Harpoon 100 Barrel
Series Session 21: Weizenbock
Review Date 10/3/2008
Try?
Re-buy?
A few years ago, the folks at the Harpoon Brewery in
Boston hit upon a great idea. No doubt with the fickle nature of American
beer geeks in mind, they launched their 100 Barrel series, a line of limited
release beers sold in 22-ounce bottles. These beers would reflect a number
of classic beer styles, and be produced in limited quantities. And When they
were gone, they were gone.
From the brewer's perspective, this is a great idea, and a great way to sell beer. That's because beer geeks, perpetually on the prowl for something new and exciting, are notoriously brand disloyal. So why not give them something new and exciting, and bring them back again by making it new all over again?
Admittedly, I hadn't been able to get my paws on a 100-Barrel series beer for years. The last one I tasted was Session 9, and here I am today drinking a bottle of Session 21: Weizenbock. Although Harpoon beers have been sold here in Georgia for as long as I've lived here (almost seven years as I type this), we never seemed to get the 100-Barrell brews.
But now we do, and there were actually two of them on the shelf when I arrived at Greene's downtown a while back. Truth be told, I got the last of the Weizenbock. It was all stocky outside with bits of broken glass stuck to it. But that was OK, and just meant that another bottle in the lot broke. This one was perfectly fine, and no doubt an insightful employee figured correctly that some beer geek (like me) would come by and want it.
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Session 21: Weizenbock pours to a gorgeous
bright mahogany color with a thick and spritzy but short lived head
formation and a very nutty, sweet malt nose. One thing I did notice while
pouring into my wheat beer glass was that the beer does not seem to be
bottle conditioned. I saw no yeast at the bottom of the bottle, which was a
rather disappointing way to start this one out.
Taking a sip, I do like the very nutty, chocolaty sweet malt flavors that immediate grab my tongue. I suspect there's a good deal of Munich malt here, and maybe some chocolate malt, too in addition to the wheat (50% of the grain bill). Tasty notes of banana and clove are imparted by an authentic Bavarian yeast strain, and there's some tart wheat character to boot, especially in the finish. Still, this one is decidedly malt accented, and rather sweetish with a brown sugar and honey character.
A fair estimation of a Weizenbock, I think, but one that probably leans too heavily on the chocolate and Munich malt side. Maybe not my favorite example, or even my favorite domestic one, but very tasty, and very drinkable.
From the brewer's perspective, this is a great idea, and a great way to sell beer. That's because beer geeks, perpetually on the prowl for something new and exciting, are notoriously brand disloyal. So why not give them something new and exciting, and bring them back again by making it new all over again?
Admittedly, I hadn't been able to get my paws on a 100-Barrel series beer for years. The last one I tasted was Session 9, and here I am today drinking a bottle of Session 21: Weizenbock. Although Harpoon beers have been sold here in Georgia for as long as I've lived here (almost seven years as I type this), we never seemed to get the 100-Barrell brews.
But now we do, and there were actually two of them on the shelf when I arrived at Greene's downtown a while back. Truth be told, I got the last of the Weizenbock. It was all stocky outside with bits of broken glass stuck to it. But that was OK, and just meant that another bottle in the lot broke. This one was perfectly fine, and no doubt an insightful employee figured correctly that some beer geek (like me) would come by and want it.
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Session 21: Weizenbock pours to a gorgeous
bright mahogany color with a thick and spritzy but short lived head
formation and a very nutty, sweet malt nose. One thing I did notice while
pouring into my wheat beer glass was that the beer does not seem to be
bottle conditioned. I saw no yeast at the bottom of the bottle, which was a
rather disappointing way to start this one out.
Taking a sip, I do like the very nutty, chocolaty sweet malt flavors that immediate grab my tongue. I suspect there's a good deal of Munich malt here, and maybe some chocolate malt, too in addition to the wheat (50% of the grain bill). Tasty notes of banana and clove are imparted by an authentic Bavarian yeast strain, and there's some tart wheat character to boot, especially in the finish. Still, this one is decidedly malt accented, and rather sweetish with a brown sugar and honey character.
A fair estimation of a Weizenbock, I think, but one that probably leans too heavily on the chocolate and Munich malt side. Maybe not my favorite example, or even my favorite domestic one, but very tasty, and very drinkable.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
