Review Date 11/6/2010
Try?
Re-buy?
So the other day I walk into the local Total Wine in Atlanta and what do I spy? A 22-ounce bottle of Harpoon Hundred Barrel Series Pott's Landbier, release number 32 in this ongoing series of small-batch brews of specialty beer. We don't see these consistently here in Georgia, and the last one I came across was release 22, Firth of Forth Ale, over two years ago.
Obviously, I snapped a bottle up, not only because I like Harpoon beers and have been drinking them since the brewery first opened it's doors, but also because this one was a collaboration brew with Germany's Pott's Brauerei. Collaborative brews are almost always interesting, but I'll let Harpoon elaborate a bit on this one. From their website:
"This beer, the 32nd in the series, has was (sic) inspired by our friend Joerg Pott of Pott's Brauerei in Oelde, Germany. Pott’s master brewer, Peter Wienstroer, collaborated with Harpoon’s Todd Charboneau to brew this beer.
The origins of this beer go back to 2003 when a group of German brewers, including Rainer and Joerg Pott of Pott's Brauerei, took a tour of American breweries that included Harpoon. A few years later in 2007 Joerg joined the Harpoon staff for the summer months to learn more about American craft beer."
Harpoon describes Pott's Landbier as a "country beer". It's a standard lager in the German style, brewed with German hops including the Magnum variety. It clocks in at 30 IBUs and has a pleasing aromatic hop quality.
Harpoon Hundred Barrel Series Pott's Landbier pours to a coppery amber color with a very thick foamy head formation and a spicy herbal hop nose. Taking a sip I get the malt first, a bit biscuity with just a trace of caramel. Some tea-like hops add a light herbal note in the finish, just before an ever-so delicate bitterness balances the malt sweetness.
There's not much else to say about Harpoon's Pott's Landbier. It's a decent quaffing brew, and at just 4.8% alcohol by volume you can indulge in it fairly safely. It reminds me of a slightly watered down version of Samuel Adams Boston Lager, and I could imagine it going well with a plate of bratwursts and knockwursts with spatzel noodles and sauerkraut. I paid just over five bucks for a 22-ounce bomber, not a bad deal at all at today's prices. Worth snapping up if you have the chance, but once it's gone, sadly, it's gone.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
