It was a wonderful Thursday-surprise to find a care package waiting for me today at mybeerbuzz headquarters. A BIG thank you to Harpoon Brewery for allowing me to have an early sample of their upcoming Take 5 Session IPA.
I brought you a peek at some of the new packaging, and Harpoon tells me Take 5 will be draft-only beginning in mid-May with 12oz bottles and cans to follow in mid-June. Stay tuned for the official announcement on May 5th, but the great news is that Take 5 Session IPA will be part of Harpoon’s year-round lineup. 
This beer was first brewed in early 2014 on Harpoon’s pilot system, and they have been tweaking the recipe with every batch. The version I was lucky enough to sample is the final version and I’m happy to report it’s really good.
Take 5 Session IPA pours a really pretty golden color with just a touch of haze. Take 5 is loaded with Simcoe and Amarillo hops, and you won’t have to wait much beyond the the initial aroma to realize that. This beer uses Vienna, Carapils, Pale and English Amber malts to balance out the hop profile and for my nose the aromas were tangerine and sweet orange with some slightly resinous pine. The taste for me was predominated by tropical and passion fruits with some late citrus and pine, although not as much pine as in the aroma. The beer has a nice mouthfeel that may belie the ABV and it finishes with a slight sweetness and a slightly biscuit flavor. 
Harpoon Brewery Take 5 Session IPA comes in at 4.3%-AbV and I think even without that level of session-ability, this beer is really very drinkable and satisfying. Be sure to try this beer for yourself and let me know what you think. Cheers and thank you again to Harpoon for allowing me an early sample.
This from Harpoon:
There are a lot of things that you have to do every day, so we brewed a beer to help you get to the things you want to do. Please join us in welcoming our newest year-round Harpoon beer –Harpoon Take 5 Session IPA! Vibrant citrus and pine hop aromatics greet a distinct malt profile that sets this Session IPA apart. Clocking in at 4.3% ABV, Take 5 is just the excuse you need to round up your friends and break for some fun.
But don’t just take our word for it. Be the first to try Harpoon Take 5 at our annual summer festival, HarpoonFest!
There are a lot things that we all have to do every day; Harpoon Take 5 Session IPA is brewed to celebrate the times we get to do the things we want to do. The Harpoon Brewery is pleased to introduce the newest member of their year-round lineup, Harpoon Take 5 Session IPA. With a 4.3% ABV and 43 IBUs, Harpoon Take 5 is meant for those spontaneous moments, meeting up with friends and taking a break for fun.
Harpoon Take 5 was first brewed on the Brewery’s 10-barrel system in early 2014. With each pilot batch the recipe was tweaked until the desired balance between hop aroma and malt character was achieved. This final version begins with a vibrant citrus and pine hop aroma from Simcoe and Amarillo hops and follows through with a sturdy malt profile from the combination of Pale, Vienna, Carapils, and English Amber malts.
“We had a lot of points that we wanted to hit with this beer – hop forward but not too bitter, low ABV but with a significant malt body – a truly sessionable beer. That’s an enormously challenging task, but our brewers nailed it,” says Dan Kenary, Harpoon Brewery CEO & Co-Founder. “Take 5 is a great representation of who we are as a brewery – approachable and welcoming, but a lot of fun and loaded with character.”
Beer lovers can get their first taste of Harpoon Take 5 Session IPA on draft at the Brewery’s annual summer festival, HarpoonFest, on May 15th and 16th. It will be available on draft only beginning on May 18th in select accounts throughout Harpoon’s markets. Harpoon Take 5 bottles and cans will be available in mid-June 2015.
Harpoon Take 5 Beer Specs:
- Style: Session IPA
- ABV: 4.3%
- AE: 4.2
- IBU: 43
- EBC: 19
Harpoon Take 5 Brewer’s Notes
- Appearance: Golden/Light Amber with a slight haze
- Aroma: Tropical fruits, orange, and pine
- Mouth feel: More body than is typical with this style, by design
- Taste: Again intense tropical fruit and pine with less overall bitterness than is expected from the aroma
- Finish: Nice malty finish, bready
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