Don't Poke the Bear
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
- From:
- Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American Blonde Ale
- ABV:
- 5.14%
- Score:
- 85
- Avg:
- 3.74 | pDev: 13.1%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 19, 2024
- Added:
- Mar 09, 2020
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 4
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
It doesn’t get much better than late season hockey – especially when the boys in black and gold are making a run. To help re-stock our fridge for game night, we called up our brewin’ friend and Massachusetts native, Chris Wagner, to develop the perfect liquid companion for a playoff push.
Brewed with a touch of black honey and golden promise malt, Don’t Poke the Bear is a crushable black and gold-en ale with a bright hoppy nose and just a faint hint of sweetness.
For every case sold, we’ll be donating a portion of proceeds to the Corey C. Griffin Foundation – the charity of Wags' choice.
Brewed with a touch of black honey and golden promise malt, Don’t Poke the Bear is a crushable black and gold-en ale with a bright hoppy nose and just a faint hint of sweetness.
For every case sold, we’ll be donating a portion of proceeds to the Corey C. Griffin Foundation – the charity of Wags' choice.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas
3.69/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Served on tap at a Boston Bruins game in a plastic 20 oz pint glass
Appearance -The beer is served a light golden color with a small head of white foam. The head fades quite fast, leaving a trace of lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is light with a mix of a grainy and cracker smell, mixed with a bit of harvest fruit and hay. Along with these smells comes a bit of harvest fruit and peach.
Taste – The taste is light with a bit of breadiness and a decent showing of cracker malt. Along with these flavors comes a bit of grain and some light notes of orange and tangerine. As the taste advances it dries out a bit, and with a touch of hay and grass, one is left with a rather crisp and clean taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body is light and crisp with a moderate carbonation level. Overall, the feel is nice for the abv and style and makes for a simple and easy drinker.
Overall – A decent and easy drinking brew. Perfect for watching hockey and having a good time.
Feb 19, 2024Appearance -The beer is served a light golden color with a small head of white foam. The head fades quite fast, leaving a trace of lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is light with a mix of a grainy and cracker smell, mixed with a bit of harvest fruit and hay. Along with these smells comes a bit of harvest fruit and peach.
Taste – The taste is light with a bit of breadiness and a decent showing of cracker malt. Along with these flavors comes a bit of grain and some light notes of orange and tangerine. As the taste advances it dries out a bit, and with a touch of hay and grass, one is left with a rather crisp and clean taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body is light and crisp with a moderate carbonation level. Overall, the feel is nice for the abv and style and makes for a simple and easy drinker.
Overall – A decent and easy drinking brew. Perfect for watching hockey and having a good time.
Rated by FishyBeer3 from Massachusetts
3.1/5 rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.25
3.1/5 rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.25
Strong bite for a light beer. Especially on rear of tongue
Oct 11, 2020Reviewed by BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia
3.9/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the can, it pours a clear golden yellow color with a thick white head that slowly dissipates as you watch. In the nose, some grassy notes and light malt. In the mouth, it is slightly bitter hops with grass and a bit of malt. Nice golden ale.
Sep 07, 2020
Reviewed by BEERMILER12 from Maine
3.82/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.82/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A: Pours a golden yellow color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a decent cap
S: Wildflower honey and bready malt up front along with some fruity undertones
T: Follows the nose. Wildflower honey, bready malt, and a bit of grain up front. Some fruitiness underneath. Finishes with lingering wildflower and bread
M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation
O: A solid golden ale that really hammers the honey home. Very easy to drink. Well balanced. Worth a drink
Jun 07, 2020S: Wildflower honey and bready malt up front along with some fruity undertones
T: Follows the nose. Wildflower honey, bready malt, and a bit of grain up front. Some fruitiness underneath. Finishes with lingering wildflower and bread
M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation
O: A solid golden ale that really hammers the honey home. Very easy to drink. Well balanced. Worth a drink
Reviewed by IrishChocolate from Texas
5/5 rDev +33.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +33.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Just crushed 12 cans then fell down the stairs. It didn’t even hurt. Best blonde I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot. Go Bruins! All the way. #1. Best team of 2020 in the world.
Mar 30, 2020
Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts
3.86/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.86/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to JLindros for hooking me up with a can of this beer.
A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a nice crystal clear golden hue with a fat two finger white head that faded slowly to leave a thick, rocky blanket with loads of side lacing.
S - Aromas of slightly sweet honey, light floral notes, tiny bit of crackery grains, slightly grassy.
T - Taste is similar to the nose with slightly bitter floral hops, little bit of grassy notes. There is a little bit of floral honey sweetness as well as some toast and crackers. Little bit of malt as well. Some earthy hops as well on the finish.
M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated, crisp, clean.
O - Overall this was a surprisingly underwhelming beer. I expected more and really liked the idea of using black honey in here but the beer wound up being rather humdrum.
Serving Type: Can
Mar 27, 2020A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a nice crystal clear golden hue with a fat two finger white head that faded slowly to leave a thick, rocky blanket with loads of side lacing.
S - Aromas of slightly sweet honey, light floral notes, tiny bit of crackery grains, slightly grassy.
T - Taste is similar to the nose with slightly bitter floral hops, little bit of grassy notes. There is a little bit of floral honey sweetness as well as some toast and crackers. Little bit of malt as well. Some earthy hops as well on the finish.
M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated, crisp, clean.
O - Overall this was a surprisingly underwhelming beer. I expected more and really liked the idea of using black honey in here but the beer wound up being rather humdrum.
Serving Type: Can
Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire
3.62/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.62/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
From the 16 oz. can dated 03/02/20. Sampled on March 18, 2020.
The appearance is just like a Golden Ale should be with its golden yellow color and modest then fading white head. Good clarity.
There is a freshness in the aroma but it also has a toasted bread ester, floral and grassy character, and honey.
Light to medium body and smooth.
The taste is at first sweet but the moderately biting grassy bitterness kicks in at the end. Still it finishes clean.
Mar 18, 2020The appearance is just like a Golden Ale should be with its golden yellow color and modest then fading white head. Good clarity.
There is a freshness in the aroma but it also has a toasted bread ester, floral and grassy character, and honey.
Light to medium body and smooth.
The taste is at first sweet but the moderately biting grassy bitterness kicks in at the end. Still it finishes clean.
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
3.98/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.98/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Excited when this came out, didn't think I'd find it. Canned 2/20/20
Pours with a big foamy head, moderate retention, sticky lacing, crystal clear golden color (so much for black and gold)
Nose sweet golden malts, grainy, little bready, little lemony fruity, vanilla cake batter, sweet honey, hint of fruity hops where maybe the lemon came from
Taste more golden malt, sight, grainy sweet, doughy, vanilla came batter again, with some honey, earthy honey and a little honey wheat, mild bitterness with light fruity floral hops, honey really coming through but not sweet but an earthy black honey, drier finish, bit more bitterness
Mouth is med bod, little creamy, med fluffy carb
Overall nice beer, enjoyable especially with the vanilla golden cake batter and earthy honey without being too sweet. When I could get more of these to pound through during playoffs
Mar 09, 2020Pours with a big foamy head, moderate retention, sticky lacing, crystal clear golden color (so much for black and gold)
Nose sweet golden malts, grainy, little bready, little lemony fruity, vanilla cake batter, sweet honey, hint of fruity hops where maybe the lemon came from
Taste more golden malt, sight, grainy sweet, doughy, vanilla came batter again, with some honey, earthy honey and a little honey wheat, mild bitterness with light fruity floral hops, honey really coming through but not sweet but an earthy black honey, drier finish, bit more bitterness
Mouth is med bod, little creamy, med fluffy carb
Overall nice beer, enjoyable especially with the vanilla golden cake batter and earthy honey without being too sweet. When I could get more of these to pound through during playoffs
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