100 Barrel Series #46 - Hoppy Belgian Style Blonde
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
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- From:
- Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Blonde Ale
- ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 82
- Avg:
- 3.63 | pDev: 8.26%
- Reviews:
- 36
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 18, 2018
- Added:
- Apr 27, 2013
- Wants:
- 4
- Gots:
- 4
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
Notes:
We all love beer here, but we're not all brewers. That changes when the Kettle Cup, our annual employee brewing competition, rolls around. In 2012 we decided that the winning beer would join the ranks of our 100 Barrel Series. Chris, Kevin, and John from Harpoon Distributing Company and brewer Charlie took first place with this hoppy Belgian style blonde ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Jacobier10 from New Jersey
3.64/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.64/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle as part of the Harpoon 30th Anniversary pack. Enjoy by 1/15/2017.
Deep gold, hazy pour. Average-sized white head sits on top with good retention. The aroma is bold and hits you with floral hops initially followed by strong citrus fruit, mostly lemon and orange, and vanilla. The Belgian yeast is more prominent in the flavor than the aroma, adding its characteristic fruit and slice to the mix. Medium bodied with a dry and bitter finish.
Not a bad beer overall, but not as refreshing as I was hoping for. The hops and yeast clash, creating an odd combination and taking away from its drinkability.
Dec 01, 2016Deep gold, hazy pour. Average-sized white head sits on top with good retention. The aroma is bold and hits you with floral hops initially followed by strong citrus fruit, mostly lemon and orange, and vanilla. The Belgian yeast is more prominent in the flavor than the aroma, adding its characteristic fruit and slice to the mix. Medium bodied with a dry and bitter finish.
Not a bad beer overall, but not as refreshing as I was hoping for. The hops and yeast clash, creating an odd combination and taking away from its drinkability.
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania
3.7/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.7/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Found this for 4 bucks at the Beermuda. Seeing as this is almost a year old I don't expect much. Into a pint glass.
A - Surprised the first pour gave me no sediment I know there is a shit ton in there. Head is minimal from a light pour. Color is a bright hazy orange yellow color.
S - Mildly dry yet fruity Belgium yeasts. Some pilsner skunk smells of yeasts. Not picking up any hops.
T - Mildly hoppy, some pilsner flavors but mostly like a Belgium pale with dry and fruity yeasts. Quite smooth and somewhat easy to drink.
M - Light to medium on par with the ABV,
Overall this beer may have lost some carbonation and is a bit lackluster but its still worth picking up on discount. A decent beer.
May 29, 2014A - Surprised the first pour gave me no sediment I know there is a shit ton in there. Head is minimal from a light pour. Color is a bright hazy orange yellow color.
S - Mildly dry yet fruity Belgium yeasts. Some pilsner skunk smells of yeasts. Not picking up any hops.
T - Mildly hoppy, some pilsner flavors but mostly like a Belgium pale with dry and fruity yeasts. Quite smooth and somewhat easy to drink.
M - Light to medium on par with the ABV,
Overall this beer may have lost some carbonation and is a bit lackluster but its still worth picking up on discount. A decent beer.
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia
3.65/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.65/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
"We all love beer here, but we're not all brewers. That changes when the Kettle Cup, our annual employee brewing competition, rolls around. In 2012 we decided that the winning beer would join the ranks of our 100 Barrel Series. Chris, Kevin, and John from Harpoon Distributing Company and brewer Charlie took first place with this hoppy Belgian-style blonde ale." Brewed in the style of a Belgian Pale Ale. This is the 46th entry in the 100 Barrel Series, released as a one-off in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a pint glass. Served above 58º Fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a crisp frothy pearl white head over a moderately hazy golden amber body. Flecked sediment is a mild impediment to clarity. Retention is good, lacing is light and streaked. 4.25
(Smell) Sweet toasted pale caramel malt, cracker malt and wheat malt body with a moderate citrusy and herbal hop profile with a medium bitterness. Yeast profile produces a bold level of fruit and spice to smooth out the edges. Nice balance of malt and hop aroma. Potency is medium. 3.5
(Taste) Pilsner cracker malt and a light toasted caramel grain body has a mild sweetness with a grassy, herbal and lemon rind hop profile. Bitterness is medium and combined with the Belgian yeast profile culminates into a soft, slightly dry finish. Very flavorful, but not overly filling. 3.5
(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, peppery, mildly oily. Carbonation generates a creamy, fluffy and moderately full mouthfeel. Body is medium+ for the style, medium overall. Balance is slightly yeasty and hoppy bitter over sweet. Alcohol presence is very low, and there are no off-flavors. 4
(Overall) Quite a tasty beer, very much like a White IPA but very well rounded on the malt and hop flavors. I wouldn't call the hops a "big kick" but do find that they go well with the style without overshadowing the malt or yeast profiles. It's quite enjoyable. 3.75
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall's
100 Barrel Series #46: Kettle Cup 2013: Hoppy Belgian Style Blonde
3.64/5.00
May 16, 2014Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a pint glass. Served above 58º Fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a crisp frothy pearl white head over a moderately hazy golden amber body. Flecked sediment is a mild impediment to clarity. Retention is good, lacing is light and streaked. 4.25
(Smell) Sweet toasted pale caramel malt, cracker malt and wheat malt body with a moderate citrusy and herbal hop profile with a medium bitterness. Yeast profile produces a bold level of fruit and spice to smooth out the edges. Nice balance of malt and hop aroma. Potency is medium. 3.5
(Taste) Pilsner cracker malt and a light toasted caramel grain body has a mild sweetness with a grassy, herbal and lemon rind hop profile. Bitterness is medium and combined with the Belgian yeast profile culminates into a soft, slightly dry finish. Very flavorful, but not overly filling. 3.5
(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, peppery, mildly oily. Carbonation generates a creamy, fluffy and moderately full mouthfeel. Body is medium+ for the style, medium overall. Balance is slightly yeasty and hoppy bitter over sweet. Alcohol presence is very low, and there are no off-flavors. 4
(Overall) Quite a tasty beer, very much like a White IPA but very well rounded on the malt and hop flavors. I wouldn't call the hops a "big kick" but do find that they go well with the style without overshadowing the malt or yeast profiles. It's quite enjoyable. 3.75
Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall's
100 Barrel Series #46: Kettle Cup 2013: Hoppy Belgian Style Blonde
3.64/5.00
Reviewed by PorterLambic from Florida
3.68/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a cloudy/hazy straw yellow color with a fluffy white head. Once the initial bloom wears off, retention is pretty good. Decent, scattered lace left behind.
Smell is a mix of citrus and floral hops primarily with some lesser notes of malt, yeast, and spice. Pretty nice balance.
Taste is, of course, hoppy but not overly do, with malt and biscuit notes followed by light spices. Well blended.
Body is slightly under medium, effervescence is a bit tingly but nicely refreshing. Aftertaste is yeast, malt and hops. Very nice.A slight warming early to middle, finish is dry.
Mar 10, 2014Smell is a mix of citrus and floral hops primarily with some lesser notes of malt, yeast, and spice. Pretty nice balance.
Taste is, of course, hoppy but not overly do, with malt and biscuit notes followed by light spices. Well blended.
Body is slightly under medium, effervescence is a bit tingly but nicely refreshing. Aftertaste is yeast, malt and hops. Very nice.A slight warming early to middle, finish is dry.
Reviewed by Boto from Connecticut
2.78/5 rDev -23.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.78/5 rDev -23.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Draught @ Harpoon: This one pours a hazy, golden color. There was a bit of a frothy white head on it. It left some lacing. The nose is pine, pine and more pine. Nothing else. The taste is bitter pine hops. Wondering where the Belgian beer in the name went: it is completely overwhelmed by the hops. This isn’t very well executed. I would have expected some of the Belgian characteristics of the base beer to come through. I might as well had a glass of hops to drink. Also: at $8 for a small glass at the brewery it is very overpriced.
Nov 08, 2013
Reviewed by dheacck11 from Connecticut
3.73/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Really pleasing sunny deep straw color with some golden haziness. Light thin fluffy head.
Nose is bready, yeasty, Some hints of lemon, orange, and melon.
Taste is a little too lemon sugary sweet upfront. Follows with a really nice bready belgian yeast flavor. Little bit of banana.
Feel is pretty solid medium
Nice brew. Enticing up front, but the actual flavor comes off a little off and unbalanced. Good for a sunset in October.
Oct 25, 2013Nose is bready, yeasty, Some hints of lemon, orange, and melon.
Taste is a little too lemon sugary sweet upfront. Follows with a really nice bready belgian yeast flavor. Little bit of banana.
Feel is pretty solid medium
Nice brew. Enticing up front, but the actual flavor comes off a little off and unbalanced. Good for a sunset in October.
Reviewed by Stinkypuss from Pennsylvania
3.55/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.55/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a dark golden color with some sediment. White head with lace in the glass. Aroma of expressive Belgian yeast, some citrus hops as well. Saison like yeast complexity, definitely tastes Belgian. Wheat and semi spicy , somewhat fruity Belgian yeast profile. There is a small leafy hop and mild acidity but tame bitterness. Medium bodied feel with a moderate level of carbonation. Overall, this was a pretty nice brew, has held up well after aging several months.
Sep 29, 2013
Reviewed by ChrisMyhre from Massachusetts
4.51/5 rDev +24.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
4.51/5 rDev +24.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5
Poured into a snifter from the 12 oz. bottle.
a: Straw yellow, moderate head and some light lacing.
s: Hoppy but complex not as funky as a heavy brett Belgian, but in that arena, with lots of American hop aroma.
t: Nice light Belgian, with nice hoppy American bitterness. A more American, less funky take on the Orval style.
m: Moderate carbonation more typical of Harpoon, medium body.
o: The best of the 100 barrel series I've tasted, very nice unique beer, If I can find a few more I'd love to taste one aged for at least a year.
Sep 22, 2013a: Straw yellow, moderate head and some light lacing.
s: Hoppy but complex not as funky as a heavy brett Belgian, but in that arena, with lots of American hop aroma.
t: Nice light Belgian, with nice hoppy American bitterness. A more American, less funky take on the Orval style.
m: Moderate carbonation more typical of Harpoon, medium body.
o: The best of the 100 barrel series I've tasted, very nice unique beer, If I can find a few more I'd love to taste one aged for at least a year.
Reviewed by deg from New Hampshire
3.32/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A nice gold color, with a good solid head. I can smell hops. Lots of hops. More citrus than anything else. I could not smell malt. I could however taste a tiny bit of malt, but the hops dominated. If you like citrus tasting hops, this is a good brew.
Sep 21, 2013
Reviewed by Cylinsier from Pennsylvania
3.85/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
tap
Pours a light clear gold, white lacing.
Smells of light grassy malts with some citrus.
Light citrus tart flavor up front followed by grassy malts and a mild floral hop bite.
Lighter body with a sting of carbonation on the tongue.
A pretty good Belgian style ale, decent flavor, and definitely worth trying.
Aug 26, 2013Pours a light clear gold, white lacing.
Smells of light grassy malts with some citrus.
Light citrus tart flavor up front followed by grassy malts and a mild floral hop bite.
Lighter body with a sting of carbonation on the tongue.
A pretty good Belgian style ale, decent flavor, and definitely worth trying.
100 Barrel Series #46 - Hoppy Belgian Style Blonde from Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall
Beer rating:
82 out of
100 with
127 ratings
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