Perhaps That St. Patrick Was On To Something...
Brewery and Country of Origin: Harpoon Brewery of 306 Northern Ave # 2, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
Date Reviewed: 3-14-12
Though it isn't clear whether the Irish Red Ale deserves to be considered a style independent of English or Traditional Red Ales, we do enjoy what some revolutionists call Irish Reds. These are typically darker and richer in color and aroma, and these beers are also a tad maltier than what the Brits call proper as well. Boston Brewery Harpoon aims to bring out the Irish side of things in the Seaport with their Celtic Ale, an unintentional homage to the Irish heritage in the city of Boston. This is a beer offered from January to the end of March, building up to the season's pinnacle Lá Fhéile Pádraig (St. Patrick's Day). The Festival of Patrick is a religious (Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran) celebration which became associated with an annual feast commemorating the life and acts of St. Patrick, who was not only a patron saint who played a major role in bringing Christianity back to Ireland - it is a commonly held belief that he drove away the frogs and snakes plaguing the island nation... whether this is true or not is up for Wikipedia to decide. Anyway, early celebrations involved much of the traditions that take place today - aside from heavy drinking. Special Mass was held, traditional Irish food was consumed, and there was plenty of dancing and whatnot. Sure, the Irish love to drink, but it wasn't until the 1990s when the Irish government decided to add a second meaning to the 17th of March (Besides religous reasons, of course). A government run "organiSation" called St. Patrick's Festival was founded to repurpose the day as a celebration of not only St. Patrick, but also The Culture of Ireland. People always drank on the 17th of March, but it wasn't until this decision was made that heavy drinking was associated with St. Patrick's Day. Harpoon's Celtic Irish Red is a celebration of the celebration. And while Guinness amicably reminds us that "Everyone's Irish on St. Patty's Day," lest we forget that there are plenty of other ways to make fellow pub crawlers better looking (or more approachable) than Whiskey, Stouts, or distastefully named bomb shot cocktails.
Date Sampled: 3-03-12 At: Harpoon Celtic Ale Beer Festival, Harpoon Brewery, Seaport, Boston, MA, USA
Beer Style: Irish Red Ale
Alcohol by Volume: 5.40%
Serving Type: American Pint, Brewery Keg, Tumbler Glass
Rating: 3.54