Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Seems these days I'm drinking on two ends of the spectrum, either really big beers (GI BCS, SN Bigfoot, etc), or really small beers (Stone Levitation, etc)

I'm looking for some new sessions to try, open to all suggestions but am really looking for beers that meet the true definition (4.5% or so) because I'm looking for stuff I can have a few of and not get hammered.

And stuff that's available fresh year round is nice too, as opposed to seasonals like DFH Festina Peche.

I'm asking here rather than BA because these threads there go south in a hurry, LOL

CA Beerarati, lay your wisdom on me.:noon:noon

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

How 'bout Fuller's London Pride? Sort of an under the radar beer here. Brooklyn Pennant Pale Ale, perhaps?

Cheers,
G

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

For session beers, I usually go with something a little less expensive. I typically only drink craft brew, but for a session, they are usually too expensive or too high in ABV. Newcastle is always on hand as well as a Kolsch style beer of some sort. Stella Artois or Busweiser/Michelob are my go to lager styles. Sam Adams is my Ale.

Other options- typically more expensive.
Bells Oarsman
Bells Lager
Bells Pale
DFH Pale Ale

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

I am big fan of this style of beer, but it's a rare breed in the USA.

Hawkshead Bitter is an awesome session beer.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Ain't that the truth.

I was looking at the site for the Great British Beer Festival this morning, their version of the Great American Beer Fest, and was a little shocked to see that almost ALL of the entries were below 5% ABV !!! I'd like to go to this some year, you could drink all day and not fall down:noon:noon

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Gotta put a plug in for my local favorite, Summit EPA, very drinkable, slightly higher than 4.5, but quite sessionable, goes well with a very wide range of foods, and has a fantastic finish that is distinct, but isn't like getting punched in the mouth constantly.
It just tagged a silver at the GABF, English style pale ale category.
http://www.aperfectpint.net/blog.php...rewing-company
http://www.greatamericanbeerfestival...ition/winners/

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

My new favorite session beer is Terrapin Golden Ale. Its local for me so therefore easy to find but if Terrapin is available near you its worth trying.

Guinness is another, it has less alcohol and less calories than a Budweiser and as many heavy beers as I drink I find it rather light. Another along those lines would be Victory Donnybrook Stout.

Another would be New Belgium's Fat Tire...yes, yes I know NB makes better beer but this one has a good flavor, lower abv, and I can drink many in a row without becoming smashed or full.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Its Widmer Broken Halo for me, havent been drinking alot of beer lately though :D

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

BLVD SingleWide IPA or Sam Adams Oktoberfest(right now)

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

To be true to the style, I'd have to recommend sticking with the English bitters. My preference would be for the ESB style--even though it's a bit higher ABV--but I think you'll find the selection to be more readily available. Fuller's is probably my favorite, but I'll also pick up Redhook ESB from time to time.

This is probably the easiest and least expensive style for homebrew, as well. If it wasn't so expensive to ship, we could work out a deal.... ;)

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

You should come to the Reading Beer and Cider Festival... we got a hog roast and everything!

If Fuller's is available, that's a good choice... a lot of our session ales over here are even less, and run 3.7%-4.2%. Brakspear's bitter is a good session ale, runs at the lower end, 3.7% I think, if you can get that go for it. Courage Director's is a bit higher (4.8%) but is good if you can find it too.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Goose Island Honker's Ale. Great beer, great flavor, 4.2% abv.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

A few lower ABV I've tried Vic.

Three Floyds Gorch Fock (ABV 4.5)
Three Floyds Gumballhead (ABV 5.5)
New Glarus Moon Man (ABV 5.0)
New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red (ABV 4.0)
New Glarus Raspberry Tart (ABV 4.0)

Dogfish Head Pangaea (ABV 7.0 A little more but still tasty)


A few I haven't had but might fit your bill.
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier (5.4)
Ithaca Beer Company Brute (ABV 6.5)

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Definitely on my list. :tu

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

I had quite a bit of this at the Dogfish brewpub in Rehoboth Beach a couple weeks ago... not sure I'd call it a session beer, but it sure is terrific.

Cheers,
G

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Three Floyds Robert the Bruce

I LOVE this beer and knocking out 2-3 isn't very hard (6.5%)

That's about all I can say for session beers, most of what I drink is 9%+. I would say Dogfish head 90 minute IPA even though it's 9%. Same with Midas touch. Even Oaked or regular Arrogant Bastard Ale isn't bad at 7.2%.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

My default draft beer. -(P

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Down here, we drink Abita Amber like water. I think they're great session beers.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Thanks guys, lots of good stuff to try so far!

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Yeah this beer is a staple.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Vic, I totally forgot... if you can find Timothy Taylor's Landlord, I think you'll dig that, 4.1%ABV Strong Pale Ale... see if you can get some!

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

I was about to make a new thread, so bump to this one.

Anyone else have any good session beer recommendations?

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

I'm a little surprised to see people listing stouts and high acohol beers in this thread. Seems contradictory to what a session beer is defined as but I guess one man's high alcohol is another man's everyday beverage.

Back on topic . . . I really like Sam Adams Noble Pils. Really light in body, but not light on flavor. Nice and hoppy from them brewing it with 5 different types of european hops. If you drink a lot of american craft beer that uses american hops, drinking something with european hops can be a nice change of pace. ABV is 4.9% so not terribly high. A few reviews I've read on this beer have called it one of the best pilsners in the world.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Noble Pils is a pretty good SA offering.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Goose Island Honkers Ale

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Guinnes?

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Guinness is hardly strong and about is close to session beer as us yanks will find easily. My favorite regular tap beer by a long shot.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

I've got some Magic Hat 9 (5.1% ABV) on tap in the garage. Pretty smooth drinking beer.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Guinness might not be high ABV, but it certainly is heavy, and wouldn't sit well over a session, IMO, where you would be drinking many pints.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

On our side of the pond, it's not heavy at all.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Fair enough, not tried it in the US, so I'll take your word.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Lagunitas Pale Ale is my new current session beer

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

I've give it a shot, I luvs me some of the other Lagunitas. Hairy Eye Ball, Brown Shugga, Gnarleywine, umummumum.!

One of the most reasonably priced, tasty making breweries going right now.

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Deschutes Mirror Pond. 5%, crisp and tasty, nice blend of malt and hops. A go to for me on a long afternoon or a few ( more than a couple? ) after work. :tu

Re: Session Beers: Give me your reccs
 

Guinness is definitely not a strong beer, but all that nitrogen they use to push it through the tap lines really fills me up.