Where in Town: RFD, 810 7th St. NW
Price: $6.50/14 oz.
Mass Appeal
Founded in 1986 by a group of friends who were beer geeks long before it was considered hipster chic, the Harpoon Brewery was one of the first to open in Massachusetts in nearly a quarter century. (They even have state permit #001 to prove it.) Since then, Massachusetts has become home to more than 100 craft breweries, and Harpoon, which as of last year is employee-owned, has expanded to become the 15th-largest craft brewery in the country. Harpoon is known for perennial favorites, like their award-winning IPA and UFO White, as well as more exotic creations and limited releases. To these offerings, we must now add Take 5 Session IPA.
High Five
True to its name, Take 5 will make you want to do just that—set aside your work and your worries and take a sip (or five). Brewed with Simcoe, Amarillo, and Citra hops, this golden amber libation carries strong aromas of pine and citrus rind. Take 5’s initial bready flavor, from a blend of four malts, turns sharply bitter and is followed by a bone-dry finish. Despite all that, the brew is delightfully smooth and refreshing with a decent amount of body for such a meager beer. Released last month in the Northeast, Take 5 arrived on taps in D.C. this week and will soon be available in bottles and cans as well. And sure, IPAs are ubiquitous, but at just 4.3 percent alcohol, here’s a particularly good one that you can drink all the lazy summer day long.
Photo by Tammy Tuck