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(Courtesy Jack’s Abby)
Framingham, Massachusetts-based Jack’s Abby Brewing is renowned for its lagers and Bavaria’s Weihenstephan, the oldest still existing brewery in the world, is legend. There may be nearly 1,000 years difference in the founding of these breweries, but they are much more alike than they are different and they both are passionate about lagers.
So word that they were collaborating on a new Festbier is BIG news if you care about serious beer…
Jack’s Abby / Weihenstephan Fest Of Both World’s is a 6% ABV Festbier Collaboration Lager. The goal for this project was to brew a beer that honored historical brewing methods while infusing it with modern innovations to create a unique fest beer.
The Research Center Weihenstephan BLQ of the Technical University of Munich shared the TUM 34/70 yeast strain with Jack’s Abby as part of this collaboration. This yeast is famously known as the original Bavarian lager strain and brings true brewing heritage to this beer.
Jack’s Abby also employed a decoction mashing technique and lagered the beer in horizontal tanks furthering the traditional methods of brewing for this beer.
(Courtesy Jack’s Abby)
To bring some modern innovation Jack’s Abby Brewing used some modern hopping methods and some atypical hops – Sterling and Adeena. These hops, along with Pilsner and Munich malts create an assertive hop profile on a balanced malt backbone. The beer is easy to drink with subtle herbal and spicy notes.
“It’s a remarkable honor to have the opportunity to brew a collaboration with one of the most iconic names in the world for lager,” Jack’s Abby Co-Founder Jack Hendler. “I’ve always looked to Weihenstephan for inspiration over my career and this marks a milestone for the brewery.”
“What I Like about this project is that it came along organically over 5 years of friendship,” Matthias Ebner Weihenstephan Global Brand Ambassador added “Jack has the mind of a German brewer and the heart of an American.”
Weihenstephan rarely does collaborations in the United States. In fact, this marks only the 3rd in the company’s storied history. The two breweries have been forging a relationship over the past 5 years including multiple trips to each other’s breweries and many shared lagers.
This beer will be available only in Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire and Southern Maine starting August 18, and for a limited time. The two breweries will be celebrating the collaboration with a transcontinental party. The team from Jack’s Abby will be traveling to Freising Germany to raise some steins at Volksfest in early September, and then the team from Weihenstephan will be returning to Massachusetts to celebrate with a series of events from September 14 – 17.
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(All image credits: Jack’s Abby)
