Mole Framinghammer by Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers
Just two hours south from the Lakes Region, you will find yourself driving through an area known to outsiders as ‘Woostah’ (apparently the pronunciation given by locals) and nearby towns of the Rt 9 corridor. One of these towns is Framingham and within its city limits resides a quietly remarkable brewery called Jack’s Abby. In the brief time they have been brewing, Jack’s has caught the attention of a wide range of imbibers and an appreciation has been established with their loyal fans.
The Hendler brothers opened Jack’s Abby in 2011 with the express passion of making only lager beer which is a finely tuned craft demanding supreme accuracy. While ales ferment in temps between 63-78°F, lagers use ranges between 45-58°F and take longer to complete. This came from an Austrian brewing practice of using cold caves to store their beer while fermenting. Because they understand the process so intimately, Jack’s Abby lagers have taken tons of medals for their brew efforts in their short career. They have been very successful in their work and now share their offerings within NH. Look at their website, www.jacksabby.com for their complete story and beer listings.
Poured into a tulip glass, Mole (pronounced MO-lay) is black as midnight with an attractive mocha creamy head. The aromas appreciated in a tulip glass far outweigh a pint glass as the smells of this brew are accentuated in the upper portions of the rim. Chocolate, spice, bourbon and some peppers come through the nose as you approach. The taste follows the nose as you gather up vanilla, cinnamon, bourbon, oak, and the warmth of hot peppers ever so slightly. With a rich mouthfeel and a bit on the thicker side of creaminess, Mole Framinghammer remains elusive to nail down. But it is also one of the most interesting flavor combinations I’ve tasted in quite a while. Earlier versions of this beer were called Baltic Porter but I’m sure that the taste of this beer didn’t fit the Baltic Porter beer style so it was removed. This is also a beer that should be cellared for a year or more. The smoothness of Mole is sufficient as it is, but I can image the smoothness becoming even more velvety after another 12 months or more.
Drink this beer at 40-50°F to get the most out of the complexity of the many flavors held within. It is quite boozy as well so take it easy and savor its offerings passively.
BeerAdvocate.com has officially rated this beer ‘Outstanding’ and awarding a 94 out of 100. Followers also rated it as high as 4.53 out of 5.0 meaning that Jack’s Abby Mole is a beer to be sought after and and try as long as you remember it’s 12% ABV…
Jim MacMillan is the owner of WonByOne Design of Meredith, NH, and is an avid imbiber of craft brews and a home brewer as well. Send him your recommendations and brew news to wickedbrews@weirs.com
