Review – Harpoon Brown

From Harpoon Brewery – Harpoon Brown is brewed to accentuate the sweeter, rounder notes derived from six different malts, including a de-husked chocolate malt that adds a hint of chocolate. The blend of these malts produces a beer that is complex and delicious without being heavy. This drinkable beer is perfect as a session beer or paired with foods. This is the first year-round Harpoon beer the brewery has released in almost a decade.  While the craft beer industry has seen a growing trend in “extreme” beers, the brewers of Harpoon wanted to create something they could sit down and enjoy over an extended period of time – a session beer.  At 4.3% alcohol by volume, the Harpoon Brown Ale has the lowest alcohol content of all Harpoon beers.

Harpoon Brewery – Harpoon Brown – 12 oz. bottle poured into a beer glass.4.3% abv. Purchased as part of a Harpoon Sampler Pack at Dawsons Liquor – Severna Park, MD.

Appearance: A reddish brown with almost an inch of frothy, cream-colored head.

Aroma: Very delicate with hints of caramel and hops.

Taste: Very delicate also, though not quite as watery as the Harpoon Ale. It is more like strong, unsweetened iced tea without any citrus. A bit of hoppy bitterness finally hits you on the finish to remond you that, yes, you are drinking beer.

Mouthfeel: About the same as the Harpoon Ale. More substantial than a macro brew, but finishes clean.

Overall: This also is not my kind of beer, but I’d take this over the Harpoon Ale. If they set out to create a beer that was the opposite of “extreme,” they succeeded. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad beer at all, just not what I look for. This would be a very good “starter” beer for someone wanting to step up to something better than macros.