Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #31 - Single Hop ESB - Harpoon Brewery

elniko

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bomber into tulip glass.

A: Rich deep golden amber with creamy colored head with nice lacing. Nice looking brew.

S: Malty somewhat musty, earthy notes coming from nose.

T & M: Really light bodied which was a tad surprising. Nicely balanced with a slightly harsh finish. Faint fruity malt tones coming through in taste.

D: Drinkable but there was nothing with this brew that stood out to me.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2010 00:56:37 | More by elniko

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

05-23-2013 02:08:35 | More by mikeincharleston

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

04-27-2013 09:47:42 | More by Kelp

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -18.7%

02-03-2013 22:28:54 | More by ejimhof

t0rin0

California

4.25/5  rDev +15.2%

10-13-2012 23:50:31 | More by t0rin0

daveshawley

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +15.2%

08-16-2012 13:23:02 | More by daveshawley

pin

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

06-05-2012 04:07:20 | More by pin

jongullotti

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

02-19-2012 20:47:31 | More by jongullotti

THECPJ

Delaware

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

02-09-2012 19:25:51 | More by THECPJ

mbs11

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

01-14-2012 00:53:22 | More by mbs11

OBIrish24

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +8.4%

12-27-2011 01:56:45 | More by OBIrish24

nmann08

Maryland

4/5  rDev +8.4%

12-05-2011 00:46:46 | More by nmann08

rab53

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%

12-01-2011 07:06:42 | More by rab53

jenray

Texas

3/5  rDev -18.7%

11-25-2011 14:38:48 | More by jenray

MikeyRx

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From my notes on 8/20/11:

A- Pours a dark, hazy amber/orange and forms a strong off white head that recedes minimally leaving substantial lacing. Looks excellent!

S- Aromas of sweet, light malt, hints of raisin and biscuit, and citrus and pine hop notes.

T- Sweet, lightly roasted malt with a hint of nuttiness and raisin. The orange/citrus and pine hop flavor shows off the delicious flavor of the Delta hops without overpowering. Awesome malt and hop balance.

M- Moderate body and carbonation, finishes with lasting bitterness and tacky feel.

This beer was the best of the Harpoon 100 Barrel Series I've had so far! Loved it!

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 04:15:28 | More by MikeyRx

mynie

Indiana

4.53/5  rDev +22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased, expiry dateless, from Parti-Pak in Indianapolis, where they will literally repackage and sell beer that had been spilled on the floor. The earliest reviews are from April, though, so at worst this is just mildly stale.

N E How, the hops aren't very aggressive, but they don't taste really aged or muted. They take a nice center stage, actually, one variety only minimally complicated by a hint of malt tastiness. Only I was having a dilly of a time figuring out which hop this was. It's got a more or less European spiciness to it, but that's backed by a wonderful dry, spicy citrusiness that's like dried orange zest. It's not all that bitter or juicy, but still fruity. Neat.

Turns out this is a whole new variety of hop, one remarkably well suited to an ESB, and it gets backed up fantastically by the creamy, yeast-heavy back end of the beer.

This is what a single hop beer should be, and especial kudos goes to Harpoon for finding the exact right style for this hop variety. It's not Xtreme enough to garner too many glowing BA reviews, but this is an excellently brewed beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 05:08:48 | More by mynie

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Rich, dark amber in color with a huge, towering head of white foam that had incredible reach and retention. Literally just tons of sticky white lacing down the sides of the glass and all over the inside of it throughout. I could not have asked it to look better. Dark, rich, citrus hops now dominate everything around it. Huge notes of orange and rich pine are just elegant. Warming brings a subtle balance of biscuit, light tea leaves, hints of grain. Smooth, creamy rich body just lets the flavor explore. Smooth, biscuit flavors and rich citrus hops are near perfect in unison and the sessionability is simply out of this world.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 01:04:41 | More by mikesgroove

Arenbeer

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From Notes

22oz bottle into a snifter glass

A- Dark reddish orange with a thin 1 finger white head

S- Sweet malts with a piny/earthy hop presence and a nice citrus and fruitiness.

T- Damn that's smooth. Sweet candy caramel malts with a surprisingly not so bitter hop presence but the earthy qualities and fruitiness comes through right behind it.

M- Creamy head like medium body with moderate carbonation and the finish is only slightly bitter surprisingly.

SkÅL!

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 00:01:21 | More by Arenbeer

SkeeterHawk

Texas

3.3/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

I don't really feel that I have been properly "schooled" on British beers, though I am a National BJCP judge...so I keep trying different examples so that I can gain appreciation for these styles. I am getting there, but still have a few hundred more to go before I think that I am completely prepared. All this aside, let's see what Harpoon thinks an ESB tastes like:

Appearance: Pours a very slightly hazy burnt orange color with a small 1/8" head of off white bubbles that was fizzy and didn't stick around much at all. There is already some lace left on the glass just from swirling the beer.

Aroma: The aroma is very hops centered with very little of the typical British toasty notes to go along with it. The hops seem like they are British styled, but there is something in there that is making me think of American Pale Ales, too. There is some caramel notes in here that are getting more noticeable as the beer warms.

Taste: The flavor is a little more mild than the aroma suggested. The malt is a pretty big player in the middle and later parts of the flavor profile. The hops are playing a big role in the flavoring and aroma, but they aren't so strong in the finish, which is good, but a bit out of style. There is bittering there in the finish, and I would even say that the hops are the dominant player in the finish, but they don't have the typical interplay with the minerals in the water to further accentuate the dryness on the back of the palate. The beer is medium to light bodied with ample carbonation.

Opinion: Please note that my score is in relation to the style, not the beer itself. This is a pretty good beer, but I don't know how much it would apply to the ESB category. When I prefaced my review by saying that I am still learning ESB's, that meant that I am still learning the finer nuances...not how to tell an ESB from a Pale Ale. This is more of a Pale Ale. It is a little more toward the British Pale than the American side, but it is a bit of a mutt nonetheless. I would venture to guess that if they had just supplemented some more Gypsum in the water, that would have pushed this beer back into style. As it is, the water doesn't really compliment this style, it is too clean. All this said, I will be drinking my whole glass as this really is a pretty good beer for a clean British Pale.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 02:34:36 | More by SkeeterHawk

albertjr21

New York

4.22/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a pint glass on 3.7.11.

A: This yields a deep brownish amber color that's clouded fairly heavy with floating sediments.

S: Nose carries a relatively moderate but brisk sweet malt aroma of candied caramel, toasted nut, and earthy hop.

M/T: Nice to know that the specific hop flavor I'm getting is from the Delta hops that nicely complement the sweet toasted malt.

D: This has "delicious session" written all over.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 01:22:24 | More by albertjr21

Aiptasia

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a really solid beer all the way around, and one to be proud of. Harpoon's first single hop'd bitter uses Delta hops throughout. It's a fine beer for people looking for an introduction into craft beers or darks.

A: Pours a lovely crystal clear rich red. A great 3" tan head forms instantly and the lacing clings tenaciously throughout. Really nice, I wish more beers poured this nicely.

S: Hints of biscuity scotch and caramel on the nose.

T: Smooth and wet. Well balanced with the subtle hops flavor. Alcohol is well hidden and isn't overly fruity. Not sweet at all.

M: Rich up front with a dry finish. Carbonation is assertive although not overpowering. Dry finish with only a residual amount of hopsy-ness on the tongue.

D: Very drinkable and would pair nicely with just about any meat-based meal, or richer seafoods. A great first "dark" beer or for enjoying when you need a pallete cleanse from a dry beer that doesn't overpower a meal.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 17:23:58 | More by Aiptasia

NotACommunist

South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into New Belgium globe glass from a 22 oz bomber

A: Half a finger of head which quickly dissipated but left some for the rest of the glass. Amber and clear.

S: Slight alcohol, clean roasted malt.

T: Clean, simple flavor. Not very complex and has no lingering hop flavor.

M: Thin to medium bodied mouthfeel. Might have served too cold.

D: Quite drinkable, but not very complex.

NAC

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 01:24:48 | More by NotACommunist

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: This pours a light brown color tinted with ruby, with a haze preventing light from moving through the middle of the glass. A nicely 4cm creamy off-white head forms initially, fading eventually to nothing but leaving some lace on the glass.

Smell: Earthy hops, caramel and toffee, biscuity malt, some grapefruit citrus hoppiness as well. After it warms up a little bit, the grapefruit actually comes to dominate.

Taste: A little bit of an IPA's soul in this one. It starts with some soft caramel and toffee notes. Some peat, then earthy hops, and finally a surprisingly strong grapefruit hoppy flavor. The finish is bitter.

Mouthfeel: Pretty typical for the style. Medium body and medium carbonation, with a slightly resiny feeling left behind the lips after each sip. Somewhere between creamy and bubbly feel.

Drinkability: This is all right, but I am not completely convinced Delta hops are the way of the future.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 02:42:51 | More by KickInTheChalice

jwc215

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from written notes from late last summer:

The "single hop" is Delta - a new American hop used in an ESB - interesting - let's see how it goes:

Pours slightly hazed orangish amber with a thin, lasting, creamy, turning bubbly head.

The smell is earthy and mildly citric with some caramelish malt... there is a slight touch of butterscotch.

The taste is nicely balanced ... spicy, citric, earthy hops upfront balanced by caramel, which becomes more dominant in the middle, then gives was to a nice spicy dryness in the finish.

The body has a smooth fuller-side of medium feel.

A unique ESB. A pleasant brew all-around!

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 14:44:17 | More by jwc215

htomsirveaux

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bottle tried 14 Aug 2010. Served in the Sierra Nevada shaker pint.

Small light brown head. Well carbonated. Clear deep reddish brown in color. Aroma is of baking bread with molasses with a touch of resin and spice. Taste is earthy and drier than the aroma would suggest. Becomes a bit spicy and bitter through the middle, with a lingering caramel bready sweetness in the aftertaste. Medium creamy body. Moderate ethanol.

Delta hops are not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 17:25:49 | More by htomsirveaux