Harpoon Boston Irish Stout | Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
Brewed by:
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
Massachusetts, United States
harpoonbrewery.com
Style: Irish Dry Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.30%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Boston Irish Stout is a traditional dry Irish stout. Full-bodied but sessionable with a creamy texture (derived from the nitro pour), it combines the roasted character of six malts with delicate Willamette hops.
30 IBUs
Added by Todd on 03-13-2013
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 151 | Reviews: 17
4/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into an English pint glass, the appearance was layered as expected - black at the bottom fulfilling the tan to brown three finger-ed middle indicating the nitro pour to flow through as it should and then a soft finger and a half of a level eggshell white color for a head. Glistening lovely stringy yet sliding lace. The aroma had a luscious sweet to roasty blend of milk chocolate, roasted malts, sweet cream and a touch of vanilla at the end. The flavor blended the previously mentioned flavors to boot and had it wrap into the aftertaste and slide into the finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body. Sorry, Harpoon, I don’t find this to be full bodied. Makes for a great session. ABV felt spot on as the brewer suggests. Overall, practically perfect as an Irish dry stout
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into an English pint glass, the appearance was layered as expected - black at the bottom fulfilling the tan to brown three finger-ed middle indicating the nitro pour to flow through as it should and then a soft finger and a half of a level eggshell white color for a head. Glistening lovely stringy yet sliding lace. The aroma had a luscious sweet to roasty blend of milk chocolate, roasted malts, sweet cream and a touch of vanilla at the end. The flavor blended the previously mentioned flavors to boot and had it wrap into the aftertaste and slide into the finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body. Sorry, Harpoon, I don’t find this to be full bodied. Makes for a great session. ABV felt spot on as the brewer suggests. Overall, practically perfect as an Irish dry stout
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4/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On nitro pour at The Old Toad in Rochester, NY.
This one pours a fairly dark black sheen, classic nitro look, with the cascading bubbles and all that. There's a tight white head, and lots of lacing.
This smells pretty nice- smokey, roasted malt, slight dark fruitiness, and dark espresso.
I don't usually love nitro stouts, as they tend to dull and water down the flavors. I can tell that's going on here, to a certain extent. However the flavors that survived the nitro-ing are nice. There's some lightly smoke and heavily roasted malt, and a great creamy lactose flavors, and a very light raisiny sweetness.
This has the classic nitro feel, fluffy and creamy, but ultimately thin.
This is a really solid version of the style. It's much, much better than Guinness and the like.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On nitro pour at The Old Toad in Rochester, NY.
This one pours a fairly dark black sheen, classic nitro look, with the cascading bubbles and all that. There's a tight white head, and lots of lacing.
This smells pretty nice- smokey, roasted malt, slight dark fruitiness, and dark espresso.
I don't usually love nitro stouts, as they tend to dull and water down the flavors. I can tell that's going on here, to a certain extent. However the flavors that survived the nitro-ing are nice. There's some lightly smoke and heavily roasted malt, and a great creamy lactose flavors, and a very light raisiny sweetness.
This has the classic nitro feel, fluffy and creamy, but ultimately thin.
This is a really solid version of the style. It's much, much better than Guinness and the like.
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3.71/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.25/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.3/5 rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.41/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Had on tap on Saturday, nitro pour. Has that typical look that one would expect from a nitro stout: dark brown body, cascading bubbles, tight white head that leaves dollops of lacing.
Smell is, as the style on nitro, pretty muted. Some sweetness and hints of roasted malt, touch of lactose. Taste fairs a bit better, nice roastiness in the middle, bitter and charred end. Nice velvety mouthfeel and fairly light body.
Overall it's a nice beer, but the nitro mutes the flavor. It's a bit stronger than Guinness but not by much.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Had on tap on Saturday, nitro pour. Has that typical look that one would expect from a nitro stout: dark brown body, cascading bubbles, tight white head that leaves dollops of lacing.
Smell is, as the style on nitro, pretty muted. Some sweetness and hints of roasted malt, touch of lactose. Taste fairs a bit better, nice roastiness in the middle, bitter and charred end. Nice velvety mouthfeel and fairly light body.
Overall it's a nice beer, but the nitro mutes the flavor. It's a bit stronger than Guinness but not by much.
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3.77/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
5/5 rDev +28.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
An all around Irish stout, goes good with a burger, fries, or a stake . It has a great aroma and goes down smoothly, too bad you can only get it at the brewery due to its high notorious content haha, but definitely a treat of Boston, Ma
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
An all around Irish stout, goes good with a burger, fries, or a stake . It has a great aroma and goes down smoothly, too bad you can only get it at the brewery due to its high notorious content haha, but definitely a treat of Boston, Ma
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3.57/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
4/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
This beer is not retired. I had it on nitro tap an hour ago. And it wasnt at the brewery.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
This beer is not retired. I had it on nitro tap an hour ago. And it wasnt at the brewery.
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3.91/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beautiful stout served on nitro: bold and black, with a dark tan head.
Aroma is roasted barley goodness, and flavor follows. There's just a touch of char, and waves of roast - likened to bitter chocolate and cold coffee - come across. Touches of dark fruit and bread occasionally peak through. I'm surprised at how much flavor this beer packs in - and how good that flavor is.
Many high ABV beers come across as lighter and lower; this is a beer that punches up, instead. It has the character and flavor of a brew easily 6-7%, but in a traditional low ABV package. It would make an excellent day drinking stout/porter, and an excellent upgrade over Guinness if you're looking for something lighter, simple, dark, and flavorful.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beautiful stout served on nitro: bold and black, with a dark tan head.
Aroma is roasted barley goodness, and flavor follows. There's just a touch of char, and waves of roast - likened to bitter chocolate and cold coffee - come across. Touches of dark fruit and bread occasionally peak through. I'm surprised at how much flavor this beer packs in - and how good that flavor is.
Many high ABV beers come across as lighter and lower; this is a beer that punches up, instead. It has the character and flavor of a brew easily 6-7%, but in a traditional low ABV package. It would make an excellent day drinking stout/porter, and an excellent upgrade over Guinness if you're looking for something lighter, simple, dark, and flavorful.
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4.84/5 rDev +24.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Served on cask, fresh today at Maverick Marketplace cafe in East Boson.
Hits all the right expectations for a light, easy drinking sessional irish style stout. The cask delivery smooths out the flavor profile and brings coffee and slight chocolate to the foreground. Delicious!
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look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Served on cask, fresh today at Maverick Marketplace cafe in East Boson.
Hits all the right expectations for a light, easy drinking sessional irish style stout. The cask delivery smooths out the flavor profile and brings coffee and slight chocolate to the foreground. Delicious!
280 characters
Harpoon Boston Irish Stout from Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
3.9
out of 5
based on 151 ratings.
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 2.5
Too thin and crisp for a dry stout. Also lacking in aroma and flavor that should still be there for the style regardless of low abv.
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