Black IPA
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall

Black IPABlack IPA
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From:
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Black IPA
ABV:
7%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.7 | pDev: 13.24%
Reviews:
76
Ratings:
328
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 10, 2018
Added:
Jan 09, 2012
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  52
Harpoon brewer Matt DeLuca took over the brewhouse for our 40th 100 Barrel Series offering. A newly released specialty malt from Briess called Midnight Wheat gives this beer an almost stout-like appearance without the overly roasty attributes often associated with traditional dark malts. Flaked barley is also used in the malt bill for head retention. An intense yet diverse hop addition schedule is executed during the boil that results in a well balanced offering.

On top of the Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade, and Citra hops is an ample addition of Ahtanum hops that provides a fruity aroma to complement the earthy, spicy bitterness of this dark ale.

67 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DrJay:
Photo of DrJay
Reviewed by DrJay from Texas

3.03/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Dark brown with clear, ruby highlights and a fluffy light brown cap. Fair head retention with sticky lacing. Powdery citrus, caramel, grassy hops and roast in the aroma. Bitterness was dominated by sweet malts up front (chocolate, toffee, and roast) and never really took charge once they started to fade towards the finish. Citrus and grassy hops mid-palate with a bit of alcohol following. Creamy carbonation with medium plus body, nice texture, slight warmth. Overall, I liked it, but didn't think it was a great example of the style. Hop bitterness was overshadowed by sweetness, which made it more balanced but neutered the beer. It kind of made me think of a slightly hopped up American Brown Ale rather than an IPA of any stripe.
Feb 19, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by JohnDon from Texas

Oct 10, 2018
 
Rated: 5 by OzmanBey from Massachusetts

Feb 06, 2018
 
Rated: 3.66 by zotzot from Vermont

Jan 28, 2017
 
Rated: 2.53 by Nichols33 from Massachusetts

Jan 22, 2017
 
Rated: 2 by wpreynolds from New Jersey

Jul 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.59 by Fusion7777 from Virginia

Jun 30, 2016
Photo of RonaldTheriot
Reviewed by RonaldTheriot from Louisiana

3.21/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Harpoon Black IPA has a thick, spongy, beige head, a semi-clear, dark, red-brown, bubbly appearance, and heavy lacing left behind. The aroma and flavor are a bit difficult to pin down, but I smelled fairly dark-roasted malt, wheat bread, some citrus, and some very subdued hop oil. Taste is of medium-to-heavy roasted malt char, citrus, mellow hop bitterness (67 IBU?), and bread crust. Mouthfeel is medium, and Harpoon Black IPA finishes dry and mellow.

RJT
Apr 28, 2016
 
Rated: 2.75 by Sk8sean86 from Massachusetts

Mar 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.79 by LoudRed from Massachusetts

Jan 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3.71 by Okpetrie from Virginia

Dec 28, 2015
Photo of Regulator
Reviewed by Regulator from Indiana

3.45/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Look:
After a careful pour, the beer lies in the mug with less head than that dude in Skyrim that says, "My ancestors are smiling at me, Imperials. Can you say the same?" Like most Black IPAs, Harpoon looked like a flat cola with a hint of creamer.

Smell:
The smell in and of itself was the only distinctly off-putting feature of this Black IPA. When I closed my eyes and took a whiff of this dank brew I had flashbacks of my fraternity bathroom on a Sunday morning.

Taste:
Despite the odor, Harpoon Black IPA delivers on taste. It opens with a creamy espresso flare and follows with a pungent pine bite. The resulting balance brings enough hop for a harsh IPA aficionado while not intimidating a casual newcomer.

Feel:
Smooth, a bit too thin for a Black IPA.

Overall:
Harpoon delivers an average to above-average showing for Black IPA fans. My personal preference would be more powerful roasty notes.
Dec 22, 2015
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: The beer is black when viewed from afar; upon closer inspection when held up to a bright light the bottom of the glass is clear dark red in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a half finger high light than head that died down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles on the surface, a thick collar around the edge, and lots of lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of roasted malts are present in the nose along with notes of piney hops and hints of black licorice.
T: The taste follows the smell, having flavors of roasted malts, piney hops, and licorice along with hints of earthy yeast and a moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. The piney hops leave your mouth tingling in the finish.
O: This an interesting Black IPA that is relatively easy to drink. I particularly liked the combination of the black licorice and piney flavors.

Serving type: bottle
Dec 10, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by Giggy from Michigan

Dec 05, 2015
 
Rated: 3.36 by BobbyOlson from Michigan

Dec 05, 2015
 
Rated: 3.8 by smithj4 from New York

Oct 28, 2015
Photo of ajilllau
Reviewed by ajilllau from Florida

3.44/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Nice, light. Does not pack a powerful punch and you can taste that it is not high in abv. Would definitely drink again and it's a beer that you can have more than one.
Oct 22, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by MCImes from Connecticut

May 02, 2015
Photo of Kale99
Rated by Kale99 from Illinois

4.21/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I have had this black ipa once but really enjoyed it
Mar 08, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by nathanmiller from New York

Mar 07, 2015
Black IPA from Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 328 ratings