Harpoon Camp Wannamango
Camp Wannamango is Harpoon Brewery’s latest seasonal release for the Summer months. The 5% ABV pale ale is brewed with mango puree that adds more than just a hint of the fruit. I don’t mind a little fruit to accentuate the base beer, but when company’s start adding so much that it begins to overwhelm your standard characteristics of the style, well, that just doesn’t make for a good drinking experience. I’m just not a fan of when the fruit adjuncts dominate the beer’s flavor.
And Harpoon’s use of mango within this brew is pretty darn close to that point. It’s not quite there yet, but it’s not far off from being too strong as this beer tastes like fruit juice with a splash of beer added. Obviously, this is a result of my own personal preferences and I’m sure that there are folks out there who are happy with more fruit. I’m just not one of them.
This isn’t a bad beer. In fact, I do like many aspects of it’s peachy depths. I just wish that the mango was toned down a touch and allowed the base beer to show through a bit more.