The Harpoon Brewery Releases 100 Barrel Series Thunder Foam
(Boston, MA) – They deliver great beer and now we know they can brew it too. Harpoon Distributing Company drivers Mike Alessandro, Bill Davidson, and Nick Waitt, along with Harpoon brewer Ken Hermann took home the top beer prize in the 2015 Kettle Cup, Harpoon Brewery’s annual employee brewing competition. The team (a.k.a. “The Road Warriors”) won with a robust porter brewed with cocoa nibs and ancho and fresh poblano peppers. Harpoon is pleased to release it as the 56th installment of the 100 Barrel Series, Harpoon’s line of limited batch, one-of-a kind beers: introducing Harpoon Thunder Foam.
Harpoon Thunder Foam is a robust porter with a roasted, earthy aroma and full body. Chocolate notes from the cocoa nibs merge with a sweet caramel character from the malt profile. The team revved it up with fresh poblano and ancho chili peppers, giving it a slight kick at the finish.
“Some beers brewed with chili peppers really focus on the heat, but we wanted this beer to be enjoyable by the pint to a wide variety of beer drinkers,” says brewer Ken Hermann. “We felt it was important for the beer to have the aroma and taste of a pepper without that intense heat. The anchos deliver an earthy and mild fruity flavor with some smoky undertones. Poblano peppers are great because they are very flavorful but don’t burn your mouth. The heat is mild and the chili flavor blends really well with the cocoa nibs and highly kilned malts.”
The Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Thunder Foam, winning beer of the 2015 Harpoon Kettle Cup, is now available in 22 oz. bottles and draft.
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Thunder Foam Beer Specs:
Style: Robust Porter
ABV: 6.8%
IBUs: 40
Color: EBC 105
Harpoon Thunder Foam Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Dark brown with a tan head
Aroma: Roasty, coffee, earthy, chocolatey, caramel, fresh peppers
Mouthfeel: Medium-full body with moderate bitterness
Taste: Dark toast, caramel, chocolate, and earthy pepper
Finish: Sweet with a touch of spice
Pairing suggestions: smoked meats, barbecue, enchiladas
About the Harpoon 100 Barrel Series: Harpoon introduced the 100 Barrel Series in 2003 to showcase the individual brewing talents of its employees. Every couple months, a different Harpooner is invited to choose a style of beer, formulate the recipe, and brew the beer. That brewer’s signature can be found on the bottle label. The beers in the series are one-offs; they are brewed in limited batches and are available only until the batch sells out. Since the series began in May of 2003, 56 different styles of beer have been brewed. For a complete list of beers that have been released as part of the 100 Barrel Series, visit www.harpoonbrewery.com.
About the Harpoon Brewery: The Harpoon Brewery was founded by beer lovers Dan Kenary, Rich Doyle, and George Ligeti. In 1986 Harpoon was issued Brewing Permit #001 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, since it was the first brewery to brew commercially in Boston after a dormant period of about 25 years. Harpoon’s line of craft beer features its award winning IPA and UFO White beers, along with special seasonal selections. In 2000 Harpoon purchased a second brewery in Windsor, VT, making Harpoon the 15th largest craft brewer in the US. Harpoon has since introduced the limited batch 100 Barrel Series and the as well as the all-natural Harpoon Craft Cider made from freshly pressed apples. In August 2014 Harpoon became an employee-owned company.
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