Thunder Foam Porter! The name itself strikes fear into the hearts of swill drinkers everywhere. Officially, the full name of the beer is Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Session 56: Kettle Cup Thunder Foam. Isn’t that a mouthful? And you haven’t even tried the beer yet. Actually, I almost didn’t either. Harpoon Thunder Foam was released in late 2015, and I never saw it on store shelves, so when I saw it on tap at Stout’s Growlers I grabbed my trusty stainless steel Drin Tank growler and filled it with 64-ounces of this beauty.

Harpoon beers are readily available in Georgia, but I only see the 100 Barrel series intermittently. This one I enjoyed a few nights after bringing it home while enjoying my new garage (still under construction). Said garage will soon house a new full-sized beer fridge (in addition to my current two dorm sized fridges full of beer), hopefully to house future editions of Harpoon 100 Barrel Series beers.

From the label:

Harpoon Distributing Company Drivers Mike Alessandro, Bill Davidson, and Nick Waitt delivered a big win at this year’s Kettle Cup, our annual employee brewing competition. Led by brewer Ken Hermann, they created this robust porter with a roasted aroma and full body. Chocolate notes from cocoa nibs merge with malty caramel notes, while ancho and fresh poblano chili peppers give it some kick. Buckle up!

Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Session 56: Kettle Cup Thunder Foam has an alcohol content of 6.8% by volume with 40 IBUs. I paid $21.00 for a 64-ounce growler at Stouts.

Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Session 56: Kettle Cup Thunder Foam pours a jet black color with a thick creamy tan head and a robust cocoa roasty nose with a hint of spicy peppers. Taking a sip, the beer has rich dark chocolate up front in the smooth silky palate, then green vegetal chili flavors poke through until the roast roars back in the finish. There’s a hint of spicy pepper heat there too, which I suspect is the thunder in this foam. I, of course, would like more heat, but it’s definitely there and makes the beer linger on the tongue after sipping.

Might I add this beer was a pure delight with a rich and gooey dark chocolate brownie loaded with walnuts? It was. If you’re listening, Harpoon,  Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Session 56: Kettle Cup Thunder Foam is a beer I would definitely love to see again.



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