Favorite session beers?

I'm going local with Rising Tide's Maine Island Trail Ale. 4.3% abv. Crisp, clean, flavorful, and refreshing. And it's in cans!

 

Odell - Wellspring is probably my fave. Has the most character to it. I believe it is dry hopped as well which might be what i am liking most about it.

Lucid - Silo is also pretty good, i like that the seemingly signature "spice" flavours don't overwhelm this beer.

Lift Bridge - Farmgirl is a go to if i am in a "just one on the docks" mood. The spice in this one get a little overbearing if i try to have more than one or two (then again some people like that about a session).

 

Pasilla Chili Session Ale - Wonder Bar (Wyoming State Brewing Company)
Was a good drop at 4.00% abv. It's gone now but I hope it will be back.

 

Has anyone tried Hoppy Hobbit Session IPA ? - I love this stuff.

 

Sessionable to me doesn't mean "Utah" levels of booze... Just something you can have a few of without taking your toes off mowing the lawn or falling out of a boat while fishing. For that id say 8 Second Kolsch from Elevation Brewing, Freestyle Pils from Santa Fe Brewing or Pivo Pils from Firestone... but in the heavily marketed "Session IPA" style, I'd say "Rudie Session IPA" from Ska.

 

My new fav? @Sixpoint Sweet Action. The new formulation is stunning.

 

Another vote for Founders All Day, but an honorable mention to Maui's Bikini Blonde which we had not too long ago. It drinks oh so smoothly.

 

Go To, Daytime and Moon Man for me. I've found it difficult to go back to All Day since I first had Go To.

 

I like lagers best for session beer (Frankenmuth Twisted Helles), but for a session ale, I would choose an Arcadia Anglers Ale or possibly an Ypsi Gypsi from Arbor. A good Blonde Ale such as Atwater Dirty Blonde or Arbor Bollywood Blonde works pretty well also.

 

Westbrook One Claw or Gose

 

We have a fairly new brewery in the L.A. area called McLeod Ale Brewing Company that focuses exclusively on British style ales. Most of their beers are around 3.8% - 4%, and they are full-flavored and incredibly delicious. I avoid the pale beers, because they have been fined using isinglass, but their Jackie Tar brown stout is an absolute dream.

 

Firstly, let it be known that I despise the "session IPA" moniker, but that's a different thread altogether.

If you're looking for 5% ABV ales with great taste, you really can't beat a German hefeweizen. Enjoying an Andechs helles Weissbier now, and no matter what fad hits the market, this has been perfect for centuries (that's before most of us have been born).

 

As have many (most?) of the British cask conditioned ales.

 

Your favorite session ale is Yuengling Lager? How curious.

 

True. Luckily, MacLeod's (sorry, I spelled it wrong in my last post), is very friendly and helpful when it comes to their vegetarian and vegan customers and discuss it on their website, and they are happy to answer questions in person too: http://www.macleodale.com/what_we_brew.html

I'm a huge fan!

 

Jacks Abby Jabby Brau is a good choice. 4.5% ABV.

It's a lager but oh well.

 

No more curious that all the 5.5% and up beers. "Session" does have a meaning, and while this site's meaning (5% ABV or less) is different from the UK's meaning (4% ABV or less), it does not answer the OP's question to list a beer higher in ABV just because "you" don't like any of the low ABV beers. ("you" means "some of the responders here, not you personally"). "Your" personal tolerance for alcohol is also irrelevant to the actual question.

Using this site's definition, and restricting it to MN/WI beers, I'd list (in order of preference):
Surly Bitter Brewer (4%)
Summit Summer Ale (4.5%)
Schell's Zummerfest (4.9%)
Central Waters Hop Rise (4.5%)

 

Yeah, I understand the vegan objection, but wrt quality of the beer or brewing process, using a clarifier is not really an issue, IMO.

 

"It takes a lot of great beer to make great wine", by Russian River, is an absolutely delicious sessionable beer. Too bad it's only made during late summer/early fall.

 

Absolutely agree! Two different conversations entirely. Also, not all clarifiers are non-vegetarian or non-vegan. I'm vegan, so I appreciate a brewery that takes that step for me...although I am certainly not shy about having a conversations with brewers, and it always leads to getting to know the people that make my beer better, which is great.

Buuut, back to the OP's topic, I highly recommend MacLeod's Jackie Tar to everyone. It has a wonderful tongue caressing roasty flavor for such a low ABV beer, I could drink it all day with some crackers, mushroom and walnut pate, and olives.

Hell yeah.