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Brew Ha Ha: making a fuss about beer

Perhaps I’m being picky

by Chris on August 22nd, 2007

When I went to a friend’s house the other evening I was - not surprisingly -offered a beer. And this was the beer I was offered:

Harpoon Summer Ale

Now, most people with any knowledge of Germany and/or German beers would look at the smaller label (the one around the neck), and expect something along the lines of a wheat beer. The blue and white diamond pattern makes up the bavarian flag, and is one of the most well-recognized signs of Bavaria.

Upon drinking it, however, the taste is anything but a wheat beer, rather, it’s a Kölsch!! Now, Kölsch is a pale lager from Cologne (nowhere near Bavaria), and for anyone with a knowledge of German beers the whole combination is simply jarring. Even more strange, the folks at Harpoon obviously have done a bit of homework, since they are offering this very authentic looking Kölsch glass at their online store:

Kölsch glass

Authentic, that is, until you realize how big the thing is - at 16 ounces it’s much larger than any Kölsch glass should ever be.

I think I just lost a lot of respect for the folks over at Harpoon.

POSTED IN: Brewery, Products

2 opinions for Perhaps I’m being picky

  • thinman
    Aug 24, 2007 at 1:19 pm

    Isn’t harpoon owned by AB or something? They’re beer is pretty mediocre. My buddy just bought me a case of this as return favor, and I’m giving him most of it back. Blah.

  • Chris
    Aug 26, 2007 at 9:43 pm

    I looked into the ownership, and although I can’t be sure it doesn’t look as though they’re owned by AB. Either way, I was not overly impressed with the beer either, although the labelling pretty much did it in.

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