There seems to be a lot of confusion over what exactly a “session beer” really is. Is it a brand? A brewery? Or maybe the beer preferred during a jam session, or even a bull session?
Well, no, no, and perhaps.
The origin of session beers is a bit muddled, but they’re said to date back to WWI Great Britain. During that time, munition workers found themselves working long hours in order to supply troops with ammo. To keep things moving efficiently (and probably as a morale booster), they were given short “session” breaks of a few hours in between shifts (11AM–3PM; 7PM–11PM). While some probably used it to catch up on sleep, a good majority of the workers spent their session breaks in nearby pubs.
Since the last thing they wanted to do was find themselves inebriated on the production line, they needed an ale they could drink with frequency without falling over after three or four. Thus, “session beer” was deemed any beer with an ABV (alcohol by volume) range of 3 to 5 percent. Workers could have more than half a dozen of these beers and remain coherent enough to get back to work without getting fired on the spot or worse.
Though there is mild dispute over the true definition of a session beer, one definition we liked goes as follows:
Any beer that contains no higher than 5 percent ABV, featuring a balance between malt and hop characters (ingredients) and, typically, a clean finish—a combination of which creates a beer with high drinkability. The purpose of a session beer is to allow a beer drinker to have multiple beers, within a reasonable time period or session, without overwhelming the senses or reaching inappropriate levels of intoxication.
Basically, it’s a beer to pace yourself.
To get you immersed in the world of session beer, we went ahead and picked some of the best session beers on the market today (many of which you can find at your local Flying Saucer). Bottoms up!
Anchor Steam Beer
ABV: 4.9%
Starting with probably the most recognizable. Anchor is one of the oldest craft breweries, and Anchor Steam can be found just about everywhere. Its high malt flavor makes it a “love it or hate it” drinking affair, but its heaviness certainly make it feel stronger than it really is.
Photo credit: Anchor Brewing Company Facebook
Evil Twin Bikini Beer
ABV: 2.7%
This New York brewery’s session beer packs a fun blast of grapefruit, hops and lemon and is surprisingly addictive for a beer with only 2.7 percent alcohol by volume.
Photo credit: Evil Twin Brewing Facebook
Founders All Day IPA
ABV: 4.7%
Well-balanced, strong, flavorful, it’s often the session beer all others are compared to. It’s one of the better session beers for summer, as it’s light and flavorful and won’t weigh you down. Also, it’s sold in 15-packs, and it’s usually a great deal.
Photo credit: Founders Brewing Co. Facebook
Other Half SuperFun Pale Ale
ABV: 4.2%
SuperFun packs a powerful punch of orange peel, citrus, yeast and hops that somehow pulls off the sweet and dry taste without the expected bitter aftertaste. Plus, the can is pretty fun, too.
Photo credit: Other Half Brewing Company Instagram
Firestone Walker Easy Jack
ABV: 4.5%
Firestone Walker’s session beer, Easy Jack, could easily pass for a strong and well-crafted IPA. Its notes of citrus and hops with a strong malt backbone won’t disappoint the drinker who wants to get his flavors-worth during his session.
Photo credit: Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Facebook
