It was a celebratory ride and a historic one, commencing at Harpoon’s brewery, then proceeding to four bars that had been important to Harpoon over the years. You can love it (as Kenary surely does), but let’s not put it up so high on a pedestal that we forget what it’s all about.Īlong with Dan, we were joined by a number of long-time Harpooners and beer journalists on our journey through Boston. He clearly feels strongly that at the end of the day beer is to be enjoyed and shared amongst friends. And that’s more than you can say about many of the breweries that are out there now, especially the ones that have made it this long.ĭan Kenary reiterated the importance of this sentiment many times on our epic six-hour trolley ride around Boston. But, I think the point here is that through all of the added layers, through the rise of Harpoon IPA, the dozens of 100 Barrel Series releases and unfiltered fruit beers, Harpoon has been able to hold onto the fun, the enjoyment, and the independent mindset that got them into this in the beginning. Hell, they have a beer out this summer called Wannamango that is brewed with, yes, mango. And that will always be a part of who we are.Īdmittedly, when I first took a sip of the newly re-released Ale on a 30th anniversary trolley tour around Boston last week with Harpoon co-founder Dan Kenary (more on this later), I couldn’t help but to feel a little nostalgic.Īnd I’m not saying that Harpoon hasn’t partaken in the innovation-focused culture or the one-upmanship culture of craft beer in the last 30 years. It’s Harpoon saying, hey, we remember why we got into this thing in the first place: the quest for a good, locally-made ale that lubricates a social conversation and makes you smile. The re-release of Harpoon Ale is more than just a cool throwback. It was about making a good beer, and relishing the fact that there were now options in a bar that weren’t yellow-tinted beer water, and being proud that, finally, Americans had proven that they too could make good beer like the Europeans. When the word “ale” meant something and words like imperial and barrel-aged and enjoy-by were just figments of some home-brewers imagination. You’ve got to admit, sometimes it’s nice to peel back the layers and recall a time when craft beer wasn’t so complicated. It’s a really cool throwback and, frankly, the perfect beer to highlight Harpoon’s three decades of “loving beer, loving life.” White with the classic red logo that originally adorned the bottles back in the day. It just hit the market, and will be available for a limited time this summer. This year is Harpoon Brewery’s 30th Anniversary, and to celebrate the occasion they re-released their very first beer ever: Harpoon Ale. I know for me, up until this past week, it had been a long, long time. When was the last time you went into a bar and ordered an ale? Not a Pale Ale or an India Pale Ale or a Double Dry-Hopped Imperial India Pale Ale, or any number of other ales with other words before the word “ale.” Just an ale.
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