Did Harp Lager change?

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has that feeling. I used to enjoy it at school, and I bought a bottle at an Irish bar in NYC recently. It didn't taste at all the way I remembered: not actually bad, but just a very ordinary-tasting light lager.

 

I would totally agree, it doesn't have the lager yeast sulphur it used to have. But that's been a while now, although I'm not sure when it was changed.

 

It wasn't good to begin with.......

 

According to their SE PA Distributor Origlio:

Harp has a new look and a new recipe! The new liquid delivers a more refreshing taste and is less bitter. This genuine Irish recipe, developed by the brewers of Guinness, is clean with a sweet nose and a good body. The hops deliver a subtle citrus taste and floral aroma.

HOPS- Cascade, Saaz
ABV - 4.50%
IBUs - 21

 

Nice find -- try to find any Harp info at the Guinness web site (at least USA).

 

Interesting that the article states less bitter but the OP says it's hoppier... I know bitter and "hoppy" aren't the same thing (hello NEIPAs) but still.

 

It was better than the other stuff they sold in my college pub, which is why they charged more for it, but that's another story.

 

Was looking for some original US Harp info from the early 1960s and remembered these two confusing items only a few years difference:

They turned down my old ad campaign suggestion:
THE BEST IRISH LAGER BEER BREWED IN CANADA AND SHIPPED TO THE USA!
(For the record, the new version appears to be brewed in Ireland... for now).

 

Seems like Harp likes to be confusing to its consumers -- back in 2014 I found Harp Pilsner on shelves -- labeled as an "Authentic Pilsner Lager." Funny thing -- it was 4.5 ABV just like this new Harp.

 

I have fond memories of Harp from the 1990's. I tried one a few years ago and found it it be decidedly less bold/flavorful than Stella, Heineken, Peroni, etc. which is contrary to my old impression.

 

That reminds me of Labatt Blue Royale Light which is neither brewed in Canada nor sold there!

 

Yeah, when North American Breweries - now apparently renamed after its Costa Rican parent company, Fifco USA- was first formed by combining the old Genesee (née High Falls) Brewing Co., and the spun-off Labatt USA Import Div. of InBev (via DoJ mandate to allow the AB-InBev merger), it seems natural that they'd brew Labatt for the US market since the Genesee brewery was way underutilized (3M bbl. capacity and Genesee had fallen to under 500k bbl.) AND the Feds said that, after a period of time to allow for the transition, AB-InBev's Labatt breweries could no longer supply Labatt for the US market.

But worried that the lack of a "Brewed in Canada" label on Labatt Blue would hurt sales, they stuck with a Canadian-brewed version --- and contracted with MolsonCoors to brew it for the US

Only later, as you note, did they start adding Labatt-branded line extension beers that they brew at Genesee but the flagships, Labatt Blue and Blue Light are still coming from "up North".

 

Woah... Hilarious and trippy: thought this was a revived thread from 1991. Haven't had Harp in at least 20 years, time to revisit. Maybe even time for a good ol' Black and Tan.

 

Yeah . . . I haven't had harp since I discovered Guinness brewery in the early 80s. I liked Harp then. It had a bit of a hop bite on the end that was lacking with American AALs. Liked the stout better. My wife would get Harp when we went to Irish bars in Baltimore. Perhaps I should revisit. This brewery and the Munich breweries led me to craft beer in the latter 80s.

 

Used to love Black and Tans back in the day. An ok beer, and nothing more in and by itself. I haven’t seen it nor have I looked, but I would guess freshness might be an issue.

 

Changing the label to a nondescript Bud Light looking label didn't help them at all. I dont even drink it anymore because of that...really.

 

Cascade does seem like an odd choice for a pale lager (as opposed to a more traditional noble hop).

As far as Harp itself, I always looked at it as the beer that my Irish friends liked to drink just to be different and cool. Even though it may be a half step up from Bud, etc, I don't think that's why they were drinking it.