Hoponius Union
Jack's Abby Brewing

hman43 from North Carolina

4.06/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Look: It pours golden and clear with a white head. Head retention is very good.

Smell: There are aromas of grapefruit, citrus, orange, and tropical fruits. There is a bit of papaya and pineapple.

Taste: The flavors are more tropical fruit forward with papaya and pineapple. There are low grapefruit notes with orange. There are some floral elements as well.

Feel: It has a medium body with a strong bitterness that lacks the sharp bit that many others have.

Overall, a complex blend of hops that carries in both the aroma and flavor and strong, pleasant bitterness.

Jun 05, 2021

harrypowers from Massachusetts

4.19/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a lightly hazy golden color with a foamy head that dissipates to lacing.

Smells of piney hops. Tastes of sweet malt and citrus with a mildly bitter hop finish.

Medium light body with light carbonation. Clean, crisp, dry mouthfeel.

Very drinkable. A nice alternative to the IPA ales I often have.

Jun 02, 2021

Reef from South Carolina

4.34/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap at Craft&Draft

Golden clarity, one finger fine white head, full lacing curtains and cap.
Pine, light orange, light bread aromas
Citrus bops and cracker malt and yeast. Sweetish aftertaste. Delicious combination.
Light Smooth feel, dry finish. Inviting and enjoyable. Hope Jacks Abby is in our area to stay.

Apr 08, 2021

mercurialhog18 from Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It's easy to guess what the beer would smell or taste like from the name of the beer. Clean pour with a nice head.
Smells and tastes very hoppy which gives it a slight IPA like taste on the spectrum.

Jan 12, 2021

Jeez from Massachusetts

4.24/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I had a few of these from a variety pack from Jack's Abby. This was the last one I tried and it's my favorite of the pack. It pours a clear gold with a medium head. The smell is of inviting citrusy hops and bready malt. The taste follows the nose: something you can't always expect from an IPX. Citrus dominates the taste with a moderately bitter aftertaste. Crisp and smooth, but that it what you should expect from a lager from Jack's.

Jan 02, 2021

DavetotheB from Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From a 16oz can dated 11/3/20 into what I would classify as a weizen glass.

Pours an almost translucent brownish golden color with about three fingers of fluffy white head. Excellent retention and lacing. A lot of tiny carbonation bubbles rising to the top.

Smell is a little muted but definitely picking up some pineapple, pine, saltine cracker and orange.

Taste is a decent balance between lager and pale ale. Bitter hops but also a bready character. Also a distinct sweet malt taste shining through.

Full-bodied, sticky mouthfeel. Bitter after taste. Low to medium carbonation.

Overall, this is a great beer and probably a top in this style. Wish it was more available locally.

Dec 31, 2020

Siriusfisherman from Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

L: Clear Golden with a modest white head and some big bubbled lacing.

S: Pungent citrus zest, grapefruit, pine, and mango. A touch of bready malt and an ultra clean fermentation profile.

T: Big zesty citrus flavors, mango, and pine. Firm bitterness and a light, bready malt sweetness on a clean finish.

F: Very dry, clean and crisp.

Overall: A truly delicious hoppy lager, definitely among the best I have had.

Nov 30, 2020

FrMatthewLC from Canada (NS)

4.03/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear straw color with medium head. Strong hop smell & flavor with a clean finish. Goes down smooth. The hop flavor is strong but a good mix of varieties & not overwhelming.

Nov 09, 2020

beeragent from Texas

4.1/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light copper, forming a thin white head, with medium lace on the glass.

Citrusy hops dominate the aroma, with a hint of sweetness from the malt.

Citrusy hops along with a bready malt body.

Medium bodied, low carbonation, and very smooth.

Like a good west coast style IPA, but in a lager format (making it even more drinkable)!

Oct 12, 2020

AccipiterofBeer from New York

4.2/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a shaker pint.

L: 3.75 Bright Yellow with a medium sized white head. Ample carbonation.
S: 4.25. Bright hops.
T: 4.25 Very hop forward but you do get malt on the backend.
F: 4 It's a smooth, light-bodied lager. Goes down easy.
O: 4.25 I didn't know lagers could be this bitter. One of the best available, undoubtedly.

Sep 19, 2020

picoFarad from Oregon

3.84/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

From a 16oz. can purchased at the beer store.

Smells like hops. And maybe a hint of lager. Tastes like hops. And maybe a hint of lager. The malty cracker flavor actually comes in the aftertaste on this one, which is bass-ackwards from most hoppy lagers. The bitterness takes over immediately afterwards. Also on the strong side for a lager at 6.5%. You could almost pass it off as a straight IPA, if not for the slight lager profile hidden in the middle. It's a good beer, but an oddball. I usually go to hoppy lager when I'm toning things down. This one wants to kick your ass.

Sep 17, 2020

DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hoppy lager from Jack's Abbey pours with brilliant gold clarity from cold fermentation, and a white, frothy head. The taste starts off with citrus and pine, with pine, courtesy of West Coast hops, winning out for a dry finish. Nice lager, if you like yours with a bit of a bite.

Jul 10, 2020

Mugman8 from New York

4.09/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Lemony yellow on the pour, decent head and lacing. Strong , piney aroma. Hoppy, piney taste with some fruit notes and bitter finish. A very good brew in the IP style.

Jul 03, 2020

SierraNevallagash from Maine

4.07/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

16oz can - dated 02-20-20 - poured into a nonic pint at 38°F.

Pours a clear yet ever-so-slightly hazed amber-golden colour, topped with three fingers of webby off-white head with very good retention, leaving some spotty lacing as it recedes. Not a lot of visible effervescence.

Nose: A clean lager base lends some grain and a hint of bready malt, while the prominent, but not overbearing hops lend some lemon, grapefruit, and tangerine citrus notes, as well as some pine, fresh grassiness, ripe peachy stone fruit, and a bit of spiciness.

Palate: The beer greets the palate with some sweet toasty caramel malt, and some grainy pils-like malt. The malt seems a bit heavy for a lager. The hops hold no punches, and come in swinging with big tangerine, grapefruit, overripe stone fruit, and a big, resinous bitterness. The Centennial really shines with pine, grapefruit pith, and lots of earthy resin flavours, while the Citra lends that ripe fruitiness in the background. Into the finish, that sweet toasty malt gets obliterated by a firm, biting resinous hop bitterness that digs in much like a West Coast IPA, and lingers with lots of pine and pith.

Mouthfeel/Body: The beer is medium-bodied, with much of that weight coming from the hop resins and the heavier caramel malts. The effervescence is lively, but much looser than a typical lager, and more like an IPA. A touch of malt stickiness coats the lips, but the beer is ultimately drying from the bitterness.

Overall: This is tricky for me. The beer itself is good - really good actually. My issue here is that this just isn't a lager, it's an IPA. Nothing about this beer resembles a lager. It's 6.5% ABV, it has a firm caramel malt backbone, and it's hopped like a West Coast IPA, with a big resinous bitterness. As an IPA, it's good, but this just too bold for me to consider it a lager. Ignoring the style description, it's a tasty hoppy beer.

Jun 18, 2020

artiefufkin from New Jersey

3.59/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Visual: copper color, thick chunky off-white foam with decent lacing
Aroma: sl grapefruit rind, moderate spicy/floral hops, very slight oxidation detected
Taste/Mouthfeel: moderate lingering metallic bitterness, start of oxidation notes, sl burnt cracker, sl citrus rind.
Overall: slightly disappointed based on other reviews, i was expecting a much better beer. I will be revisiting to see if the can wasn't representative of the beer.

May 12, 2020

BeerBaronBear from New York

3.41/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is an appealing beer visually - it has a hazy golden orange color with a good amount of foamy head. It has very little in the way of an interesting aroma, though. The taste is OK - it's got some floral notes, some grassiness, just a touch of orange peel character, and a good amount of bitterness. It's got a decent mouthfeel - smooth although not totally easy-drinking to its hoppiness. I wouldn't turn this down if it were a gift, but I won't be buying it for myself.

Apr 25, 2020

Maltyhead from Massachusetts

4.16/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Drank from a 12 ounce can.

Appearance: light hazy honey color, 1/2” head, Very little lacing.

Smell: subtle grapefruit.

Taste: medium bitterness.

Mouth Feel: very lightly carbonated & medium creamy.

I enjoyed. I would purchase again.

Feb 19, 2020

KRug from Massachusetts

3.92/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned 6/12/19. Here we go, the top rated American Lager!

Pours a hazy golden yellow with a finger of fluffy white head with tons of lacing

Well, this is marked on the can as an IPL and I see why, tons of citrusy hops in the nose, slightly oily and bitter, mild yeast

The taste is honestly a bit of a let down, not very different from the nose but the crispness of the lager yeast brings out the bitterness of the hops, which is not necessarily bad but not what I was expecting. Nonetheless, I pick up on other notes of citrus and melon

Medium bodied with really solid carbonation, this finishes slightly chalky, in the best way possible. Very clean as expected for a lager

While this was not quite as good as I was expecting, I still enjoyed the hell out of it and would drink it again. Perhaps it was a freshness issue, as I am drinking this nearly 8 months after canning. Once again Jack's Abby has created an interesting beer that I will come back to

Feb 05, 2020

dsa7783 from New Jersey

3.64/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Tiff’s in Morris Plains. Pours a golden, effervescent hue with moderate frothing. Mellow aroma replete with hints of citrus and lemon. Similar overall flavor profile. Not bad.

Nov 16, 2019

Claude-Irishman from New Jersey

4.24/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Pours a semi opaque deep golden color with a foamy/creamy head.Smell fresh cut grass,hop additions, smell is somewhat muted.Taste is wonderful, picking up grapefruit,hop spices, An earthy bitter taste with a slight malty bill. Feels amazing,this has all the positive attributes of a Pale ale, with the crisp and sharp feel of lagering. If IPL is not a style it should be. This beer rocks.

Oct 04, 2019

Spikester from Oregon

4.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Lightly haze pale gold with three fingers of dense foamy off white head. Good amount of lace as the head recedes.
Smell is pungent floral hops.
Taste is floral hops hop oil resin and bready malts. Some grapefruit and orange.
Mouthfeel is medium with strong carbonation. Finish is dry and bitter.
Overall a big hoppy IPL.

Aug 26, 2019

Reidrover from Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

16 oz. can purchased from Lifesource Natural Grocers in Salem OR.
$2.79
Pours a clear golden colour with a huge frothy thick white head.
Aromas of spicy/floral hops and biscuit malts.
Taste has way more of the hopping present ( as an IPL)..and its nice..getting some NZ like grape flavors going on. It says West Coast citrus hops..doesn't taste that way..but it is pleasing.
OK mouth feel average to medium cabonztion.
Its a nice beer but i dont get the "exceptional" rateing

Jun 24, 2019

hopsputin from New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: clear golden yellow color with some straw hints and a 2 finger marshmallow like off-white head

S: crisp lemon and oranges. Pineapple and grapefruit. Lemongrass and lager spice behind that. Nice bready malty backbone

T: sweet pineapple and sweet clementine upfront. Touch of sweet malts and bread behind that. Mellow grapefruit and strawberry follow. A clean crisp grassiness closes this out

M: medium mouthfeel with high carbonation. Almost creamy

A: awesome beer. Tasty, refreshing, and juicy. Great balance and crisp

Jun 07, 2019

Act25 from New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

4th review of this brewer, my first rating under BA.Much better 2nd time when I came back to ipl.
This aged lager IPL needs time in the glass to open up, as when it's first poured it's too floral.
a) Clear, golden, ring of white, dotty lace, like a pilsner.
s) Flower shop, almost too much so, then tempers as it warms. Leafy, fresh, hop cones, but also lily, cut grass.
t) Follows flowery smell.
f) thinner than I'd like.
o) Too floral, sweetly flowers to please me, who wants more masculine beers. But perfect for summer or late summer.

May 23, 2019

mikeg67 from New Jersey

3.84/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can. Pours hazy golden with long lasting foamy white head. Aroma is of floral hops and biscuit malt. Body is full and slightly crisp. Herbal hops and biscuit malt nicely balanced on the palate. Finish is long and dry. Nice brew.

May 14, 2019