Harpoon Leviathan - Imperial Red Ale - Harpoon Brewery

Boto

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draught @ Headkeeper: Served in a goblet. This one poured a clear, ruby tinged brown. There was a very small brown head that was gone almost immediately. Left almost no lacing. The aroma is nice but a little light for the style. Somewhat sweet aroma. Candi sugar, fruits and some caramel. Good taste. Fairly full bodied. Touch of caramel sweetness, plums, raisins, toffee. The alcohol was well hidden. Nice!

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2011 14:59:58 | More by Boto

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy copper/ amber-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, sweet caramel maltiness and a small hop presence. In the taste, sticky sweet caramel and an alcohol presence. A smooth and medium to big mouthfeel, with a sticky caramel and small alcohol presence in the aftertaste. A bit sticky, and big alcohol. I, personally would like a more hop presence in this, but it ain't too shabby as is.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2010 14:02:05 | More by OWSLEY069

david18

New York

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

This might be my favorite of the Leviathan beers many of which are a strange combination of strength and style. This one works and I can't wait to go back to the Amsterdam Ale House and get another. Very deep red color with good hop aroma and bitterness. Darkish head, not too intense on the alcohol flavor. Overall very good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2010 17:26:34 | More by david18

aerozeppl

New York

3.28/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Had this tonight at the Harpoon event at Mahar's.

A: Poured a very deep red color. Deeper than anything I have seen of this made up style. A half finger of white head with some decent lacing.

S: The nose was nice with a sharp blast of hops. Not that much else behind it. It was not that complex hop nose you seek out.

T: Big blast of bitterness up front. After that it just sort of faded, The finish was just not pleasant in any way. To describe it would be difficult. Tastes like they fermented too high with burnt grain.

M: Little bit on the thin side but well carbonated.

D: The finish really killed this beer for me. Also after we left we went to a second place with Nugget Nectar on tap which magnified this beer's failings. I love their DIPA and Imperial Pilsner. The saison and this were fails. The Baltic Porter I enjoyed. I really did want to like this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2010 01:41:15 | More by aerozeppl

cuttsjp

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had the pleasure of tasting this beer on tap at the brewery about an hour after it was tapped there at the brewery. Everyone there was really excited about it, and after meeting the man who brewed it and tasting it ourselves, we saw why.

The appearance is beautiful, with a very deep brick red. The head is creamy and off-white, and there is a nice presence of carbonation in the beer.

The aroma is intoxicating, definite alcohol on the nose, but a huge smell of both malt and hops, a sweetness with a nice citrusy character.

Wow. The taste blew me away. This is a HUGE beer with tons of flavor. The really surprising thing is that it is neither hoppy nor malty, but is equally huge of both. Amazing caramelly sweetness from the malts that is balanced BEAUTIFULLY by the citrusy hops. Tons of delicious bitterness.

Drinkability. This is a delicious beer, but it needs to be savored. That being said, while chugging it would not be a pleasant experience, even my mother who only likes lite beers loved this incredibly full bodied beer. Honestly, it is so delicious that though it is an intense beer, the drinkability is very high.

I just had to take some of this home with me. It was still wonderful out of the bottle. In fact, I just got a four pack, and I may have to go back to the brewery and get a case since they won't be making this again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2010 04:50:31 | More by cuttsjp

beer4colin

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz pour @ Union Brewhouse...

A - Red/caramel with typical UBH foam. Sticky lace.
S - Alcohol rises through.
T - Very big and round at the start. Finishes with a woodsy hoppy alcohol burn in your throat.
MF - Better in your mouth than it is swallowed.
D - I might follow this one up with another but no more than one more.

I am always a fan of Harpoon, especially since they are hometwon. I support their 100 barrel and Leviathen series, but this falls a tad short.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2010 22:51:56 | More by beer4colin

WesWes

New York

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Boston, MA Brewery.

The beer pours a beautiful red color with a thick frothy off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a very nice pale and crystal malt scent along with a solid hop bitterness and citrus aroma. The taste is great! It has an excellent hop taste with a wonderful malt backbone. The crystal malts provide excellent balance for this hopped up brew. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a damn fine red ale. They didn't cheap out with the hops. I would like to have some more of this one.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2010 21:08:01 | More by WesWes

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at the Harpoon Brewery in Boston, Mass.

A: Poured a deep amber color with a frothy, two-finger thick head of sterling white foam. Ample carbonation bubbles rushed throughout the brew and left slightly sticky ringlets of lace.

S: Big hop aroma lending a lot of grapefruit and lemon zest to the fruity esters being picked up.

T: Very hoppy at first which serves well to cut the deep, flavorful malt profile this imperial red puts up. Rich caramel malts give off a slight buttery sweetness which is cut by the grassy, herbal citrus hop rush. Good balance, yet the alcohol byproduct isn't totally masked which muddles the smoothness a bit.

M: Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied while retaining a bubbly, somewhat dry finish.

D: At 9.2% ABV, this imperial red is one you'd best be sipping on. Allowing the brew to warm a bit brings out more of the fruity, yeasty ale qualities while letting the alcohol become less assertive as the malts come out more.

A nice Leviathan addition that will find a special place amongst Harpoon's Celtic (Hibernian) ale fans, as it's basically the same ale jacked up on steroids. I'd pick up a 4-pack for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2010 05:26:08 | More by Gambrinus1184

SawDog505

New Hampshire

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark amber, with a one inch off white that leaves plenty of lace on my glass, my father got a growler at the Windsor Brewery today. Smell is pine, carmel, grapefruit, and other hints of citrus. Taste some sweet carmel and citrus and a touch of grapefruit in the finish. Body is medium large, plenty of life, a little dry, and very drinkable especially for its hefty ABV. This is excellent, especially fresh on tap.

Serving type: growler

07-08-2012 00:47:44 | More by SawDog505

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle served in a standard pint glass.

pours a cloudy amber tone with a solid finger and a half of creamy beige-colored head. very good retention, patchy lacing.

nose is headlined by earthy, piney hops with some citric notes which give way to a caramel maltiness - nice aroma. taste, unfortunately, doesn't quite do it for me. overly bitter... hops are obviously very present (with a more citrus than i picked up in the nose), as is the caramel malt backbone (also some bready malts evident) and a strong bitterness in the finish... alcohol, while not overwhelming, isn't as well-hidden as i'd like.

medium bodied mouthfeel, average carbonation. not bad by any means, but not the best i've had from the leviathan series.

original review: 10-21-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 21:08:25 | More by BostonHops

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.85/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, bottled 2/12/10 - almost exactly two years ago. I got this as an extra from Thorpe429 (thanks Mike!) in one of my very first trades, and have been sitting on it ever since.

A: Pours a clear, deep russet body under an inch of frothy, lively, creamy tan head. Terrific retention, and lacing to match. Gorgeous red.

S: Whoa, still seriously hoppy - hoppier than the one-year-old Bigfoot I drank just a couple nights ago - with grapefruit and pine still rocking out atop the deep malt base. The malt is interesting, as it shows both straight caramel and some nice orange-peel oxidation. Rather sherry-like, fruity, spicy, and intense. This has aged well.

T: Sweet and musty up front, with caramel, sherry, and dank mustiness leading to a surprisingly dry and profoundly bitter finish. I kind of wish the hops had faded more, but I can't complain. This is quite tasty.

M: Nicely creamy medium body, but decidedly too lively for the style. A bit overcarbonated.

O: Very nice, with the malt taking on some great characteristics from the age. The hops persisted impressively, but unfortunately got in the way of my enjoyment of its oldness.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 01:15:10 | More by woosterbill

EkimGram

New York

4.15/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: 12oz bottle poured into a standard pint glass. Colour is a cloudy, hazy amber. Pours a 1 1/2 finger head that leaves a thick lacing. No visible carbonation.

Smell: Very powerful aromas of floral hops and a touch of yeast oh so common in red ales.

Taste: Tons of hops, lovely, bitter, floral hops. Aftertaste has some burnt, roasted malts to it. Finishes sticky and bitter.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, silky, syrupy. Mild carbonation with a little bite. Finishes sticky.

Overall: Knowing Harpoon, I had high expectations. I must say, they were met. Great complex flavour. The lacing is incredible. Beers like this remind me why I got into beer in the first place.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 04:57:50 | More by EkimGram

SkipWeathers

Texas

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very fragrant brew. This is like a barleywine packaged in an Imperial Red bottle, and I love barleywines. Sweet sugary cotton-candy smell gives way to a big hop flavor, which melts in your mouth. Aftertaste a little chalky. It possesses a hazy orange-red glow, with some head.

I've been very happy with all the Leviathan stuff and this is no exception.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 00:45:21 | More by SkipWeathers

jondeelee

Massachusetts

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

Harpoon's Leviathan Imperial Red--the latest in what has so far been an overwhelmingly awesome line--has a strong, malty nose, ripe with caramels, brown sugars, wet wheat, and citrus aromas, all atop a good layer of hops.

On the tongue, the beer is immediately hoppy, with huge grapefruit and (lighter) pine waves crashing against the tongue in strengths that far exceed your everyday IPA. But these hops are at least somewhat balanced by a good sugar backing, with brown sugars floating gaily in the background. These are joined by strong notes of pecan and toasted grains, and deeper in the mix, hints of black cherry, licorice, pepper, chocolate malt, and orange. The mix is still, however, heavily built in favor of hops, and it is the hops that also dominate the aftertaste, which lingers on the tongue for quite a while. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is a good brew, though I think the hops do take just a bit too much of the stage, and could have been toned down to better let the "Red" part of the brew shine through. Hop lovers will of course rejoice, though I should warn everyone else that the beer packs far more of a hoppy kick than the 75 IBU's would normally hint at. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 03:17:00 | More by jondeelee

gatorbreath

Fiji

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Ruby color on this wif minimal head
Smell is not a twist, too much, on the leviathan IPA, was expecting more hoppiness, there is still much hoppiness apparent but very well balanced with maltiness and perhaps some dark fruit flavor..Mouthfeel is not too thick and not overly-carbonated...

This is definitely a glorious twist on Leviathan and I enjoyed every drop of the growler.

Grabone!

Serving type: growler

07-24-2011 17:54:47 | More by gatorbreath

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big hops and lots of malt and fruitiness. A treat for hopheads in bitterness, without the frontal assault of a double IPA. Malted away for drinkability, the third of a litre was just about right. A full mouthfeel. Copper body. Mild hop aromas.Clean, balanced.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 04:32:59 | More by northyorksammy

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A nice light brown color with a good amount of cloudiness and haze to it. Not much in the way of a head reaching up through it at all, in fact it was rather lifeless on the first pour, though the second got a bit better. Nice side glass lacing towards then end and some moderate carbonation coming up through it.

The aroma was sweet, nice touches of caramel malts and an almost candy like sweetness that was wrapped up nicely in a bit of a grassy, earthy, hop like nose. The flavor was more of the same, but I have to admit I am not terribly impressed here at all with this. Lots of alcohol in the flavor here, a bit of a hotness that I have not seen in the rest of the series. Lots of grainy malts, touches of light caramel and a mostly understated hop flavor. Lingering taste of hot alcohol and grain left me hanging again as well as I really was expecting more from this here.

Overall I am not so sure about this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 23:12:09 | More by mikesgroove

seeswo

Ohio

2.6/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Bottle being reviewed is about 6 months old. Pours a fairly clear reddish color with a tan head. Looks right. The nose is of slightly caramel sweet malts and some definite generic hops. Further sniffs reveal nothing other than this beer could be arrogant bastard in disguise. The unholy union of bandaids, hops and malts. Finishes with a killer bandaid bitterness. Ugh. It tastes to me like a horrible attempt at arrogant bastard. This red is waaaay overhopped and not in a good way. Nothing amount the mix works. Good carbonation with a medium mouthfeel. Overall, well, I drainpoured it, so I guess I didn't like it. Major off-flavor throughout for a beer I don't think I would have liked without the off-flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 20:35:15 | More by seeswo

ngeunit1

California

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

A - Pours a hazy amber-brown color with a finger of frothy off-white head. The head fades down to a thin layer and ring around the glass leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is full of sweet roasted caramel malts. There is also some nice citrus hops and some spices alongside.

T - Starts off with some sweet roasted malts and some citrus hops. There is a touch of alcohol flavor at the start too. Through the middle, some bread flavor and some bitterness come through that mellow the initial sharpness of the beer a bit. The finish is a mix of sweet and bitterness from the hops and malt with some alcohol flavor and bread flavor that lingers.

M - Medium to medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. The Beer has a touch of a syrupy feeling. The alcohol feeling is also fairly present throughout.

D - Pretty drinkable. The flavors are really heavy and there is some booze that make this a sipping beer. However, the flavors are good and decently well balanced and pretty strong.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 23:58:19 | More by ngeunit1

jorg2619

Pennsylvania

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

I bought this beer last weekend thinking it was new. The bottle does say bottled 2/12/10. So a year out review is what I am presenting.

The appearance of this big red is wow a deep dull red. There is also lots of particles suspended which warms my heart.

The smell is tangy spicy hops first followed by the smell of sweet malts.

Tasting time... wow I get a slight touch of hops in the front of the tongue followed by a strong malt load that is semisweet ending with some hop bitterness that is earthy and mingled with the malt sweetness. A year out I get the red ale aspects of this monster the color, subtle sweet malt flavors and a touch of bitter. I also can tell this beer is older, there is a sense that it was hoppier at the front of the beer and that malts have a little to much front stage compared to other imperial reds that I have had. In fact this Imperial Red has aged as a barleywine which is not bad for a year out.

The mouthfeel is sticky but not too thick I like it.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 21:35:59 | More by jorg2619

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

2.98/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint. 9.2% ABV, Bottled on 02/12/10.

A - Mostly cloudy bronzed amber in color, the beer is towered-over by a four-finger cream head. Great retention with very sticky lace coating the glass.

S - This brew has a predictable aroma of pine and resin-rich American hops with a slight citrus character overshadowing toasted caramel, amber, and Vienna malt. A little bit of warm alcohol on the finish, but overall it's like any other amber out there.

T - Solvent alcohol cuts through the flavor even after it's been aging for just under a year. Hot boozy finish dissolves the previous pine resin hops that continue to overwhelm the malt profile.

M - Medium-bodied and a bit flat feeling, this brew finishes as a mess. Bitter pine resin hurts the teeth and a hot alcohol stings a wee bit in the throat. Far too solventy.

D - I've got half a mind to pour this brew out. The lack-luster profile of this beer needs some work. And I'm fairly surprised at how hot the alcohol continues to be with the amount of age on it. I definitely wouldn't want this fresh if it would be even more potent.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 13:24:43 | More by BeerFMAndy

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: A monster head is the most noticeable thing about this beer. Tan and frothy, it fills 4 oz. worth of space in my pint glass. A full amber color, brownish in the center is the color. Lots of particulate matter, including some not-so-good looking black flecks that rest on the bottom. I guess I am not drinking the whole glass. Generous lacing on the glass.

Smell: Traditional red aroma. Nice caramel notes, along with a burst of citrus zest. Some herbal aromas add depth. A tiny bit of booze hides in the background.

Taste: Starts with some toasted bread, toffee sweetness, and a bit of spice. Next up are some herbal hops, grapefruit juicy hops, and a sweet and bitter finish. A little bit of booze never fully pokes through but is always present. The aftertaste is mostly clean, with a bit of herbal residue.

Mouthfeel: The toffee and herbal hoppy character create a sticky feel. A high alcohol content and some spicy hops impart a light tongue tingling. The carbonation bursts in the appearance but is restrained in the feel to a medium level. The body is medium to full.

Drinkability: Nothing about this beer really drove me to love it. The big body and semi-complex flavor made things interesting, but this is not my favorite red.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 05:57:49 | More by KickInTheChalice

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

"Better a red face than a black heart."

--Portuguese proverb

Equal parts pumpkin orange and brick red with a flurry of yeast chunks suspended within. Almost half the glass is filled with golden cork colored foam that looks to be in no hurry to depart. Once the bumpy, bubbly surface slowly starts to sink, fine sheets of spider web-like lace appear.

Despite the fact that this bottle celebrated its one year anniversary 8 days ago, it's still impressively citrus zest hopilicious, with an caramel malt character that is classic for the style. There are plenty of fruity esters and no appreciable alcohol.

Leviathan Imperial Red Ale is outstanding big beer that has aged incredibly well. Man oh man, there must have been a few daisy cutters' worth of citric hoppiness in this sucker last winter. Too bad the cap wasn't cracked sooner... like 8-10 months ago.

Tastes like a big bowl of sticky toffee pudding with date chunks and a generous amount of grapefruit and orange zest. Great flavor balance and great sweet-bitter balance, with each side of the scales weighted down heavily. This is an Imperial red ale to be reckoned with... and is one that tastes like it might have been brewed by Rogue (a compliment).

Thankfully, the chunky appearance does not translate to a chunky feel. The beer is big without being thick, and has an ideal amount of laid back carbonation. Almost went with the next highest score here.

Imperial Red Ale, while only my third Leviathan brew, is the best of the lot so far. This is big beer done right and is one of the best one-year-old hoppy ales in recent memory. If this isn't the best thing that Harpoon has ever created, it's definitely in the running.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 13:52:40 | More by BuckeyeNation

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear reddish amber color with a good sized fluffy off white head. The aroma was a bit disappointing because other than some weak resiny hops and light citrus, there wasn't much going on. The flavor was resiny hops up front with more caramel malt to back it up. The finish was dry, bitter and showed hints of the alcohol. Some subtle flavors of citrus and a weak fruitiness came out as it warmed. Medium plus body. One of my preferences from the Leviathan series however (outside Imperial IPA, Quad, and the Tri).

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 18:45:24 | More by CuriousMonk

jbphoto88

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Fantastic looking beer poured from a brown 12 ounce bottle with the familiar leviathan label in blood red. The brew is the color of heated copper and is super clear except for some suspended bottle conditioning. The head is huge, tan and fluffy. It rises close to two fingers high and lasts for days.

The nose reminds me of a barleywine with it's giant hop profile. You can detect the bitterness right off the bat by the smell of things. Following closely is a sweet caramelized malt scent that brings the entire nose back to a balanced position. Very nice.

It's hard for me to truly judge this beer's taste because it's kind of a catch all style. The reminiscence to a barleywine is consistent from the nose to the taste. Heavy on the hops but a huge malt back that carries the beer. Sweet toasted and caramelized grains balance the bitterness somewhat and make it a pleasurable taste. I think I'd prefer a heavier malt profile then hops which in this case dominate the beer in the finish. This leviathan does taste damn good despite the ambiguous style.

Balanced up front and quite nice the mouthfeel slips a little because the hops over finish the beer and rough up your throat. Bubbly but not overly aggressive carbonation gives this beer a soft feel on the tongue. I never even notice the 9+ ABV. So far I'm a fan of this leviathan series. I will defeinitly keep an eye out for more of the imperial red and others in this series.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2011 00:23:37 | More by jbphoto88