Harpoon I.P.A

Originally brewed in Boston, Harpoon's founders opened up a second brewery in Windsor, Vermont in 2000. What started out as a summer seasonal is now the Brewery's year-round bestseller, the India Pale Ale. This filtered Ale is dry-hopped with a generous amount of Cascade hops. Harpoon variety packs come with six different bottles instead of the usual four, which makes for a great get together. (American-style I.P.A.)

Alcohol Content: 5.9%
International Bitterness Units (IBU): 42
Malts: 2-Row Pale, ?, ?
Hops: Cascade, ?

Medium: 12oz bottle poured into a 16oz mug
Price: $13.50 for a 12-pack Harpoon sampler

Aroma: The pour opens up a very citrusy and overall pungent floral aroma with some hints of pine. After a few seconds the nose turns into fruity esters possibly due to the unique yeast strain. Later appearing is also a slightly sweet malt character that is unclear at the moment.
Appearance: Crystal clear, filtered golden copper in appearance with a thin white-head and moderate visible carbonation. Although I poured it for a small head, it held the thin white film during the entire session.
Flavor: At first a surprisingly mild, toasty character with some sweet malt presence - the nose becomes more clear with the first sip identifying malts responsible for the toasty aroma/ flavor. A floral, piney bitterness hits the pallet about mid taste followed by a sour/ tart finish. Although the finish is predominantly bitter, the sweet toasty malt quality is never completely masked. Hop finish is distinctly crisp and refreshing (citrus & floral) with only minimal drying.
Mouthfeel: Absolutely no astringency/ harshness in the bittering qualities makes for a great experience. Moderate carbonation and medium to light body. Very smooth and no strong alcohol flavors.
Overall Impression: Overall fantastic although I would either like to see the toasty character toned down a bit or the hop profile toned up to match with American I.P.A.'s (or both). A pleasant, drinkable beer and could easily be purchased by itself.