Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #38 - Dočesná Czech Hop Harvest Ale - Harpoon Brewery

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Auburn with a white to marrow colored head. Thick sheen of retention wallpapers my glass with foam.

Aroma is akin to sticky my face in a fresh bag of hops. Prickly, floral Czech Saaz with a toasted malt background. Also an odd freshly vacuumed carpet scent I sometimes get from Saaz. It goes to 5.

Tastes as good as it smells. Peppery Saaz with a toasted caramel background that 's prickly with hop resin on the tongue. Clean but also earthy and engaging.

I really, really, really like this beer. The best beer from Harpoon since the initial Leviathan DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 15:52:53 | More by donkeyrunner

MrHurmateeowish

New Hampshire

4.45/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle purchased at Shaw's in North Hampton. Pours a dark amber body with nearly an inch of off-white head that dissipates but sticks nicely to the side of the glass. Herbal earthy minty hops dominate the aroma with a bit of bread and caramel in the background. Herbal minty slightly fruity hops hit the palate first but do not bulldoze it. Caramel and bready malt are just as present and balance the flavor nicely. On the heavier side of medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. This is nice. A hop bomb that doesn't decimate your palate, finishes fairly clean, and leaves you wanting more. I will definitely get this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 01:57:14 | More by MrHurmateeowish

raszputini

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a rich amber - almost looks like bourbon, ironically - with a moderate off-white head. The nose is dominated by the bourbon, with a light crispness from the hops. The taste is somewhat thin, expected from a pale ale base, with the bourbon being out in front again. The tones from the barrel are not overwhelming however, as many barrel aged ales are. This is a much more subtle tone. There are also notes of grapes, light caramel and a nice crisp floral hop finish. The mouth feel is thin, but slightly oily. This is a very easy drinking, well-balanced brew. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 20:25:43 | More by raszputini

frognot

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Like a pale ale but darker, with a fat, long-lasting creamy off-white head

Smell: Grassy hops balanced by a sweet malty presence

Taste: Czech hops give it an understated bitterness balanced well with the sweet maltiness. There's some lingering flavor I can't identify but it's quite tasty. Wish I had purchased another one to help with identification.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation.

Drinkability: Very drinkable APA.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 00:49:39 | More by frognot

rjplumer

Rhode Island

4.18/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Mild spice aroma. The Sladek hops indeed add a nice crisp taste. Balanced nicely in is neither too bitter or sweet but has both.Clean finish with a subdued sweet finish. Deep clear rich brown color with a minimal head.Certainly one to be savored not swilled. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 04:37:33 | More by rjplumer

tmcelvain

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Look is a great, bright amber. Dark orange - almost red. Small white head that dissipates quickly from my tap pour at the airport taproom.
Lack of noticeable smell, which I find from most tap beers.
A very malty base, quite bready, but a big hop presence nonetheless. Orange seems to be the hop profile. There is a sweetness to this Czech Red Ale, mixed with a very slight nuttiness. Almost like those red candied cocktail nuts.
Creamy mouthfeel - nice heaviness for a clear-pouring beer.
Overall, I obviously like this one more than most. It's sweetness and hop bite overlaid on a smooth malt base is unusual, and I think is hard to characterize unless you taste it with a completely open mind. Right up my alley, however.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2011 18:39:42 | More by tmcelvain

henkster

New York

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

Bought a growler of this one today in Brooklyn. Nice aroma - it smells like an earthy Czech hop. Reminds me of some of the beers we had on our trip to Prague a few years ago. Pours from the growler with a nice white head. Very nice mouthfeel. Pleasing carbonation, smooth malt character and nice peppery hop finish. I could drink a lot of this one. I was also a fan of the 100 Barrel Pott's Landbier - perhaps Harpoon should stick to Czech/German styles!

Serving type: growler

10-09-2011 00:46:42 | More by henkster

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

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

$5.99 for a 220z bottle at Binny's in Chicago.

A: copper color, clear, with good creamy head
S: full nose, roasted malt, grainy, reminded me of Copper Dragon 1816 with it's malt backbone
T: well-balanced, unusual combination of a Czech hop and an ale, but I like it, roasted malt with good fruity hop finish
M: easy drinking, very smooth
O:

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 03:28:58 | More by wisrarebeer

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle - $5.99 at Olde Crabapple Bottle Shoppe in Alpharetta, Georgia. Best By: 12/15/11.

Appearance: Pours a rich amber-brown body, great clarity, and capped by a tall, frothy, beige head. Head settles but sustains.

Smell: Biscuits and coarsely cracked barley grains with a faint, background hint of something sweet. Lightly fruity. Grassy, herbaceous scent of over-brewed black tea leaves.

Taste: A nice commingling of bready, toasty, biscuity malts with a thin glaze of caramelized table sugar sweetness. Low fruitiness around mid-palate. Herbal, zesty hop character, a bit earthy and tea-like, and delivering a sufficient bitterness to keep it hop-forward, though not particularly bitter. Grows more grassy as you go along. Smooth finish, still fairly black tea-like.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Modestly creamy mouthfeel.

Overall: A pleasing, fairly well-balance ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 20:55:46 | More by ChainGangGuy

musicforairports

New York

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

On tap at the Boston brewery.

This beer is deeply amber, very clear, with a modest head.

Smell is sweet, mildly malty with a strong herbal/floral hop character from the Czech hops.

Taste is similar to the nose--smooth, lightly sweet and driven by a very herbal, grassy hop character from the Sladek hops. Not your typical hoppy beer, as it's really lacking any citrus or pine quality. But, while there's a mild malt backbone, the hops dominate the flavor in a unique way.

Mouthfeel is medium.

I liked this beer. I had a tough time figuring out what style to place it in, because it's a hop-driven beer that doesn't taste very hoppy, if that make sense.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

09-07-2011 04:22:53 | More by musicforairports

gdrydenc

Massachusetts

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

A - Pours a medium gold, with a bit of amber highlights. About a finger of head on the pour that hangs around for a while before dissipating to a thin rim of white.

S - Grassy, floral hops are at the forefront. Frankly, it's the dominant smell, not allowing many other smells to come out.

T - The taste, much like the smell, is dominated by the grassy, floral hops. There's a hint of malt in the finish, but this is definitely a hop forward beer.

M - the mouthfeel on this is pretty much what I would expect from the pour. The grassiness continues much after the swallow.

Overall, this is an interesting beer. It's a solid beer, but I think it appeals to me specifically because it's an alternative beer that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to try without Harpoon trying cool things like this.

Serving type: bottle
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

09-10-2011 23:36:47 | More by gdrydenc

lordofthewiens

Maine

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

In a mug, this beer was a dark amber color with a medium-sized tan head.

Very floral/grassy aroma. A little bit of sweet malt.

The malt came through a little more in the taste, making it fairly sweet. However, taste was dominated by the floral/grassy hops.

Pretty hoppy beer.

Enjoyable, ould drink this again.

Serving type: bottle
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

09-17-2011 13:35:53 | More by lordofthewiens

WVbeergeek

Ohio

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

Reasonably priced specialy ale from Harpoon, I've been a pretty big fan of the 100 barrel series. This one pours a deep ruby brown color shockingly dark I thought Czech hops this is going to be golden in color. Light beige khaki head forms thick and dwindles slow leaving behind a nice layer of speckled lacing. Aroma is pungent with fresh hops earthy citric herbal notes going on with some caramelized malts making their presence known. Only 35 IBUs in this one but still has a nice lingering herbal/citrus rind bitterness that carries on throughout the balanced malt profile. Semi sweet caramelized malts wrapped around each oily hop texture that comes across the palate, nice hop burps come about as you get half way through a bottle. Carbonation is solid, even a little light and airy at times medium bodied ale with some grit. Not perfect clean or the easiest beer to drink but definitely enjoyed my portion from this 22 ounce bottle.

Serving type: bottle
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

10-22-2011 19:59:40 | More by WVbeergeek

Mora2000

Texas

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

The beer pours a dark orange-amber color with a large white head. The aroma is full of grass from the hops, as well as a little bit of orange from the hops. There is also a little bit of pilsner and biscuit malt mixed in. The flavor has a lot of orange citrus notes, as well as some earth and grass from the hops. The biscuit malt keeps the bitterness fairly low, even though there is quite a bit of hop flavor. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

11-07-2011 06:06:46 | More by Mora2000

david18

New York

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

I've been drinking this a lot since they put it on tap at the amsterdam ale house on the upper west side of manhattan. It is a very refreshing pale ale made with czech hops.

Appearance is a light pale with a very light and frothy head. Good amount of carbonation and pretty clear.

Aroma is of bready malts and a slight and very pleasant hops.

Flavor is all the best in a pale ale. Not too much of anything. Very good balance with nothing overpowering anything else.

Very good. I would highly recommend this beer.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

11-07-2011 20:06:57 | More by david18

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle purchased as a single somewhere local in MA.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/2" beige head over the clear dark burnished copper brew. Head collapses gradually, with sticky lacing. Aroma is earthy floral hops.

Taste starts lightly sweet, going to spiciness in the middle, with some bitterness and prickly hoppiness to the close. Mouthfeel is medium thin but quite smooth, and drinkability is very easy. Cool story to the brew, and a nice end product.

Serving type: bottle
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

12-24-2011 18:19:39 | More by ppoitras

nickfl

Florida

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

A - Poured with one finger of white foam on a clear, amber body. The head fades slowly and leaves moderate lace.

S - Sweet malt with some caramel, grainy malt and red apple yeast character.

T - Sweet, thick malt up front. Some red apple and cinnamon in the middle. Finishes with apple, anise, and caramel.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a sweet finish.

D - Nicely done and drinkable, though it is something else entirely from any pilsner I've ever had before with a darker malt character and some flavors that are reminiscent of a British bitter.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

01-25-2012 02:54:41 | More by nickfl

BeerResearcher

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16.6 oz dark brown bottle. Freshness date stamped on bottle neck. served in a nonic tumbler.
It pours a deep orangy-auburn color with a thin to medium-sized off-white head and some patchy lacing.
A resinous hop aroma leaps out at first pour and lasts throughout. Raw malty smells follow and fade. A light woody smell mingles with a whiff of dry earth. A faint smell of wild flowers is noticed.
This is a hop forward brew, that sort of strays from typical Fall or Autumn styles range. And why shouldn't Fall beers be hoppy?
The maltiness inches through as it warms, as does a bit of sweetness. A little dose of grassy herbs and peppery spices in the finish provides an additional interesting twist to the aftertaste. It's a bit of an Autumn Czech Hop IPA.

Serving type: bottle
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

09-08-2011 00:03:28 | More by BeerResearcher

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Tylers in Durham

Pours a deep color with a decent head. Carbonation low.

Smells malty. Wheat malt. Low hops.

Tastes like a slightly hopped strong wheat ale. Very sweet wheat taste upfront. Hops are only there in extreme moderation, if at all. Very good, even without the hops. Leaves a syrupy feeling on the tongue.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

10-02-2011 00:49:54 | More by VncentLIFE

kylehay2004

Florida

3.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Single head on a murky amber with golden hues body. Malty with a floral and earthy hop aroma which is prevalent. Flavor has a strong herbal and floral presence with a mild sourness. The hops are nicely represnted but mild. Moderate carbonation and medium body. This beer is fairly complex and different. It isn't an everyday beer but worth trying for sure.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

01-25-2012 02:25:35 | More by kylehay2004

Brad007

Vermont

3.9/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice amber/gold color with a thick, frothy head into my glass. Definitely APA territory.

Grassy Sladek hops on the nose with a hint of pine. Not bad. Some sweet malt as well.

Sweet, biscuity malt with a lot of grassiness from the hops. It's quite bitter alright but nothing much to write about.

Lingering grassy hops and biscuit malt make up the mouthfeel. Not a bad one either.

Alright, enough of the "bits" and so forth. This is a decent example of the style but for some reason, I would prefer a czech pilsner (I mistakenly thought it was at first).

Serving type: bottle
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

09-16-2011 01:03:33 | More by Brad007

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Harpoon Docesna (100 Barrel Series #38)
Fresh Czech Hop Ale

Pours a light amber in color, soapy head and all due lacing. Aroma of spicy Sladek hops, herbal, leafy, tea like and slightly spicy. Follows through into the taste, with a pale malt body complimented well by spicy, noble hop bitters. Finish is drying and slightly bitter. A very well crafted brew, and features the hop well.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

11-23-2011 07:15:02 | More by Stinkypuss

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap 11/1/2011 at Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub in Pawtucket, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

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

S: The aroma contains fruit, caramelized malts, citrus and a good amount of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a strong burst of hops bitterness. Then some mildly sweet flavors of caramel and citrus come in. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy and provides a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet and slightly hoppy.

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

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style, it’s a solid beer but there are better choices within the style.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

11-06-2011 17:04:22 | More by TheManiacalOne

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A nice creation, a good bitterness and very drinkable. Pours copper with lightly hoppy aroma. About half an inch of retained head and lots of lace left in the glass. First glass-good cold, a little edgy hop finish. Third glass-more mellow, more enjoyable, much of the tasty hops becoming part of the sediment. Nice balance and drinking experience. Average mouthfeel. Not an American pale ale, that's a cop out.

Serving type: bottle
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

01-06-2012 05:01:12 | More by northyorksammy

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. (1 pint 6 fl oz.) bottle, with no apparent bottled on date present. I know this beer is retired, but I found a few of these hanging out in the fridge at my local beer store. I haven't had any of the other beers in the Harpoon 100 Barrel Series, so this will be a first for me.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours a dark blood orange / ruby color ('chestnut' as the bottle describes) with two fingers of frothy, bubbly off-white head, with nice retention. Some nice rings of lacing on the way down.

S - Smell is of faint muted fruity pine hops, though still retaining a crispness to it, along with some roasted malty qualities. Not spectacular on the nose.

T - Taste is very sweet, honey & tea leaf like hop profile, balanced well with the malts. The hop bitterness has definitely faded some, but I love what it has become, when the leafy sweetness comes out. Still retains a resinous bitter aftertaste, though.

M - Smooth and creamy, yet the body of the beer is carbonated and bloating which doesn't fit in with the texture of the beer at all.

Overall, this beer definitely surprised me. A fine example of the style, and of the three beers I've had by Harpoon so far, this bottle has probably impressed me the most. A beer I would buy again, although I'd be interested in trying others in this series.

Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #38 Dočesná Czech Hop Harvest Ale ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle
@ Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, 306 Northern Ave, Boston

04-03-2013 01:40:26 | More by mfnmbvp