Harpoon IPA Better !

I'm not in the distro area, but had a Harpoon Rye IPA or three sent to me & they're marvelous. One of the better Rye IPAs I've had in a while.

 

I disagree.

 

Before I got really into craft beer, Harpoon IPA was a favorite of mine. So it always holds a soft spot in my heart.

Had one last weekend, and it's just not fantastic. I drink them at my golf course because it's the only non BMC thing available most of the time. It sure tastes great at the course! It's a solid IPA, I have no issues with it. But my days of buying a sixer of this when in the mood for an IPA are gone.

Their Rye IPA is much, much better if you ask me.

 

I got a 12 pack of cans when they first came out for the novelty, and they tasted much better than any bottles I had gotten before. The hop flavor was very pronounced. I was thinking it was because they just hit the market and there was less age on them than the bottles. I don't get the same taste from the drafts at bars so I'm not sure what the difference was.

 

Does it taste like an IPA yet?

 

when this beer was introduced in 1994, there wasn't anything else very much like it. wonder what folks will be saying about heady topper in 20 years...

 

Harpoon IPA has saved me several times when I was surrounded by BMC at some restaurants.

 

When fresh, its a nice beer if you set your expectations appropriately - I just think of it as a pale ale these days.

 

Are the cans brewed by someone else?

 

Cans are brewed in Boston and transferred via tanker truck to FX Matt and packaged there.

In my opinion Harpoon IPA is a great example of an easy drinking slightly fruity and fairly dry IPA. I like it and will continue support Harpoon by buying their cans all summer long! that is until I can get my own beer in cans...

 

The key here is expectations. Far too many people seem to get carried away expecting every beer to blow them away. Harpoon IPA is not that kind of beer but it's still a damn tasty and refreshing beer. It's not hoppy at all by 2012 standards but that doesn't mean its a bad beer.

 

Remember when you were first getting into craft beer or maybe you weren't really into craft yet but you gave Harpoon a whirl? It was a blast of bitter....

It's far from the beer I remember but I still enjoy it from time to time. Kudos to Harpoon for canning it, makes me much more likely to pick it up , especially in summer.

 

I remember I used to think it was bitter. Now most Harpoon beers taste too sweet to me.

 

I miss the ale (not the IPA). That was good stuff.

 

Friendly reminder to Matt to put his IPA in multi-can pack format. Will make for an easier choice. )

 

Harpoon bought or is buying their own canning line, so the trucking to FX Matt thing will soon be over.

 

props to harpoon for actually brewing the beer themselves and tankering it. positive all other breweries contract canning are just brewing there.

 

I did the Harpoon tour with a friend visiting town last weekend, and they were pouring the Ale at the brewery. Not sure if they're bottling it at all as a commemorative thing, or if it was just a one-off for the brewery, but you might want to call and see if it's still on for growler fills or something.

 

it's always available in the tap room. with the installation of their 10 brl pilot system, they're brewing fresh batches all the time. draft only.