Harpoon Brewing Company - Flannel Friday

Amber ales make an excellent easy-drinking and food-friendly brew for almost any time of the year, so Harpoon was kind enough to brew us a batch of Flannel Friday for us this month despite it normally being a fall seasonal release. It's a relatively new addition to their portfolio, and we're happy to have a chance to share it with our members. Pouring a deep amber with reddish highlights and a persistent head of foam, Flannel Friday presents a prominent malty impression in the aroma, with touches of caramel and light toast. Overlaying the malt, we picked up bright, hoppy notes of citrus, soft floral elements, and a wisp of pine. In the flavor, this brew is quite malty at its core, with toasty, bready notes wrapped up in a touch of residual sweetness. Hop bitterness comes through at a moderate level, but it's easily enough to balance while also delivering those bright, citric, hoppy aroma notes in the flavor, too. Well-balanced and medium-bodied, Flannel Friday finishes with a lingering note of toasty grain and a bit of hoppy acidity. For food pairings, this is a versatile brew; grilled meats and burgers, aged cheeses, roasted fowl with wild rice, and BBQ chicken pizza spring to mind. Cheers!

Harpoon Brewing Company was founded in 1986, quite early in the US microbrew renaissance. Before starting the brewery, the founding team of Dan Kenary and Rich Doyle traveled throughout Europe in search of various beer and brewery styles upon which they would model their own ("product research" we think they called it). Upon returning, they partnered with George Ligeti and hired brewer Russ Heissner, and by 1987 their first beer was sold as the brewery debuted on the Boston waterfront.

Harpoon has always been focused on positively impacting their local community. This is an important component of the brewery and pub lifestyle that the founders witnessed while experiencing European traditions abroad. As they say on their website, "We learned to appreciate how much local brewers meant to their communities. They were not just manufacturers of a product; they were part of the social fabric. We asked each other, 'Why not do that in New England?'" The result of this initial desire has won them overwhelming approval from the locals and beyond. In fact, in 2000 they purchased a second brewery in Windsor, Vermont, to keep up with demand. In 2014, Harpoon became an employee-owned company with the introduction of an employee stock ownership plan. Way to go, guys! For more information about the brewery or scheduled tours, call 617-456-2322, or visit their website at www.harpoonbrewery.com.