Weizenbock
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From:
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Weizenbock
ABV:
7.8%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.75 | pDev: 9.33%
Reviews:
79
Ratings:
84
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 27, 2018
Added:
Nov 21, 2007
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
Our Weizenbock is a celebration of flavor. This beer is brewed with fifty percent Wheat malt, which keeps it light on the palate, while the dark German barley malts round out the grain bill to create a full-flavored, creamy mouthfeel.

German-grown Hersbrucker hops offer up a subtle balance, but the true character of this joyous beer is derived from the authentic Bavarian yeast strain. This yeast invites notes of banana, clove, and spice to the party, creating a warming holiday elixir. Enjoy with friends!

16 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Deuane:
Photo of Deuane
Reviewed by Deuane from Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
A-Dark copper with a medium light tan head that quickly reduced to nothing and left no lace.

S-Caramel malt and fruit. A nice waft of spicy clove in the background. Overtones of brown sugar too.

T-Sweet caramel malt, toffee, spicy clove and a finish of banana, green apple with a finishing hint of lemon zing.

M-Medium-light bodied marking it too thin for the style. This one lacks the meaty backbone that I love in weizenbocks. Flavours linger decently.

D-Despite the lack of body this is a flavourful and easy to drink brew. The taste is there too bad the rest of the beer can't match it....if so this would be a winner. Good, but certainly needs some tweaking.
Nov 08, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.42 by chiefz1 from New York

Jul 27, 2018
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

4.24/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap at Vermont Tap House.
This was poured into a tulip.
The appearance was a nice looking crisp semi-transparent amber to brown color. Not much of a head and it was a bar pour, so I wasn't too worried. Barely any lace.
The aroma had a great blend of sweet banana, dark chocolate, dark chocolate, brown sugar, sweet wheat, clove, sly coriander, sweet earth, slight red delicious apple and a slight bready/yeasty tone underneath. Light bubblegum further underneath.
The flavor was moderately sweet leaning into a meshing of banana, sweet wheat, bready/yeasty character, and those chocolates. Spiciness seemingly coming from the clove and coriander. Aftertaste was a meshing of bubblegum, sweet wheat, clove, banana, dark chocolate and sweet earth.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Carbonation and ABV felt fine. Light spicy grip penetrable on my tongue. Good semi-spicy to sweet bubblegum, banana and light chocolate finish.
Overall, an extremely nice weizenbock well worthy to have again.
Jul 14, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by jaydoc from Kansas

Nov 27, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by anfield86 from New Jersey

May 27, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Rochefort10nh from New Hampshire

Dec 06, 2011
 
Rated: 3.5 by rab53 from Washington

Dec 01, 2011
Photo of Durge
Reviewed by Durge from Connecticut

3.89/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A light copper-brown colored brew. The minor off-white head completely disappears within a minute or two and the lacing is doomed. The aroma is chocolate licorice malt, toasted wheat bread. Quite decent. The flavor brings lightly carbonated smoked melon and clove and molasses. There's lots of sour orange and some light clove and pomegranite. I do enjoy the complexity of this beer, it's sort of fun but it needs some help to give this more meat in mouthfeel. It seems a bit dead, but I still recommend it for anyone that enjoys the smoke family of brews.
May 07, 2009
Photo of UGADawgGuy
Reviewed by UGADawgGuy from Georgia

4.29/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On a whim, I picked up a single bomber of this while I was in Athens after touring the Sweetwater brewery. One of the better impulse buys I've made in recent weeks.

Appearance: Interesting, but ultimately not the beer's strongest suit. This stuff looks like really strong Lipton's tea. Even after swirling and pouring the yeasty sediment from the bottom of the bottle, the beer is translucent (but dim, due to its dark mahogany hue). A respectable three-finger head was easy to raise, even with a careful weizen pour, but it faded rather quickly into little more than a faint film. Carbonation is ample and visible. Lacing is non-existent.

Smell: I'm intrigued from the first whiff. There was I time when I'd had Celebrator and Korbinian, but never a weizenbock. During that time -- the years before I tried Aventinus and Vitus -- this is exactly what I thought weizenbock would smell like. The most prominent aroma is roasted malt, just like a dark doppelbock. Fermented wheat is also in the foreground, alongside a beautiful maple-like sweetness. A hint of that strange metallic note that is common among wheat beers is there, but it's not strong. I like what I smell here.

Taste: Follows the nose perfectly -- just as it should. To paraphrase myself, this is just what I used to think a weizenbock would taste like. Roasted malt and wheaty twang are the stars of the show, but they're carried by a molasses-like sweetness that really works well. As the beer warms, the sweetness becomes more prominent. Now that I think about it, the taste is more doppelbock than weizenbock, but that's okay with me. It's unusual among weizenbocks, especially American ones, and I like it.

Mouthfeel: A LITTLE weaker/waterier than I'd like, but still pretty full and smooth. Brisk carbonation lifts the flavors along the tongue and throat, leaving a lasting memory of fermented wheat on the taste buds. Not hard to swig heartily, which is unique among darker weizenbocks.

Drinkability: Better than you might think, at 7.80% ABV. Alcohol is not perceptible in this one, which makes it as drinkable as those excellent doppelbocks I mentioned above. Now, for my tastes, it's not as drinkable as Vitus or Aventinus, but most beers aren't. Still, this is a 22-ounce bomber, so drinking more than one on your own, in one sitting, probably isn't advisable.

Overall, I found this beer to be a refreshing change of pace from the average weizenbock -- and the vast majority of weizenbocks are indeed average. At best. Perhaps the way this bridges the gap between weizen and doppelbock has particular appeal for me...regardless, I strongly recommend this beer, if you can get your hands on it. I hope I can find some more locally!
Mar 12, 2009
Photo of Dantheman4162
Reviewed by Dantheman4162 from Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I poured this from a 750 ml bottle back in early 2008? (this review is taken from my notes)

Nice brown head, dark red color
definitely banana aroma, banana tastes... esters?
full taste of a good bock, but citrus crispness of a hefeweizen. nice fruity taste, but not overbearing. Delicious beer. highly recommended.
Jan 13, 2009
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.42/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Rusty kumquat with bright tangerine trim. Although the crystal clear beer looks fantastic, the same can't be said for the head. A good-sized collection of light brown sugar colored bubbles fizz down to a slim disk inside of two minutes and leave the pint glass completely untouched. Headless beer looks so forlorn.

Weizenbock isn't the world's best smelling weizenbock, but it's pleasant in its own way. It's toasted caramel malty, fruit peel musky and lightly spicy. Oddly enough, the classic duo of banana and clove aren't appreciated per se. Here's hoping the flavor rights the ship.

It does... and it doesn't. I can now taste bruised banana and the spice is obviously clove-like. The problem is that the lack of carbonation keeps the beer deflated and doesn't allow one to appreciate what complexity and depth might have been present. The first beer of the day was too bubbled and this one isn't bubbled enough. Argh.

The flavor profile consists of toasted wheat bread (and a few rye toast crumbs), ripe banana, orange peel and a light sprinkling of clove. Nothing out the ordinary, steady as she goes. An improved mouthfeel would most likely have increased the scores on either side of it.

The usual 'pffft' on crown cracking gave no hint of what was to come. Shortly thereafter, the rapidly disappearing, unsticky crown did. At the risk of beating a dead horse, the mouthfeel is thin, not the least bit creamy and needs significantly more lift. Since I prefer too few bubbles to too many... average score.

The 100 Barrel Series is often a bright spot within the drabness of Harpoon's regular lineup (Summer Beer and a few others excepted). Too bad Weizenbock #21 doesn't live up to my somewhat high expectations. Thanks to Vermonthiker for the extra.
Dec 08, 2008
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

3.97/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Big thanks goes out to some kind BA's who sent me some of the newest 100 barrel offerings. The gold wrapped twenty two was served cold and poured into a large pilsner glass. Consumed on 12/04/08.

The pour was decent enough, a rich caramel color with some nice clarity to it. Nice carbonation was visible throughout the session which bubbled up to a small head that graced the top for just a few seconds.

Rich malty aroma, lots of hints of sweetness lying underneath as well. Earthy with a light grain and bready profile that was very rich and full. Carried over well into the flavor which was again very nicely done here. Nice notes of caramel, earthy malts, hints of grass like hops in the finish were all but drowned out by this monster.

Overall a very solid beer here. A bit sweet and one sided with the profile but still very solid. Another good one in this lineup.
Dec 05, 2008
Photo of daythree16
Reviewed by daythree16 from Tennessee

3.61/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours an amber/brown color with a huge fluffy head.

Smell is primarily spicy yeastiness with some noticeable alcohol. Taste is caramel with a slight bitterness and a bit of butterscotch that makes for a nice finish.

Mouthfeel is medium with low carbonation. Drinkability is decent, but not great.
Nov 21, 2008
Photo of NoLiberty
Reviewed by NoLiberty from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a clear copper-red color with a very small head and little lacing. The head remains throughout but stays thin the whole time.
Aroma: Sweet, honey, estery with a wheat nose. Very rich and warm with just a touch of alcohol. Slight banana notes and only a touch of spice.
Taste: Light up front with same coriander, clove flavor followed by filling sweet malt and wheat flavor. Some touch of fruity esters.
Mouth: Light bodied with a slightly thick feel. More sugary sweet than I would like.
Drinkability: Not bad, pretty well balanced with nice mix of flavors.
Oct 31, 2008
Photo of prototypic
Reviewed by prototypic from Ohio

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Many thanks to beertruth for the bottle.

Appearance: It's a little hazy and a nice looking brown-rubyesque color. The head is off-white in color and stands about a finger tall. It didn't stick around very long and left a very light lacing on the glass.

Smell: It's fruity and sweet smelling initially. Apple and pear are the prominent fruit aromas. It's a little grainy and earthy. Cinnamon and clove spices are readily apparent. There's a healthy amount of sweet caramel malts on the nose. It's got a nice smell, but is lacking just a tad in strength.

Taste: A combo of fruit and spice flavors appear initially. It is mostly apple, pear and grape flavors on the fruit side. Spices are cinnamon and clove. They mix well and produce a nice flavor. There's a lingering banana taste, as well. It's slightly grainy and has a nice floral aspect to it that's mostly attributable to hops. They give it a slight bitter kick toward the end. Finishes sweet.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: It's medium bodied and has pretty high carbonation. It's smooth, but carbonation is too high to reach a higher level. Drinkability is good, but it feels a little heavy. I'm having no trouble with the bomber, but couldn't do any more.

This is a pretty good Weizenbock. It could use a little refining. I think the fruity aspect of the beer is a little too strong and the spicy elements a little too weak. An adjustment there would be an improvement. It's still a very solid beer that's well worth checking out if you happen to run across it.
Oct 01, 2008
Photo of IntriqKen
Reviewed by IntriqKen from California

3.92/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured a clear dark tea color with very little head to speak of.

Aroma is caramel malty with some tropical fruit...pineapple maybe.

Taste is rich caramel malts, very light fruitiness, and bready yeast.

Mouthfeel is adequate although possible a sense of being thin because the wheat works very well at drying your palette as soon as you swallow. I think it is more an impression than actually being thin. Some nice hops bitterness follows everything and keeps this beer surprisingly clean and dry in your mouth when you consider the large amount of sugary, caramel malts in the brew.

Really nice take on something unusual. Nice afterdinner or desert brew.
Aug 30, 2008
Photo of opwog
Reviewed by opwog from Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Now Listening to: Verve - Love is Noise

A - a friend and I shared this as an after dinner beer on a dark patio. Any appearance that I saw was reflection off of a candle.

S - This was a nice nose to cut a humid and otherwise earthy smelling CT evening. Dare I say hints of pineapple, carmel and hops?

T - carmel, yeast and less hops than in the aroma

M - Thick malt with a bit of an alchohol bite

D - I found this to be a perfect beer to have as a desert after spicey sausage and grilled chicken, but I would not have wanted a second one, just like I wouldn't have a second serving of ice cream.
Aug 12, 2008
Photo of everetends
Reviewed by everetends from Alabama

3.63/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Continuing my survey of Harpoons 100 barrel series with this 22 oz bomber I got at Green's off Ponce in ATL. Poured into a weizen glass.

A: Poured a dark amber that has some really nice red hues when held to the light. Poured a nice inch of head that had some mediocre retention, but it still displayed some nice lacing. The brew is clear with very little carbonation activity.

S: Smell is of some roasted malt, yeast, and a bit of hops. There was really very little smell when cold but the aroma came out as it warmed. There are also notes of caramel and apple.

T: Taste is of roasted malt, toffee, bavarian yeast, slight touch of hops. Yet again with these brews, still the flavors are very subtle and subdued. This beer could be so much better if they amped up these notes just a bit.

M: Medium bodied brew that is a little thin for the style. Roasted malt really lingers in the aftertaste and this brew has very little carbonation.

D: This brew is very well balanced making it very easy to drink, but the subdued flavors really leave me wanting. Yet again, not a bad beer but still needs work to be a better beer.
Jul 27, 2008
Photo of auxiliary
Reviewed by auxiliary from Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
appearance - Nice dark amber color with a thin head that faded out and left a little bit of lace on the glass.

smell - Malts, spices, and yeast here.

taste - Nice malt taste with spices and some hops present. Has a sweet aftertaste for a nice balance.

mouthfeel - Medium body.

drinkability - Was a nice beer to drink after a hot day near a camp fire. Would buy this one again. I love the 100 barrel series.
Jul 18, 2008
Photo of Boto
Reviewed by Boto from Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
22oz. bottle: This one pours with a fizzy, beige head that went away almost immediately. It pours a clear, darker amber color with perhaps a tinge of ruby to it. Somewhat sweet aroma. There are notes of toffee and caramel, some subtle fruits and a hint of clove. The taste is good. A nice mix of caramel, a hint of roastiness, faint bananas and clove. Somewhere between medium and full bodies, with a slight slickness on the tongue. Pretty decent brew.
Jun 24, 2008
100 Barrel Series #21 - Weizenbock from Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 84 ratings