Favorite session beers?

The conflict between what's ideal healthwise and what's realistic from a cultural perspective is an issue which Sweden has grappled with for centuries by now. It would be better healthwise if people drank a few pints of 3.5% beer every other day instead of drinking 5%+ strenght beer and spirits on the weekend, but that's simply not part of our culture. It took alot of legislative effort to make Swedes drink beer instead of vodka as their alcoholic beverage of choice, and by the looks of it the de facto compromise as things stand seems to be that we drink 5.2% abv beer or 13% abv wine instead of 40% abv vodka. Is that progress or simply status quo?

In recent years, after Sweden joined the EU there's been much talk about Swedes adopting "continental" drinking patterns where people consume moderate amounts of alcohol on weekdays instead of drinking it all on a friday or saturday, but more and more we find that people simply combine the two types of drinking instead of switching from one to another. You can try to manage the destructive consequences of a drinking culture to some extent, but you can't replace it with the ideal of your choosing.

I say this because in my mind it might be unrealistic to think that an American concept of session beers could mimic the same abv limits as those of the UK. Especially if we're talking craft beer drinkers, I think the average abv for the average drinker might easily approach 6% rather than 3.5% or even 4.5%. This is obviously not ideal from a health perspective, since intoxication is more likely, but it might be the more realistic, or de facto model.

One might continue to argue for the consumption of lower abv beers, but as things stand I don't think that the discussion amongst Americans on what constitutes a session beer is remarkable in any way.

 

Summit - extra pale ale
Schell's - Pilsener
Sam Adams - Noble Pils

 

What is the best session beer?

 

Field 41 Pale Ale by Bale Breaker Brewing. At 4.5%, It's no question.

 

You should read through a couple of older threads on the subject:

http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/flavorful-session-beers.86992/
http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/session-time.84947/

Neither can answer definitively what is 'best', but you'll get lots of ideas...

 

Really liking Notch Left of the Dial. A 'sessionable IPA' coming in at 4.3%.

 

Zombie Dust

 

Harvey's Sussex Best, but at 4.0% it's on the strong side.

 

Sidekick Extra Pale Ale from Two Brothers

5.1% abv and delicious.

 

I'm sure it is. But not remotely a session beer.Our emergency rooms and police cells are full every Friday night with people who think they can drink 5% beer as if it's a session beer.After only a few Imperial pints the difference becomes alarmingly real.And a session will often comprise a hell of a lot more than that

 

Jester King Le Petit Prince... 2.9% ABV. It's perfect for long drinking sessions. It's sort of on the expensive side in the bottle (most Jester King beers are), but the bar I frequent has it for $3/pint on Sundays! Perfect for just socializing.

Another favorite of mine is Austin Beerworks Einhorn. 3.5% ABV berlinerweiss. Nothing is better in the summer! Unfortunately it's draft-only during July/August and tends to go quick.

 

Prolonged enjoyment by Short's brewing 3.7%

 

Pretty Things Magnifico at 3.4% ABV has visited my fridge plenty this spring and summer. I've also run through multiple sixpacks of Notch Saison (3.8%), and on tap I've been enjoying Notch Pils (4.0%).

 

HFS Walden, at 4% it's at the upper limit of session. Of course, having enough of it to "session" is another story. But for me it was the most enjoyable session-style ale I've had.

 

Here in Seattle we have a brewery that focuses primarily on English session style ales, served via cask in their tasting room. Not only do they make my favorite beers that clock in near session strength but honestly some of my favorite beers period.

With that said my pick would be Machine House Bitter, which is 4.2 percent. Others they make are:

Machine House Dark Mild, 3.6 ABV.
Machine House Gold, 4.5 ABV.

There's nothing like drinking stuff like this fresh on cask!

 

I've been on a Bitter American kick lately so I'll go with that. But my dream would be to get Hottenroth in 12oz bottles or cans.

 

anyone else hate the term "session" when it comes to beer

I'd rather the bottle say can drink 6 and still be coherent

my pick
Guinness Draught

4.2%

 

Long Trail Ale (altbier) immediately comes to mind as does Sam Noble Pils.

Jack's Abby Leisure Time Lager or Jabby Brau are both kick ass session brews as well, but if you're drinking large quantities, it's not as inexpensive as the above mentioned brews.

 

Well depends on what your interpretation of a "session" is. Mine is around 4-6 (12 oz) beers in a sitting which I think most regular beer drinkers could handle the 5.1% without being ruined.

 

I wish I could get Victory's Uncle Teddy's Bitter in bottles. It's the perfect session beer.