Jack’s Abby Pro-Am Pilsner

Jack’s Abby believes in lager. Lagers use bottom fermenting yeast that give the best results at low temperatures over longer times, but provide beers with crisp, clean flavors that highlight the ingredients used. Jack’s Abby has re-imagined the lager style, brewing everything from traditional German styles to highly hopped lagers that are really a new style of their own. The Framingham, MA based brewer now makes a series of year round beers along with seasonals and special brews.

Pro-Am Pilsner is a Bohemian style pilsner made by Jack’s Abby in conjunction with a local home-brewer in support of the American Home-brewer’s Association. Pilsner’s get a bad name due to the mass-produced, flavorless American lagers that dominated the market for decades, but some craft brewers have been determined to reinvigorate the style by brewing nuanced, tasty versions of the beer. Think of the difference between a burger you get at McDonalds and one you get at a high end bistro, they are both called a cheese burger but there is no comparison when it comes to quality and flavor.

Jacks Abby pilsnerPro-Am Pilsner pours a dark yellow with a quickly dissipating head, There is a mild smell of earthy hops and malt, typically pilsners don’t have a lot of nose. First taste gives a solid malt backbone, with a mild but distinct hop flavor. The flavor is complex, it has the drinkability of mass-produced pilsners but much more intricate and nuanced flavors. This is a perfect beer to give your friend who drinks Bud and wants to start trying craft beer, but is a little intimidated. Hoppy Boston score: 4.0/5.

Leave a comment