Session IPAs. I don't get it

I didn't mention alcohol, I was referring to session beer which is the subject of this topic. Session beers are brewed with fewer ingredients and fewer is a diminishment under any definition of the word.

Are you aware of any Brewer who claims session beers are their flagship brew, the best they can produce? If so please provide the links, I am always willing to learn.

 

That's interesting, any others?

 

Yes, part of the grain bill could be something other than barley malt to provide some body to the beer.

For example, Carton Boat Beer (which is not exactly marketed as a Session IPA) uses some flaked wheat in addition to two-row malt. This utilization of flaked wheat results in a beer that does not come off as thin or watery.

Based upon the beers that I have consumed that are labeled as "Session IPA" - those beers are brewed using all barley malt.

Cheers!

 

At this point, even if not officially recognized by the brewery as it's flagship, Founder's All Day IPA is certainly their best selling beer. It's listed first under "Year Around" but that might 'cause it's in alphabetical order...

All Day IPA was long rumored to be adjunct-brewed (corn sugar was the implication), I notice their website now says "naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops."

Through the '70s and the first half the '80s, the real Ballantine XXX Ale (P. Ballantine and, yeah, even Falstaff) was my "house beer". Today, Founders All Day IPA is a frequent offering in my beer fridge BECAUSE the Miller-brewed Faux-Ballantine XXX Ale is so goddam bad.

 

Outside of Austin, TX there is Oasis Texas Brewing Company (http://otxbc.com/). Their tagline is "Session beers for savvy drinkers".
I don't know what is considered their flagship, but their lineup consists of: session IPA, pale ale, kellerbier, and an english ale. The highest ABV of those is the english ale at 4.9%.

I thought I've seen another brewery recently in the area who stated their focus was session beers but I can't remember which one.

 

JK, do you have any clue what those "grains" are? Do you think it might be corn or rice?

Cheers!

 

I don't know of any place that would call a session IPA their flagship, but I'm just disagreeing that a beer has to be bigger to be better. Can a brown ale not be a flagship brew because it's a "diminished" porter?

 

No clue, but if those rumors (pretty sure there's been threads on the topic here) were based on any sort of fact, some form of corn (flakes, grits, "brewers crystals", liquid, dry sugar)?

I think @hopfenunmaltz has mentioned that he got the info direct from the brewer.

 

It has been quite some time since I drank an All Day IPA but my recollection is that for my palate it was light bodied. I could see how flaked maize (flaked corn) would be consistent with this aspect.

Cheers!

 

Not many brewers use the word "flagship" these days, but I get your gist... All Day IPA is Founder's best selling beer by a wide margin and was the main driver behind their recent $40 million expansion. http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/09/founders_all_day_ipa_expansion.html

 

Well Kosmicki did talk about it at NHC Grand Rapids 2014. Flaked oats mentioned by the guy who took notes, '3rd or fourth reply.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/founders-all-day-ipa-clone.198607/

They could be using something else. Kosmicki uses a lot of carapils in his beers too.

I had one recently, and was surprised how it was not as watery as I remembered.

Yeah, that is pretty direct. He did say it was 50% base malt, rattled through the other stuff. There may be more grains than he said at NHC. He also stated that the house yeast is Wyeast 1056, a Chico yeast.

 

Jeff, it has been quite some time since I had an All Day IPA; I was not a fan since it was too light in the body for my palate.

Do you think they may have reformulated the recipe over the past couple of years? Maybe this would explain the change of:

“All Day IPA was long rumored to be adjunct-brewed (corn sugar was the implication), I notice their website now says "naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops."

Cheers!

 

As is your right but I don't believe I made that claim so please don't quote me attributing something I haven't said. My comment was regarding brewer's pricing their session beers as much as their higher malt, higher ABV products. Yes, they can and no, I don't have to buy them.

 

All that I know for sure is that I said in my mind, "more body than I remember, not watery".

Since I last had it a lot could have changed in the formulation. They also have a 300bbl brewhouse to crank it out. That changes the process enough they may have revisited the ingredients. Recipe = ingredients+process.

 

I'm sorry if I misunderstood you, here. I believe your original question was something like: why are session and full strength beers from the same brewer the same price? I think the question has already been answered, though. They aren't substantially cheaper to manufacture from start to finish.

Of course, given the price, your right, you don't have to buy them if you don't see value there. I was simply trying to point out that some others do see value in these beers despite the pricing. I genuinely meant no offense.

 

I like session IPA's because they are crisp and refreshing without taxing my motor skills or my liver. I tried Stone's session, Firestone's session, Founder's All Day and they are refreshing and they aren't beers you gotta think too much about. They have the fruitiness of those sports drinks and sodas without the sweetness or weigh down affect and the feeling of your teeth being destroyed (I should know, I've been trying to kick a soda habit I've had my whole life for the last 2 years). Although I will admit the style blurs multiple lines. The line between session and not session and the line between pale ale and IPA's. You know what, now that I think about it, it might even be a transitional style between the two.

 

None taken, for an older guy who still writes with a fountain pen I find internet communication, um, interesting.

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/mag/14816/the-surprising-history-of-the-session-ipa/

 

What's to get? You just don't like the style.
It comes down to what your taste buds tell you.
I really enjoy the less hoppy sessions which
can be a nice break from overhopped IPAs.
Plus the price is right for me. Cheers!

 

I hear you. I can get a 15-pk for $12.99!