Hoponius Union - Jack's Abby Brewing

tkelley

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Second pour of the night from a growler I bought on Saturday. Lugged the growler back to my house in a backpack for three miles, don't know how that might affect things.

a -- the body is brilliant. Kind of a hazy, golden orange color. Very little head, but really good lacing and retention of the said very little head.

s -- Boom, grapefruit. Piney west coasty hops. Lagery. Light biscuit and flower scents.

t -- much like the nose, it's a mouthful of grapefruit. Very citrusy. Very fresh. Fruity, dry and not astringent. Tastes beautiful and magical.

m -- medium carbonation. little spicy from hops. refreshing though.

o -- so, so good. again, wicked refreshing and very hoppy. Tastes like America -- awesome.

Cheers.

Serving type: growler

05-06-2013 23:58:10 | More by tkelley

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.23/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I originally had a 4 oz sample at the brewery, but I liked it so much that I got a growler.

64 oz growler poured into a pint glass at cellar temperature.

L – Pale amber color with a 2-finger frothy cream-colored head. Great retention and nice lacing. Clear with good carbonation.

S – Bready and caramel malt with a wonderful bouquet of hops with grapefruit, mango, pineapple, peach, and some pine notes.

T – Starts off sweet with bready and grainy pilsner malts, some caramel, and some tropical fruits with mostly pineapple flavors. Hop bitterness builds at the finish with mostly grapefruit notes.

F – Light-to-medium-bodied with good carbonation, a clean and mouth-coating feel, and bitter and slightly dry finish. Bitter citrus hop flavors linger.

O – This is a really nice lager. It’s crazy how these guys get so much flavor in these beers. You’d never think that they’re lagers. I’m not trying to badmouth lagers; it’s just that ales tend to have more complex flavor arrangements than lagers. Not so with Jack’s Abby. A major plus with these beers is that they still have the nice clean, refreshing feel of a lager with the vast range of flavors of an ale. Really tasty and drinkable beer.

Serving type: growler

12-31-2012 00:10:18 | More by BlackBelt5112203

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.23/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler shared by Thorpe429. Thanks Mike.

The beer is clear and golden hued with a small head that leaves sparse lacing on the tulip. Lots of fresh hop character in both the nose and taste. This drinks much more like an IPA than a German lager. And while this beer is tasty, it does lack the distinctive characteristics of a Dortmunder lager. The body is light and the finish is dry, offering a hint of lager yeast. Overall, a tasty brew. Easy to drink and flavorful, just don't expect an authentic example of the style. I would definitely have this again.

Serving type: growler

02-12-2012 18:24:43 | More by Huhzubendah

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.6/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler shared by Thorpe.

Pours a clear golden amber with a thin white head, quickly fading to a thin collar and no lace. Clean, dry aroma with a subtle hop bite, mildly fruity, with light yeast. Medium thick body with soft carbonation and a bready, biscuit finish. Slight fruity sweetness from a strong hop bitterness. Not quite a real dortmunder, but an expectional lager/IPA hybrid. Really enjoyed this.

Serving type: growler

02-05-2012 21:50:49 | More by yourefragile

drabmuh

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks Thorpe, at the time of this review, this is the #2 beer on the "Top Beers - Dortmunder / Export Lager" list on beeradvocate.com.

Beer is yellow with a mild haze, wispy white head, minimal lacing.

Aroma is quite hoppy, sweet, fruity hops, a mild yeast presence.

Beer is light in body and a little sweet, moderately bitter on the finish and quite hoppy in the midpalate. I really like this beer very good. I'd have a lot more of this if available to me.

Serving type: growler

02-01-2012 05:34:30 | More by drabmuh

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to Reagan1984 for getting this growler out my way. Served in a mug since I've packed all my lager glassware pre-move.

Pours a clear light golden color with a nice white head and some spotty lacing as it goes down. Thin collar throughout. The nose brings some nice tropical fruits with a bit of citrus and resin there as well. The flavor profile is along the same line and is really fantastic. Beautiful fruits and a nice hoppiness throughout. Moderate bitterness throughout and a dry finish. Body is fairly light. Finish is fantastic. This is a very, very impressive beer.

Serving type: growler

01-22-2012 22:34:46 | More by Thorpe429

chazmatz

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This was poured for me at Jacks Abby, and I brought this growler home and poured a chimay goblet full of Hoponius Union.

I'd say this is in the Dortmunder Export style, but with the distinct hoppiness of an IPA. Unlike any in the Dortmund style due to its unusual amount of hoppiness.

The look:
Hoponius had a nice one finger of head, which was light and creamy-looking. Almost fluffy. Light golden color and small bubbles rising.

The sniff:
Super floral, grapefruity, zesty, and pine aromas. The amarillo hops are evident in the bouquet.

The taste:
Hit hard by the crisp floral bitterness, again, very floral, sharp and bitter at first, followed by light sweetness. Mouthfeel, very soft and creamy. Carbonation is mild. So well balanced, the blend of hops creates a complex world of flavors that are not overwhelming, though the dominant flavor seems to come from the Amarillo hops.

The finish:
Chewy pine resin with clean floral finish. Makes me want to drink another. A very fine beer.

Serving type: growler

01-16-2012 21:15:28 | More by chazmatz

BillDon

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - pours a one finger pillowy head, nice lacing down the glass. Not a ton but enough down the side.

Crystal clear golden amber color.

Smell - this is the best thing. Tons of hops smell, citric or pine smell. Your olfactories will be in overdrive as you smell this beer. I think it is simeco hops.

Taste mouthfeel - as a lager this beer is super clean. The hops you smell are the typical over the top hops. With an 65 IBU this beer doesn't kill your palate.

Overall - this is the signature beer of Jack's Abby, you have to try it.

Serving type: growler

01-01-2012 18:28:21 | More by BillDon

taez555

Massachusetts

4.83/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beers pours a crystal clear bright golden tan body with a very mildly off-white head.

Nose is extreme, in your face, resin and citric hops. I just picked up a growler from the brewery about 2 hours ago, and the smell from this fresh hops are sublime.

Taste is medium bodied with an immediate huge citric hop resin, grapefruit, orange, lemon, citric hop attack. Loads of rich malts, but very smooth (probably thanks to the lager yeast). That's really what does it I think, it's got all the flavors of a big IPA, but goes down smooth like crisp lager. A perfect combo. Bitterness isn't overpowering at all. It's bitter, but really well balanced and in check. The smooth caramel malt flavor has a chance to shine through despite the hops. You can clearly taste the two parts of this beer. Ends with a nice lingering hop resin bitterness and flavor.

I know this beer is a lager, but... come on.... this beer is a pure resin IPA (sans the ale yeast). Kudos to Jack's Abby for showing the world that not all Lager's need be boring macro land. This beer easily holds it's own the best California resin/citric IPA's. If JA takes off, this will be their flagship brew.

Serving type: growler

12-16-2011 22:00:58 | More by taez555

MasterSki

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to AutumnBeerLove for making the trek to pick up this growler. Served in a Surly Darkness glass.

A - A finger of white foam settles to a near-complete cap, thick collar, and stray splotches of lace. Transparent golden body.

S - Massive aromatic hops here - very floral, with orange blossoms, pine, faint herbs, and a faint chive note I sometimes get from Citra hops. Some nebulous sugary malts in the background.

T - Taste is a bit less sweet, with more pine and a more bread-heavy malt character. Plenty of pine and citrus hop flavor, with mid-level bitterness and a crisp, clean lager finish.

M - Pleasant moderate carbonation, medium body, smooth texture, and no alcohol presence. Dry finish with a bit of residual oily hop texture. Easy to drink in large quantities.

D - It's a slightly smaller Humulus Lager. I'd never heard of Jack's Abby but this beer is for real. We obliterated the growler in record time. I would order this all the time if it was local.

Serving type: growler

11-19-2011 17:01:11 | More by MasterSki

WSB

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a beautiful light copper color, with a nice two fingers of white head. The head evaporated pretty quickly, and the remaining surface had a nice glossy sheen.

Smell is awesomely hoppy, very sweet and floral. Its a big, beautiful hop aroma with hints of citrus.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, feels more substantial than a typical ale.

Taste is big- hoppy and bitter, but not over the top. It's clearly unbalanced towards the hops, and this is a great thing. It's very bright and crisp, with a touch of citrus, and a hint of spice. The Citra, Amarillo, and Centennial hops create a truly unique hop profile that is big on taste and surprisingly light on the bitter.

I loved this beer. Its huge on hop smell and taste, and very modest on the bitter side. There is something to be said for locally brewed beer that is made with great skill, quality ingredients, and an adventurous brewer.

Serving type: growler

10-17-2011 00:24:10 | More by WSB

iflah45

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tasted this at the Mass Brewers fest and finally made it over to Framingham for a growler.

Pours a crystal clear golden reddish color with a seafoam 2 finger head that recedes quickly.

The nose is NUTZ, absoultely sublime. It reminds me of heady topper with tones of fresh bursting citrus and grassy earthy tones in the background. Tangerine, orange, peach etc. I asked at the brewery and they said that they dry hop and use a hop back method. The hops used are citra, centennial, and amarillo. AWESOME!

The taste follows the nose with loads of fresh citrus, peach, melon, pear....but not so much of the bitter piney finish of most ipa's (guess this is the tagline of an India Pale Lager!?!?)

Mouthfeel is very crisp and dry, yet a bit more resinous and oily than a normal pale lager. Quite interesting.

Overall, easily the best, most well rounded beer currently offered by jack's abby. I have a feeling that this one is the favorite of the brewer himself. It seems very well crafted and I can imagine the recipe was tinkered with for many many homebrew batches before we tasted it. Cannot wait for their wet hop lager coming out soon!!!

Serving type: growler

09-17-2011 03:54:48 | More by iflah45

DearthVader

California

4.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler split with one of my coworkers. Thanks for this one mschofield!

I let this sit for a little over a week in my fridge after the cross country journey. I wasn't sure how it would end up but it was delicious.

Pours a vibrant ruby red that has a slightly off white head perched atop it. Good lacing is left behind on my glass.

Smell is of pine and a ton of citrus fruits. I'll get really nerdy and claim Simcoe in here? I feel like the cat piss characteristic is slightly present, but it's the kind of piss we like.

Taste is very dry and fruity. Big notes of peach, plum, pear and a great hop punch in the finish.

The mouthfeel is extremely creamy with low carbonation and a very satisfying dryness on the end.

This was a nice treat from a brewery I had no clue existed.

Serving type: growler

09-11-2011 10:46:11 | More by DearthVader

BearsOnAcid

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Golden body with a fluffy white head. Good retention. Really nice appearance.

Lots of grassy and citrusy hops in the aroma. Smells really fresh and well dry hopped. I feel like I'm picking out a lot Cascade maybe.

Taste is moderately bitter for an IPA-like beer. Good balance between hop flavor and bitterness and a very well attenuated but has a lightly sweet malt backbone. The lagering leaves the beer very crisp and refreshing. Grapefruit pith and grassy hops are prominent.

Not an overly hoppy beer for what it's supposed to be. My rating is sort of a balance between rating it a hoppy lager and an IPA, I guess. It's really an IPA at heart. I doubt many people would think it was a lager if they didn't know. It came out pretty rad. If rated like an IPA, I think I would have to say it's missing that extra level of depth in hop flavor that the big West Coast style ones have. Nevertheless, I will be filling up my growler every time I hit up the Natick mall for some fresh kicks.

Serving type: growler

09-04-2011 20:28:07 | More by BearsOnAcid

DrinkingDrake

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Going into the Metrowest area anyways why not stop by a brand new brewery. Crystal clear and a vibrant yellow/gold. Big bubbly head about two-three fingers high. Nose is fresh, floral hops. Smells like I just cracked open a bag of whole flower (cascade?) hops. Light grainy malt background but that is dominated by the hops. Flavor is just like the nose. Grains are popping out more crackers and biscuit but then the hops just wash over all of it. Fresh flowery hops and a lot of lemon/lime A sweet tartness but overall it light and crisp, very refreshing. They called it a India Pale Lager at the brewery.

Serving type: growler

08-29-2011 00:25:34 | More by DrinkingDrake

drea0695

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a freshly filled, co2 purged, capped on foam growler into a standard pint glass

This beer is delicious. The hop aroma is out of the park but it doesn't slap you around with bitterness. I really think it's very balanced. It's definitely highly drinkable and the ABV sneaks up on you for sure. It easily holds it's own against any IPA out there.

It just smells so good! In a way the hop profile reminds of Sierra Nevada celebration.

If you're around the Framingham area stop in and try this one (and their other offerings) plus the guys are super friendly.

Serving type: growler

08-13-2011 19:36:21 | More by drea0695

nas5755

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hard to classify. A lager hopped as if it was an intense west IPA. Way to kick ass America and make a new beer style.

A- a clear golden orange with straw hues. A good sized head from a very aggresive pour and very solid lacing.

S- Dank citrus hops, lots of navel orange leads the way and then a surplus of contributing grapefruit and tangerine hops lending a hand.

T-Very clean, lots of hops. Navel oranges(hmmm, Citra), some clean orange pith bitterness. A slight sweetness from the malt that appears to accentuate the hops. Very good.

M- Solid, very clean. Hop resins arent as intense as an ale even though the hop taste is at that level. Carbonation is a bit underwhelming. I wish it was a bit higher(more of the product of the growler than anything).

O- Very impressed. This is hoppy, like an IPA, but very clean. Awesome job on dry hopping. The nose is fantastic, very dank and awesome navel orange smell. This is something that I will be going back to get another growler of until the bottling line is in place next year.

Serving type: growler

08-08-2011 04:06:23 | More by nas5755

mschofield

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is an India Pale Lager, as that isn't a usable style on BA Dortmunder seemed the closest for this dry, hoppy lightly malty lager. Albeit one hopped with American hops. The only other choice would really be American IPA.

Pours a dark gold, crystal clear with a puffy two finger stark white head.

Citrusy, Centennial hop like aroma.

Citrus, cracker, nicely bitter, with mango, peach. American IPA hops, but the cleanness of a lager.

Medium bodied for the style, light overall. Finishes dry. Dangerously drinkable as the almost 7% ABV sneaks up on you.

Serving type: growler

08-07-2011 21:32:07 | More by mschofield

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.13/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to celticfutbclub for this bottle...

A: Pours a nice translucent orange/yellow gold with one and a half fingers of pure white head. The foam settles fairly quickly, leaving a frothy ring along the edges of the glass. Good lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is light malt, yeast, pine and orange citrus hops.

T: It starts out light, sweet, and refreshing with a good bit of light malt and mild citrus hops. As it moves to the middle I get more citrus, some pine, and a helping of yeasty. The finish is hoppy bitters and yeast.

M: Light bodied beer. It's super refreshing to start, get really flavorful in the middle, and finishes bitter and wet. Smooth from start to finish, with some lingering hops on the back end.

O: Very nice beer. This is something that I would drink more of if it was available in my area. A great summer beer, but also something that you'd want all year round. Solid.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 20:32:23 | More by trxxpaxxs

notchucknorris

California

4.49/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Went to Boston over the weekend and got to try this at The Publick House.

A: Light copper color with a thin white head.

S: Lots of grapefruit with some soft bready malt, lemon peel, sage and some mango. Smells pretty fantastic.

T: Lots of grapefruit and pine upfront with a light but sturdy biscuity malt backbone. Finish brings a touch of pine resin, but finishes very smooth and clean. This beer is fantastic. Why can't we get this in San Diego? Why???

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2013 02:28:38 | More by notchucknorris

Hendry

Vermont

4.36/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into a pilsner glass. Looks like a lager, yellowish and crystal clear. Lively carbonation.

Aroma: lager? Well, just a bit of breadiness in there. Nose similar to a moderately hopped IPA, light lemon-grapefruit citrus aroma, and I emphasize LIGHT. The aromas are subtle and faint, not jumping out at you.

Flavors start out light and subtly citrus, and quickly fade to a yeasty fresh lager vibe, crackery.
The bitter aftertaste from the hops is long lasting and pleasant..

Mouthfeel is on the light side of medium, flavors coat the middle of the palate mostly,not much on the tip or back.

Lines are blurred when it comes to traditional styles these days, and crossover beers seem to be emerging all the time. Somehow this lager bridges the gap to hopville, and is an enjoyable change of pace, but I'm not completely floored either. Worthy of trying for both IPA fans and lager fans, I'm not getting the world class ratings on this one: good but not incredible.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 05:21:46 | More by Hendry

standardcherry

Massachusetts

4.61/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Very clear orange/golden color with a nice big white head.
S: Smells super hoppy. Floral, tangerine, tropical fruits, slight grassiness; lots of peach and mango. Light toasted sweetness from the malts.
T: This beer is very juicy and tropical. Floral, orange, mango, tangerine, peaches. A bit of honey and a slight sweetness from the malts to balance it out. Finishes bitter and a bit piney. The difference between this and an IPA is that the finish here is drier and more crisp, which leaves you wanting more! The bitter aftertaste does not linger as long either.
M: Light bodied with medium carbonation. Mouthfeel is crazy good, so smooth, crisp and refreshing. I could drink this all day.
O: Another home-run from Jack's Abby. I would take this beer over most IPAs out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 07:28:29 | More by standardcherry

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.24/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle opened on 4.21.13
Dated 03.25.2013

A - Pours a hazy medium orange with a two inch cream-colored head with good retention and lacing.

S - Hoppy pine and orange citrus.

T - Lots of pine and bitter orange peel. I would have guessed it was an IPA. Good stuff.

D - Good carbonation with a light body.

O - Finally a lager with good ipa qualities. This one lived up to the hype for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 04:31:05 | More by HuskyinPDX

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.23/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours out a nice darker yellow beer with good clarity, 1" of white head with pretty solid retention, especially for a hoppy beer.

Aroma was obviously a very hoppy lager. You got both, in good supply: Simcoe hops, lager yeast. Has an herbal component to the aroma.

Taste, good snap and bite from the culmination of the yeast, Simcoe hops and mild/light body of the beer. Plenty bitter, but not a one trick pony, it kicks down some grapefruit (probably Cascade) with the Simcoe bitterness, and of course, the lager yeast is well intentioned and complimentary with this brew. It doesn't have a tropical fruit component to the hop flavor in the mouthfeel, its definitely more in the grapefruit and pine realm.

Carbonation is high, but appropriate for style. I was impressed with SA IPL, and this beer takes that up another notch. Clean, crisp and hoppy, super mild bready malt does its job.

Wouldn't hesitate to drink this over and over again. Not quite humulus lager, but better than SA IPL. I'm really liking this IPL trend. . .

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 16:43:01 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Beerandboards

New Mexico

4.51/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A - very clear copper color, super dense white foam

S - lots of flowery hop notes, the classic lager smell, some citrus somewhere in there.

T - they really nailed this one. Lager smoothness leads, then copious amounts of floral and orange/lemon peel hops come in after. An outstanding blend of lager and hops.

M - similar to the taste, they nailed this one as well. Ultra smooth, nice medium carb, great finish.

O - this is an outstanding beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 14:04:23 | More by Beerandboards