#249: Jack's Abby Brewing » Session Rye IPL

Jack's Abby Brewing » Session Rye IPL | ABV: 3.8% | IBUs: 40 | Rating: 8.6%

My partner and I kicked off last Friday's at-home tasting with this new brew from Jack's Abby. Everything Jack's has been solid or impressive, so I was intrigued at the prospect of a quality, very low ABV beer from these MA lager innovators.

This Session Rye is a hazy, translucent amber with plenty of foamy, fluffy white head. The nose puffs up a soft plume of spicy citrus aromas. From first sip, it's a clean, refreshing, drinkable ride, but with ample character.

Having Centennial, Chinook, Columbus and Crystal hops at the very end of the boil, provides a distinctive, but subtle hop bitterness that never gets too biting. Rye heat and floral notes compliment nicely.

Overall, an excellent alternative to the session-IPA craze with a bit more character and subtle quality than most, though not the most hop-forward, if that's what you're seeking. Great body for such a low ABV. I'd encourage this to find its way to 6-packs.

Coming Soon...

#230: Jack's Abby Brewing » Barrel-Aged Framinghammer (Baltic Porter)

Jack's Abby Brewing » Barrel-Aged Framinghammer (Baltic Porter)
ABV: 10% | IBUs: 55 | Rating: 9.2/10

After a busy day of the day-job and an evening of recording, it was time for a movie night in with my partner. At the moment, we were seemingly on the tail end of this summer congestion, so it was also time to break into a few items from the 'save me' fridge, including this gem from the Massachusetts lager crew, Jack's Abby.

This Bourbon-Barrel aged version of Framinghammer pours up jet black with a silky mocha head. Lush aromas of chocolate, cocoa nibs, vanilla and bourbon calm and entice.

It's incredibly silky, with a plethora of creamy dark chocolate notes wrapped in soft bourbon flavors. Satisfyingly smooth esters follow with notes of oat, faint brown sugar, and vanilla with a lingering sting of booze and soft hop bitterness.

Overall, a wonderful take on the Baltic Porter tradition - silky, chocolaty, and easily drinkable with a well-hidden ABV.

#208: Jack's Abby Brewing / Evil Twin » Jack's Evil Brew (Schwarzbier)

Black

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA) / Evil Twin (Denmark)
The Brew: Jack's Evil Brew (Schwarzbier)
Availability: Bottles/Draft (Limited - Brewed Once)
ABV: 5.20%
Rating: 8.9/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

If you've been following the blog at all, you'll know Jack's Abby is one of my latest go-to breweries for smashing innovation and tradition, without loosing general drinkability and enjoyment. Partner that up with one of my favorite European and nomatic brewers (Evil Twin) and I'm going to buy your beer immediately. I'm also a sucker for a good schwarzbier.

As per it's type, Jack's Evil Brew serves up jet black, with a thick finger of ivory head. A surprisingly herbal nose of cut grass starts things off, augmented with sweet, woody, earthy and nutty notes. Intriguing...

As hoped, it's packed with flavor - nutty, roasted notes meld with mild cocoa for a malt-forward experience and a prickly, dry finish. Subtle, but present earthiness, a touch of hops, caramel, chocolate, and even herbal, tea-like notes all peak though.

Overall, an awesome brew if not just a touch peculiar.

#206: Jack's Abby Brewing » Smoke & Dagger (Nitro)

Jack rides the line between a schwarzbier and smoked porter...

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA)
The Brew: Mass Rising (Double IPL)
Availability: Bottles/Draft (Year-Round)
ABV: 5.8%| IBUs: 24
Rating: 8.7/10
Found: Ithaca Coffee Company (Gateway Commons)

After a solid, eventful, and productive week, I figured I'd treat myself to a pint on the way home from the day job. I had my eye on Sierra Nevada's Ovila on draft, but alas, it kicked literally the glass before mine.

Jack's has never done me wrong, I'd I've heard great things about Smoke & Dagger and it was on Nitro, so figured like a good runner up.

Smoke & Dagger pours up almost jet black, just slightly more on the deep brown spectrum, topped with ivory head. Down the hatch, it's really wonderful. Silky smooth with a smoke and faintly spiced finish. It's toasty with a touch of what I want to say is cinnamon.

Bold notes of malt, chocolate, coffee and undeniable smoke continue to build on this meal of a beer. The flavors have some serious staying power but still remain refreshing and well balanced.

The Nitro is a nice touch for such a dark, silky lager. Jack's continues to innovate and revitalize lagers at the same time.

#194: Jack's Abby Brewing » Mass Rising (Double IPL)

Jack's packs in the hops, continues to redefine the lager style...

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA)
The Brew: Mass Rising (Double IPL)
Availability: Bottles/Draft (Year-Round)
ABV: 8% | IBUs: 100
Rating: 9.4/10
Location: The Westy

The Story? Jeremy from Remarkable Liquids and Sam from Jack's Abby were in town doing tastings at Fingerlakes Beverage and The Westy on Friday, serving up their lauded Hoponious Union and the freshly released, 2014 edition of Mass Rising.

The 2013 Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal winner is packed with 7 varieties of American hops. Where Hoponious solely rests on Citra & Centennial, Mass Rising packs in Amarillo, Calypso, Mosaic, and others for it's core, then touched with those two former. This batch is incredibly fresh, having come off the line earlier this week. Damn guys...

The Beer? Our star DIPL serves up with a pale, hazy yellow body topped with a thin white head - retaining it's lager looks, while packing a considerable punch. The nose is bright, but not as urgent as their IPL. Strong notes of grapefruit, grass, and even a touch of lime - all incredibly inviting.

Down the hatch, the flavors swirling around are incredible. It's a beautiful bouquet of American hop goodness. It kicks off bright (though a touch darker than Hoponious) and bitter, smoothing out just a touch early in, packed with fruit notes like tangerine, grapefruit, pear and apple. It's strong, but well balanced that's a touch on the acidic end with just a touch of earthiness, all backed by Jack's malt mastery.

It's crisp with a good amount of carbonation and a mild chewiness in the mouthfeel for a robust beer experience. Tons of pine, pith, and rind flavors are present throughout.

Overall, a recommended, hop-forward brew that's refreshing, but still a bit of a sipper. Jack's does it again, crossing styles and knocking it out of the park. Trade in your old DIPA for slammin' DIPL.

Jack's Abbey at The Westy tonight 1/31

#124: Jack's Abby Brewing » Hoponius Union (IPL)

Jack's distinguished India Pale Lager...

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA)
The Brew: Hoponius Union (IPL)
Availability: Bottles/Draft
ABV: 6.7% | IBUs: 65
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: The Westy

The Story? Occasionally, there are those available beers that just seem to evade me. When The Westy received their first batch of kegs from Jack's Abby, the line began with JA's Oktoberfest, but they gave me a sneak peak and what was to come with Hoponius Union. Event with just a few sips, it was one of the best, non-Imperial/Double, hoppy beers I've had.

I proceeded to miss Hoponius Union on tap at least once, if not twice while being out of Ithaca. When I heard it was going back up, I made immediate plans to not miss it again, but almost did when my body proceeded to turn on me. A variety of prescription drugs later and despite a late start to the evening, we made it just in time to realize I'd forgotten my phone, which is my notepad and camera for this blog since I can't read my own handwritting. Well, at least this one is worth the extra work!

For those new to Jack's Abby, their entire line is lager-based, rejuvenating a major of beer family that has been tarnished by American adjuncts and the like, providing a new palate of flavorful, clean-tasting brews. Hoponius Union itself is like a traditional IPA but with a twist - it’s fermented cold and aged for extended periods.

The Beer? Hoponius Union starts with a palpable, inviting nose of citrus & tropical fruits. The appearance is a glimmering, completely translucent amber body with touch of mid-level lacy head.

The taste is a true hop gem. Supported incredibly smooth mouthfeel, Hop Union is clean and refreshing with robust, piney, and bitter hops. There are some hints of orange and mango and a touch of floral, but never comes of as fruity or dipping in to west-coast overzealousness. Balance is the name of the game here, with nutty and biscuit malt notes amidst the hop oils and resin. All that is wrapped up with a mildly drying finish.

Overall, a must-try for a quality, drinkable and hoppy beer.

#108: Jack's Abby Brewing » Jabby Brau

More from Jack's Abbey down at The Westy...

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA)
The Brew: Copper Legend (Oktoberfest)
Availability: Bottles/Draft
ABV: 4.5% | IBUs: 20
Rating: 8.8/10
Location: The Westy

The Story? The Westy put Jack's on my radar earlier this year. Anytime they have a new one on, I try to swing by. Their entire series is lager-based, which is unique in this era of ales. Draft night was in effect and I found myself in the area with an hour to space. Prost!

The Beer? This one kicks off with a touch of hops, but then it's all full malt flavor. I'm really loving the all-lager thing Jacks' has going. They've completely nailed it.

Flavors of caramel, toasted malt, crust, complemented by a pinch of pine from the American hops hanging out in the background of this very drinkable and flavorful lager.

Subtle quality is the name of the game with this one, which can be a refreshing change-up in the wake of the flavor-bomb beer explosion. A clean, session win.

#066: Jack's Abby Brewing » Copper Legend (Oktoberfest)

Jack's Abby makes it's way to CNY...

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA)
The Brew: Copper Legend (Oktoberfest)
Availability: Bottles/Draft
ABV: 5.7% | IBUs: 22
Rating: 7.5/10
Location: The Westy

The Story? I heard through the grapevine that my favorite local spot had procured a keg of my new favorite DIPA, Gandhi Bot this week and immediately marked a time to swing by on my calendar. In that same breath, I also found they'd obtained kegs from a brewery which was new to me - Jack's Abby, out of Massachusetts.

"What's so special about Jack's Abby?" you may ask. Lagers. Their entire line adheres to the German lagering tradition. Intriguing to say the least, as their family of beers include coffee, pumpkin, and smoked offerings, plus their flagship, Hoponius Union borrows heavily from west-coast hopping style (it also lives up to the hype... post on that one coming soon). We start today with Jack's "Copper Legend" Oktoberfest.

The Beer? The appearance is classic Oktoberfest - transparent copper body and fluffed white head. The nose is minerally with autumn spice notes and the faintest hint of banana.

Into my mouth pours a silky, refreshing brew. Nutmeg is preseant, but not overpowering followed by a semisweetness of the Munich malts alongside toasted biscuit and gentile caramel. Mild hops compliment the crispness and wetness while a mid-high level of carbonation keeps the taste of the ABV in check.

Overall a very authentic offering. A good socializing beer. Looking forward to the next Jack's post on how they're breaking flavor mold of what it means to brew a lager...