We Tried The New Harpoon Dunkin' Box O' Beer Flavors. Here's How It Went
Hands down, Dunkin' is the most ingrained coffee brand in the New England region. While Harpoon Brewery may not have as much of a lock on the area as Dunkin' (what does?), its beloved status within the six most-Northeastern states is similarly undeniable. Perhaps it's only fitting, then, that these two legendary, Boston-associated companies have collaborated on a series of beer flavors in recent years, with the fifth edition, the new Harpoon Dunkin' Box O' Beer, released this past weekend.
In previous years, the creative combo has produced some unexpected delights, such as a Blueberry Matcha IPA, and a Boston Kreme Stout, brewed with actual Boston Kreme donuts. For the 2022 edition, three new flavors were introduced — Dunkin' Cold Brew Coffee Porter, Dunkin' Coffee Roll Cream Ale, and Dunkin' Hazelnut Blonde Stout — along with the returning (if slightly revamped) Dunkin' Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale.
We were able to speak with Harpoon senior brewer, Mike Kelly, about this year's collaboration. Noting the brewing process has "always used real Dunkin' coffee and pastries in the creation," Kelly told us the companies "put a new spin on some of the classics" for 2022.
To see how well Harpoon and Dunkin' did this year, we tasted each new flavor. Given the incredible consistency and quality we've always found from Harpoon, we were both up to and thrilled for the task. Without further ado, here's everything you need to know about the new Harpoon Dunkin' Box O' Beer.
What flavors are in the new Harpoon Dunkin' Box O' Beer?
The collaboration between Harpoon and Dunkin' has thrived through the years because, as Kelly told us, each company possesses a kindred "passion for innovation and creativity." Since "exploring new flavors has been the hallmark" of past efforts, the collaborative teams "challenged" themselves to up the ante in 2022. This includes the reintroduced Dunkin' Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale, which used oat milk rather than lactose in the brewing process this year — "to bring the brew even closer to what you might experience" with a latte, according to Kelly.
As for the three new flavors, the Dunkin' Coffee Roll Cream Ale uses both coffee rolls and coffee in the brewing process. Kelly told us the Coffee Roll Cream Ale hoped to replicate the flavor you get "when you dip the baked good into your morning coffee," with the goal of "infusing" that into the beer.
The Dunkin' Cold Brew Coffee Porter is an "adult" spin on the classic Dunkin' regular coffee — i.e. with cream and sugar — incorporating lactose so, as Kelly puts it, you can "enjoy your favorite flavor profile after hours." Finally, the Dunkin' Hazelnut Blonde Stout was what Kelly described as "our team's opportunity to innovate with the beer style." Since the word stout likely leads many to envision a Guinness, the Harpoon brewers looked to create "a lighter version of a traditionally dark brew" with the Hazelnut Blonde.
Where can you find the new Harpoon Dunkin' Box O' Beer and what does it cost?
The new Harpoon Dunkin' Box O' Beer variety pack is available anywhere Harpoon is sold while supplies last. According to Harpoon, the beer's distribution network includes the entire eastern seaboard, some Midwestern states (though, notably, Harpoon does not seem to be sold in Illinois or Michigan), California, and Puerto Rico. The Box O' Beer is sold in 12-packs of cans — which is the only way to purchase the Cold Brew Coffee Porter, Coffee Roll Cream Ale, and Hazelnut Blonde Stout.
The Dunkin' Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale, however, is also sold in six-packs of bottles as an individual item. Additionally, the Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale is also available on tap at the Harpoon Brewery in Boston, Massachusetts (via PR Newswire).
As for the price of this year's Box O' Beer, it largely depends on where you're making your purchase. We obtained a 12-pack from Drum Hill Liquors in Chelmsford, Massachusetts for $17.99. The liquor retailer, Total Wine, currently lists the 12-pack at $16.49 (plus deposit). A six-pack of Dunkin' Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale bottles, meanwhile, costs $8.49 (plus deposit).
What is the nutrition information of these beers?
While some evidence suggests beer is not as bad for you as you might suspect, that doesn't exactly make it a low-calorie, low-carb beverage. Given this, Harpoon and Dunkin prioritized taste above all else with this year's Box O' Beer — appearing more eager to deliver four flavorful beers to enjoy, rather than ones amenable to the health-conscious drinker.
We weren't able to obtain the precise nutritional information for each Harpoon Dunkin' beer, but we can still ascertain some idea of the nutrition for each flavor. After all, since each gram of alcohol contains seven calories (via Vox), the higher the ABV of a beer, the more calories it likely contains. While counting calories isn't the most important factor for a healthy diet by any means, there's still value in checking calorie counts.
In that vein, perhaps the best way to determine the general nutritional information of each beer would be through its ABV. The ABV for each Harpoon Dunkin' beer flavor is as follows: Coffee Roll Cream Ale (4.6%); Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale (5.2%); Cold Brew Coffee Porter (6.0%); and Hazelnut Blonde Stout (6.2%).
How do the new flavors compare to other Harpoon beers?
In regards to the general, year-round Harpoon beers for sale — like its IPA, Rec. League, or Big League beers — the new Box O' Beer flavors were an extremely rare treat. We did notice a similar flavor profile for the Dunkin' Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale and Harpoon's holiday season release, Winter Warmer. But since the seasonal spices found during the fall and winter are often quite similar, it's no surprise that Dunkin' Pumpkin reminded us of our favorite Christmastime brew.
If you're unsure about the genuine uniqueness and individuality of the four Harpoon Dunkin' Box O' Beer flavors, though? Allow us to put those concerns to bed. There may be similarities between Dunkin' Pumpkin and Winter Warmer in our experience, but that doesn't mean the new variety pack isn't worth buying and tasting.
Actually, there is one area we can say the new flavors perfectly equate to other Harpoon beers: the quality. Like everything else we've ever been lucky enough to drink from Harpoon, you can taste the attention to detail and care with every sip.
The verdict: Four worthy additions to the Harpoon Dunkin' canon
We can't say we went into this taste test expecting anything but four delicious and enjoyable beers, and thankfully? That's what we found: four entirely distinct and delectable flavors. The Dunkin' Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale had a prominent-yet-subtle pumpkin flavor, which makes sense given actual pumpkin puree was used in the brewing process. The pumpkin flavor wasn't overwhelming, though, which we enjoyed immensely — even if it may be underwhelming to any self-proclaimed pumpkin beer lovers.
Similarly, the Coffee Roll Cream Ale had a noticeable hint of cinnamon in its fragrance and flavor. In fact, the cinnamon taste gave the Coffee Roll Cream Ale a slightly cider-like feel, which, needless to say, makes it a solid choice for those preferring something lighter. The Hazelnut Blonde Stout was nutty and sweet — and unlike any stout we've ever tasted. It may be a tad cloying to some, we suspect, though if you like your coffee sweet, you'll likely enjoy this beer.
Last, but certainly not least, the Cold Brew Coffee Porter was our favorite of the four. It didn't even taste like beer thanks to the lactose, instead reminding us of a Starbucks Espresso Double Shot can. Now, we know it's sacrilegious to compare anything Dunkin' to Starbucks, but we assure you the comparable taste is glorious. Frankly, we've never been huge dark beer fans — but the Cold Brew Coffee Porter may make us reconsider.