Jack's Abby (2018)

Well Barleywines are ales though, but hey they've used it before to describe one of their lagers, right?

 

I think they called them “lagerwines” acutually.

 

Historically yes but really there's no reason it can't apply to both lagers and ales. I use barleywine and lagerwine interchangeablely for them though I know they typically use lagerwine. But it's not like barleywine couldn't apply technically speaking for JA....they're using barley and the use of "wine" only insinuates strength, nothing about process.

 

Yeah, and did you notice they actually wrote "Edelstoff" in small letters on the top of the can? I've only had the Augustiner once but I loved it and the reference on the Modern Hell can had me excited for something similar. As you note, it doesn't really taste much like that though (and I agree that the Augustiner mostly just tastes dangerously like a regular 4ish % Helles).

I looked up "Edelstoff" online and all that really comes up are references to the Augustiner beer itself, and Google translate doesn't even recognize it as German.

Do you happen to know anything about the term?

 

I had a few last night & have a similar opinion. Wasn’t what I was expecting at all & yes was a bit boozy - kinda like a golden bock. Won’t be a re-buy for me.

Unfortunately this Keller series has been a bit of a dud for me.

 

Did you have the Franconia Kraft? I thought that was outstanding.

But yeah, otherwise they’ve mostly been misses for me. Not terrible beers by any stretch, but I hold them to a high standard.

 

I thought it was OK, not really memorable.

Thankfully House Lager & Post Shift are usually spot-on & delicious, because I really think the rest of the JA portfolio is all over the map. Case in point: I’d been disappointed in Kiwi Rising the past few years but thought this year’s was terrific.

And HU is a total crap-shoot whether in cans or draft - sometimes it’s delicious & others it’s pretty lousy. I used to chalk up to either old beer or crappy draft lines, but I’ve had recent anecdotal experiences that have contradicted that theory.

 

From another BA that knows far more about German beer than I do.

‘Literally translated it means "of noble stuff, or stock." Edel = noble. Stoff is fabric, material, etc.’

 

Framinghammer. The OG. Not the variants (aside from the bourbon barrel, I mostly pass). Always on point. Really superb Baltic Porter. Maybe the best.

I thought Dinkel Herb was the best of the kellerbier so far, but I like ratskeller (sp?). I don’t go to Jacks on the rare occasions I’m actually craving hops, so I’m not the authority there.

Smoke & Dagger has been hitting the spot lately.

 

My tenth JA, Modern Hell. A yeasty Kellerbier, better than Private Rye. Both Modern Hell and Red Tape are listed as; "Availability: Limited (brewed once)". These could become year round.

 

It's an export Helles as far as I can tell. Could you elaborate on the "yeasty" part?

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26520/317628/?ba=Amendm#review

Banana smell, the body is rich from yeast more than malt (as far as can tell) and the taste finish is almost creamy from what I perceive as yeast.

 

Maybe I'm completely wrong (and someone correct me if I am), but it might be an off can?

Banana from yeast is in a Hefeweizen for sure, same with the creamy mouthfeel which is also a signature of a Hefe.

A Helles, even if unfiltered I imagine would still use a lager yeast, which may impart some sulfur aroma upon opening (that quickly dissipates), but otherwise shouldn't be imparting much aroma/flavor in a lager such as a Helles.

The lagering process would clean up a lot of that, which is why you see many people referring to a lager as "clean". There aren't fruity esters showing up from the yeast like you'd see in an ale.

Again, I could be totally wrong because this is a Kellerbier, but Kellerbier isn't really a style as much as it is a process.

 

I've only had one Helles and two Kellerbiers.
The Modern Hell 4-pack was dated 11/7/18 so I don't think it's an off batch issue.
The malt may be contributing more to the richness than the residual yeast.
Fun ride on the learning curve, still have a long way to go.

 

Gotcha. Yeah it's probably fine.

The banana that you're perceiving might just be a sweetness from the Pils malt. Everyone describes/tastes differently. To me Pils malt comes off as having a white biscuity/graham cracker sweetness when done well.

As I said before, Kellerbiers are unfiltered, unpasteurized lagers. More about process than a particular style.

After doing some more reading though, I have read that you could be getting some subtle estery notes from the yeast, and definitely a slightly creamier mouthfeel than a filtered lager.

To be honest, it's a confusing "style" without a concrete definition. All that matters is that you enjoyed it!

 

I didn't get any banana, but hearing it described as such I can kinda see how that might make sense.

I pounded a lot of Post Shift this past weekend. So that's some appreciation.

However, House Lager is better imo.

 

I haven’t had Modern Hell yet, but this reminds me that I remember picking up banana in Mahr’s Ungespundet – a great, classic keller lager. I seem to be the only person who picks up on the banana in that beer – and it could be a matter misidentifying what I’m tasting – but maybe @Amendm and I have similar perceptors for picking up banana notes in some keller lagers…or what we think is banana at least

 

Hey if that’s what you pick up, that’s what you taste. That’s why I said everyone describes and tastes things differently.

Bear in mind though, this is their Kellerbier “series”.

They’ve brewed many different styles in this series, the only similarity between them is that they’re unfiltered.

So it might not exactly compare to something like Mahr’s Ungespundet.

 

Huh, this is an interesting beer. Upthread I mentioned finding it a little boozy and a couple people said they understood what I meant even if they might characterize it differently. Now the same has happened for the banana flavor.

And it just so happens I had one left in the fridge. I don't like banana flavors in my beer and figured I would have noticed them before if they were there, but I'll be damned if I don't get some on the nose - especially right when you open the can.

Maybe this is some sort of experimental Willy Wonka beer that tastes like whatever you want it to?

 

Enjoyed two more Modern Hells last night while watching the “Vikings” season premier.

The banana flavor is at its peak when the can is first opened, undetectable in the taste.
This time I noticed alcohol in the smell more than I did on Monday night.

Interesting how some beers appear different during multiple tries, and of course different people’s perspectives.