Harpoon brings Christmas early

Beer Fever with Weaver: For beer, looks aren't everything

St. Pauli Girl Lager?$8.25 for a six-pack at Uncle Tom's Market. Recently, while doing research for my honors thesis on the early stages of advanced senioritis, I was perusing my latest edition of "You're a Stud!" magazine when a familiar and enticing advertisement caught my eye. The page was completely black but for a gorgeous woman, whose body and tight dress are comprised of golden, bubbly beer, and her hair of dripping and full-bodied foam. She is standing in a sassy "oh-no-you-didn't" pose: hands on hips, thigh bent, head cocked. The slogan, leading right into the neck of a bottle of St. Pauli Girl Lager, seemingly takes the words right out of her (and my) mouth: "You never forget your first girl." It is with this image in mind that I made my most recent trip to Uncle Tom's Market.

Beer Fever with Weaver: Holidays with Gritty McDuff

Gritty's Christmas Ale?$8.35 for a six-pack at Hannaford When I was little, I couldn't figure out what all the Thanksgiving fuss was about. I just couldn't discern what was so fantastic about getting all excited and waiting all day for a bunch of food that was prepared by people other than my own mother. I mean, what do I care if Aunt What's-Her-Face has brought her famous asparagus custard? Part of it, I think, was because my mother's food is just too damn good to care what someone else has to offer.

Beer Fever with Weaver

This piece represents the opinion of the author:

Alex Weaver

Columnist

November 10, 2006

Harpoon Winter Warmer?$8.25 for a six-pack at Uncle Tom's Market

Picture this: It is a Friday night in mid-November. You are sitting in your room, doodling on the margins of your problem set. The sky is overcast and spitting something that looks white but soaks you through like rain. Inside, you're huddled up on the couch, blanket wrapped around your feet, heater clunking and emitting random puffs of lukewarm air. The power goes out, the TV blinks off, and any chance you had at comfort flies out the window to join the icy winter air. Fed up, you throw on your mittens and grab a beer (can't let those get warm). Popping the cap floods your nostrils with sweet cinnamon and mild nutmeg. You smile and envision Christmas Eve dinner and your brand new pony. One taste and you're up on the coffee table, jumping around to the Mariah Carey in your head and screaming "Dance Party!"

Sound familiar? Well, it should. The scene here, of course, is Bowdoin College anytime from early October to summer break. The main character is either Ted last weekend or anyone else who thinks this sounds like fun. What about the beverage? No, it's not your favorite blend of Goldschlager and eggnog. The beer starring in this scenario and this week's review is Harpoon Winter Warmer. This stuff doesn't just warm the insides when the power lines fall; it delights the taste buds on the way down too.

I sat down this week with the unshakable goal of making Harpoon earn every positive word out of my mouth. The problem is, Winter Warmer is so damn good that the six-pack was gone by the time I was ready to review it and I was moving on to the Bud.

Now, I'm a big fan of seasonal beers. They're like limited-edition presents for my taste buds. As I write this week's review in my favorite armchair on the porch of my apartment, I can assure everyone that winter is indeed here (my reviews now take me all day, because it hurts less to type with two fingers). So, Winter Warmer is the perfect beer to get before the upcoming holiday season.

Harpoon Winter Warmer is one of the best combinations of great aroma and taste that I have ever experienced in a beer. It pours a nice clean amber with a light straw head that dissipates quickly and leaves a thin lace throughout. Its aroma, as I mentioned, smells strongly of cinnamon with a touch of nutmeg that infuses itself nicely into the taste without being overwhelming. Winter Warmer is sweet and crisp on the palate, boasting an almost creamy texture with moderate carbonation. It hits the tongue like a cinnamon stick and bubbles down the throat with a nice nutmeg and bready taste. It finishes slightly malty and full-bodied, settling satisfyingly well and leaving you craving the next taste.

Harpoon Winter Warmer is an all-around great winter beer from a great New England brewery. As the holidays come closer and huge festive meals allow you to push your pending finals aside like Aunt Edna's beets, don't forget that there is a beer out there that is as spectacular and enjoyable as the season it represents. So whether you're enjoying your turkey, studying for that exam, or challenging your weird uncle to a chugging contest, just remember that Winter Warmer is a seasonal beer for all occasions and all types of beer drinkers. Why, just a minute ago as I was returning from grabbing myself another before heading off to the library, I noticed a chubby little squirrel waist deep in my empty glass. Now what does that tell you? Even Mother Nature wants a sip.

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