Harpoon Brewery – Camp Wannamango – A First Sampling

I always enjoy receiving pre-release/pilot batch samples, and one of my favorite breweries to receive them from is Harpoon Brewery.  I also happen to love hoppy fruit-infused pale ales, so today’s delivery was perfect.   Based on our current weather, we can sure use a small slice of summer, so receiving this beer today is making me feel warmer already. 

We brought you a peek at this beer, back in Dec, and I knew when I saw the description that it was right up my pale-ale-alley.

Harpoon Camp Wannamango is a pale ale brewed with mango and based on my first few sips, I’ve already declared it a perfect beach-beer for our summer vacation….but lets sample more.

The beer pours a dark golden color and it is bright and clear with a nice white head.  The arioma hits me with tropical fruits, mango and a light hop bitterness….but the real payoff is in the flavor.  Camp Wannamango is loaded with mango flavor, a nice hoppy bite and a soft well-balanced malt presence.  It’s clean, bright and crisp and it even finishes with mango flavor.  At 5%-AbV I suspect this beer will be infinitely drinkable and very sessionable for summer…and based on the hop presence, I was surprised at the IBU of only 22.

Harpoon Camp Wannamango will be distributed in 12oz cans, bottles and on draft beginning in March and I already can’t wait to try a second bottle.  I’ll follow up with more details and a press release, but when you do get to taste this beer (and you definitely should), be sure to let us know what YOU think.