{"source_url": "https://www.forbes.com", "url": "https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradjaphe/2020/12/31/harpoon-brewery-and-whistlepig-rye-a-classic-new-england-collaboration/", "title": "Harpoon Brewery And WhistlePig Rye: A Classic New England Collaboration", "top_image": "https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/600x315/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F5e0bcbce0bf81b00072e43c0%2F960x0.jpg", "meta_img": "https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/600x315/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F5e0bcbce0bf81b00072e43c0%2F960x0.jpg", "images": ["https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/600x315/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F5e0bcbce0bf81b00072e43c0%2F960x0.jpg", "https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5e0bd51689b08b000678a960/960x0.jpg?fit=scale", "https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5e0bd4e6ab5be6000762b9fc/960x0.jpg?fit=scale", "https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5e0bcbce0bf81b00072e43c0/960x0.jpg?fit=scale", "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8896160e7c428713325d51d8da59a34e?s=400&d=mm&r=g"], "movies": [], "text": "Harpoon's Baltic Porter aged in WhistlePig barrels Harpoon Brewery\n\nFounded along the Boston waterfront in 1986, Harpoon Brewery is among the country\u2019s first craft breweries. It has been heralded as a New England staple practically since inception. Vermont-based WhistlePig launched in 2008 as one of the first purveyors of premium rye. Today it, too, is widely viewed as a classic liquid of the Northeast. So it\u2019s only fitting that these two brands would eventually collaborate. That auspicious moment arrived earlier this month when Harpoon announced the release of its Baltic Porter, aged in select WhistlePig barrels.\n\nThe 9.5% ABV beer contains hints of molasses and stone fruit, finishing with notes of bittersweet cacao. Dark yet still slightly light in body it has a warming effect from the boozy barrel aging that is well-suited to wintertime sipping. The original liquid was brewed in previous years\u2014minus the added aging. But the brewery decided a partnership with the rye would suss out even more magic from the initial fermentation.\n\n\u201cWhen we decided to bring back our Baltic Porter, we wanted to introduce a special edge to make it our best one yet,\u201d says Dan Kenary, CEO and co-founder of Harpoon Brewery. \u201cWe thought, what better way to foster innovation than to partner with our neighbors at WhistlePig, bringing our brewers and their talented distillers together for a meaningful and delicious collaboration.\u201d Harpoon operates a taproom and beer garden in central Vermont, not far from WhistlePig\u2019s farmhouse distillery.\n\n\u201cWe were excited about the opportunity to bring wintery warmth to this popular brew in a way that only our unique rye whiskey barrels can,\u201d says Pete Lynch, Master Blender for WhistlePig. \u201cAnd Harpoon Brewery is well-known across all of New England.\u201d So when the brewery approached him, he didn\u2019t hesitate to pursue the partnership.\n\nBarrel-aged beers are certainly nothing new. In fact, every year Chicago celebrates the broad category with its own Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer. The 17th Annual iteration this past November lined up with the release of Goose Island\u2019s illustrious Bourbon County Stout\u2014commonly cited as the pioneer of whiskey cask finished beer.\n\nFestival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer in Chicago Brad Japhe\n\nTypically brews such as these are stored in barrels sourced from third party brokers. Rarer are the releases where a brewery collaborates in direct partnership with the booze maker. Chicago-based Forbidden Root introduced an intriguing example of such in 2017, with its imperial black ale brewed with the herbs and spices familiar to Fernet-Branca. This bold cult classic never spent time in oak, however. The practice is gaining mainstream traction now, after Jim Beam hooked up with Budweiser on two recent releases: a copper lager aged in casks of the whiskey brand\u2019s white label, and a black lager aged in Jim Beam Black barrels.\n\nAs for Harpoon and WhistlePig, the partnership appears to be a one-off\u2014for now. Their Baltic Porter was released in 12-packs of 22 oz. bottles and is now available on draft at Harpoon Brewery\u2019s Boston and Vermont locations. But if thirsty New Englanders have anything to say about it, you can expect this to be merely the start of a beautiful friendship.", "keywords": [], "meta_keywords": ["whiskey", "barrel aged beer", "barrel aged spirits", "bourbon", "rye", "FOBAB", "Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer", "Budweiser", "porter", "baltic porter", "barrel aged stouts", "BCS", "Bourbon County Stout", "craft beer", "craft spirits", "Vermont", "Harpoon", "WhistlePig"], "tags": [], "authors": ["Brad Japhe", "Brad Japhe Is A Freelance Journalist Specializing In Food", "Beverage", "Travel. He Moonlights As A Beer", "Spirits Consultant", "Hosting Monthly Craft Pairings Education..."], "publish_date": "Thu Dec 31 00:00:00 2020", "summary": "", "article_html": "", "meta_description": "A distinctly New England craft collaboration between two of the region's most popular booze brands.", "meta_lang": "en", "meta_favicon": "", "meta_data": {"viewport": "width=device-width,initial-scale=1,minimum-scale=1,maximum-scale=2,user-scalable=yes", "apple-itunes-app": "app-id=588647136", "fb": {"app_id": 123694841080850}, "og": {"site_name": "Forbes", "title": "Harpoon Brewery And WhistlePig Rye: A Classic New England Collaboration", "image": "https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/600x315/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F5e0bcbce0bf81b00072e43c0%2F960x0.jpg", "updated_time": "2019-12-31T18:18:57-05:00", "url": "https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradjaphe/2020/12/31/harpoon-brewery-and-whistlepig-rye-a-classic-new-england-collaboration/", "description": "A distinctly New England craft collaboration between two of the region's most popular booze brands.", "type": "article"}, "twitter": {"site": "@forbes", "card": "summary_large_image", "title": "Harpoon Brewery And WhistlePig Rye: A Classic New England Collaboration", "description": "A distinctly New England craft collaboration between two of the region's most popular booze brands.", "image": "https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/600x300/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F5e0bcbce0bf81b00072e43c0%2F960x0.jpg", "creator": "@bradjaphe"}, "description": "A distinctly New England craft collaboration between two of the region's most popular booze brands.", "keywords": "whiskey, barrel aged beer, barrel aged spirits, bourbon, rye, FOBAB, Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer, Budweiser, porter, baltic porter, barrel aged stouts, BCS, Bourbon County Stout, craft beer, craft spirits, Vermont, Harpoon, WhistlePig", "author": "Brad Japhe", "news_keywords": "whiskey, barrel aged beer, barrel aged spirits, bourbon, rye, FOBAB, Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer, Budweiser, porter, baltic porter, barrel aged stouts, BCS, Bourbon County Stout, craft beer, craft spirits, Vermont, Harpoon, WhistlePig", "article": {"publisher": "https://www.facebook.com/forbes", "author": "Brad Japhe", "section": "Lifestyle", "section_url": "https://www.forbes.com/dining/", "id": "blogAndPostId/blog/post/5672-5e0bca30065cbb0007c06025", "published": "2019-12-31", "modified": "2019-12-31"}}, "canonical_link": "https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradjaphe/2020/12/31/harpoon-brewery-and-whistlepig-rye-a-classic-new-england-collaboration/"}