Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter is Worth the Trip

Collaboration beers are nothing new. Breweries have been combining talents to create unique and memorable beer for many years running and the trend carries on throughout the craft beer industry, right up to the present day. Collaborations keep broadening, too, with non- breweries seeking a piece of the action. One of the latest partnerships is one that grabbed many headlines as of late and today, this shared effort has made its way into my home for official review. The beer is Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter, a collaboration effort between Boston’s Harpoon Brewery and restaurant chain Dunkin’ Donuts.

Java Influence

Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter pours to a dark brown hue with a nose that emits roast and a touch of smoke. The body of the beer is dark enough to prevent any light penetration and the foam, while subtle, is substantial enough to leave lace on your glass as you drink.

Tasting this beer reveals flavors of coffee, roasted malt, and dark bittersweet chocolate with pine- like hops in the background. The coffee character is obvious and it imparts the flavor of a fine Italian roast. The body of the beer is medium to light, with a creamy mouthfeel. The beer is smooth overall and very easy to drink.

Harpoon brewed this beer for the craft beer masses. It isn’t too weak or too strong, weighing in at 6 percent alcohol by volume and only 28 IBU of bitterness.

Newfound Emphasis

Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter is a highly anticipated beer brewed by one of the foremost names in craft beer in partnership with one of the most popular American restaurants for donuts and coffee. I heard about this beer a few weeks back and made it a point to get my hands on some bottles, just to see if the partnership was one for the ages, or one for that dustbin of overhyped beverage experiments that claimed the lives of Lemon Diet Coke, Seven- Up Gold, Bud Dry, and countless others.

Many have likely already heard about Dunkin’ Donuts decision to drop the “donuts” from the company name. The restaurant chain that liked to claim it was ‘worth the trip’ for donuts is now apparently worth visiting for a different reason: Its new emphasis on beverages. Given the new direction for Dunkin’, it really isn’t too shocking that the restaurant chain would decide to collaborate with another beverage company. I’m not sure many people would have predicted collaboration with a brewery, but when you think about the growing popularity of coffee flavored craft beers and Dunkin’ Donuts reputation for coffee, the partnership seems like a logical business move.

Business motives aside, what mattered to me and other craft beer freaks is the flavor and I couldn’t wait to pop open a bottle and discover what these two icons of their respective industries were able to concoct. And what I found is that Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter is a respectable effort. It’s certainly got the coffee and roasted malt going on, but it’s not an extreme or full- bodied beer. This could be a letdown for those looking for a thick, chewy, dark brew but it will suit the palates of most others perfectly fine. I like that it is less intense and I like the easy- drinking nature. I downed my first bottle in a matter of minutes due in large part to the beer’s smoothness and approachable nature.

Dunkin’ Donuts will soon be known simply as Dunkin’ and with the shift to an emphasis on beverages rather than caloric and generally nutrition- free cakes with a hole in the middle, the move to beer makes perfect sense. I don’t know if Dunkin’ Donuts and Harpoon Brewery will continue the relationship with additional collaboration beers, but the two companies have created something worthwhile with Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter. It’s a good choice for coffee lovers and a beer worthy of a portion of your craft beer budget.

Rating: 8 cheers out of 10