Harpoon Celtic Ale

Brewed by Harpoon Brewery
Style: Irish Ale
Boston, Massachusetts USA

Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint. Reddish-brown, thin head with minimal lacing. Aroma of caramel, sweet toasted malts, butter. Semi-sweet toasted malts, caramel, minor hop taste, semi-dry finish. There is also somewhat of a cough syrup taste that is especially apparent in the aftertaste - this really hurt the score. Medium carbonation and medium body, but feels a little watery. Easy drinking but the aftertaste is a problem. I ended up bumping the drinkability up because I finished the beer with dinner, and the food stopped the aftertaste. I will drink the next one with a meal.

Coppery amber pour form 12 oz bottle. Aroma is sweet malt and caramel. flaver is sweet malty with a nice hoppy finish that is almost overwhelmed by the very sweet flavor. there is some flavor that all Harpoon brews share that I really like that gives this an extra point - maybe their yeast? But it is tasty. Palate is OK but somewhat thin. I’m less and less a fan of sweet brews but this is quite fine.

Orange-red body, lasting off white foam. Aroma is malty, sweet apples, caramel, toasted malt. Taste is thin but the same sweet malt, grassy finish.

Poured into a pint glass from the tap. The color is a amber/red color, with a foamy white head. The smell is malty, with a little bready yeast smell. The taste is malty, with some fruity flavors mixed with some hop bitterness. This a real good irish red. A seasonal beer that is well bodied and has a nice even feel to it.

Has a very clear red-ruby pour with brownish gold at the edges, produced an off-white to tan colored bubbled head that deflates to a sparse cover and ring, aromas of caramel and toasted malt with some sweetness, flavors are the same as the aromas, starts with a touch of malt sweetness and the finish is sort of dry with a touch of malt flavor trailing and some bitterness on the palate, mouth feel is a little less than medium, this is an ok beer.

Bottle, a bit past "best by" date. Pours clear copper/amber with gauzy thin beige head. Smells malty, and a bit more complex than I thought. Some butterscotch and vanilla mixed in with the caramel. Grain and biscuit. Slight hop presence. Tastes a bit more simple, with caramel sweetness and a thin palate as well as finish. Not terrible, though.

July 17-19, 2008: Harpoon Hibernian Red Ale has a clean amber red color with a large, dense, beige head that is lating. There is a fruity and sweet malty aroma accompanied by hints of butterscotch, vanilla, tropical fruits, and BANANA in the flavor. It has a medium-light to medium body and is creamy and easy to drink.

Draught sample in Athens, Ohio during Ohio Brew Week 2008. Rating # for this beer.

(Sample Date: 3/27/2009 Source:Other) Caramel with moderate fruitiness in aroma with touch of roast. Clear dark amber golden with small white head. Light earthy floral hop flavor backed by caramelized malt sugars. Finish is quite dry and moderately bitter with high carbonation.