Beer Nut: Jack’s Abby makes perfect summer lagers

I came back from my holiday and landed right in the middle of some really hot and humid weather. Of course, since it was July in Massachusetts, that’s not surprising.

But finding myself in such dreadfully sweltering circumstances made me take refuge in lagers – what else?

While there are many great lager choices at the numerous beer purveyors in my area, I decided to go with a Massachusetts brand – one that specializes in lagers and does a superb job at making them. I’m speaking, of course, of Jack’s Abby in Framingham..

I’ve written about Jack’s Abby over the years, but I’m not sure I have ever written an entire column specifically focusing on one or two of its beers. But today I’m doing just that, as I stocked up on a couple of my favorites from the brewery.

First up is Jack’s Abby’s House Lager, which may have a rather plain name, but is anything but plain in flavor. According to the company, the brew resulted from a trip to Germany that co-founder Jack Hendler took about a decade ago. “He spent this trip going from brewery to brewery and developed a strong appreciation for the ‘house beers’ that each brewery had to offer. Each ‘house beer’ was different from the next, but most fell within the Helles style,” the website says.

I’m so glad Jack’s Abby decided to pursue this style. The nose is grainy and malty, foreshadowing the clean bread-like flavor that also features a mild hint of hops, adding a touch of citrus notes as the beer leaves your palate. The finish is fairly clean, with a smattering of honey-like malt lingering on the tongue. All in all, a great Helles-style beer that comes in at 5.2% ABV.

My second choice this week was Post Shift, a Bavarian-style pilsner that melds a delicious cracker-malt structure with an effervescent carbonation and a through line of gentle herbal hoppiness. The nose has hints of lemon, which are subsumed in the taste by the malt as the beer warms on the palate.

The brew finishes as crisp as an autumn day and at 4.7% ABV, it’s a perfect session beer, whether you’re having it after your shift or just on the weekend.

Beer Note

It is with great sadness that I read that Anchor Brewing is closing its doors after 127 years. As the first craft brewery in the country, Anchor was an oasis for American beer drinkers back when I first drank beer and the choices beyond the large industrial brands were very limited. I recall many a night quaffing Anchor Liberty Ale and the legendary Anchor Steam Beer. Apparently the pandemic, along with other market factors, forced this heartbreaking decision.

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