Busy limited edition single batch reddish copper altbier juxtaposes toasted caramel sweetness and candied sugar coquetry against tamped down earthy hops and fresh hay serendipity. Cola nut and herbal tea illusions back fruited midst as wheat cracker serenade infiltrates oncoming copper ale-like tinniness.
All posts by John Fortunato
HARPOON ALE
Like another fine Boston amber ale (Sam Adams), Harpoon has distinguishing matchstick head aroma and mouthfeel. Judicious grain blend, pasty malt overtones, delicate floral sweetness, and tangy citric pinch blanket fizzy hop slurp. Would’ve scored even higher if caramelized finish had more gusto.
HARPOON ABBEY ALE
Limited edition single batch abbey-style re-creation layers bruised orange bitterness above prickly hop tongue and buttery crystal malt flow. Green apple, lemon peel, and grapefruit tartness lure durable clove spicing.
HARP LAGER
Named after the Celtic harp, fine gold-toned pale lager retains barley-backed baked bread brim framing buttery malt sustenance, muted grassy hop fizz, and minimal fruit spicing maintained to smooth creamy finish. Crisp, clean, and oh so subtle. Rates higher on tap. Lesser Canadian version from “genuine Irish recipe” rates lower due to unwanted diacetyl pungency and cruder crystal malting.
HARD ROCK CAFE LIGHT GAUGE PILSENER
Malted wheat subtlety and mineral water softness of plain pale pils perks pithy orange, lime, and unripe apricot hints to delicate hop finish, preserving off-dry lightweight appeal.
HARBIN LAGER
Inexpressive green-bottled pale-yellowed light body fails to provide enough lemony grapefruit spritz for sweet corn-rice adjuncts, bringing about soapy malt dankness. Abysmal metallic drear ransacks any further distinction.
HAPKIN GOLDEN ALE
Expansive carbonation overwhelms orange peel dissipation and buttery creaminess of unobtrusive amber-hazed 8.5% alcohol libation. Closer to elegant white ale than ditzy blonde ale due to floral citric nature, tannic grape tartness, and dark spiced tingle, but soapy carbolic fizz cheapens expectations.
HANSSENS OUDE KRIEK
Just whiff the extreme dry citric tartness of this opaque cork-influenced cherry ale to usurp its acquired sour ale taste. Tobacco, earthen wood, and peat moss envelop white grape esters by dryly acidic white wine finish, relegating tannic black cherry essence to mere destitute afterthought.
HANSSENS OUDE GUEUZE LAMBIC
Extremely tart green apple-wafted pale-clouded “bottle matured” artisan lambic picks up intrusive musty earthen coarseness. Harsh cork-like dry grape sourness underlines fizzy white wine acidity. Explosive carbonation nearly blocks out subtle orange-peeled lemon rind souring and juniper berry bittering. For highly individualized tastes intrigued by expensive Belgian ales. It’ll burn amateur stomachs like vinegar.
HANSSENS OUDBEITJE LAMBIC
Vinegar-like odor consumes musty citric tartness of brettanomyces-laden sour ale. Vinous white grape acidity, surging green apple sharpness, and astringent raspberry souring increase extremely dry resolve. Essence nearly lost in mist of tame, shallow, indistinct sub-textures. Experienced lambic lovers may enjoy its peculiarities with dessert, but its mouth-puckering acridity will prohibit outsiders.
(HANSSENS) MEAD THE GUEUZE
By blending Hanssens tartly tannic gueuze with British winery’s honeyed mead, silky barnyard-dried hybrid settles to gossamer lemon-soured cider tartness. Unripe peach-pear-melon mouthfeel, sharp sour grape continuance and grassy herbal mustiness consume puffy cumulous-headed translucent yellow belly. Bubbly carbolic fizz could be obtrusive. Pour into glass to delete coarse vinous attribute.
HANSJE DRINKER TRIPEL
Murky fruit-scented bottle-conditioned amber-hazed Dutch ale knocks off a fruitful floral-hopped Belgian Abbey succinctly. Perfumed yeast sweetness matches silken butterscotch thrust while lemony curacao orange tartness and red apricot ripeness tingle coriander spicing. Nice alcohol buzz simmered by clean water smoothness.