Celtic Ale
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall

Celtic AleCeltic Ale
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From:
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Irish Red Ale
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.51 | pDev: 14.25%
Reviews:
369
Ratings:
773
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Saturday at 10:46 PM
Added:
Jan 16, 2009
Wants:
  26
Gots:
  79
Harpoon Celtic Ale features a deep amber color. The flavor is malty and complex. Celtic Ale has a moderate hop finish that, along with the generous amounts of malt, makes for a medium bodied, smooth, rich beer. Try serving Celtic Ale with a hearty stew… the beer’s robust character will complement the bold flavors.

25 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Doodamis-Maximus:
Photo of Doodamis-Maximus
Rated by Doodamis-Maximus from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +6.8%

Aug 23, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of StoutElk_92
Reviewed by StoutElk_92 from Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +27.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
On tap

Pours clear red with an off-white foam head. Notes of lightly roasted, toasty bready caramel malts, mild fruity esters with earthy herbal hops to balance. Feels medium light bodied, smooth with moderate carbonation. Overall a nice Irish red ale.
Saturday at 10:46 PM
 
Rated: 3.29 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 26, 2022
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

3.91/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Canned 2021/01/18
Pours a big frothy creamy head with good retention and soapy lacing, clear auburn to copper reddish color

Nose toasted malt, very toasty, little caramel and biscuit, hint of fruitiness, herbal spicy hops

Taste fair malts, very toasty again, little caramel and fair biscuity, bread crust, herbal hops with med lighter bitterness, med dry finish, bit more bitterness

Mouth is med bod, med frothy carb

Overall not bad, not as good as many of the ones from Ireland but decent
Mar 28, 2021
Photo of Pegasus
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas

3.5/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Clear, deep red in color, with a moderate, persistent off-white head. Fine-beaded, unbroken lacing coats the glass walls. Profuse, fine bubbles drift lazily to the surface.

Aroma: Toasted malt and caramel, with a slight nutty character.

Taste: Opens with strong caramel malts. As the taste progresses, there is a bit of dark fruit, perhaps raisins. Late in the taste, moderate herbal hops come to the fore. Finishes with caramel and mild herbal hops.

Mouth feel: Smooth and full, pleasant.

Drinkability/notes: A pleasant and very drinkable example of the style, a reissue would be welcome.

Presentation: Packaged in a standard twelve-ounce brown glass longneck bottle, sealed with a pry-off crown. Served in a Samuel Adams Boston Lager Sensory glass.

Reddish-brown in color with a thick off-white head that lingers well after the pour. Lots of broken lace with slight carbonation. Fairly strong aroma of toasted malt with some earthy character as well. Taste begins with rich, slightly sweet toasted malts, little in the way of hops, finishes with mild earthy flavors. A decent, but unremarkable amber.
Feb 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.85 by vdub191 from Rhode Island

Apr 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.37 by chriswjr from Massachusetts

Mar 27, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by psoriasaurus from Thailand

Jun 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by ChrisBouchard81 from New Hampshire

Jun 16, 2016
Photo of Bierliebhaber3
Reviewed by Bierliebhaber3 from Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
It’s a dark red, almost mahogany, colored red ale with a thin white head and an abundance of carbonation. It has a malty smell. It has a strong malty, yeasty taste with a little bit of fruitiness and a little bitterness and a crisp dry finish despite being a fuller body than many reds. I applaud it for being a robust red ale, but the hops are little more than I’m used to in a red ale. All in all not a bad red, but nothing too special either. Some of the craft breweries in San Diego in my opinion have better examples of the style despite not really being a red ale kind of town.
Jun 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by -chii- from Canada (QC)

May 24, 2016
 
Rated: 3.54 by Sellen from Connecticut

Apr 10, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Raoul_Dork from Georgia

Mar 23, 2016
 
Rated: 3.51 by DJoe from Massachusetts

Mar 21, 2016
Photo of SuomiHobbit
Rated by SuomiHobbit from Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Malty rather than hoppy; probably a nice "heavier" summer ale; just a bit astringent early in the pour.
Mar 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.7 by imanidiot777 from Pennsylvania

Mar 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by joegallows from Massachusetts

Mar 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.71 by wc94wc from California

Feb 27, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by needMIbeer from Virginia

Feb 07, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Griggsy from Colorado

Jan 18, 2016
Celtic Ale from Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 773 ratings