Firestone Walker Union Jack 19.2oz is a double dry-hopped West Coast IPA from Firestone Walker Brewing in California, packaged in a 19.2oz stovepipe can at 7.0% ABV. This flagship IPA has earned gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival (2008, 2009) and the 2025 World Beer Cup, along with a perfect 100 rating from Craft Beer & Brewing magazine — a résumé that places it among the most decorated West Coast IPAs in production.Quick Facts: ABV: 7.0% | Origin: California, USA | Style: West Coast IPA | Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing CompanyProduction & HeritageUnion Jack is built on a grain bill of premium two-row malt (Metcalf and Kendall varieties), Munich malt, Cara Pils, and Simpson's Light Crystal — a backbone designed to support, not compete with, the hop load. Magnum hops handle bittering duties, while Cascade and Centennial are added as late-kettle additions. The defining step comes during dry hopping: Firestone Walker employs a proprietary dry hop cannon that uses CO2 pressure to introduce hops directly into the top of the fermenter, delivering intense aroma without extracting additional bitterness. The beer receives over four pounds of Pacific Northwest hops per barrel across two separate dry-hop charges, featuring Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Citra, Chinook, and Simcoe — a six-hop blend that drives Union Jack's layered tropical and resinous character. Fermentation relies on the brewery's house ale yeast strain.Tasting NotesAroma: Pineapple and ripe mango hit first, followed by waves of grapefruit zest and sticky pine resin. A backdrop of fresh-cut grass and floral notes rounds out an exceptionally complex hop bouquet.Taste: The entry is bright with sweet grapefruit and tangerine, transitioning quickly into sappy pine and citrus rind at the mid-palate. A firm bitterness builds but stays in check against a supportive malt structure of light bread crust and orange marmalade. Herbal and grassy hop flavors add depth without muddying the citrus core.Finish: Long and assertively dry, with lingering pine resin, grapefruit pith, and a faint caramel sweetness from the malt. The bitterness resolves cleanly, leaving a resinous impression that invites the next sip.How to Drink Union JackPour into a tulip glass or IPA glass at around 45–50°F to let the aromatic complexity fully open up; drinking straight from the can mutes the hop bouquet this beer is built to showcase. Union Jack also works well in beer-forward mixed drinks: try it in a Hop Shandy with fresh lemonade, where its grapefruit and pine notes amplify the citrus base; a Michelada, where the aggressive hop bitterness stands up to lime, hot sauce, and Worcestershire; or a Beer-a-Rita, where Union Jack's tropical fruit character pairs naturally with fresh lime juice and a salted rim.Best For Bringing a standout single-serve to a barbecue or tailgate Introducing a friend to the West Coast IPA style with a benchmark example Pairing with bold, spicy food like tacos al pastor or Thai curry Stocking a mixed craft beer fridge with a proven gold-medal IPA Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat does Union Jack taste like? Union Jack delivers bold pineapple, grapefruit, and tangerine hop flavors supported by a backbone of light bread and caramel malt, finishing with assertive pine resin bitterness. It is a textbook West Coast IPA — dry, bitter, and hop-forward from start to finish.How does Union Jack compare to Stone IPA? Both are flagship West Coast IPAs from California, but Union Jack leans more heavily into tropical and citrus fruit character from its six-hop dry-hop blend, while Stone IPA tends toward a more singular piney and resinous bitterness. Union Jack's double dry-hopping process also gives it a more aromatic profile at a comparable ABV.Is Union Jack good for sipping on its own? Union Jack is an excellent standalone drinking beer, with enough complexity across its tropical, citrus, and pine hop layers to reward slow, attentive sipping from a proper glass.Where is Union Jack made? Union Jack is brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Company in California. The brewery uses Pacific Northwest-sourced hops and its proprietary dry hop cannon technology in production.What foods pair well with Union Jack? The assertive bitterness and citrus character pair well with spicy tacos or carnitas, where the hops cut through rich fat; sharp cheddar or aged Gruyère, which mirror the beer's caramel malt sweetness; grilled burgers with pepper jack cheese; fish tacos with mango salsa, echoing the tropical hop notes; and Indian curry dishes, where the pine and herbal hops complement complex spice blends.What sizes does Union Jack come in? Union Jack is available in the 19.2oz stovepipe can format as well as standard 12oz six-packs and 12oz cans.Is Union Jack worth the price? Union Jack positions as a mid-range craft IPA that significantly over-delivers for its price tier, backed by multiple gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup and a perfect 100 score from Craft Beer & Brewing — credentials that many IPAs costing more cannot match.Why Union Jack?Few West Coast IPAs in production today carry a competition pedigree as deep as Union Jack's, with gold medals spanning from the 2008 Great American Beer Festival to the 2025 World Beer Cup — nearly two decades of top-tier recognition. The proprietary dry hop cannon and four-plus pounds of hops per barrel represent a production commitment that translates directly into aroma intensity rarely matched at this ABV and price point. A perfect 100 rating from Craft Beer & Brewing further confirms what hop-focused drinkers already know: this is a benchmark of the style. The 19.2oz stovepipe format makes it an ideal single-serve option when you want a full pint-plus of one of California's most awarded IPAs.
