When I lived in Boston a few years back and I was at the bar and couldn't find something new and exciting on tap I'd usually resort to getting Harpoon IPA. Pretty much ever bar in the city had it on tap and it was my back up beer. It was a bit of a surprise when I first heard they'd be putting it in cans but I guess it only makes sense, Harpoon IPA is the company's flagship brew and people love the stuff. Why not make it a little more travel friendly for all those outdoorsy folk here in New England? So here we are!

From the Harpoon site:

"The high hopping of Harpoon IPA is not only noticeable in the nose but especially in the finish. The lingering bitter finish of this beer is not harsh or astringent, but crisp and pronounced. This is created, in part, by dry hopping – a technique that involves adding fresh hops to the conditioning beer to provide a fresh hop aroma."

Here we go...

Pour - big, bold golden color with some auburn shades and a nice inch of fluffy head which leaves some lacing streaking downward.

Aroma - sweetened lemon juice, oranges, some earthiness, freshly cut grass, dried hops and bread dough. 

Taste - definitely earthy, grassy, more subdued potency with the hops but a decent amount of sweet citrus flavor comes through. The caramel maltiness provides a very strong back to this, almost encroaching on the hops and taking the leading role. As far as flavor goes, this is a very clean tasting IPA without too much of a bite but just enough hop presence to remind you of what you're drinking.

Overall - Harpoon's IPA will remind the staunchest hopheads more of an English-style IPA than a bold, piney, grapefruit-ey American one. Regardless of that, this is a very solid and very easily enjoyed brew that will make hands leaving the icy depths of a cooler very happy. 

Would I buy more of it? - I am actually going to be picking up a couple 12-packs tomorrow to bring on a camping trip this weekend. Its affordable and will please the whole crew of people that are going. I might also pick up some of their Summer Beer as well.

Note - Harpoon IPA, the Brewery's most popular beer, started out as a summer seasonal beer in 1993. Customers quickly demanded that the beer become available at all times. In 1994, Harpoon IPA became a year-round beer.