Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #11 - Framboise

Formerly brewed at Harpoon Brewery
Style: Fruit Beer
Boston, Massachusetts USA

Harpoon 100 Barrel Series – Framboise. 15 December 2005 Bottle. Hmmm. This is kind of odd. Not nearly as sweet as, say, Lindeman’s (and I realize that is the far end of the spectrum), but hardly tart as, say, a Cantillon (granted, that’s the opposite end…). I guess I was just expecting it to shade more toward one end or the other, but it doesn’t, really. It’s ok, but I wouldn’t say it’s up to par w/ the other 100 Barrel offerings I’ve had (the Oatmeal Stout and the Alt). Anyway – the beer: it maintains a small, pink head for about a minute or two, but then sits still in the glass, looking more like (very clear) fruit juice than beer. The looks are slightly deceiving, though, since it’s rather carbonated. Aromas and flavors are clearly raspberry, but there is some cherry and slightly sour grapes. The sourness is akin in character to something Flemish, like the Duchesse de Bourgonge. The finish is woody and, according to my wife, “oaty”. Also – if you told me there was no alcohol in this, I just might believe you… In the end, this is an interesting and laudable effort, but it makes me thankful for the experts who have specialized in lambic over the years (and decades).

Ok, I did have high hopes for this one. I do really pull for Harpoon, but this one just missed the mark. Unless they did want to make a thin, watery, bland Framboise. Decent Raspberry flavor, but it just doesn’t all come together as a cohesive package. Maybe a Brown Ale would have been a better ale to base this one off of instead of the wheat ale. I’m just happy I only bought one. Best of luck on their next 100 series.

bottle. opaque reddish-pink body with a small white head. aroma has sweet juicy raspberries all the way through. flavour is somewhat tart with lots of the aforementioned raspberry coming through. refreshing underlying wheaty characteristics. decent enough.

Bottle (750ml). Shared with R, blankboy, GregClow, DougShoemaker, and mds, courtesy of blankboy. Poured deep clear light pink-orange with a pink-white fizzy head. Aroma of scorched wheat, raspberry juice - this was very tart and dry to my nose. Taste was as promised only with a slightly bitter finish - surprisingly delicate taste. Mouthfeel sticky and fizzy. One-dimensional, but not bad.

Bottle. Cloudy dark reddish brown with a diminutive white head. Smells and tastes like raspberry rhubarb pie.

Hazy copper with a hint of red in color and a small white head.Aroma of raspberry and not much else.Raspeberry flavor with a touch iof tartness,sorta hollowin depth and balance.

I’m always pulling for harpoon as I associate them with the beginning of the beer revolution in Boston. I love their IPA and I’ve had a lot of fun at their parties, but damn they just disappoint sometimes. This is a terrible Framboise. Nice looking in a champagne glass and the rasberry aroma was explosive and sweet. But the beer itself was harsh up front and in the middle. not well integrated with the fruit. The finish was a bit better with rasberry coming through the dying overcarbonation. But slightly metallic. It’s good they made only 100 barrels.

At bootopia. Aroma was raspberry but with a not so good kick. Poured a clouded brown. Flavor was okay, raspberry predominantly. Palate was okay but more reminiscent of a dry table wine. I’ll pass on it again.