On tap at Ambulance, understated Bavarian dark lager scours cereal grained barley roast with lightly spiced plum-prune conflux and mild leafy hop astringency for soft-toned dunkel-styled moderation.
Tag Archives: JACK’S ABBY
JACK’S ABBY PUMPKIN CROP LAGER
Dry pumpkin-seeded salting infiltrates sweet pumpkin pie spicing and grassy hop astringency over soft pale malt base. Moderated nutmeg and cinnamon seasoning joined by wispy allspice, coriander and sage latency.
JACK’S ABBY PRE PRO PILSNER
On tap at Ambulance, corn-dried mineral graining seeps into tart lemondrop slot as dark floral daubs and musky hop herbage simmer below alongside doughy salted pretzel base of pre-Prohibition styled pilsner (inspired by German immigrants).
JACK’S ABBY HOUSE LAGER
On tap at Plank Pizza ’22, simply smooth helles lager provides muskily rustic Noble hop herbage, brisk lemon twist, pasty clay grouting and meager orange-oiled lemongrass snips to delicate salted cracker base, besting most stylistic competitors. On tap at Growler & Gill ’20, pleasant helles lager drapes dewy peat moss, dry stalked corn and grassy hop astringency over mild doughy wheat base. A fine rustic moderation.
JACK’S ABBY LAGER NESS MONSTER IMPERIAL BALTIC PORTER
Rich Baltic Porter, aged in bourbon barrels, lets fudgy dark chocolate creaming and spiced vanilla lead the way above thick molasses-sapped cookie dough sweetness. Tertiary hazelnut coffee, toasted pecan and burnt caramel illusions pick up mild wood sear for decadent 12% ABV nightcap.
JACK’S ABBY SAMOA FRAMINGHAMMER BOURBON BARREL-AGED BALTIC PORTER
Impeccable bourbon-aged Framinghammer variant stuffs bittersweet cocoa nibs and chewy coconut caramel inside richly floured cookie dough sponging. Sturdy bourbon vanilla sweetness, fudgy dark chocolate creaming, milked coffee splendor and nougat-y toffee confectionery reach mildewy brown sugared oats base for lusciously decadent porter.
JACK’S ABBY CO-PILOT: LEOPOLD
Stylishly mish-mashed bronze-cleared semi-dark Czech lager unites spritzy lemon-dropped tartness with dry fungi-mossed dewiness, leafy hop astringency and sour cider riff over bland white breaded bottom.
JACK’S ABBY PRIDE AND PARQUET HOPPY LAGER
Easygoing yellow-cleared cumulus-headed dry lager brings mild lemony grapefruit-orange tang to wood-toned grassy hop astringency over delicate pale malting of IPA-inspired Celtics fodder. Floral citric spicing tingles dry finish.
JACK’S ABBY BREWING
FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS
Designing some of the most impressive lagers, dark ales and barrel-aged stouts in the entire country, Framingham’s JACK’S ABBY BREWING has tripled in size since opening in 2011, becoming a premier New England craft beer haven on a grander scale than the fabulous, less glorified Ipswich Ale Brewery. The pride of Jack, Eric and Sam Hendler, three Massachusetts-based brothers originally inspired by German beer culture, Jack’s Abby now encompasses an enormous red brick warehouse (with forest green aluminum siding).
Presently the largest microbrewery in the state, Jack’s Abby occupies a high black-ceilinged 1,300-barrel taproom with multiple barrels, brew tanks and canning operation connected to its community-tabled bar area. A food station with wood-fired pizza oven serves fine pub fare. A roomy side deck offers further capacity.
Entrance to Springdale Beer Co. pictured above
In 2016, the maverick Hendler brothers decided to expand their empire to include SPRINGDALE BEER COMPANY, an offshoot taproom and blendery experimenting with sour ales, tarts, cocktail-inspired knockoffs and barrel aged fare.
I’d already tried at least thirty Jack’s Abby and a dozen Springdale offerings before my initial June ’21 visit to purchase a few new brews, including stylishly enhanced Samoa Bourbon Barrel-Aged Framinghammer Baltic Porter, semi-dark Czech lager Co-Pilot: Leopold, Pride and Parquet Hoppy Lager and Ray Catcher Lemongrass Lager (reviewed in Beer Index).
JACK’S ABBY RAY CATCHER LEMONGRASS LAGER
On tap at Taphouse 15, daintily floral-perfumed lemongrass adjunct gains musky mineral grained pilsner malting and mild lemon spicing for summery herbal tea-licked golden lager.
JACK’S ABBY SHIPPING OUT OF BOSTON AMBER LAGER
On tap at Growler & Gill, easygoing moderation retains musky grain rusticity. Raw-honeyed amber grain toasting receives cellared fungi dampness, dewy peat mossing and hay-like hop astringency of an English bitter. Well beneath the surface, spritzy yellow fruiting contrasts green tea bittering.
JACK’S ABBY BOURBON BARREL-AGED COUSIN MAKER BARLEYWINE
On tap at Plank Pizza, exquisite barleywine takes bourbon-aged dark lager on fantastic voyage. Sweet bourbon vanilla warmth spreads across whiskey-toned burgundy and brandy wining as well as bruised cherry, rum raisin, toasted almond, molasses taffy, salted pineapple and spiced fig undertones.
