Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #35 - Catamount Maple Wheat - Harpoon Brewery

JayS2629

Alabama

4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A reddish rusty brown with a thin white head and nice lace. The smell is of bananas, light maple, sweet bready malts, hints of spice, and a subtle hint of earthy hops. The taste follows. Sweet but not cloying. I was hoping for more prounounced maple, but the subtle sweet is nice on the wheat backbone. Very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 23:02:29 | More by JayS2629

Ommy

Massachusetts

3.33/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Harpoon's Catamount Maple Wheat pours a rust color which takes on a darker hue as it fills the glass. The head forms ok and leaves a thin broken layer lingering.

I immediately get the aroma of bananas, or banana bread on the nose with a hint of sugary sweetness. Once I swirl it to open it up a bit, I notice a slight hop scent, but the banana overpowers it very quickly.

The taste is quite unexpected. The intense nose made me anticipate a very sweet beer, and wheat beers have always tasted mellow and sweet to me. This beer is much more bitter than any wheat beer I have had, and although that does not mean I don't enjoy it, I would say that if someone was looking for a wheat beer, this would not be what they had in mind, for better or worse.

The beer prickles the tongue, like most bitter beer, which is a bit strange since it is a wheat beer, but it is not unpleasant. It isn't super silky and smooth, but it is enjoyable.

Overall I would say that this is an interesting direction for a wheat beer, and I do not regret trying it. If I had a friend who likes IPAs and wheat beer I would definitely show this to them as they seem to share many aspects.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2011 00:21:54 | More by Ommy

bbeerman

Massachusetts

2.28/5  rDev -34.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured into a Masskrug mug.

A..Very nice looking beer. Deep mahogany color with a red hue. Really happy with the look of this beer.

S..Sweet, which should be expected since it is maple wheat. However, I was a little hesitant as it smelled a bit too much like perfume.

T..Not what I had hoped for. Something about the way the maple flavor was presented made me think I was drinking some sort of beauty product my wife might use. It is difficult for me to describe the flavor(s) since I had to work at drinking 3/4 of the bottle.

M..Texture was average.

O..As nice looking as this beer is, drinks are not about how they look but how they taste. And unfortunately I do not like the taste of this wheat ale. One of a few times I have not finished a beer. Disappointed as I had high hopes for this Harpoon offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 13:58:31 | More by bbeerman

Naugros

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Amber with a light tan head about two inches thick due to the wheat glass used. Pretty darn clear with little bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. The lace is sticky and will hopefully leave behind some nice patterns. After a bit I have realized that this hope was mostly empty. Most of the lace slides right back in after a little while.

I expected more maple in the nose, but I get mostly bready wheat with some of the usual banana esters given off by weizen yeast. The maple does alter the banana a little, but it is possible to separate the two.

I am liking the fact that the maple is not overpowering and is just adding a touch of sweetness. However, I'm not in love with the way the marriage of the grain and hops is expressing itself. You'd think that maple, wheat and hops would lead to a really nice balance. Yet it all doesn't seem to work so well together. Maybe if the maple was a little more assertive? I dunno. No, the maple is spot on...the rest of it is out of balance. Maybe reducing the hops presence? It's not that big to begin with, but I think it's messing this all up. Perhaps a different hop variety?

The label calls it "crisp" but I'm not getting that. This is not the "cleanest" of beers in mouthfeel or finish. Medium-bodied and heavy for a wheat, but that's true of most American wheat ales. I've also never known a 6.8% beer to exhibit this much of an alcohol presence. It's not a ton, but it is there. I've known beers in excess of 10% that threw less heat. Odd.

Nothing that I'm going to rush out to get again, but it won't detract me from the 100 Barrel Series. There have been many hits and some misses. This is not entirely in the miss column, but I wouldn't put it in the hit column either.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 00:12:01 | More by Naugros

mdfb79

New York

3.38/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From 03/25/11 notes. Thanks to nmann 08 for sharing this one.

a - Pours an amber color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of light maple, grain, bready malts, and light spice. Smells kind of light on all fronts and not very strong; not bad, but average.

t - Tastes of maple syrup, bready malts, grains, spices, and wheat. More maple and wheat here, a definite step up from the nose.

m - Medium body and low carbonation.

d - Overall a nice, average wheat ale. The smell wasn't very strong, but the maple came out a lot more in the taste. Wouldn't purchase it again but glad to have tried it.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 17:25:22 | More by mdfb79

Bendurgin

Maine

3.45/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. THis one pours a deep caramel color wth a thin layer of off white head. It settles almost right away.

This smells like bannana Laffy Taffy. Nothing more and nothing less. Grainy flavor with a touch of sweetness. Must be the maple, but the maple isn't distiguishable in of itself. I could reall only pick it out probably because of the name.

The feel is good. It's nice and light with good carbonation. Overall, this seems like a novelty beer to me. It's enoyable, but only once.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 16:53:15 | More by Bendurgin

jman892

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a nice amber color with a 1 finger foamy head which fades quickly to a thin film.

S - Smells malty and has a very very faint hint of maple, probably only noticed because it is called "Maple Wheat"

T - Taste is malty and sweet with more pronounced maple flavor than the nose would indicate, but still is a bit on the bland side

M - Smooth, fairly low carbonation. Clean, dry finish

O - Pretty middle of the road. Not great, certainly not bad. Not a bad beer for the spring/summer but 22oz is a bit much at one sitting

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 19:29:17 | More by jman892

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From batch #35. Sampled on March 27, 2011. The pour is a nice looking amber-copper with great clarity. The aroma is a pleasant array of sweet malts and maple syrup but more subtle on the wheat. The taste is also on the sweet malty side with a thin layer of wheat on the edges and an adequate bitter hopped ending. Not a bad brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 19:14:40 | More by puboflyons

hopheadjuice

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

22 oz bottle, best by 5/15/11

Cold pour introduces this copper colored ale with a small white head that rings where it started. As is warms the second pour yielded a huge head that laced much better than out of the cold 38F fridge.

Scents of sweet malts and maple syrup. very pleasant aromas of fruit.

Taste is very good to me, sweet malts and a fruity apricot/peach presence. hops add a nice balance to the maple syrup and the maple just plays a middle role.

Mouthfeel is average harpoon being modestly carbonated for the 100 barrel series. very sweet finish that lingers around.

Drinkability is very good. Overall this is a very solid maple beer with great complexity. worthy of an A in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 18:19:54 | More by hopheadjuice

HeyItsChili

South Carolina

3.35/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Stopped by the Charleston Beer Exchange while I was downtown for a while and picked up a growler of this offering from Harpoon.

A - Pours a red-brick orangish color with a big foamy ecru head.

S - Smells of cloves, white pepper, earthy wheat, light brown sugar maple sweetness.

T - The maple sweetness is really well mixed in here, it's not an overwhelming dark brown sugar sweetness but instead really envelops the traditional mild spiciness of the wheat component.

This was a pretty drinkable, very solid beer. Enjoyable.

Serving type: growler

03-26-2011 16:38:23 | More by HeyItsChili

Redrover

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This one was on one of the rotating taps at the Ginger Man in Austin. As with most regular beers at this bar, the beer is served in standard pint glass. The beer is dark copper with an off-white head. It had decent lacing.

It has a very faint nose some fresh malt and something floral.

The taste is grainy, slightly sweet with a bit of bite at the finish. Slight maple at mid-glass, but it needs to be turned up a notch.

The mouth is medium thick with a touch of slickness. It is not bad, just not as advertised.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2011 18:36:35 | More by Redrover

beals

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

bought a 22oz bomber (aren't they all?), poured into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass.

A: 3 fingers of off-white head. reddish-amber color... clear... beautiful-looking beer. really well-put-together -- just wish the taste matched the looks.

S: sweet, faint hops. subtle malt... otherwise not much.

T: rich, but not overwhelming malt. nicely balanced. wheat characteristics subtle (almost too subtle), don't dominate. expected a more "wheaty" flavor based on the name. finish is crisp with only a *faint* maple taste, and even then, not on all sips.

M: moderate carbonation. smooth, medium body.

D: very drinkable, but just tastes like a nice amber. not worth the $$.

overall: i know that many maple beers overdo it, and taste like you're drinking a pancake, but this beer could have used a little more maple presence.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2011 15:09:08 | More by beals

n2185

North Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours a dark orange/copper with a finger of light tan head that quickly recedes into almost nothing with very little lacing.

S: Bubblegum, bananas, and hearty bread with maybe a touch of maple.

T: Similar to the aroma, there is some banana/bugglegum up front. Then comes a thick, bitter bread flavor with a little bit of maple. The finish is clean and bready.

M: Medium-light body with medium carbonation, this beer goes down pretty smoothly without too much sweet or bitterness.

Overall, not a bad beer, but not good either. The maple is hardly there and the flavor is a bit bland.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 05:43:23 | More by n2185

Jason

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

22oz brown bomber with a best by freshness date on the bottle.

Clear brass colored brew, impressive head stacks high with a decent retention as well. Hint of maple, faint butter, toasted grain and an even more faint grassiness in the nose. Big on smoothness with a creamy medium body. Maple flavor goes up against the buttery tone of the yeast and maltiness to make for a pretty sweet beer. Modest hopping alcohol warming alcohol don't do much to balance. Some apple and pear fruitiness in the back, sweet lingers for a while.

A half decent beer to pair with sweets and definitely to share as one bomber if too much to be had.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 02:18:08 | More by Jason

TurdFurgison

Ohio

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

i had this on tap at the Local Pub in Saratoga Springs NY. I was happy to see it, as I've come close to buying a bottle a couple times but always shied off.

It's a medium orange shade, not very dark, good clarity, with a very thin ring of foam. I could definitely get the maple in the aroma, plenty of esters and some phenols too. Above all it didn't smell aggresive, just approachable.

You can taste the maple but it isn't very strong, more of a complementary flavor to what is otherwise a sort of unremarkable wheat ale. Somewhat sweet upfront, with esters and maple leading the way, with a little bitterness in the middle and a clean aftertaste in the end. As an apertif it served well, not what I chose with the meal though.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2011 10:08:09 | More by TurdFurgison

bierschmecktgut

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

beautifully clear, deep amber with tiny carbonation. Off white head that was high and full but fell after a few and left less than typical wheat lacing.

Smell was sweet & an alcohol aroma pops out after a few swirls. Not smelling the maple syrup as the front runner

Sweet malt up front with minimal bitterness and a maple/piney hint on the finish, a good way through the bottle and the alcohol is present on the back of the nose.

pretty balanced considering there is no real hop presence. Carbonation is good after a vigorous pour and has a medium body with a fairly dry finish. No aftertaste, very enjoyable.

Limited Edition Brew - Probably wont see it again, but pleasing to try.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 01:14:44 | More by bierschmecktgut

david18

New York

3.75/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Harpoon is one of the breweries that makes very interested "special series" beers. Where I think many go with extreme beers, high in alcohol, hops or everything, Harpoon chooses some very interesting styes that are unique but not crazy. This is another good example of that. I wasn't crazy about the beer myself but i've seen it to be very popular and enjoyed by people with very limited tastes in beer.

Color was darker than a pale wheat would be, maybe more of a pale ale color. Carbonation was good but, again, not as a wheat might be.

Aroma had some citrus, a lot of wheat esthers and a very present maple. It was what really set this beer aprart.

Flavor was quite good with an excellent balance of the wheat, yeast and just enough maple to make it interesting.

Everyone should try this beer at least once.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2011 17:05:14 | More by david18

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

New shiny neck label for their 100 barrel series this is the first one I've seen around in my area for awhile. I got excited when I saw this and Long Trail coffee stout side by side for reasonable prices. This one a clear amber body with a fine off white tan cream head with fine speckled lacing. Aroma has light pale wheat with hints of caramel, and an air of fresh maple syrup...look this is a smell taste texture I'm all too familiar with. Real maple syrupy takes like 52 gallons of sap to boil down to one gallon of syrup. I used to work with a retired doctor in Northern West Virginia where I collected sap everyday after school. This stuff we boil down at his sugar shack and would package up in mason jars was simply amazing, it would go well over ice cream, pancakes, waffles, or any untraditional use of maple syrup you can find. This flavor hits me with a touch of true maple syrup amongst the the pale wheat malts used but nothing comes close to the actual maple syrup flavor I'm familiar with. Mouthfeel is medium to light bodied heaviliy cabonated nothing cloying just I wish there were true hints of maple syrup. Overall drinkability was solid something I couldn't picture myself drinking on a regular basis but it was a decent big beer for Harpoon's 100 barrel series.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 22:09:56 | More by WVbeergeek

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

3.4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5

Fair wheat take with an accented sweet side.

Presentation: 22 oz brown capped bottle. (First bottle of the 100 barrel series that leaves the foiled top and replaces it with a neck label, which works just as well.) Simple front label design with a loose attempt at a limited release image with signature of the brewer. Includes a small paragraph noting the name of the ale and intent. Shows best by date (03/15/11) Notes IBUs (30), OG (15.2), and Alc. by Vol. (5.7%) Served into a snifter.

A - Clear deep amber pour, rich frothy head, fair retention, and some splashes of lacing with a bit of a letdown in the surface memory..

S - Very soft, lightly fruity and sweet.

T - Malty with a sugar coated bitterness, almost an strange touch of lager in the back with a soft maple sweetness.

M - Medium to medium/light body and carbonation, a bit bumpy in the finish.

D - Quaffable but a bit short.

Notes: Fair, and not one of the best 100 Barrel Series... Still decent if one is curious enough to try.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 00:06:26 | More by Daniellobo

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 500ml bottle into a pint glass.

Pours reddish amber with a touch of white foam. Sweet caramel malty smell. Definitely a maple syrup nose. Taste is smooth sweet with an overriding maple flavor backed with a light hop. Tasty. Real nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 01:57:55 | More by KTCamm

MattBrooks

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The head on this new brew is almost non-existent. It dissipates far too quickly with tiny little bubbles dancing on the top. The color is that of a late fall sunset in Vermont. Picture perfect amber hue with hints of orange throughout. For a "Maple Wheat" as it is called; I found it to be lacking slightly in both parts. The words "real Vermont maple syrup" are listed on the label and I thought I'd be getting a big old taste like having flapjacks at the ski lodge. Not the case. It does have some Maple flavor in it, don't get me wrong. Also it seems to be quite hoppy for a wheat beer. Not that I mind, it was just unexpected. All in all, a very refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 23:54:28 | More by MattBrooks

ThreeDimesDown

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear amber with an off-white head. Heavy pour gave a three-finger thick fluffy head that dissipated to a skin rather quickly but left behind some wide-gapped lacing.

Aromas of caramel, light fruits, spices and a touch of maple syrup.

Taste is weaker than anticipated, but nicely balanced. Doughy malts and caramel give way to bananas and peaches. Clove spiciness starts in the middle and mellows nicely before the finish. A touch of maple syrup sweetness detected throughout. All these flavors built on a wheat cornerstone, that gives the brew good complexity.

Mouthfeel was the biggest surprise: smooth, almost creamy, medium with average carbonation.

I'm a fan of the Barrel Series, and really liked this one. The key to this brew is in the subtleties.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 22:52:16 | More by ThreeDimesDown

ReelBigwigFish

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Bought a bomber at White Horse in Absecon, NJ for a great price ($4.50). Poured into a 22oz Munchen Mug. Appearance dark amber/copper color with creamy head that dissipated quickly, no lacing. Smells malty with a whiff of maple in there. The maple syrup is lost in the taste however, which I was hoping would be a little more pronounced (the idea of vermont maple syrup got me to purchase the beer after all), it is quite bready with a lingering hint of hops on the tongue. I don't find it too sticky, and it is surprisingly crisp and clean for a wheat beer. All in all the beer is somewhere between average and good, not outstanding, very drinkable though; would enjoy this in a sixer or something as a get-home-from-work kind of beer. For the price of the bomber though, I don't regret the purchase, and I would like to try more from this series.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 04:06:05 | More by ReelBigwigFish

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle purchased as a single at Yankee Spirits, Sturbridge, MA.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/2" beige head over the crystal clear burnished copper brew. Head Recedes gradually, with lasting sticky lace. Aroma is sweet, lightly spiced.

Taste begins malty, then shows some spiced banana/clove character in the middle, and closes lightly bitter. Mouthfeel is soft and smooth, and drinkability is pretty good. Name indicates maybe the maple should be a bit more upfront, but a pretty good brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 22:08:21 | More by ppoitras

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.63/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap 2/22/2011 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a Harpoon 100 BBL Series large tulip glass.

A: The beer is a light brown color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains caramelized malts, wheat, maple, some fruit and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out bready with flavors of wheat and a hearty malt character. Then some mildly sweet flavors of caramel, maple and some fruit come in. The hops presence is mild and complementary bringing a little bit of balance.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: A little tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style while adding a slightly odd but well-done twist, solid beer to drink for the style if you're looking for a something just a bit different in a wheat beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2011 18:37:53 | More by TheManiacalOne