Harpoon Leviathan - Baltic Porter - Harpoon Brewery

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Shocked by this beer's color. When held up to a light source, you can see right through it without much strain. I would expect a double-digit ABV Porter to be pretty damn black. This isn't black at all; its brown. Well, the head is khaki colored and thin. Frothed milkshake consistency. Very light lacing.

S-Smoky and burnt. Burnt coffee grounds. Bitter baker's chocolate. Well-fruited. Dark fruit, but also even some red fruit too. I'm kinda getting some raspberries dipped in chocolate on the nose here. A bit of anise/black licorice too. Mostly burnt and roasted, but when I strain my senses, I can definitely detect some ripe red fruitiness in there too.

T-Ashy and burnt at first. Raisin, fig, dates and even prune. A tiny push of red berry. Roasted overall flavor. Who burnt the brownies? Charred chocolate. I love how this brew expresses fruit and shuns that 'chalky' taste that I often come across when reviewing this beer style. Also a bit spicy…any peppers involved here?

M-Great Porter feel. Smooth and creamy. Fuller on the body. Carbonation is very soft. Bubbles are plush and round; no sharpness. Almost no sting from the booze.

O/D-Really cool. Harpoon's Leviathan series has been incredibly erratic for me. This beer and their DIPA are awesome. The other handful of Leviathans I have tried were, for the most part, pretty gross. This one's a gem. On the opposite side of the spectrum as a 'Victory At Sea' from Ballast Point in terms of Imperial Porters. Sometimes I can really get sidetracked so: this beer is pretty awesome.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 22:11:22 | More by VelvetExtract

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, poured into my Brooklyn Brewery tulip.

Harpoon's Baltic Porter pours jet black, with two fingers of foam that manage to rise up enough to spill out of my glass. Head retention is good, and the lacing left behind coats the glass so thoroughly that at first glance I couldn't tell if it was lacing or if the head just hadn't receded. The nose features roasty dark chocolate heavily, with a little bit of a biscuit character also appreciable. The flavor adds in a bit of raisin sweetness at the open, which plays nicely off the bittersweet chocolate that comes in for the second half of each sip. The body is a little more chewy than I usually find in a Baltic Porter, but it's not bad, especially given that it's matched with a carbonation that has just a bit more kick to it as well. Overall, Harpoon Balic Porter is a solid entry in the Leviathan Series. It's not a beer I'd actively seek out, but I wouldn't mind finding it in my glass again either.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 06:54:37 | More by axeman9182

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 Vintage

A: Pours a deep mahogany color with 2 fingers worth of tan head

S: Get some definite lager yeast, along with toasty and roasty malts, dark fruits, molasses, and a hint of earthy hops

T: Follows the nose. Starts off with the yeast going along with the malts, which are chocolatey and lightly roasted. Goes into some dark fruits and molasses. All the while, it is quite earthy, most likely due to the hops and toastiness of the malts

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Fairly smooth

O: A solid baltic porter with a nice bit of complexity and warmth. A good sipper for the cold winter nights ahead

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 05:43:23 | More by BEERMILER12

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.3/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, late 2012 Vintage. Served at around 50F.

Pours thin dark brown with red highlights and a two finger light brown head that leaves a little lacing and recedes to a wispy, foamy cap.

Aroma is grainy, earthy, dusty, underlying notes of cocoa powder and hints of dark fruit. Good to very good strength (but not that enjoyable).

Flavor is dark fruits, cherries, figs, dates, raisins, molasses, some chocolate, a tinge tart, pretty sweet, some alcohol but not bad for 9.5%. Much bigger and better flavor than aroma.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, very sticky, moderate carbonation.

Well, I love Baltic Porters and I’ve been looking for this one for years. Very excited to see it come in my store last month. Pretty good, but still a little disappointing, particularly the odd grainy aroma that doesn’t match the flavor at all.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 06:15:06 | More by elgiacomo

lovindahops

New York

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at j ryans. Harpoon leviathan series are really some great brews so I figured this is worth the try

A- a dark molasses body that begins completely foamy and recides giving lacing scrambled on the edges. A very opaque cola body that's so dark you can't tell what's going on

S- cocoa nibs and black coffee lead way to a sweet molasses scent with even some dark fruit chiming in. While its not overpowering, it's certainly there

T- A strong brown sugar presence covers the cocoa nib flavor as the backbone of the brew. The coffee scent now couples with a sugar and theme content exhibiting a good solid taste profile. Very bitter on the exit which really rounds off the brew as complex and enjoyable. It's got some alcohol on it

M- creamy and carbonated

O- while Baltic porter did not come out swinging, but the tasting, I found I stumbled on an awesome brew! Excellent properties between the sweet flavors and bitter finish made for an excellent treat. Highly recommended and I'll be looking for a four pack of this! Great job harpoon!

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2012 22:46:56 | More by lovindahops

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A great shade of pitch black with a 1/2 inch of sticky opaque colored head. The head doesn't seem to want to break to just a rim.

S - Cocoa and roasted malts. I am even getting some bakers chocolate. Doesn't smell very chalky or any notable abv, so awesome.

T - Well there is the respectable porter chalkiness and a touch of roast. I like the sweetness in this it keeps it from getting too chalky or roasty. The chocolate gives it a great flavor.

M - Medium bodied and chewy. It drinks better than most Baltic porters and is very creamy.

Overall it was worth the 4 dollar price tag. These beers always impress me and I would recommend this to any stout or porter lover

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 02:54:44 | More by DrDemento456

Dope

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Fresh batch from 2012.

A: Pours a dark brown with a slight reddish tinge. Big fluffy light brown head. Fades super slowly, leaving an almost solid wall of lacing behind. Excellent retention.

S: Creamy roasted malt. Some smoke in there. Just a touch of chocolate.

T: Lots of chocolate, char and smoke up front with just a hint of dark fruits. Some mild molasses in the middle with more smoke. Bitter chocolate in the middle and in the finish. Smoky lingering aftertaste with a touch of burnt toast.

M: Medium bodied, creamy and smooth.

O: Decent baltic porter. Nice and creamy with decent roasted malt aspects. Smoky for the style which I am not a huge fan of but it's not overpowering at least. Decent.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 06:32:27 | More by Dope

Papabear55

3.8/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Very dark brown. Nice khaki colored head with decent lacing stuck around for a good amount of time.

S- Notes of coffee, raisin, burnt malt and a little bit of pine on the end maybe? It's hard to tell.

T- Black coffee with a hint of chocolate at the beginning. Dark fruit and malts throughout the middle of the palate with a bit of a bitterness on the back end.

M- Not boozy for the abv of this beer. its a bit oily and coats your tongue nicely. Medium mouthfeel I would say.

O- Nice beer coming from Harpoon.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 03:59:58 | More by Papabear55

Thickfreakness

New York

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours the darkest shade of brown I've ever seen! Just little hints cola color shine thru when held to the light. Nice thick kahki head that really hangs on and lingers. Nice sticky lacing that clings and hangs on tightly.

S- Cocoa powder, chocolate syrup, dense notes of coffee, dried fruits (fig/cherries/raisin), charred wood and malt. Nice bitter citrus fruits really come thru at the end.

T- Chocolate covered orange slices. Nice rich black coffee, hints of pine, roasted nuts, charred wood, raisins and various dried fruit. I like how the chocolate goes from syrup to dry cocoa powder when it rolls down your tongue.

M- Kinda slick and oily without being over done. It glides down your throat and wraps the tongue nicely. No real sence of the alcohol. I like how dry it is.

O- This is a great Baltic Porter! Dry, citrusy, cocoa, raisins, charred malt. I can't wait to have this again!

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 22:59:14 | More by Thickfreakness

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The 2012 four pack edition, poured into a Harpoon 100 Barrel stemmed glass. Nice surge of carbonation on the side of the glass forms a nice brown head atop a dark brown body. Moderate lacing noticed. Smell was metallic; very reminiscent of the oyster stout they made a while back. Taste was good. I liked the flavors of rum, molasses, raisins, and chocolate. It had a pretty good mouthfeel, but could have been a real winner if it was a bit thicker. Not bad, but not an all star. I have another 4 pack in the basement to age, to see what 6 months or 1 year does to this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 15:50:56 | More by morebeergood

avalon07

South Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dark brown color and a cloudy consistency. There was an inch and a half of creamy, off white, fairly long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: Not a huge aroma, but some hints of chocolate, malt, and dark fruit.

T: Tasted of dark chocolate, a little hops, roasted malt, raisins, and a slight burnt quality. Oddly, all these ingredients don't add up to much. It simply tasted like a halfway constructed beer.

M: A decent amount of carbonation with a dry finish. Medium-bodied.

O: I'm kind of surprised by the high ratings for this beer. It seems like one of those beers that could have better than it was.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 12:08:11 | More by avalon07

metter98

New York

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is close to jet black in color. It poured with a thin tan head that quickly died down, leaving some lacing on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of dark malts and licorice in the nose.
T: The taste isn’t that complex and has flavors of dark malts and notes of chocolate with hints of licorice.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied and a bit thin for the style with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is rather easy to drink compared to other beers in the style because it’s a little lighter in body and you can’t taste any of the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 23:35:49 | More by metter98

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown in color with a short lived off-white head. Nice nose on this. Dark chocolate and fruit give a pleasant balanced sweetness. A bit of roasted malt and a touch of spice. The flavor offers a nice chocolate character and a touch of roast. Dark fruits, especially raisins and plums, and a touch of spice. Just a touch of roast to give some bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 20:54:48 | More by womencantsail

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured out as a nice deep brown color with a thin tan head on top. The smell of roasted malts and hints of chocolate on the nose. The taste of the beer was also full of rich roasted flavors and a good bitter dark finish. The mouthfeel wasn't too bad but it could have been just a little thicker I think. Overall this wasn't a bad Baltic but there are better out there.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 03:07:53 | More by Knapp85

mostpoetsdo

Rhode Island

4.08/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

'09 vintage, 12/11.

A: Dark brown, close to black, but little transparency. A quarter inch tan head, a couple blotches of lacing.

S: Toasty oatmeal, vibrant grains, smoke, bacon, pepper.

T: A lot of roasted malt, good barley taste, bittersweet chocolate, charred animal flesh of the pork variety; pretty robust flavors: tobacco, cracked black pepper; but subtle sweetness: molasses, brown sugar, sugar cane.

M: Medium body and carbonation on the lower end. ABV well masked.

O/D: While the alcohol has mellowed, it's gained more smokey/roasty characteristics. It's a fairly different beer, and hard to judge if better or not. In it's current stage, I only wish I could have more.


A: Awesomely opaque brown. Great big tan head that stays for a while. Great lacing. (4.5)

S: Nice and dark, malty, little chocolaty. (3.5)

T: Very good. A lot more flavorful than the smell would lead you on. Nice malt and little chocolate flavor. The alcohol is definitely prevalent. Masked okay, but nice and warm going down. (4.5)

M: Lightly carbonated, good medium to full body. (4)

D: Pretty high for a boozy beer. But, at $10 a 4 pack, something you'll want to savor more. (4)

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 00:49:45 | More by mostpoetsdo

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of the most unusual, discussion-worthy porters I've tried. The nose is heady with toasted grains, with light promises of coffee and caramel.

In the mouth, the first flavor is of fruits, but heavy and dark; perhaps roasted apples, or black cherries dipped in dark chocolate. Still, there's a fair bit of sugar surrounding those fruits, resulting in an interesting melange of dark and sweet that proves quite tongue-tingling. Somewhere deep beneath those flavors--lying at the bottom like the proverbial leviathan of the label--is a porter base, redolent with chocolate malt and toffee. However, it takes a while for those flavors to surface; they might even be missed, so subtly do they influence the palate. The finish is notably spicy, leaving a slight tingling on the tongue and soft palate.

Overall, I rate this beer a wild success, as it seems to me that it combines the best of not only porters, but perhaps barleywines as well, with a little port wine thrown in for good measure. Definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 21:22:36 | More by jondeelee

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A fairly typical Baltic Porter- not bad, just not anything to really distinguish it from a myriad of others. Pours black with a thin white head. Smells roasty, but with some style typical fruit as well- prunes and sultanas. Notes of licorice give it some depth, and I think I taste some cola notes lurking there as well. The fruitiness carries through in the taste, so in that sense we have a true Baltic style Porter here. In the mouth it's smooth, a bit thick, and creamy. Definitely decent.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 18:32:21 | More by Georgiabeer

indesertum

New York

3.6/5  rDev -10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

poured in a tulip

nice three finger caramel head. head retention isn't too long, maybe 5 minutes. retains lacing. pitch black liquor.

nice floral and rich malted caramel aromas

tastes of coffee and cocoa nibs, caramel. good hops, good structure

rich mouthfeel. velvety smooth, thick enough, finish is pretty short

overall a good beer, but it has that fruity bubblegummy ester feel that i feel the leviathan series has in general. not a fan.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 02:45:46 | More by indesertum

ngeunit1

California

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a very dark black color with just a tiny hint of brown around the edges and a half-finger of tan head. The head fades down to a ring around the glass leaving behind some touches of lace.

S - Aroma is full of chocolate malt and coffee aromas. Some nice oak and deep roasted aromas also pouring out of the glass. Touch of vanilla.

T - Starts out very roasty with lots of roasted chocolate malt flavor. Through the middle some nice coffee flavors and oak comes out very nicely. The finish is full of roasted flavors with some good oak and vanilla flavors coming out that linger nicely.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth and a touch creamy. Finish is nice and strong and has some elements of alcohol warming.

D - Very drinkable. The flavors are a bit strong so a bit of a sipping beer, but every sip is really enjoyable. The oak flavors are present and really nice on top of the porter elements.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 02:26:14 | More by ngeunit1

rodney45

New York

4.38/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: If held up to the light, this beer has a hazy ruby red reflection only seen when looking deep into the beer, some would say too deep. The head is faint and lingers only a short while. It has the color of an ocean foam in the dead of winte.r

S: Smells a lot like a good scotch whiskey tastes. Burnt and smooth, with vanilla notes.

T: Very nice and malty... A couple of other people said they can taste the alcohol in this... i cant... but it tastes a lot like walnuts or pecans, with plums added... i cant say it any better than that...

M: Smooth, and dry, but not dry like a white wine... dry like a summer baseball game in early spring, where youre thirsty, and as soon as you look, there is the beer guy, and as soon as he hands you the awful yellow beer, a home run is hit, and it lands in your plastic cup... but instead of a baseball, its harpoon's baltic porter... and you drink that baseba... i mean, beer... and you take in the sound, and smell... that is the taste of this beer... and no one, no one can tell me different.

O: i like it, but i wish they didnt do this whole hanky panky 4 pack nonsense anymore... i guess it started with dogfishhead, and im rarely critical of DFH... but look, i want 6 beers... i dont want to buy my beer in 4's... i feel like it makes me a communist. At best, it makes me look like a snob when i walk up to the counter. and it doesnt feel right, holding a 4 pack and a 6 pack, it just doesnt balance out...

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 07:21:36 | More by rodney45

chugalug06

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Thin black caramel with a thin tan ring of head. Extremely thin selective lacing is left behind

S - AMAZING, one of the most aromatic beers I've had it smells of cherry, chocolate, coffee, roasty malt...

T - Smooth chocolate, but a little harsh due to the strong presents of alcohol. I'm going to sit on a few and try one again in a few months

M - Near perfect carbonation and sweetness

D - It leaves me very thirsty, however, not for more brew, but for water. It does however drink nicely, just not quite as nice as I'd wish

Would definitely recommend to a friend. I can't wait to see what this brew does with a year on it.... Thanks Andy.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2011 04:00:25 | More by chugalug06

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into dimpled mug. Clear coke coloured pour covered by a light beige head which recedes to nothingness. Fair malty nose where blackberry fruitiness meets woodsy, leafy spiciness in an odd melting pot. A slight metallic tang joins the absence of fun, likely due to inherent overcarbonation. Not too bad up to here, but it gets more complicated. In mouth, disturbing higher alcohol, bordering phenolic notes are an annoyance, so is the burnt wet bread astringency that lives on after each sip. The vinous, tartish fruitiness could have been interesting were it not for its messy neighbors.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 18:49:10 | More by CuriousMonk

nezelrac

New York

4.1/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

had this on draft at the Tap and Mallet on 1/20/11 - they held a keg of the 2009; served in a 12oz snifter

A - pale mahogany; about 1 finger off-white/tan head; dissipates after a few minutes with no lacing

S - vanilla note is embedded in a chocolate, roasted, rich and earthy malt core; hops are in the background

T - excellent malt; hints of roasted and chocolate, slight nuttiness; good bitterness at the back end; good length

M - very smooth with a good roasted malt edge; CO2 is spot on

D - highly drinkable porter! the age didn't hurt this a bit

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2011 01:49:30 | More by nezelrac

Bung

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. This one has been in the cellar for about 10 months, forgot to review it originally.

Standard dark brown/ruby edged pour. Maybe a finger of beige head. Frothy layer sticks around. Laces the glass pretty well.

Nice very malty aroma, caramel then some chocolate and peat.

Taste seems to have smoothed a bit. Malty chocolate malt, caramel and some amount of roast malt. Finishes with some cocoa and almost lactose like qualtity and the faintest amount of coffee and herbal hops.

Nearly creamy medium bodied and coats well. Alcohol is very well hidden. Could be considered a tad thin, accentuated by the very low carb, but that's the only problem. Goes down real easy though with the abv it is only so drinkable.

I like it, my favorite of the Leviathan series.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 03:34:00 | More by Bung

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown, close to black. Teensy-weensy dark tan head, disappears quickly leaving moderate lacing.

S: A mixture of subtle dark chocolate and medium-roast coffee beans. Thick fruit aroma and smoked wood is there also.

T: Fresh coffee and both milk and dark chocolates. Sweet flow with the chocolate rather than a bitter bite. Malty and definitely smoky. The body of this beer is utterly smooth and rich. Notes of anise can be determined as well. For it's 9.5%, it's only fair to have a reasonably boozy finish

M: Medium to full body with medium carbonation. Rich, very flavorful. Great finish.

D: Really amazing. It gets heavy after a few bottles, so take your time.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 02:39:07 | More by YouSkeete