Jester King Astral Reflection 4Pk

Jester King Astral Reflection 4Pk is a triple dry-hopped hazy double IPA collaboration between Jester King Brewery and Celestial Beerworks, clocking in at approximately 8.5% ABV. This limited collaboration marks the first time these two Texas breweries joined forces in the brewhouse, earning an 89 on BeerAdvocate and recognition as a standout among hop-forward releases from the Texas Hill Country.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~8.5%  |  Origin: Texas Hill Country, USA  |  Style: Hazy Double IPA  |  Brewery: Jester King Brewery × Celestial Beerworks

Production & Heritage

Jester King Brewery, founded in 2010 on a ranch in the Texas Hill Country outside Austin, has earned a reputation as one of the world's best small breweries according to Craft Beer & Brewing. Known primarily for farmhouse ales and mixed-culture fermentations, Astral Reflection represents a stylistic departure — a full-throttle hazy double IPA created in collaboration with Dallas-based Celestial Beerworks. The brew incorporates Idaho 7, Loral Cryo, and the experimental TRI-2304CR Cryo hop in the boil, then receives a massive triple dry-hop charge of Galaxy, Mosaic, Sabro, and Idaho 7 cryo hops, pushing the tropical and citrus intensity to its upper limits.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: An immediate wave of honeydew melon and ripe cantaloupe rolls in first, followed by layers of citrus peel and tropical fruit — think mango, passionfruit, and pineapple. A subtle grain sweetness anchors the aromatics beneath the hop intensity.

Taste: The palate opens with juicy tangerine and lemon, quickly building through passionfruit, kiwi, and mango at mid-palate. A gentle cereal and shortcake sweetness provides malty structure without weighing down the fruit-forward character. Cantaloupe and grape juice-like juiciness tie the layers together as the bitterness slowly asserts itself.

Finish: A balancing wave of pine resin, fresh-cut grass, and citrus peel bitterness steadily emerges, keeping the sweetness in check. The mouthfeel remains creamy throughout, with lively carbonation that lifts the finish and leaves a lingering tropical resonance.

How to Drink Astral Reflection

Pour into a tulip glass or wide-mouthed IPA glass at around 42–46°F to let the cryo hop aromatics fully bloom. This beer is built to drink fresh and unadorned — the triple dry-hop complexity rewards full attention. For a beer cocktail approach: use it as the base for a Hoppy Shandy by adding a splash of fresh lemon juice and honey; blend it with a wheat beer for a mellowed Hop Radler; or pair it with grapefruit juice for a Hop Sunrise that highlights the citrus backbone.

Best For

• Sharing with fellow hop enthusiasts during a weekend tasting session
• Celebrating a Texas craft beer collaboration with something genuinely rare
• Gifting to a hazy IPA devotee who tracks limited brewery releases
• Pairing with spicy food nights where bold flavors demand an equally bold beer

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Astral Reflection taste like? Astral Reflection delivers a juicy, fruit-forward profile dominated by mango, passionfruit, tangerine, and cantaloupe, supported by a creamy mouthfeel and a balancing finish of pine and fresh grassiness.

How does Astral Reflection compare to Three Notched King of Clouds? Both are hazy, hop-saturated DIPAs, but where King of Clouds leans into orange-citrus character, Astral Reflection trades that for a more expansive tropical profile and pronounced lemon-hop intensity driven by its Galaxy and Mosaic cryo hop backbone.

Is Astral Reflection good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the triple dry-hop layering and creamy body make it a rewarding standalone pour, best enjoyed fresh from a proper glassware to maximize aroma.

Where is Astral Reflection made? Astral Reflection is brewed at Jester King Brewery, located on a ranch in the Texas Hill Country just outside Austin, Texas, in collaboration with Celestial Beerworks of Dallas, Texas.

What foods pair well with Astral Reflection? Thai green curry mirrors the tropical hop notes; fish tacos with mango salsa echo the citrus and melon character; a charcuterie board with aged cheddar contrasts the juicy sweetness; spicy buffalo wings benefit from the beer's creamy body cutting through heat; and grilled shrimp with lime complements the citrus backbone.

What sizes does Astral Reflection come in? Astral Reflection is available as a 4-pack of cans, the standard format for Jester King's hop-forward collaboration releases.

Is Astral Reflection worth the price? As a limited collaboration between two respected Texas breweries featuring a triple dry-hop process with premium cryo hops, Astral Reflection positions itself at the upper end of the craft DIPA market, where its complexity and rarity justify its placement among specialty releases.

Why Astral Reflection?

This beer exists because two Texas breweries with distinct identities — Jester King's farmhouse heritage and Celestial Beerworks' hop-driven approach — met in the brewhouse for the first time and pushed the hazy DIPA format to an extreme. The triple dry-hop protocol using Galaxy, Mosaic, Sabro, and Idaho 7 cryo hops creates a hop intensity that few standard double IPAs achieve. With an 89 on BeerAdvocate and a 3.9 on Untappd across nearly 1,300 ratings, it has earned a strong consensus among drinkers who seek out limited, craft-forward releases. For anyone drawn to hazy IPAs that prioritize aromatic complexity and tropical juice character over simple bitterness, Astral Reflection delivers a genuinely distinctive experience rooted in Texas craft brewing.