Harpoon Black IPA - Harpoon Brewery

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Slatetank for gifting me with a bottle of this. 12oz into a pint, the brew appears dark brown to black in color with clarity seen around the edges. A tan finger of big bubble composition fades leaving small patches of lace sticking to the glass.

The aroma includes notes of fruity alcohol and hops at first. Then a bit of roast and maple-like sweetness. It is somewhat floral in the way the hops and alcohol blend together. Not bad, as stated, it blends together nicely unlike others in the style that seem strange and disjointed.

The flavor is bitter from a 1-2 punch of hops and roasted grain. Some bitter chocolate/coffee blends into an herbal to pine-like resiny bitterness that clings. Some earth and hints of maple/caramel along with floral notes towards the finish.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. A nice black ipa that I would drink again and im not the biggest fan of this style. Well done, worth trying. Thanks again Matt.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 18:10:11 | More by stakem

Eeroomnhoj

Virginia

4.24/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Homemade pizza and beer. I don't have a fancy beer glass (yet) so I poured it into a juice glass.

Read the reviews and agree with tdm168 about the color and smell. Dark dark brown, almost black. We enjoyed the smell and definetely smelled citrus (can't detect chocolate yet, maybe I need to drink more beer). Overall I enjoy this beer and was surprised I found this at a Costco.

I would enjoy this in the summer or winter.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 21:50:22 | More by Eeroomnhoj

tdm168

North Carolina

4.19/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - blackish brown with reddish edges; soft, brownish head that fades quickly

S - roasted malts, pine, citrus, chocolate

T - huge, intensely piny hops dominate that front end; smooth chocolate and roasted malts follow through to the end; intensely bitter; some faint citrus and sweetness throughout

M - medium bodied, well carbonated

This is a really nice black IPA. It has an amazingly forward hop character that should please any hop head. It also has a nice, well rounded malt character that balances nicely. It's also a very easy to drink beer that refreshes. It's definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 01:08:23 | More by tdm168

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

i enjoyed this a few times so I figured I would take some notes on the last bottle, enjoyed chilled from the 12oz into a cervoise.

The color is the darkest brown approaching black and opaque in the middle of the vessel with thick medium tan cream with average sized bead and good retention/lace. The smell is a heavy dose of pine hop esters with an accent of grapefruity aroma with mild toffee note from the malt. The feel is good with a bit of bitter and acidic hop influence up front with mild astringency from dark grain and moderate carbonation with slight roast texture and mild warming of alcohol.

This hop taste is familiar but not quite sharp with some citrus and tropcical fruit with mostly pine taste in the first sips with some caramel in the malt coming through after the swallow and light tannic roasted almost char taste in the malt giving an acrid flavor in the finish with subtle alcohol influence. Overall a not bad example, a decent ale and has enough hop flavor to accept the bitter roasted taste, pretty drinkable in general.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 01:20:10 | More by Slatetank

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Taste at the Harpoon Brewery in Boston.

Dark brown, nearly black where no light shines through. Small, but lasting head. Ample lace.

Elements of darker porters start the aroma. Not burnt, more dark chocolate. Little hop.

Less bitter than most IPAs, but that may be from the stronger roasted malts. Full bodied with an above average carbonation level. Overall, less IPA and more deeply roasted Porter.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 16:38:51 | More by smcolw

CapH

New York

3.85/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A- Nice dark color with a light tan head that leaves spider webbing around glass.

S- Roasty malt on the front followed by a bitter hop on the back end.

T- Similar to the smell. Initially a roasted malt enters the pallet followed by piney hops on the finish.

M- "Fizzy" high carbonation like in many Harpoon brews. Piney hop finish leads to hop "zing" around the back and side of mouth.

O- I love Black IPA's. This one is a nice example with bitterness coming from both the roasted malts as well as the hops. The body seems a bit light and may not be as balanced as others I've tried, but a nice drinking BIPA none the less.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 00:24:35 | More by CapH

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.91/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A-Pours a clear, dark brown. Thin, creamy, tan head. Head stays with the body throughout the glass. It also leaves long drapes of lacing.

S-A pleasant combination of roasted malt and grassy/piney hops. Lighter notes of hoppy citrus and soft chocolate with light char. Balanced and it maybe even leans more towards the malty side of the spectrum

T-The hops are grassy and sudsy but finish with clean pine. Subtle citric notes too. The roast is a bit toned down here as are the other malty flavors. The nose stresses the malt but the flavor stresses the hop. Still, there is good balance.

M-Buzzing carbonation with moderate bitterness. Surprisingly crisp. Booze pipes up ever-so-slightly. Quite drinkable due it its rather light body.

O/D-Another solid IPA variate from Harpoon. They keep their beers intriguingly hoppy but their brightest spot is the high drinkability found it all of the hoppy brews. I enjoyed it.:-)

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 02:11:52 | More by VelvetExtract

alexgash

Connecticut

4.23/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. bottle. Best by May 15, 2013.

Pours a dark cola brown. Clear, with amber maple highlights. Small finger of gauzy, light khaki-beige head. Some retention. Nice mix of roasted malts and hops on the nose, as I've come to expect from this style. Roasted barley, some coffee, licorice, and carob on the malt end. Pitchy, piney, citrusy hops break through and hold up pretty well.

Bitter roasted coffee up front. Smoother dark chocolate and roasted barley follow through. Hints of dark fruitiness. A little smoke and peat as well. Hop bitterness comes out in the latter half of the palate. Nice blend of leafy, piny, and citrus. Earthy tobacco shows up in the finish, along with some cocoa. Dries out a little. Medium-full body with a slightly syrupy feel. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 22:36:54 | More by alexgash

greenengineer

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle into Notch 0.5L glass. First beer of the Blizzard of '13

A- dark brown pour with a creamy CO2 charged head
S- Malt more than hops
T-toasted malt with a bitterness after, nice balance. Hints of burnt malt, but a lot of sweetness is retained. Hops are there, but not out front. Almost a porter. Tastes a bit like the East India Porter Pretty Things made in their historic series.
M- a little sticky and chewy, maybe a little flat
O- very drinkable for 7.0% ABV, I could have a few more. In fact I will.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 21:42:27 | More by greenengineer

mfigueroa713

New York

4.11/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Used a standard pint glass.

A- Black in color and pours with two fingers worth of off white head. Bubbles are medium sized and glass lacing was observed.

S - Very nice hop aromas. Floral and caramel smells emanated from head.

T- Bittering hops prevalent. Beer was more bitter than sweet which was a delightful surprise. Malty sweetness balances the beer well. Detected some roasted notes. Carbonation is good and allows for better alcohol absorption.

M- Medium body with slight tingling from carbonation.

O- Great black IPA, should try this one. The strong hop presence is what makes it stand out above other overly sweet black IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 14:45:27 | More by mfigueroa713

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.11/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Part of the Adventure IPA mixed 12-pack
Enjoy By 04/15/13

A: Pours a dark ruby/mahogany color with a fingers worth of tan head

S: Has a dark malt/coffee overtone, with plenty of citrusy goodness underneath. The malt has its way over the hops, though

T: Mor balanced than the nose, the hops shine a little more here. Starts off with dark malts again, but the hops come in and provide a nice earthy and spicy character. Some fruitiness also come through. Finishes with a slightly ashy maltiness with a light coffee character. Bitter throughout

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Again, slightly ashy

O: A nice black IPA without too much roast character but enough of a dark malt presence to make it into a good ABA. After the nose, this definitely leans more towards the IPA side which is a good thing. Solid brew, glad they brought it back

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 20:26:10 | More by BEERMILER12

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown, near black, with a good off-white foam head. Some lace.

Some nice charred notes and a pine/hop aroma.

Charred malt is not overbearing and does not kick in bitterness that knocks this beer out of balance. A little smoky and French roast coffee. Hops come forward - with restraint - and provide another wrinkle to the flavor profile. Hops are oily and tacky and fit right with the roastiness of the malt. Nice hoppy and light coffee finish.

Medium bodied, good carbonation, a bit mouth-coating.

I am not a lover of this brewery, mainly because of too many disappointments vs. successes. So, coming from a real skeptic -- they nailed this one. Hops are perfectly balanced with the malt, and even a hop-head would feel satisfied. Malt isn't overdone with raw bitterness. Instead, the stuff you want in this style shines. Good job fellas.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 05:21:44 | More by OtherShoe2

vfgccp

New York

3.13/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Nice dark cola body. Bone-white head has nice retention and great lace.

S - Strange nose of brown sugar, damp herbal twang, mineral, and a touch of toffee.

T - Dry herbal char, thyme, bitter earthy hop.

M - Light to style. Sub-par carbonation.

O - Nice roast character and an interesting bitterness. The profile isn't common, but not necessarily complex.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 23:57:31 | More by vfgccp

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

650ml bottle shared by johnsense on RB, cheers! Into a tulip.

Black body with some reddish brown hues. Beige head, good lace and a film of retention. Nose has tropical fruits, orange, a bit soapy and some darker malt notes. Taste is really roasty, dark malts, burnt bread, bitter hopping in the form of pine and some mild citrus. Roast dominates. Medium feel, medium high carbonation. A really roasty American Black Ale, hops are lost in the mix.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 00:28:39 | More by liamt07

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A head of mold spore look on a black body. Subdued aromas, both the roast and the hop. Lacey. Big roast flavour (some ash sediment) with a citrus hop finish, odd but interesting that they used a German hop.Thanks for bringing John. Average for the style.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 19:42:50 | More by northyorksammy

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, best by 5/15/2012. Pours crystal clear very dark brown color with a 2 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some decent lacing on the glass. Aromas of big grapefruit, orange, pine, herbal, citrus rind, roasted malt, biscuit, toast, and earthy spiciness. Very nice and well balanced aromas with good strength. Taste of big grapefruit, pine, orange, herbal, floral, grass, dark roasted malt, char, citrus rind, chocolate, and earthy spiciness. Fair amount of spicy bitterness on the the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, pine, toast, grass, roasted malt, chocolate, char, and earthy spices on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance of roasted malt with hop flavors. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy and crisp mouthfeel. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed on the finish. Overall this is a really nice and quite robust Black IPA. Nice balance of citrus and piny hop flavors; with a very nice and prominent roasted malt backbone. Really well done, and very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 03:23:43 | More by superspak

PDXHops

South Carolina

2.13/5  rDev -42.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Bomber poured into a Maudite snifter. A smallish tan head tops the deep brown body, but it's fairly tenacious and isn't shy with the lace.

Pretty tame nose for a CDA, chocolate roast with earthy undertones. A punch of earthy hop flavor somewhat ups the 'oomph' factor, but the limp finish and bland malt profile fall flat. On the positive side, there's a hefty dose of bitterness. A blast of bitterness without any other flavors really being fleshed out any other fully developed flavors doesn't have much appeal, though. I love the CDA style, but this particular example misses the mark.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 01:22:45 | More by PDXHops

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

2.73/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Dark brown brew (close to porter shade) with a big head and a fair bit of lacing.

S - A bit of lemon pith, pepper and a medicinal smell.

T - Very little malt presence, almost watery tasting. There is a bit of faint citrus pith and very faint molasses. Very quickly a medicinal bitterness enters that lingers into the aftertaste. It isn't horribly unpleasant, but it isn't great.

M - Smooth, thin, a little refreshing.

D - It isn't bad. It isn't terribly good though.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 03:14:20 | More by mrasskicktastic

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Black IPA - or American Black Ale - is not the most creative name for the style but it is fairly accurate. A discriminating eye might point out the hazelnut highlights and transparency at the fringes, but a standard drinker would be content to call this black. As for head, the name says nothing about it, and this one has little of it anyhow.

Mocha, the front garden and the forest floor combine for a bouquet that has an almost mushroom-like complexity: earthy and nutty all at once. The roast, though mild, perspires coffee-like notes now and again, while the hops (which are generous) have a dry, pithy bitterness and smell of resinous pine and bark. It's a beer hard not to like immediately.

The label lists all the stats (alc/vol 7.0%, ibu 67, og 18) but Black IPA has a deliciousness that can't be encapsulated by numbers. Underlying notes of coffee are enlivened by brimming candied citrus and forest floor flavors. Each sip feels like it contains fragments of flower petals. It's very lively and effervescent, despite the roast of dark-ish malts.

As this beer showcases, Ahtanum is a fairly well rounded hop. It is largely citrusy, with the standard spotlight of grapefruit and lemon, but it is also notably earthy and floral. It also has a distinctive piney quality that is well suited to dark and crystal malts. The nuttiness combines with the earthiness to give it a complex, mushroom-like character.

Either I've come across a really good bottle or Harpoon just hasn't been given enough props for their Black IPA, because I wouldn't hesitate to call this a damn fine beer. Sure there are stronger examples that exist out there, but we could also say that about 99% of all beers. This is one of the 100 Barrel Series beers I'd suggest brewing again.

No Harpoon product I've had belonged in a higher class than the average beer drinker's table, but Black IPA is a very strong example of its style and certainly warrants as much respect as many of those higher rated than it. I would have been very upset if this bomber were only 12 ounces and even after 22 ounces I would have enjoyed a little more.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 19:48:04 | More by biegaman

EtOHMD

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into pint glass

A: Pitch black for the most part with thin tan head.

S: Pine, grassy, floral, mildly smoky.

T: Roasted, chocolate, coffee, pine

M: Thin, mild carbonation, dry, some sips warmng at the end.

O: Easily drinkable. Good but not great black IPA. Smells and tastes really seem to change from sip to sip with some complex and some very plain - not sure why - would have rated higher if more consistent

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 23:25:41 | More by EtOHMD

hosehead83

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a smart-looking "bomber" bottle into a wine goblet.
Pitch black in appearance, with a nice thick head of tan foam.
Aroma-Faint coffee and chocolate, spicy, grassy hop note
Taste-Medium roast coffee, chocolate, some citrussy hops thrash about. Nothing super-complex here, but a pretty tasty offering that would pair well with some grilled fajitas or a thick cheesburger.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 18:11:25 | More by hosehead83

yesyouam

New York

4.53/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Harpoon Black IPA is a very dim reddish brown, almost black beer with a lumpy beige foam on top. The retention and lacing are outstanding. It has a bold, fresh aroma of pine and grapefruit with a hint of sweetness. It has a very smooth medium body with a slightly astringent finish. It's well balanced with nice grapefruit peel and pine resin bitterness along with roasted astringency and smooth, mellow, caramelly malt. It's tasty and very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 15:05:55 | More by yesyouam

threeviews

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle (Best By May 15, 2012) into a 13.5oz Libbey tulip glass.

A- An aggressive pour yields an almost-black exilir (light can make its way through if tilted in the light) with a full 3 finger creamy, beige/light brown head

S- Constantly changing...at times bitter and sweet citrus, hints of flowers, spice and chocolate all come and go. As the brew warms and head dissipates, the aroma seems to get more intense with orange citrus and chocolate blending together to create a delicious aroma.

T- As the label suggests a spicy, bittersweet chocolate at the front of the tongue and finishes with a pleasant (white grapefruit) citrus bitterness on the back of the palate. As it warms a piney resin flavor makes its entrance. Much of the 70 IBU's are contributing to the brews hop flavor rather than the finish (i.e. bittering hops).

O- Based on previous reviews, I am pleasantly suprised and think this brew is deserving of higher scores. However, Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Black IPA is complex and not as immediate and some others in the style and takes a bit of time to get acquainted. Regardless, this remains a really good example of the style both in profile and drinkability...I only wish I could have sampled this sooner.

Harpoon...please brew this one again!

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 21:14:04 | More by threeviews

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.6/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

16 ounce pint - $6.75 at Taco Mac in Canton, Georgia.

Appearance: Nearly black, there's some ruby tints at the edges and capped by nearly an inch of ivory-hued foam.

Smell: Resiny pine notes with some generic roastiness but completely lacking any inviting, ingratiating hop or malt complexities.

Taste: Roasty gas station coffee with a fast flash of bitter chocolate enveloped into char. Nearly nil sweetness. Resinous pine sap with a modest underpinning of citrus. Moderate bitterness. Dry, bitter, resiny finish with a sliver of alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Overall: I'm not too pleased with this one. It's fairly one-note and weak in the malt and hop department, making for a beer that's actually less than the some of its part.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2012 20:00:19 | More by ChainGangGuy

merc7186

New York

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer on tap at Crabapples in Cheektowaga NY, poured i into a pint glass.

A: Deep Opaque Hue, Passes Almost No Light, Off White Head, Great Lacing

S: Dark Roasted Malts, Black Bread, Mild Chocolate

T: Dark Roasted Malts, Black Bread, Piney, Mild Chocolate

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium to Full Bodied, Semi Dry, Semi Bitter

Overall, a pretty solid black IPA, definitely in my top 3 black IPA

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2012 04:23:16 | More by merc7186