Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers
Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union
The reference India pale lager: an IPA hop load over a lager fermentation, from a brewery that makes nothing else.
- Strength
- 6.7% ABV
- Style
- India pale lager
- Brewery
- Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers
Also called Hoponius Union.
India pale lager is a straightforward idea that is hard to execute. A lager fermentation contributes almost no flavour of its own, which is normally the point — and it means there is nothing to blend with or soften the hops, so every rough edge in the hopping is audible.
That is also what makes the format worth tasting. Beside an American IPA of similar strength the hop character reads more clearly defined and less fruity, because the esters that a warm ale fermentation adds are simply absent. It is the cleanest way to hear what a hop actually tastes like.
What it tastes like
Inherited from India pale lager, because this beer sits within the normal range for it. BeerHQ’s comparative scale, not a measurement.
Why BeerHQ carries this beer
| Reason | Carried as a reference example of its style |
|---|---|
| Strength | 6.7% ABV — checked 2026-08-19. Strengths differ by market and change without announcement, so this is dated rather than absolute. |
| Record stability | Stable — this product has changed little and is not expected to. |
BeerHQ records no recipe, hop bill, malt bill, yeast strain, IBU or calorie figure for any commercial beer unless it is sourced. Nothing on this page is inferred from what the beer tastes like.
What is distinctive about it
- A lager fermentation contributes no ester character, so the hops are the only flavour present
- From a brewery that brews exclusively bottom-fermented beer, which is rare in American craft
If you like Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union
Worked out from what this beer actually tastes like rather than from what its style typically does. Three kinds of move, because “what should I try next” is three different questions.
Closest to it
Very similar in structure and flavour. Safe ground rather than discovery.
German Pils — try Rothaus Tannenzäpfle or Jever Pilsener
A close structural match for Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: noticeably less citrus (moderate–high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less citrus than Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
Czech premium pale lager — try Pilsner Urquell or Budweiser Budvar
A close structural match for Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: noticeably less citrus (moderate–high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less citrus than Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
Czech pale lager — try Velkopopovický Kozel Světlý
A close structural match for Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: noticeably less citrus (moderate–high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less citrus than Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
Similar, but different
Keeps what you probably like about it and changes one or two things. Usually the most useful answer.
Keeps most of what Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union does and shifts citrus.
Different: noticeably less citrus (moderate–high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less citrus than Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
International pale lager — try Heineken Original or Asahi Super Dry
Keeps most of what Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union does and shifts hop aroma.
Different: much less hop aroma (high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less hop aroma than Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
Dortmunder Export — try DAB Original or Augustiner Edelstoff
Keeps most of what Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union does and shifts hop aroma.
Different: noticeably less hop aroma (high → low).
May not suit: Noticeably less hop aroma than Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
A bigger jump
Genuinely different, but connected by something specific — the shared trait is named so you can judge whether the bridge holds.
American pale ale — try Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Little Creatures Pale Ale
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
Different: slightly less dryness (high → moderate).
May not suit: Very close to Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
American IPA — try Sierra Nevada Torpedo or BrewDog Punk IPA
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
Different: noticeably more tropical fruit (none–trace → moderate–high).
May not suit: Noticeably more tropical fruit than Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union.
Different: slightly less malt intensity (low → trace).
May not suit: Very close to Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Likely fits rather than promises. Taste varies, and a recommendation engine that claims certainty is claiming something it cannot know.
What to eat with it
Inherited from India pale lager. BeerHQ does not duplicate pairings onto individual products unless the product genuinely differs from its style.
- Adobo
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
- Dim sum
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
- Gyoza
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
- Ham
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
Keeping it
India pale lager shows best within 1–3 months of packaging. After that it declines in quality rather than becoming unsafe.
Drink fresh. Buy it as young as you can and drink it soon. What makes this beer worth drinking is the first thing to leave it.
Derived from India pale lager. See storage and freshness for the full model.
BeerHQ carries a small set of reference beers to anchor styles, not a catalogue. There is no rating here and there will not be one. Last reviewed 2026-08-19.