At the hop

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” Czech Hop Harvest Ale “Dočesná” (Vermont) – Aggressive in multiple ways: richly-hopped (but not one of those hop-overwhelmed extremities, by any means), chipped metal and wood aromas, and physically impossible to ignore. It is, perhaps, a bit more than I was expecting, but I’ll chalk that up to my expectations rather than an inherent flaw in the ale. All that said, it remains aggressive. (10/11)

Big & beige

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” “Rich & Dan’s” Rye IPA (Vermont) – Yes, OK, there’s the grainy undertone of rye that I like so much in spirits. But here, it’s just not enough of a major player in the final product, which is heavy, a little bitter, and quite a bit blockheaded. I’ve been a big fan of many releases in this series, but I fear the last few have lost their way. (7/11)

Ahab

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” Pott’s Landbier (Massachusetts) – …and? (7/10)

Don't hop the whale

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” Single Hop ESB (Massachusetts) – Were I more fascinated by hops, I’d no doubt be more intrigued by this beer. I’m not, and so…I’m not. (5/10)

I'd like to bi a valve, please

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” Island Creek Oyster Stout (Massachusetts) – Yes, stout. Yes, the unmistakable saline tang of oysters. I like stout. I like Island Creek oysters. I don’t like stout with oysters. So the merits of this wine are lost on me. (3/10)

Drink a ginger day

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” Ginger Wheat (Massachusetts) – Alcoholic ginger beer. Gee, if only someone had thought of that before. My sarcasm hides the fact that ginger beer is really all this is, ’cuz the wheat doesn’t enter into it. (12/09)

Whalebock

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” Helles Blond Bock (Massachusetts) – Strong and a little boozy, and somewhat akin to drinking freshly-pounded copper. Oh, these analogies and metaphors do get away from one. Good, but only just, and I’d rather drink other things. (9/09)

Don't bock the block

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” Helles Blond Bock (Massachusetts) – Extremely straightforward, a bit marble-textured and hard. Kinda dull, really. (6/09)

Catamount to much

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” Catamount Maple Wheat Ale (Massachusetts) – There’s an odd sleight-of-brew here, in that the maple is less present as a flavorant than as a weight-lending agent, which means that the resulting ale moves into the heavier realm of (say) Scotch Ale rather than a non-traditional wheat. It’s quite intriguing, and I like this a great deal. (3/09)

Bar-beer-cue

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” Rauchfetzen Ale (Massachusetts) – Light on the smoke, and fairly insufficient otherwise. It’s an easy quaff, but it doesn’t mean anything. On the positive side, it’s more drinkable as a standalone than most brews in this style. (2/09)

Comin' through the rye

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” “Old Rusty’s” Red Rye Ale (Massachusetts) – With a little more structure (hoppy bitterness, to be precise) this would be a masterwork. As it is, it’s good, with a lot of copper-toned intensity and fine length. But it needs a little more framing. (9/08)

Ahab

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” “Steve Stewart’s Firth of Forth” Ale (Massachusetts) – Apparently a Scottish-style ale, but it’s lighter and more refreshing than anything I’ve tried in that idiom…and lower-alcohol, as well. Taken on its own merits, it’s an excellent beer, with waves of flavor and decent complexity, but never losing its balance. (6/08)

Harpoon “100 Barrel Series” “Old Rusty’s” Red Rye Ale (Massachusetts) – Toasty, almost bready, with crispness and a good deal of force. Sort of like drinking a silo, but in a good way. I like this beer. (6/08)