100 Barrel Series #58 - Secret Alloy Ale
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall

From the bottle, it pours a darker amber with a modest head. The head is robust and lasts a bit. Lacing as you enjoy it. Caramel malts and some malt in the nose. Some sweetish malt and slight hops in the mouth. Decent!

This was poured into an English pint glass. The appearance was a copper color with a thin white foamy head. Swiftly fell off and didn’t leave much lace. The aroma had a good amount of caramel/toffee malts playing with some tropical fruit sweetness. The flavor leaned towards the sweet side with a touch of citrusy/floral crisp quality bumping out the tropical fruitiness. More citrusy and floral sweetness hits the aftertaste and the finish. The palate was between light and medium bodied with a decent sessionability about it. Fairly low carbonation and an appropriate ABV. Overall, I can see it as an APA in Harpoon fashion. Maybe again.

 

 

A: Pours a copper color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a thin cap that leaves some good lacing

S: Some nice fruity hops up front along with caramel maltiness and some breadiness

T: Follows the nose. Starts off with the fruity, almost candied hops and some caramel malt. Goes into a light breadiness and some earthy hop notes. Finishes with light sweetness

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

O: A nice pale ale that pushes the abv without sacrificing drinkability. A solid one-off

 

 

 

 

A: The beer is clear light amber in color and has a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a short white head that died down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and a narrow collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of caramel and pale malts are present in the nose along with notes of mangos.
T: The taste starts off with subtle flavors of mangos and passionfruit and finishes with notes of caramel malts. There is a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and slightly crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer starts off like smelling and tasting like an ordinary pale ale, but once you begin to focus on the aromas and flavors you can pick up the subtle bits of tropical fruits—maybe these are the secret alloy.

Serving type: bottle

 

 

 

 

This story is mostly true.

I have been a drummer for at least half of my life. I spent a lot of time trying to analyze the great drummers. John Bonham, Keith Moon, Meg White. One day I asked my mentor what the secret was. How are these drummers so good? He gave me the usual answer. Practice and a little bit of talent. I was not satisfied with this answer, and so he went to his bag and started looking through it. “Okay, fine” he said. “This might help.” He then handed me a bottle of Harpoon’s Secret Alloy Ale.

Harpoon has delivered a very intriguing matchup with Zildjian for their 58th offering from their 100 barrel series. The alloy of course, is their melding of hops and malt. Initially it is crisp, but as it sustains, it becomes heavier. A little darker. If it was a cymbal it would be used in some of the heavier 90’s grunge songs.

You can almost hear the drumming played while the beer was fermenting at the brewery.

I would recommend this beer with some good pizza. Though really works with a good snare drum.

Drink it backstage, hyping up for the next performance.

4 out of 5 broken drumsticks.

 

Harpoon Secret Alloy Ale
22 oz. brown bottle
Enjoy by 11/15/16 jet ink on the neck of the bottle
Served in a 20 oz glass

I was really excited to see this collaboration between the legendary Zildjian company and Harpoon brewery. Craft beer and Zildjian cymbals are two of my greatest passions.

Pours a copper orange with a bronze tint. A nicely controlled pour shows reveals a fluffy white head that leaves sticky lacings behind.

The nose has a floral presence with a nice hop profile in the background with fruity undertones.

Sugary sweet and juicy caramel malt backbone with a liquid rock candy flare. A hint of apricot and peach with a nice hop snap on the finish. Smooth mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. A solid Pale Ale offering from Harpoon with a deceiving 7.2% ABV.

Dark amber color, like dirty copper. Clear. Small head that settles to rim bubbles. Good initial ring lace. Relatively few spots thereafter.

Darker malt aroma with a decent hop bitterness to the nose.

Starts mild with a dry caramel taste. The hop shows up only in the swallow, leaving a long bitter aftertaste. The body is neutral, while the carbonation is elevated. I find it reminiscent of other autumn beers with the amber flavor and light hoppy finish.