REVIEW 147: HARPOON IPA

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:  Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall

STYLE:  IPA

ABV:  5.9%

PURCHASE:  Draft (pint), $5.75

SERVING:  Chilled pint glass. Usual head of roughly 3/4" to one full inch. Better than average retention.

APPEARANCE:  Rusted copper body with the expected effervescent white head. Fairly see-through. Bubbling barely visible. Outstanding lacing around the glass.

BOUQUET:  Not particularly hoppy for an IPA. A little grassy, a little malty, and a little citrusy, but tame in all three respects. The citrus notes in play seem to be lemon, maybe orange.

PALATE:  Not particularly hoppy for an IPA. Comes off more as a pale ale than as an India pale ale. Not too heavy and ideally carbonated. Tempered all-around mouthfeel, with a malty backbone and citrusy finish--again, seemingly lemon and orange, not grapefruit-like as is the case with scores of IPAs these days. One of the least bitter IPAs I've personally ever tasted; actually seems more on the sweet side, particularly in the aftertaste. Very well balanced and extremely smooth. 

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  I've found Harpoon's beers to be hit-or-miss, but their flagship IPA is a winner. Great beer for an uncharacteristically 65-degree January day in Philly. 

Hopheads might balk at it. Haven't they ever heard that great things come in moderation? 




GRADE:   A