Harpoon Black IPA - Harpoon Brewery

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

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

david18

New York

3.08/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I had a few of these when they were on draft at my local pub. There has been a lot of talk about this style and is one I have a little bit of a problem with. I liked this one ok but I think that the roast fights with the hops a little.

Color was dark with a very dark and prominent head. The carbonation stuck around for a while and even left a little bit of lacing.

Aroma was not hoppy enough for me. Some hops, some roast but in general not enough of anything.

Flavor, like the aroma, was not enough of anything. There is some roastiness but not enough bitterness.

A beer worth trying but not my favorite.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2012 18:55:44 | More by david18

jaasen64

Massachusetts

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

16oz serving on-tap at Harpoon's St. Patrick's day festival

A- Dark black, very slightly translucent. A little over a finger of off-white head that had a very slight yellowish hinge. About average carbonation for a beer. Looked sort of similar to your average Guinness (in terms of head and color) except slightly lighter. Left nice layered lacing around glass while drinking.

S- Not too aromatic. A little bit of hops, slightly sweet, a little bit of malts, etc..

T- Typical IPA taste, but not too hoppy or sweet. Not overly flavorful. A little bit of hops, a little bit of caramel, a little bit of a bitter aftertaste.

M- Medium bodied. Alcohol well hidden and definitely easily drinkable. Very smooth, about average carbonation.

O- I've only had a few black IPAs and this probably ranks around the middle of them. It wasn't overly flavorful, but had a typical Black IPA taste- sort of a not overly hoppy IPA with the sweet characteristic taste similar to other darker beers such as stouts. Definitely could have used a little bit more flavor (preferred if it was a little bit sweeter + maybe a little bit more hops). Not a bad beer (goes down easy), but definitely room for improvement. Would drink again, but probably wouldn't spend the money to buy a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2012 03:25:28 | More by jaasen64

Onenote81

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this one on-tap with lunch today at First Street Draught House. They poured it into curved-pint glass. Dark black with a rich, creamy, tan head on top. Very thick. Leaves lots of spotty lace on the glass. Nose is sharp and hoppy. Lots of pine needles and trail-like scent.

The mouth is creamy as well, but with a crisp carbonation bite at each sip. Wonderful citrus in this one. Bitterness is moderate, but man does it keep me sipping. Mild roasted characteristics, but this is mostly bitter and citrusy-sweet. The "black" in this one, is relegated mainly to the color, rather than the flavor profile. Still, this is one I would have time and again. Good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2012 19:39:51 | More by Onenote81

thedoubler55

New Jersey

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

A: A Dark brown in color, almost black, a nice tan head at the top that goes away very quickly, a slight lacing present.

S: Up front nothing but chocolate and coffee, slight notes of pine.

T: A bitter taste up front, nice notes of chocolate and coffee. Slight hints of honey on the tail end.

M: Full bodied, slight carbonation, goes down smooth, a nice black IPA.

O: A nice pleasant brew, I enjoyed this brew right next to the fire at the stirling hotel in NJ.

Serving type: on-tap

02-29-2012 15:27:32 | More by thedoubler55

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Harpoon Black IPA (100 Barrel Series)

Pours a dark brown bordering black color, off white, khaki colored head and solid lacing. Aroma of roasted malt, citrusy, floral hops and pine. In the flavor, pine, grapefruit, roasted malts, coffee, chocolate and a small anise note. Mild alcohol flavor, strong bitterness. Medium bodied feel with a low carbonation, loose and creamy. Overall, a pretty decent brew, went down smooth and quickly, not too shabby.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2012 04:32:24 | More by Stinkypuss

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap 2/17/2012 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI served in a US tumbler pint glass.

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

S: The aroma contains grassy hops, roasted malts, some chocolate and citrus.

T: The taste starts out with a bitter bite of dark chocolate and piney hops. Then a hearty roasted malt comes in. There are background flavors of chocolate and citrus creating a decent balance. The after-taste is bitter-sweet.

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

O: A little tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, good kick, decent representation of style, this is a solid beer but there are better options in the style.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2012 06:15:29 | More by TheManiacalOne

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had on tap at New World Tavern, Plymouth

Appearance: 1 inch head, dark brown in color, clear, moderate carbonation

Smell: charred malt and citrus hops

Taste: big chocolate and light citrus hops at the end

Mouthfeel: medium-high carbonation, light body, sweet with a slightly bitter end

Overall: This one is ok to good, but definitely finished behind Uinta in my Black Ale night. I would pick this up again as it is enjoyable, but there are others in the style I would choose first.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 21:39:55 | More by tigg924

erosier

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

L: Pours a nice black color with a short and medium bodied tan colored head that laces the glass nicely on the way down.
S: Smells of sweet roasted malts layered with a strong citrus and earthy hop aroma.
T: Tastes of sweet roasted malts, darker roasted malts with a hint of coffee flavors and then a big citrus and slightly earthy hop flavor. Clean finish too.
M: Crisp, fresh, perfect amount of carbonation, medium bodied.
D: Overall a really nice beer, nice mix of flavors, and it was quite drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2012 11:52:13 | More by erosier

dtivp

West Virginia

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

Enjoyed a few sample glasses at the brewery. Poured a dark brown-near black with ruby highlights, a nice one finger tan head with moderate lacing.

Aroma hops and dark roasted barley.

Taste of dark roasted malt then the a strong citrus hops hits you with a nice bitterness.

Mouth Feel is medium body, nice carbonation, creamy smooth with a dry bitter ending.

Overall a nice black IPA, would like a little more dark malt up front, the strong bitterness at the end dominates.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2012 00:39:32 | More by dtivp

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

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