Esquire: Why the "Session" Beer Trend Makes Zero Sense

I'm not angry at all, but you can try to act like I'm not talking about the right parts of my emotional state. It will be similar to your session beer argument.

 

So when someone starts a thread here asking for recommendations for good tasting stouts...You think what about them? Probably that they like stouts. Because replace the word stout with session beer and you think they are somehow pushing down their real motivation for this request.

 

Not sure what you mean by "hitting its peak." Again, it has nothing to do with the intensity of flavor and everything to do with multiple layers of complexity that unfold as you consume more of it. To experience such beers -- especially in the setting of a UK pub, Czech tavern, or German beer garden -- is one of the greatest pleasures in brewing. But if you're happy grabbing an IPA from the fridge and are unwilling to explore this phenomenon, then who am I to argue? Still, I can't help but feel a bit sorry for you....

 

I am not arguing about your emotional state, I am trying to get to the core of the logic behind the arguments on each side of this. I don't know that I am tracking how this compares to the session beer argument either. I was pointing out that your post was in direct opposition to what I wrote and made no sense.

I wrote:
"I can actually see some instances in which I could justify it, but no one here is actually talking about the right parts of the topic."

And you replied with:
"You really can't think of a single reason that anybody would want to have a few beers without the end result of being drunk? Not one?"

That is weird to me man.

 

How does it make zero sense to try to make a good tasting beer at the sort of strengths most people drink? That sounds like something that could make plenty of money for breweries that get it right.

 

Well, that's certainly an ignorant statement.

 

No, I think that their intent in drinking that beer is to find something with good taste...."session" is not a style of beer that I know of, like stout and porter, but maybe you need to petition for them to add it.

 

As a former resident of Scotland, i see there is confusion over why people like low abv beers.
For me it meant i could stay in the pub all day and evening Saturday with my mates..then off to the night club
Its a social thing..drink quite a few 3-4% beers all day ,have fun etc.
It also helps with darts and pool leagues on a week night.
I for one am happy i now have a choice of 4% beers.
I dont think American drinkers really get the social aspect.

 

Cripes, I was just re-stating what you said from the start! What you just said in this exact post! That certain beers "unfold"/"taste better"/"hit their peak/"insert synonyms here" after several pints.

IPA from a fridge? C'mon, now, you're just being lazy here. I never said such a thing. I distinctly referenced Weihenstephaner Hefe as my example. If you want to create straw men, be my guest, but it's really not necessary.

You clearly feel that a lower ABV beer such as German hefes, Czech pils, etc. can't fully be appreciated unless you drink several of them (and, apparently, at the source, which will leave the vasty majority of us wanting, sadly). I disagree (and, so we're clear, I've drank several such brews in succession. It did nothing for the experience. They were as tasty at glass one as glass three). I suppose in the end we're all happy. You get to session as many low ABV beers as you like. I get to drink my one. Cue the kumbaya.

 

I beg your pardon, sir!? One of the reasons behind the whole craft beer movement is because people were tired of light, yellow beers. With bad or no taste/flavor at all.

 

Although I agree with you in theory, when I see all the posts on BA referencing sessioning a six pack of Bigfoot I am not sure this is true in practice. There do seem to be a number of people that have confused the two.

 

This is just like the stupid David Chang article from GQ. People just need to stop trying to think in black and white. Sometimes there's more to life than just right and wrong. There are intricacies with every single subject in existence, beer and it's consumption is just one of those. This whole argument from Esquire is an attempt throw something into a neat little box and be done with it. There's always more to it than that.

 

"“A session is only interesting if the beer evolves with the session. So that first beer you have wants to stop you from being thirsty, wants to be crisp and bright and fresh. By the fourth or fifth, it’s sitting on the bar and it’s warming up. If your beer gets to 50 degrees and it stops being good—you know, if you need to warn people that your beer’s getting warm, then it’s not a session beer. Right? Because then you need to get a new one or you need to finish in a certain amount of time. It can’t sit there and be part of conversation for hours.”

That doesn't make sense to you as the difference between a low alcohol beer and a session beer?

 

No it's not a style. But it is a description related to certain characterisitcs of a beer. Has been for a very very long time.

 

Right. It doesn't have to always be but it's nice that it can sometimes be about the hops.

I don't get why people think it has to be one or the other: "hey, we've already got session beers so why make a new style?" We already had high ABV beers when people started to put stouts in bourbon barrels but I'm sure glad my options were expanded.

Is it really just the word "session" that people take offense to? I can't think a better naming options since calling it a Light IPA would never fly!

 

Yup i like hops and i like lower alcohol beers, as i prefer to have 4 or 5 at a sitting Session IPA is ideal.

 

Why don't you enlighten us?

 

I didn't use the term "ripped off" anywhere in any post on this subject. Neither did I say I was handing out any licenses to steal. If you're going to criticize someone, get their statement and facts correct first. And although beer prices here in the U.S. are not taxed on alcohol level, doesn't mean that the prices are entirely unaffected by alcohol content. If they were, DF 120 wouldn't sell for $10 a 12 oz. bottle, now would it?

For me, it's all about my personal perceived value and in my perception the same or very similar price for different abvs is not a value. That's all.

 

Remember, folks, "session beers" doesn't necessarily mean "session IPAs."

Remember, folks, Esquire is about as square a rag as you can find between glossy covers, so I feel confident enough to say "What a dumb article" without having read it. But to be fair, I believe Esquire produces that BrewDog TV show, so the author's confusion over the allure of session beers is probably based on the assumption that beer is something with a very high ABV that's poured from a squirrel.

 

I can relate to this article. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned similar points in threads on session ales and took some shit for it. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't understand the appeal of drinking a ton of low alcohol beer over many hours.