Session IPA: Should it be its own style?

Definitely not. They are usually thin bodied, watery, light on hop flavour, and just overall waste of what should have been a Pale Ale. If you could bottle/ can disappointment, they would be it.

 

Session IPA's have their limited use. I do love a good session IPA though. I have no problem with them as a separate style as it is hard to compete as an IPA with less than 5% alcohol.

 

Many question whether they should even exist.

 

The fact that we can speak about them means that they have become their own style.

I think style categories are important when they are historically significant or culturally important, but when they are created as a fad or marketing ploy it is just unnecessary classification. Whats the difference between an out-of-balance APA and a session IPA?

I judge beers according to style, and I think this means that you understand every style has its time and place to shine. You take note about how well that beer would be desired in those particular circumstances.

I don't see where I would grab a Session-IPA in place of a regular pale ale or a pilsner.

 

Exactly!

Cheers!

 

no

 

They do. They are called Pale Ales.

 

Sure, I think it's a completely legitimate style. As mentioned above, it's hard for a Session IPA to complete with a high-ABV IPA. But that's okay. I think the idea of a lighter beer which still has a hoppy IPA taste is great. We already have style categories based on the heaviness/intensity/ABV/etc of a beer. For example, we separate Stouts and Imperial Stouts, IPAs and DIPAs. Why can't we have another category for a lighter version of an IPA?

 

I wouldn't mind ISA's being a style on its own but what would define "Session"? I agree its hard to rate a 4% IPA against a 7%, almost unfair really.

 

IMO your cheating yourself of flavor opting for a session IPA over a Pale Ale but to each their own. I do feel as though Session IPAs deserve their own sub genre as it is unfair to judge them against their superior brethren.

 

Nah. I think it's just a trendy term for low abv ales.

 

I go back and forth on them. Some I have really enjoyed and would categorize them all by themselves, others I haven't enjoyed and those don't seem worthy of the classification. Either way I think for the foreseeable future they are here to stay and I hope that any others that are developed are as good as some that are around.

 

Easy jack no doubt

 

I don't get why so many people on BA have such a problem with session IPAs. You don't like them, I get it. Yet they are in fact extremely popular, so there are plenty of craft drinkers/crossover drinkers who do like them. I will sometimes drink them and my wife almost exclusively drinks them (low cal good for her figure, thank you) Unless brewers are no longer brewing regular IPAs OR pales ales BECAUSE they are brewing session IPAs, I don't see what the problem is. It's adding choices, not limiting choices. Isn't that a good thing? Should it be it's own style? Probably.

 

It's being recognized as it's own thing by a lot of breweries and beer drinkers, therefore it should be considered a style.

Personally, I want it to be seen as a legitimate style so that good ones can be made and more often. There are very good ones like All Day and Go To, but there is obviously room for improvement. If it becomes it's own thing it will get the treatment it needs to get better.

 

I say yes, but shouldn't be called "Session IPA". "Pale Session Ale" works just fine; no need to call every hoppy beer a ____ IPA. Just say it's a light and bitter ale, and that'll do.

 

Sorry I don't know what "easy jack" means.

 

Firestone Walker Easy Jack

 

Did anyone else find this exchange particularly amusing?