Maibock Hurts Like Helles - Jack's Abby Brewing

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.64/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

500ml bottle served in a pilsener glass. Pours a translucent gold with a 2.5 inch, rocky, bright white head that collapses into a solid 1/8th inch cap. Copious tiny bubbles are present effervescing in solution. Nose expresses grains and a hint of grapes. Taste reveals light malts, some fruity esters, sour mash, a strong noble hops presence and a light, lingering skunky quality at the finish. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body with a slight oiliness and an even carbonation that falls just short of lively. Overall, not my favorite offering from these guys - hops are too forward and fruit is too much in the background, in my opinion, for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 01:54:49 | More by Jwale73

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.43/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500 mL bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Pours with a hint of a head. Then nothing. Flat looking golden body. Very clear.

Smell - Earthy hops. Some fruitiness. Pale malts.

Taste - Much more aggressively hopped than the nose. Very grainy. Earthy, bitter, malty.

Mouthfeel - Medium body. Bitter. Grainy. Decent.

Overall - Clean and flavorful, but it's a maibock, so it's really never going to be that interesting.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 23:27:33 | More by Alieniloquium

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Maibock Hurts Like Helles (bonus points for cleverness) opens to a sweet, grainy nose, the sugars and breads immediately apparent. The sweet side includes a nice selection of orange, berry, apricot, and cherry fruit esters, as well as brown sugar and even a smidgen of super sweet confectioner’s sugar, and the breads bring peppery brown breads, floury baguettes, and yeasty rising wheat dough, as well as touches of wet wheat and hay. There’s also a light lemony overtone, as well as shades of pink grapefruit. As a whole, the nose is very nicely balanced, and the interplay between sugars and breads is very nice, the only fault being a slight overall weakness.

On the tongue, the beer brings the same sugar-and-bread interplay, the former bringing apple, cherry, berry, orange, white grape, and apricot fruit esters, as well as brown sugar, small threads of vanilla, and a good dose of caramel, and the latter adding peppery brown breads, floury baguette, toast crust, and cracker. Lemon and grapefruit overtones from the hops add citrus, the light 25 IBUs combining with the peppery breads to faintly sizzle the tongue. The aftertaste is a continuation of the main mouthful, with a bit more peppery and, here, tart breads, and a larger white grape and grapefruit presence, lingering on the tongue for a good while. Mouthfeel is medium-light to medium, and carbonation is medium to medium-high, adding to the tongue sizzle.

Overall, this is very nice beer, and excellent summer fare, the lightness and crispness of the fruits mixing well with the breads and citrusy notes. The aftertaste is a bit heavy on grape and grapefruit, the tartness a bit unexpected and clashing with the main mouthful, but this is easily fixed with another sip.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 17:47:06 | More by jondeelee

brureview

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured in a stein: the beer has a light golden color with a 2+finger head.

There is a delightful fruit-malt aroma from the head. Possibly some Cinnamon.

The mouth feel is very carbonated- a puckering mouth feel felt at the back of the tongue.

The aroma carries to the taste: fruit, mostly grape, which becomes pronounced with warming.

The finish is pleasantly bitter.

Wonderful beer. It's important to use good glassware to appreciate this style: a stein enhances the flavor and brings the best quality of the beer. Serve colder: 45F.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 02:18:17 | More by brureview

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A-Pours a lightly cloudy golden straw color. Big, doughy, white head. Head leaves full rings of bubbled froth along my mustache glass.

S-A mix of hoppy nobility and light skunk. Airy cracker malt. Cooked grains.

T-More of the same. Strong noble hoppiness (skunk now gone) I also begin to get some pleasant citrus. The malt balances but is not incredibly complex.

M-Very drinkable; A Jack's Abby trademark.

O/D-Didn't expect to love this due to the style. Yet, I will try any and all things from my favorite MA brewery. Obviously well crafted but not my suit.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 01:36:28 | More by VelvetExtract

NEhophead

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

16.9 fl oz brown bottle served in a pilsener glass.
'Brewed/bottled' in April 2012.

Deep straw in color beneath a creamy white head with pretty stable retention. Very active, noticeable carbonation. Thick, but minimal lacing.

Sweet honey with a thick, yet clean diacetyl and cream aroma. Floral hops with clean grain that balance the moderate malt sweetness.

Toasted malt sweetness; bready with a mild diacetyl flavor. Real clean malt profile with no astringency. Clean wheat, grains, and toasted oats with just a very mild floral hop addition. A clean finish with notes of lightly burnt toasted oats and white grape in the aftertaste.

A lighter shade of medium bodied. Smooth, a very subdued creamy texture. Remarkably clean both in flavor and texture for the style.

A pretty solid version of the style. Remarkably clean which is the real highlight of this Maibock.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 01:01:12 | More by NEhophead

CheezyBlaster

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another expertly crafted beer from these guys. I just started trying Jack's Abby stuff this week, and I've been impressed with everything.

Beautiful hazy golden pour, beautiful nose -excellent grass, mild green apples, a touch floral.

Subtle biscuit, honey, grass, lemon, all come together well. Solid drinkability and smooth, refreshing too. I'm sooo glad to have a solid lager maker emerge in the Boston area.

To craftsmanship! A!

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 23:11:42 | More by CheezyBlaster

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

Appearance: 1/3 inch head, high carbonation, bright yellow in color, clear

Smell: fresh grass and light toasted malt

Taste: grass dominates with caramel, and slight honey

Mouthfeel: sweet with slightly bitter backbone, high carbonation, light bodied

Overall: A nice sessionable lager thatis great for the price. I have had better maibocks and better from Jack's Abbey but I would look for this one again

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 13:08:40 | More by tigg924

Gushue3

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

April '12 bottle poured into Alchemist pint glass, <$4 a bottle this is a steal

A Beautiful 3 finger white foamy head quickly rises above a slightly hazy straw yellow body. Lots of carbonation bubbles are rushing toward the head that is staying around and now looks quite frothy. Great retention on the head and ample lacing is left around the glass. Really nice.

S Light malt/grain sweetness and light fruit, maybe white grape?. A light earthy green hop scent is comes out along with some doughy yeast. Not pungent but whats there smells good.

T Sweeter light malts come out upfront with a medium noble hop bitterness in the middle. Nice jump from light sweetness to light bitterness. The hops fade to the finish which is crisp and clean.

M Lighter feel on the tongue with a medium to heavier carbonation. Really refreshing beer right here.

O Another nice lager put out by Jack's Abby. Perfect drink for spring/late summer.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 21:18:09 | More by Gushue3

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

About $2.50 for a 500ml bottle...incredibly affordable.

A: Beautiful clear, golden color with a short off-white head. No lace or retention. Becomes cloudy if you pour the whole bottle so if you don't like yeast, don't pour the last ounce or two.

S: Light fruit, yeast, malt. Very German.

T: Cloves, yeast, fruity, malt. German, again.

M: Good carbonation, clean, crisp. Tons of flavor. A pleasure to drink.

O: Extremely well crafted. Love their lagers!

Update: drank another bottle dated 4/10/13 on 5/7/13 and it's just as good as I remember! Fantastic German lager flavor, super fresh, and crisp and clean as expected. Top notch for the style, especially from an American brewer.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 01:09:32 | More by Gatch

mlazzaro

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Spent roughly $3.5 on a 500ml bottle - (4-2012)
Served chilled in Sam Adams glass.

Clear golden color. Good foamy head with decent retention. Looks like a good lager.

Smells crisp and light. Lager yeast aroma, very clean smelling. Not much to it, but quite appetizing.

Pilsner malt mixed with light yeasty flavor. Light hopping for bitterness and flavor. Slightly spiced hop character. Really thin body, comes off nice a refreshing.

In terms of flavor profile, this beer should be highly accessible to anyone. Is delicious and simple. Above average lager. Proud that its brewed here in Massachusetts.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 19:55:45 | More by mlazzaro

PEBKAC

New York

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Half liter bottle from Charles St. Liquors. April '12 batch. Poured into a short, brand-less mug.

Big, soapy, whitewash head. Hazy mellow gold body.

Leafy & peppery, crisp scent. Faint fruit, but delivers hope to those wishing for something on the drier side.

Snappy & bittersweet upfront. Dry cracker, chewy dough. Pithy & earthy. Yeasty/grainy finish. Though all in all, pretty dry.

Thin, slightly gritty mouthfeel. So-so carbonation. Alcohol comes through in a bit of a hurry.

Dry for the style, & I love it. :D

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 06:42:54 | More by PEBKAC

gfreed

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -19%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Fads in beer brewing are easy to spot: three years ago everyone began selling overloaded, over-hyped, over-hopped beer; two years ago everyone was screaming about beer in cans; last year began the sticky march of fruity beer; this year it appears that lagers are the target. I like a really good lager, especially a nice clean maibock, but I'm not sure this one qualifies as "really good." It's decent but it seems like it's trying to be an ale: the body, aroma and taste are all very dense; it's rather flatly carbonated and has a yeasty, bready, doughy grip that just doesn't have much of a lager lean to it. Thinning it out a bit and jettisoning some of that yeasty freight would make it much more attractive.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 17:58:23 | More by gfreed

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Yellow body into a large pint glass I use when camping. Big foamy white head forms to about two to three fingers. Retention is good. A large coat of creamy lace around the glass.

S- Mostly just some lager yeast with notes of bread, grass, citrus and spicy hops. Not getting a whole ton.

T- Follows the nose and I definitely get the grape like fruit they mention on the bottle. Euro noble hops lend grass, spicy, herbal and bitter notes. Some light malts and bread as well.

Mf- Highly carbonated body with a moderately thick overall consistency. Creamy silky texture. Clean bitterness on the palate.

Flavorful and unique, has a great hop and yeasty mix. Liking this brewery more and more by the brew, good local lagers.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 01:29:35 | More by cbutova

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoying this Mai-bock while I watch an old episode of Beer Hunter celebrating Bavaria and the style noted here.

A pillowy light bright white head forms like whipped egg whites. Slowly collapses on it’s own weight. S deep golden color with a touch of escaping carbonation. Bits of sticky lace cling.

Aroma is great. Some light grain, grassy. A freshness here that’s very nice.

Well, it’s here that I reveal that Mai-Bock is a very underrated style to me. It flies under the radar and whenever I have one, I love it. This is no exception. Great balance here. Initial sweetness and a slight fruit /grain/bread flavor gives way to a nice assertive hop finish. Then at the end there is a softness to the flavor that quite nice. A touch of black pepper in the background. On the edge of doughy and bready. Nice actually.

Body is soft and round. I’ve heard this style referred to as bread in a glass and I think the body fits the style nicely. Even the carbonation is soft. Just brings a pop to the flavor..

Very enjoyable beer and spot on for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 00:06:46 | More by Reagan1984

Bierman9

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up Saturday ($4.99) and enjoyed it later that same day (19MAY12). Odd note on their label; at one point it talks about the biers "deep golden color..." and then it later says "Don't be fooled by its light color..." Which is it? ;-) No freshness data found, though...

Poured into a nonic glass, it was a yellowish, medium golden color. It was a touch hazy, and had steady streams of carbo within. The head was white and thin, most bubbles hanging at the edges, though lacing was decent. Aroma had some nice toasty malt, while a smidge of hopping showed up. It was about medium in body, and was mostly smooth on the tongue, just with a bit of bubbliness.

Flavor? It had some crackery, bready, malt sweetness leading off, like a good Maibock should. Following that was some light fruitiness, suggesting pear and/or green apple. Bringing up the rear was noble hop florality. All in all, a solid rendition of the style. Prosit!!

4/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1461

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 13:20:33 | More by Bierman9

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16oz bottle. No dating information located on the bottle, but assume this is pretty darn fresh. Poured it into my Deschutes tulip.

A: Pours a crystal clear golden color. About a finger of bright white head.

S: Smells grainy and lightly citrusy. Light and airy. Touch of toasted light malt in there.

T: Crisp. Light. Refreshing. This is a touch of bitterness on the tip of the tongue. Then a very smoothing malt bill evens it out. Almost buttery and/or nutty.

M: Light to medium.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 14:34:35 | More by inlimbo77

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.9/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a .5 liter bottle into a pilsener- pours a beautiful slightly orange golden color with a creamy two finger head, decent retention, and some nice lacing. Can't be any better.

Pale barley malts and yeast in the nose. Maybe a little bit of noble hops.

Tastes fantastic- amazingly smooth and light. Cascades of pale malt sweetness roll over the tongue with an undercurrent of white grapes, yeast, and floral noble hops. Hops finish out slightly dry.

Mouthfeel is also fantastic- medium light body with moderate carbonation. This one's a keeper. Nothing to say but good things about Jack's Abby.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 00:24:10 | More by Hopdaemon39

MJOSullivan12

4.28/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy golden color with a small airy head. Very effervescent. Nose is quite sweet and filled with honey notes, biscuits, pancakes w/syrup. Palate is full and thick with a heavy coating on the tongue. Flavors of light grape skins, honey, grassy hops.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 01:46:29 | More by MJOSullivan12

Dope

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: A slightly hazy light gold pour. Huge effervescent white head. Fades somewhat slowly, leaving behind pretty decent lacing.

S: Toasty bread with some grass. Grainy. Pleasant but subtle.

T: Grassy up front with maybe a little bit of earthy and herbal tones. Very nice toasted malt throughout. Grainy too. Finishes almost nutty along with the toasted malt. Almost combines to be a toasted peanut butter sandwich sometimes. Strange, I know, but I don't mean that in a bad way.

M: Super clean, smooth and crisp.

O: A simple yet tasty and very drinkable brew. It pretty much craps on every other maibock I've tried before (included dead guy ale). That's saying something.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 06:03:34 | More by Dope

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours pale yellow with a good foamy white head. no lace, but nice retention.

Nice malty nose, even a little candied sweetness.

Dried out malt, with a touch of sweetness that turns to light toasted grain. SOme good bread and light bread crust and yeast. Dries right out with some light grassy bitterness and palate clearing astringency. This is nice lager.

Medium body.

Overall, another winner from these guys. Nice complexity to make this highly drinkable.

This is slowly becoming one of my favorite local breweries.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 23:56:04 | More by OtherShoe2

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Wow, only the second review.

Pours a light creamy looking 1/2 finger head which is a bit surprising with the type of conical bottle, fades at a med pace but leaves some nice lacing, over crystal clear golden pale yellow quite clear colored beer. A bit too light colored.

Nose starts with some sweet smelling juicy malts, light pilsner malts, light toasty straw and grainy, then crisp lager aromas, fruity lager, a big lager aroma, and hint of grassy hops.

Taste is similar to the nose, starting with more lager, plenty of toasty pilsner malts, sweet juicy lager malts and a light acidic malt, and some wheat, a bit grainy. lager comes crisp and fruity. Then hops, a fairly biter bite with some earthy slight herbal grassy hops, and some earthy almost spices and bock like flavors from the yeast as well. Theres also a bit of an almost booze bite but barely. Finish is drier but not as much as I expected, quite bitter and almost astringent, light lager fruit and wheat like grainy malts lingering.

Mouth is med bodied, decent carb, a bit gritty and abrasive, touch of booze.

Overall not their best, seems a bit of a mess and they weren't sure where to go with it, booze and bitterness seem more than they should be, lager isn't bad but malts go a bit in the wrong direction, but all things considered still a pretty decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 12:39:06 | More by jlindros

taez555

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a crystal clear yellow/orange body with a nice bright white head.

Nose is simple, with just a nice fresh grain sort of smell. Nothing over the top, just crisp fresh malt and lager yeast type smell.

Taste is light bodied with a very chewey fresh grain and bread malt flavor. There's a definite hop backbone bitterness and even slight hop flavor, but it's not really distinct. They're just sort of there to give proper balance to the malt without being distracting. White bread, some mild fruitiness, almost has a bubblegum touch (very faint). The insane thing is.... where is the alcohol in this beer? At 6.5% this is one of the most deceiving alcohol's I've ever tasted. It seriously has the alcohol burn of a 3.5% light lager. Crazy! Ends with a nice hop bitterness actually. It really starts to have stronger bitterness as it warms.

JA is an all lager brewery, and for the most part they've been brewing a lot of EXTREME beers that just happen to be made with lager yeast, this however.... is as traditional a German lager as it gets. I'd say it's like their Jabby Brau, but it's not, it's so much closer to the traditional pure German Maibock/Helles style. If I didn't know better I'd say I was sitting in Germany drinking a fresh brau in a liter stine or something. Just a solid, solid, Maibock.

Serving type: growler

04-27-2012 21:34:40 | More by taez555