Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #27 - Helles Blond Bock - Harpoon Brewery

bilyboy65

Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a Harpoon 100 barrel series glass. The old style before the goblet. Kinda a thicker pilsner style. If anyone has any ideas as to what kind it is i'd be interested to know.

A: Bright golden color with a good 2.5 finger head. Unfortunately that went away quickly. Leaves nothing on the glass.

S: Sweet, very sugary. After a few swirls a licorice and maple scent comes up.

T: Fairly standard bock. Nothing to impressive. No hops detected as the malts take over making it a sweet bock. The maple and sugar tastes really come through.

M: Full bodied beer that leaves a decent trail behind. Nothing really exciting going on as it passes through.

D: Tastes like any average bock. In my opinion nothing worthy of a limited production release. Still a good beer though, just kinda disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2009 01:02:35 | More by bilyboy65

Brad007

Vermont

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an amber/medium brown color with a one-finger head into my fluted tulip.

Aroma is light and full of sweet, grainy malt in the nose. Seems average for the style.

Taste is full of of the same sweet, grainy malt but there's a bit of chewiness to the malt, followed by a small hint of alcohol burn. A bit of smokiness caps it off.

Moufhfeel is a hodgepodge of flavors, balanced by the smokiness, chewiness and sweetness of the malt in this beer. Very easy to drink.

A nice example of the style that remains drinkable and refreshing on this hot day. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2009 23:59:23 | More by Brad007

WesWes

New York

3.68/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark gold color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a sweet Vienna malt scent along with a dry bisquity aroma. The taste is decent as well. It has nice malty flavor that's rich and sweet in the finish. The hops are mild at best and there is a slight alcohol character. It's smooth going down with a nice clean lager finish. The mouthfeel is good. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is an easy drinking Helles bock. It's got excellent malt taste with a light hop component. There's nothing offensive here; a nice seasonal brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2009 18:31:35 | More by WesWes

51mmz0rz

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a mug from a bomber.

A: White foamy head on top of a totally clear light amber body. Head fades at a normal pace.

S: Slightly sweet, grain heavy, slightly toasty. Maybe a very light hop aroma, otherwise clean.

T: Bready malts, a light sweetness balanced with a light bitterness, followed by a malt aftertaste. Nicely balanced, just a touch sweet.

M: Medium-low carbonation and good texture.

D: Highly drinkable, refreshing though a bit sweet.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2009 00:05:22 | More by 51mmz0rz

Gmann

New York

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Out of a 22oz bottle. Pours a pale copper color with a short lived egg-shell colored head that dissipated into a light ring. The aroma is of bready malt, caramel, and a hint of spice. The taste is that of a bready malt, some of the doughy munich malt comes through. Some light caramel and honey sweetness; an earthy hop seems to pop up in the end to check the sweet malt. Moderate body with tingly carbonation which seems to fade that gives the brew a slight slick and sticky finish. There is a light alcohol presence as well. I appreciate the fact that this is a well balanced beer, the sweetness is kept in check, and has an almost earthy quality. The abv seems to affect the feel but nothing to deem it a flaw.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2009 02:45:21 | More by Gmann

cvstrickland

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The chilled and decrowned twenty-two ounce bomber bottle of Harpoon Helles Blond Bock pours tangerine-tinted golden and sparkling clear. A fat finger's thickness of creamy, eggshell-white foam graces the surface, receding slowly, depositing thin webs of fine lacing onto the walls of my dimpled seidel as the head diminishes to an unbroken sheet.

The aroma is malty sweet with notes of light caramel and orange-laced toffee in abundance. Light grain and a mild, amlost tea-like floral sweetness lighten things up a notch.

The taste is sweetly malty with caramelly-toffee notes forward, partially balanced a touch of earthy toasted nuttiness. Mellow medium-dark kilned malt sweetness and a note of overripe muskmelon linger in the aftertaste. A twist of grassy, spicy-citrus bitterness gains purchase as the encounter continues, more effectively neutralizing the predominating cereal sugariness and enhancing the drinkability of HBB quite a bit.

The drink is light-medium in body with fine-bubbled carbonation. Despite the well-camouflaged 7.4% ABV, the brew is plenty quaffable.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2009 14:43:02 | More by cvstrickland

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into two glasses. Huge white head formed, very nice. Dark gold color. Decent lacing down the sides. Smell was a bit like fresh baked bread, but very faint though. Taste was much better than expected. A bit sweet at the first sip, then it moved onto a malty flavor, then it ended on a dry note. I would have liked if this beer was a bit more smooth, as I found it a tad sticky on the palate. But overall, very easy to drink and tasty. One of the better 100 Barrel beers to come out in a while.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2009 23:12:23 | More by morebeergood

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A) Thin, whispy head. Thin bubble lacing. Bronze in color. Transparent. Visible carbonation.
S) Bready. Caramel and toffee notes. Mellow floral hop notes just under the surface.
T) Toffee - not profound. Some spiciness. Earthy root vegetable hints, maybe celery or carrot.
M) Medium body. Syrupy, but just a hint. CO2 fizz yet fairly smooth.
D) A good beer. Refreshing. Good character in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2009 22:53:25 | More by u2carew

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap 6/13/09 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a large tulip glass.

A: The beer is a light golden brown color, with a short white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is faint but contains light malts, honey, caramel and a touch of hops.

T: The taste is decently balanced with flavors of lager yeast, honey and caramel. There's a hearty malt character and a decent hops presence. The after-taste is slightly bready and slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: A little tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, although there isn't much that really stands out about this beer it's a decent one to drink for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2009 01:43:12 | More by TheManiacalOne

edchicma

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an orange lemon with an initial decent head, some lacing is presnt. Smell is very malty with very nice fruit notes, understated hops. Taste is superb malt with a hnit of hoppy undertones. Mouthfeel is smooth, creamy. Deceiving for the high abv...very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2009 01:49:15 | More by edchicma

Duhast500

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the tap into a stemmed glass.

The color was a clear golden color with some slight white head and a very slight lacing.

The smell was a bit sweet and had a slight tangy flavor. Some hop flavor in the background.

The taste quite good from the first sip. Some nice yeast flavor that hide in the background with some nice caramel and floral, spicy hops.

This beer was really full bodied but still pretty smooth. It was quite a nice treat and I would recomend this one to others.

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2009 02:16:57 | More by Duhast500

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

22oz bottle purchased as a single from Yankee Spirits, Sturbridge, MA. Gold foiled cap.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/4" off-white head over the clear light amber brew. Head is promptly down to a small layer of bubbles, with minimal lacing. Aroma is pale malt sweet slightly more than balanced. Taste is reasonably balanced through and through, with malt stronger in some spots, moderate bitterness in others. Mouthfeel is pretty smooth, and drinkability is amazingly easy. Gotta love a nice bock in Spring.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2009 22:22:22 | More by ppoitras

Patrick

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clear golden color with a thin and dense rubber foam looking off white head.

S: Smells slightly sweet, similar to their Leviathan Bohemian Pils, but this one has more of a spicy hop kick to it, maybe some Saaz.

T: Whoa, lots of rich bread flavor right up front, some light caramel sweetness going on in the middle, and the rich bready flavor comes back for the finish alongside the earthy and spicy hops.

M: Smooth, sticky, full bodied, well carbonated.

D: I was a bit surprised by this one, very good.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2009 18:34:45 | More by Patrick

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Decent start to the head--dies to a single layer of bubbles. The slightest of haze to an otherwise clear light amber color.

Clean malt smell with a smidge of fridge. Nearly no hop.

Rich body with a moderate level of carbonation. Not quite sweet, but it's far from dry as well. There's a touch of hop that makes it interesting. Light oiliness from the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2009 23:31:30 | More by smcolw

ericlawton007

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured from the bomber into two pint glasses. Deep amber color with very little head or lacing. Malty smell along with some basic spice notes. The malt is present in the tatse along with a pleasant light hops finish. This beer is very drinkable, not quite as earthy as I like my maibocks, but the drinkabilty is really good on this one, and I could go for another.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2009 02:04:24 | More by ericlawton007

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tried to order the Harpoon maple 100 barrel series. The Keg kicked and they brougght me this. I had not even heard of it. Glad it happened, I enjoyed this one.

Served in a harpoon tulip glass.
Creamy white head. Light amber color. Dull copper notes.
A touch of lacing. No visible carbonation.

Light caramel aroma. Cinnamon

Really nice. Well balanced. Bread flavor, light caramel. Sublte hop towards the end, but still finished balanced. Some light fruit comes through.

Creamy. Velvety smooth, delicate carbonation.

Very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2009 00:58:23 | More by Reagan1984

Cunningham26

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is the first time I've reviewed a beer that hasn't been reviewed yet, and hopefully mine won't become the basis (hopefully everyone will be objective tasters)

- from 22oz bomber into a pilsner:
a- fantastic, a virgin-white two finger head with meringue-like consistency that settled after a minute or so. a great amber hue, orange with reds in the darker parts.
s- lots of sweet malts, with hints of sweet breads and honey. no real hop aroma, but at 30 ibu, i wasn't expecting to find any
t- thin upfront gives way to a great malt character. starts off dry with doughy bread and leads into a subtle sweetness. as the malts fade, a hollow hint of hops comes through, but is forced out by a metallic taste like pennies that ends up on the palate. finishes dry with the malts trying to salvage the flavor with their sweetness, but overall I was taking more sips to try and get rid of the metallic taste.
m- great, like i said, thin up front but gives way to a good maltiness that fills the mouth. settles down a bit towards, the end, but over all good mouthfeel
d- this has above average drinkability because to me, it seems like it could be retitled "imperial budweiser" and would fit the calling card. it has enough differences to be totally different, but the metallic taste and some of its similarities make it seem like a bud heavy created with craft brew parts.

I enjoyed this beer and thought it was great for the style. As for the 7.2% it was completely masked and instead was an extremely flavorful, good brew. There were a few things here and there that made it not really suit my preferences, but I can see how this could be a hit, and perhaps my palate is just not as developed for some of the more enhanced subtleties. Please don't take my review as gospel, and try if for yourself.
prost

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2009 03:31:11 | More by Cunningham26