Sweet Spot
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
- From:
- Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American Blonde Ale
- ABV:
- 4.8%
- Score:
- 82
- Avg:
- 3.58 | pDev: 10.34%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 26
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Mar 12, 2025
- Added:
- May 17, 2016
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 26
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
A balancing act of the finest ingredients, this golden ale is a refreshing new breed of craft beer. Golden and bright, not too hoppy, not too malty, full-flavored but smooth, with a crisp, dry finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Sinfull from New York
3.27/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.27/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Clear , golden color. Medium-sized, white head. Malt, herbs, and some fruits in aroma. Malty taste with enough hops to give it some crispness. Moderate hoppy bitterness at the end.
Mar 12, 2025Rated by bsimeone from Massachusetts
4.65/5 rDev +29.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.65/5 rDev +29.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
well balanced - the only golden ale I'm willing to drink
Apr 07, 2018
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota
3.5/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
L: brilliant gold in the glass supporting a 1" white foam cap with good retention and filled with streams of rapidly rising bubbles
S: Initial moderate levels of biscuit aromas yield to a pleasant hop note and then settle down to onion, garlic, some wood and fruit.
T: Fruit flavors on the palate suppress the onion and garlic but there is a trace of over ripe fruit that gives way to a herbal hop note on the finish. The malt biscuit flavor is medium and the hop flavors are medium high.
F: medium body and carbonation
O: full flavored beer has low alcohol so it is sessionable but not all of the flavors - in particular the fruit vs. the vegetable - fit well together
Oct 09, 2017S: Initial moderate levels of biscuit aromas yield to a pleasant hop note and then settle down to onion, garlic, some wood and fruit.
T: Fruit flavors on the palate suppress the onion and garlic but there is a trace of over ripe fruit that gives way to a herbal hop note on the finish. The malt biscuit flavor is medium and the hop flavors are medium high.
F: medium body and carbonation
O: full flavored beer has low alcohol so it is sessionable but not all of the flavors - in particular the fruit vs. the vegetable - fit well together
Reviewed by hopsputin from New Jersey
4.09/5 rDev +14.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +14.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
a: clear yellow color with some slight chill haze. 1/2 finger solid white head
s: grassy grains, lemongrass, a hint of pepper spice, sweet lemon zest, and a mild vanilla flavor. crisp, refreshing, and sweet smelling
t: sweet grains, lemongrass, and a huge fresh doughy flavor. sweet lemons and grass behind that. not much complexity here, but this is a solid blonde ale. crisp and sweet with no off-flavors
m: lighter side of medium mouth with mid-high carbonation
o: solid blonde ale here. as i mentioned above, its sweet, crisp, and easy to drink. no off flavors, and a nice balance here.
Sep 17, 2017s: grassy grains, lemongrass, a hint of pepper spice, sweet lemon zest, and a mild vanilla flavor. crisp, refreshing, and sweet smelling
t: sweet grains, lemongrass, and a huge fresh doughy flavor. sweet lemons and grass behind that. not much complexity here, but this is a solid blonde ale. crisp and sweet with no off-flavors
m: lighter side of medium mouth with mid-high carbonation
o: solid blonde ale here. as i mentioned above, its sweet, crisp, and easy to drink. no off flavors, and a nice balance here.
Reviewed by RFarabee from Maryland
4.36/5 rDev +21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.36/5 rDev +21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Had this at the Harpoon brewery/beer hall in Boston, as part of a flight, so not in a brew-specific glass.
It doesn't seem to have an especially distinctive smell, but the taste has got some strong notes for a golden, and it has a very crisp, dry finish. It pairs very well with the fresh pretzels offered in the beer hall.
Jun 24, 2017It doesn't seem to have an especially distinctive smell, but the taste has got some strong notes for a golden, and it has a very crisp, dry finish. It pairs very well with the fresh pretzels offered in the beer hall.
Reviewed by CNoj012 from New York
3.29/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.29/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
This beer pours a clear golden color with a two finger, fluffy white head that dissipates quickly and leaves moderate spotted lacing on the glass.
Smell is malt forward. Crackery as well as sweet malts are the main two along with a touch of grassy hops and straw.
Taste is the same. Maybe the grassiness is a little less in the background, but it isn't by much.
Feel is medium bodied and bigger than I thought. Seems like there is wheat or something bulking up the feel, but I have no idea.
Overall this beer isn't great. If I was looking for a light, easy drinking beer I would take a helles or a pilsner over this 8 days a week.
Jun 22, 2017Smell is malt forward. Crackery as well as sweet malts are the main two along with a touch of grassy hops and straw.
Taste is the same. Maybe the grassiness is a little less in the background, but it isn't by much.
Feel is medium bodied and bigger than I thought. Seems like there is wheat or something bulking up the feel, but I have no idea.
Overall this beer isn't great. If I was looking for a light, easy drinking beer I would take a helles or a pilsner over this 8 days a week.
Reviewed by Dieselbrewer18 from New Hampshire
3.8/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.8/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
L- 12oz bottle from summer sampler pack poured into 16oz mason jar. Clear golden color, decent carbonation, small head with good lacing.
S- sweet malt with a touch of hop
T- very dry, malty
F- again dry, and very light but fits this beer
O- tastes, looks, and even smells like a craft beer version of Budweiser which I think is awesome! Very drinkable summer beer. I'll buy it again
May 24, 2017S- sweet malt with a touch of hop
T- very dry, malty
F- again dry, and very light but fits this beer
O- tastes, looks, and even smells like a craft beer version of Budweiser which I think is awesome! Very drinkable summer beer. I'll buy it again
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania
3.5/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a straw color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is very grassy, malty. Taste is grassy, malts, crackers, easy drinking. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall, I don't know about complex, but it is a refreshing and pretty good beer.
Apr 30, 2017
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