![]() ![]() So, a couple seconds of flame kills anything bad on the spigot, and then the pitchers started a-filling. Otherwise, bacteria on the tap could find its way into the tank and potentially ruin about 4,000 gallons of beer. We were given a taste of the IPA fresh from the tank, though the tap had to be sterilized with a butane torch first. After the fermentation, the beer is conditioned, filtered, carbonated and bottled. Conditioning at Harpoon only creates about 30% of the carbonation needed, and forced carbonation is added later. The beer sits in there for a couple of weeks, as the yeast creates alcohol and carbonation in the beer. This brings you in between the big fermentation tanks, where the beer sits and gets all alcoholly. This allows for a much quicker boil, which means a faster rotation of batches through the tun. Harpoon uses pressurized brew tuns, indicated by the red band on the column, and the extra bolts holding the contraption together. Because of this, the mash may reach levels of 5%-9% abv before getting gobbled up, making some very happy beasties. A Harpoon Fun Fact: because the mash contains wild yeast, it continues to ferment before it reaches the moo cows, piggly-wigglies, and whatever other miscellaneous Green Acres type critters it’s destined for. ![]() ![]() ![]() Like most other breweries, Harpoon sells its spent mash grain as livestock feed. Not a bad place to hide out when the Jerries are dropping Hun high-fives on your noggin. I’m sure it had something to do with the war effort back in the ’40s, as the whole area was previously part of a series of military buildings. Items of note about Harpoon: they are located in an old Navy building, which had gigantic wooden beams and was some sort of “battleship hangar.” That’s what we were told. Pretty sure you should be familiar with one of the most popular products if you’re going to be giving the tours. Even Lady Friend caught the faux pas, and we both rolled our eyes. Pretty simple question that she should have been able to answer. Earlier, in the bar area, Lady Friend and I had overheard a woman ask one of the female staff what the Oktoberfest beer was, and the girl stammered, stuttered, and passed the question off to another tour guide. Standard speech, though our tour guide, Joe, had it down cold. Then the info: beer is made from hops, barley, blah blah blah. Ours was the UFO Hefeweizen, an unfiltered wheat beer (UFO stands for Un Filtered Offering, and is one of their product lines). Into the brewery! They hand you a tasting glass and pour your first beer once you enter the brewing floor. That light pouring through the windows is actually from Heaven. Then it was zero hour through the doors, no looking back. We milled around the retail/ bar area while a previous group did their tasting. That’s about the cheapest you’ll find Harpoon for, and it’s worth it. 22oz bombers of the flagship brew, Harpoon IPA, will only set you back $3, and six packs are $8. Lots of tshirts, sweatshirts, glassware and, of course, beer begging you to adopt it like a sad little puppy at the animal shelter. Harpoon also goes a little nutty with merchandise, just not to the extent of Magic Hat. $5 later, you’re headed up the stairs to the retail area. You go around the right side of the building following the tour/ brewery store signs. When we finished, the 1:30 tour only had about seven or eight people lined up. We got there at noon for the 12:30 slot, and had about 25 other people in our group. Get there earlier rather than later, as tours tend to sell out. It’s $5 for an hour tour, including a 20 minute or so tasting session, tasting glass and handy little pamphlet explaining the myriad of tasty drinky drinks. They do tours and tastings every Saturday 10:30a-5p, and Sunday 11:30a-3p. Jeezum Crow! (Thanks for getting that one stuck in my head, LB). She even parks across the street from the brewery and works about a block away. Lady Friend, despite living in MA for a number of years, had not. Like any true Bostonian/ Massachusettserite/ New Englander, I’ve been to Harpoon for the tours and tastings several times. ![]()
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