Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #17 - English Style Old Ale

22oz. bomber: This one poured a slightly hazy amber color. there was a good sized creamy head that dropped off rather quickly and left no lacing. Aroma has spices, raisins, caramel malt, and assorted other dark fruits hiding down there. The taste is quite good. There is a fair caramel sweetness up front, with a fair amount of hops balancing them out. Some fruits and bitterness in the finish. Just a touch of alcohol to the finish also. Nice.

found this sitting around Tully’s a few months ago The 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass produced a finger worth of off white head that faded to a thick lace. the body of the brew was an clear reddish brown The aroma of this brew has some dark fruits raisin in it as well as a nice sweetness from the malts. Wow this one is a malt bomb now flavor wise making a nice sipper with enough of an alcohol bite to keep it interesting A good Old Ale glad I am came across it. If I found one more I buy it

12oz brown pry-top bottle from the "Encore Series." Best before date 3/24/08. I found this bottle shortly after starting at Beverage Warehouse in 3/2008 and put it aside in a cool place. Appearance: Very little bone-white head, leaving spotting on the glass. Brownish amber, not quite clear. No visible sediment though. Nose: Rich and caramel-like, raisins, dates, dried leaves, dusty buttermilk biscuits. Smells incredibly sweet. Palate: Medium-light bodied with a little acidity up front. Not nearly as sweet as it smells. There’s an edge to it, holding back the sugar. Light flavors of malt, white cake, something like the dusty top of a buttermilk biscuit. Feels a little hot on the finish. Notes: Not sure how this beer was when it was fresh, but I don’t really think it’s holding up that well. The body is too light to hold the alcohol and the aromas all the way through. The smell is great, but the palate doesn’t deliver all that’s promised by nosing.

12 ounce bottle warm in pint glass. Reddish amber with lasting head and lace. Fruity malty yeasty aroma. Fruity brown sugar flavor with mild hop underlying bitterness. Medium-full body and medium carbo. Nicely balanced, neither leaning too much to barleywine or American Strong Ale. Good.

Bottle. Pours more or less red with little head. Flavor is quite fruity sweet, a little one-sided right in the front palate. There is ripe apricot and peach, bubblegum, hard candy and grape. Finishes a touch spicy, but with that same candy-like fruitiness. Certainly an interesting attempt, but does it need to be so sweet?

Bottle at Brickseller, Washington
Amber color. It has a some malt and caramel aroma and stronger flavor; correct (to strong) bitterness. As usual, beers from Harpoon are not exciting.

Bouteille de 12 oz achetée chez Beverage Warehouse (Winooski, VT). Arôme: Odeur de malt caramélisé avec une pointe d’houblon. Apparence: La couleur est brune avec une très faible densité de bulle. Présence d’une mince dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût ce caramel fruité avec une pointe de thé. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement vineuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Légère présence d’alcool en arrière goût. (Rating #1756)

Pours dark amber with an offwhite head and lacing. Aroma of sweet malt, fruit, hops, and some spice. Taste is sweet caramel with fruit and mild hops. Finish is sweet and a little bitter. Mouth is a little light.