Over time, people's palates and tastes changed.' 'There were a lot of folks who had that reaction, and a few months later, it was their favorite beer,' said Kenary. Kenary said he remembers getting letters from people who tried the IPA and didn't like it - at first. In New England, if you wanted an IPA, it was just assumed you meant a Harpoon IPA.' It really sold well and it really took off. 'We had people pushing us to make it year-round right away. 'It was very well received and it created a real buzz,' he said. The IPA was popular almost instantaneously, Kenary said. While the IBUs (International bitterness units) are high, it's balanced, so you get the malt side to balance it out.' 'We were the leaders of that,' said Doyle. He said they wanted to make an IPA with American hops and Harpoon's house yeast to give it a more fruity flavor and aroma. 'We conceptualized it, but Tod really deserves all the credit for creating the beer,' Doyle said.ĭoyle said the only IPAs around at the time were more English-style IPAs, which he wasn't a big fan of. Kenary said the brewery wanted a summer seasonal, and that's when Doyle and then-head brewer Tod Mott (also formerly of the Portsmouth Brewery) settled on an IPA. They also had two seasonals, Winter Warmer and Octoberfest. Harpoon began brewing beer in 1986, and by 1993 they were brewing two year-round beers - the Harpoon Ale, and Golden Lager which they no longer make. 'We're very happy celebrating 20 years with this great beer.' 'It's a great beer,' said fellow co-founder Rich Doyle. 'I drink lots of beer, but I always go back to the Harpoon IPA.' 'Harpoon IPA defines beer for me,' said Harpoon co-founder Dan Kenary. When Harpoon introduced the IPA (short for India pale ale) in 1993 it was a revolutionary beer, the first IPA on the East Coast and one of the earliest IPAs brewed during the early days of the craft beer movement. It's is a New England classic - an easy drinking, not-too-bitter IPA that still represents more than 50 percent of all the beer sold by the brewery. The Harpoon Brewery is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its most popular beer - the Harpoon IPA.īoston-based Harpoon produces several beers, but their most popular is the brewery's IPA.

Harpoon ipa abv