Harp Lager
Guinness Ltd.

3.8/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First review since I was 16 and thought I knew what I was talking about, just turned 21 (lol)
Honestly, drank it from the bottle.
Smelled slightly fruity, but nice and malty all the same.
Taste is pretty damn good, really balanced flavor between a small bitterness and a strong malt flavor.
I enjoyed it, though I generally enjoy most of Guinness's offerings. (I'm a sucker for Extra Stout)

 390 characters

3.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

L: 3.5 clear gold with nice carbonation. Retains a white head.
S: 3.5 surprisingly complex. Grainy and fruity. Lager malts.
T: 3.5 Hops and grains. Corn.
F: 3.5 goes down easy.
O: 3.5 pretty average lager. Not special, but not something to overlook.

 250 characters

3.55/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a gold color. Head starts off about one finger but fades to about 1/4 inch. Lacing lasts a while.

Aroma is like fresh baked bread, yeast, and a touch of citrus.

Taste is a bit hoppy, strong bread and yeast components. Little bit of citrus tang in the finish.

Feel is very refreshing. Medium to light body and medium carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink, particularly on draught.

A good choice if you want the taste and feel of an Irish brew but without the heaviness of Guinness.

 498 characters

3.79/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Clear gold with one finger head. Toasty, breast, honey malt with a little citrus and general fruitiness. The flavor more or less follows, toast with apple, citrus. I perceive it as a little on the sweet side, but it might be the flavor. Bitterness is present. Medium light mouthfeel, moderate to high carbonation.

 313 characters

3.52/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

See through light golden brew with a decent white head. Euro pale nose with a slight bready center. Bready with a slight hop bite to it on the flavor. Smooth is another characteristic I’d assign to it along with somewhat creamy with more body than many similar brews. Decent if you like these sorts of beers.

 310 characters

3.93/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

(330 ml bottle, code L8210GF004; purchased shelf single... poured into Belhaven pub pint)

L: polished-clear, golden liquid; explosive towering pearly-white spongy foam on pour... incredible rocky, moussy coif; bouncy

S: Euro pale ester aromas no doubt (as opposed to AAL); honey-kissed grainy bread crust; cracker-y; hint of dried fruit (apricot?, leathery)

T: golden bread-crusty malt, rather dry (and arguably a touch too bland) in its finish, with a subtle phenolic, lightly peppery spice lingering in the aftertaste... dull, herbal bitterness... the malt is rather rich and layered, but simple... faint honey-nut note builds

F: lightly-luscious texture, satiny viscosity; has some substance, but drops off clean enough and leaves little residual film

O: not bad, but this bottle was perhaps a bit past prime; I've had this on draft a couple times and was pleased... it will be a viable option in the not-at-all-uncommon event I'm in the mood for a sixer of the Euro pale (1427)

 986 characters

3.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Pours a clear golden color with visible fizzy carbonation. A big foam head showed good retention.
Aromas of grainy malt and corn adjuncts. There is a touch of floral and dimly bright citrus hops.
Moderately sweet with flavors of grain and corn. There is only a minimal touch of hops bitterness and some bright citrus flavors.
Light bodied and somewhat crisp, although not refreshing enough to my liking. Moderate carbonation and a clean finish.
I would rate this as merely ok for what it is.

 492 characters

4.76/5  rDev +46.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

11.2oz / 330ml bottle poured into Duvel tulip. No discernable date, but some cryptic characters printed on the back label. I had some kind of factory defect bottle because it was made with an extra front label stuck on the side, half overlapping the actual front and back labels. Picked it up at the grocery store as part of a $10 six pack mixer.

Appearance - Clear medium gold body with faint, fine floaties. Medium sized white susdy head with good retention and decent to decent-low stick. 4

Smell - Characteristic euro lager grainy malt. Like the ones you commonly find in the green bottles. No characteristic skunkiness though. Thank goodness for brown bottles! 4.25

Taste - A perfectly balanced euro lager without any of that skunk. 5

Mouthfeel - No astringency! Clean and balanced. Medium bodied. Refreshing. 5

Overall - The best in style I've ever had. Maybe other companies should take a hint and stop skunking their beers by putting them in green bottles. Just a thought? 5

 987 characters

3.27/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Review: 500ml can of Harp Lager: 4.0% vol.

The brand was traditionally marketed with the Brian Boru harp as its main emblem. These days the bottle and design is all modern, still has the famous harp logo but it’s this time blended in with a striking blue colour that it’s barely noticeable. Pity really.

Lower alcohol rate in Ireland, cause we can’t be trusted with stronger volumes of beer!

On the appearance it looks fine, a standard enough look for a lager really, good frothy white head and a golden coloured beer on show. Ok.

On the nose it was pretty odorless really. Disappointing.

It is light on the taste, a bit thin but pretty crisp, clean and very smooth, relaxing and soft on the tongue, goes down very easy. Nice and creamy mouthfuls hitting the spot.

Typical lagery taste, grainy with mild hops, barley and malts, a touch of citrus. All perfectly balanced.

Enjoyable, a nice one to sip and enjoy slowly.

Over time enjoyed it a lot, best lager I have had in awhile. Feels very nourishing, not with a huge array of flavours but crispy enough to do the business.

Just a bloody good lager. Recommended for a slow day on the sofa watching the football!

Best lager in a while, nourishing, nice to sip slowly, just a great lager. Simplicity.

 1,271 characters

2.75/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Another Mix A Six pick from my local Giant. It took me a while to get into this one. 12 oz bottle poured into standard pilsner glass.

Look: Bright amber color with a thick head of small bubbles. Lacing sticks around for the whole experience.

Smell: I've honestly smelled AAL's that posess a more balanced aroma than this. Skunky hops. Weird uncooked pizza dough malt. A wee bit off putting.

Taste: Malty biscuit and grains, smooth and buttery finish. Very refreshing and not too heavy for a Euro lager.

Feel: Spicy tingle from the bubbles gives way to a rich and smooth swallow. Leaves a little slickness behind.

Overall: Excellent flavor balance, looks quite inviting in a glass. It's too bad it smells a little off. Perhaps the imported bottle is the culprit. Still, a pretty refreshing Euro lager I'll probably buy again.

 829 characters

1/5  rDev -69.2%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

You can make this at home, dead easy. Just urinate into a corny keg until you fill it up to 19L and then force carbonate. If you need help filling the corny, just ask you mates, your mum or an elderly relative with a colostomy bag to help out.

 243 characters

3.97/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a darker than (lager) average, deep golden color with a good amount of carbonation and a foamy and sticky billowing head that leaves a beautiful lace on the glass. SRM of 9. (4.25)

Aroma: Aromas of dried grass and yeasty bread. Lots of grass and German malts. A little lemon flower. Dried cereal and crisp. Overall, impressed by the aromas (4.00)

Taste: Strong European noble hops. Very floral, grassy, and completely dried and flaked grains. Then a strong rubbery Munich malt twang in the middle. Salty bread. A little skunky. No bitterness. Completely dry and a definite fresh rubber finish to it. (4.00)

Feel: Very smooth. Well carbonated. Leaves a definite rubber astringency on the finish. (3.50)

Compared w/ Sapporo 3/1/20: More grassy corn. Less white rice and dryness. More rubber, yeasty, and bready.

Compared w/ Dos Equis 3/1/20: More grassy corn. Less crisp, carbonation, and cereal. More rubbery and grassy.

Compared w/ Dakota's Summit Soul: Similar appearance. More grass, lemongrass, and Munich malt. Less salty/sweet bread. Stronger rubber and Munich notes. Finishes lighter and cleaner.

Compared w/ St. Peter's Brand 4/2/20: Pours a slightly darker color. Slightly stronger aromas and flavor. More bread and malty. Slightly heavier, smooth, and sweet.

Compared to Josefbrau Summerbrew 5/7/20: Pours a darker color. More sweet bread with rubber. Less grape with rubber. Finishes slightly sweeter. Nearly identical beers.

Overall: Quite a good European pale lager. Quite an interesting rubber component that has shown to be repeatable. Compared to others I would say more grass and earthy, stone, dried grain flavor. A drying astringency as well. Sort of like a Asian rice beer, but a larger body. Overall, this is a delicious euro pale ale that lives up to the Guinness name with a rubbery twist. (Final Rating: 4.07)

 1,863 characters

3.2/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

From the bottle, it pours a clear golden color with a large white head that slowly dissipates. Grainy scent in the nose. Fresh crisp lager taste in the mouth.

 160 characters

1.25/5  rDev -61.5%
look: 1.75 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.25

Blech. I had higher expectations than this. Tastes like skunks, wheat and stale piss. Date had a best by of 7/12/19, so it couldn't be out of date. Not what I would expect from an Irish lager at all.

1.25 - F
Very Disappointed.

 228 characters

3/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3

Nice gold color with white foamy head. Moderate grain with mild hop bitterness, maybe even moderately bitter in comparison to many of it's Euro/American lager peers. Semi-dry, with a full mouthfeel. Overall, very middle of the road with little to nothing setting it apart from many other AALs or imported lagers. I think Harp has a lot of similarities to Hamm's, which is not a criticism of either taste-wise, but if considering price there is no reason I would choose Harp over Hamm's... but your results may vary.

 515 characters

3.7/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark gold colour, with a head that slowly dissolves into my glass from the bottle.

Nose is a faint skunk/THC smell which was not present when previous bottles were used in a black and tan mix.

Taste is a light, biscuit, summery taste that more aligns with lawn mowing, sporting events and other summer physical activities. Some carbonation that fades out and rests nicely on the tongue.

 397 characters

3.29/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A beer I have had on tap a few times in the past at an Irish Pub in Gboro. Pretty much a good, average beer, a solid drink but nothing special. It is better. Imo, when part of a Black and Tan with Guinness. Of course, everything is better with Guinness.

 253 characters

3.54/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Right color and properly carbonated. Nose is underwhelming but has the corn-sweet malt character. Taste hits the malt and slightly peppery hops. Light body and medium carbonation. It hits the textbook notes of the style.

 224 characters

3.57/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

From notes 10/10/13: Pours a clear deep straw producing 1-4 fingers (variable by pour) of white, soap bubble head that leaves variable lacing ranging from minimal to heavy rings and streaks. Head retention is also variable from rapidly diminishing to somewhat lasting. Aroma is sweet malt, grain/cereal, floral and grassy hops. Taste is sweet fronted with honey cereal grains, bread, light lemon and grass in a slightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel is light-medium with moderate carbonation, watery with mild pepper spice on the back and sides of the tongue.

 554 characters

4/5  rDev +23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

At least it gets away from the Irish Red or the Stout category, this is what it an Irish beer would taste like if it was just a blondie. This is a well balanced brew with just the rights amount of sweetness and maltiness. I do not pick up anything bitter on this one.

 267 characters

3.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Look: Standard clear, gold lager with a thin white head of foam and lots of carbonation.

Smell: Pale malt, some spicy hop notes, a bit of orange peel.

Taste: Biscuity malt sweetness and that’s about it. Actually closer to an amber ale in some ways.

Mouthfeel: Slightly thicker than average, highly carbonated.

Overall: A lot better than I was expecting, with a fuller body and breadier taste than an average lager.

 424 characters

2.99/5  rDev -8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Brilliant golden hued with a fingernail of off white on top. That foam dissipates nearly entirely a few minutes later. The aroma is of grassy hops and slightly dank well water. I'm tasting grassy German hops and light cereal grains. The mouth is light and quaffable.

 270 characters

3.48/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear amber with a half inch, fairly well retained white head that left some splotchy lacing. Smells of bread, hops and an earthy quality. Taste follows the nose with addition notes of honey and grass. Light bodied, well carbonated, very mild bitterness. Nothing great but quite drinkable.

 297 characters

3.8/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Decanted from an 11.2 oz (330 ml) bottle; no production information.
A: Pours a clear light amber color with a quarter inch, white head, some retention and soapy lacing.
S: Floral nose. Aromas of fresh baked bread with grainy and grassy notes.
T: Semidry to semisweet. Palate largely mimics the nose. Very light, generally refreshing bitterness.
M: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
O: A drinkable and enjoyable light lager.

 437 characters

3.68/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Perfectly serviceable beer - as far as shelf layers go there are much worse out there. No adjuncty flavors, clean and crisp, mild cracker malt and English bittering hops. Unexciting sure but good

 195 characters