'small beers' vs 'Big Beers'

Your 'small beers' are actually 'normal beers', fwiw.

If I were to draw a line at around where bock beers end (gravity in the 1.070s), then my ratio would probably be about 70% under/30% over.

 

Probably 70/30 small(normal)/big as well for me. Using 8% ABV as my dividing line, I drink mostly 'small' beer because it's cheaper and comes in 6-12 packs. On tap I almost always stay with small beers too unless I don't have to drive. That being said, I'm enjoying the hell out of this Wookey Jack right now, which I would classify as a big beer.

 

My motto over the years has become" drink less but better". So I drink less but very good stuff. Especially after drinking strong beers (I don't call them big) like IPAs, stouts, strong ales, barleywines, etc.. Especially Imperial versions are great. It's hard to drink the not so strong and less hoppy (smaller) beers that don't give me that kick I enjoy so much. But to each his/her own. Whatever makes your bottle cap float! Oh to answer your ? I'm I guess around 80% + strong (big) brews. Beer on!

 

As I grow older and fuller of sleep, I find myself more and more often seeking out and enjoying smaller beers. A solid American pale or English bitter at under 5% is usually fine by me if I'm going to be drinking several.

Nonetheless, I feel like I come across a lot more big beers than small beers, so I drink the big ones too. And then I fall asleep on the couch.

 

Well said, so, so well said.

To the OP:
50% under 6 ABV
40% 6-8 ABV
10% over 8 ABV

 

I pretty much only drink big beers. I love big flavors and big ABV = big flavor in most scenarios.

As I drink a Maharaja. My "normal" beer choice would be around 7% because when I buy beer in bulk to drink regularly it's an IPA like Two Hearted or something.

 

I WISH there were more truly small beers available to me. I can't wait until Deschutes' River Ale shows up. 4.0% abv? I can dig it.

 

100% big. Says something I guess about my palate. Ok, maybe 95%. I try the smaller ones, but I usually try once and say "meh". May have something to do with me growing-up in a pilsner culture? dunno.

 

Yeah when I think "small beer", I think of stuff like old fashioned "table beer" at 2-3% abv.

 

for me big is on how big my eyes bug as i drink it.. or how much flava i'm getting out of the slurps

 

Yeah, that's what it definitely brings to mind- second runnings beers, and others of that nature.

 

Mostly beers 5% or under. For example this past weekend I had.....

1 home brewed bitter (3%)
split a bomber of Stone Enjoy By (9.4%)
1 Wurzburger Pils (4.9%)
2 Bitburgers (4.8%)
3 pints Harpoon UFO White (4.8%)
1 pint Harpoon Irish Dry Stout (5.2%)
2 pints Murphy's Irish Stout (4%)
1 pint Victory Prima Pils (5.3%)
1 pint Abita Purple Haze (4%)
1 pint Guinness (4.2%)

Would have liked some more beers in there closer to 4%, but still.....this is how you session folks. No hangover, enjoyed multiple beers with friends.

 

I think I tend to drink stronger beers when I'm by myself and I dont have anything else to do on that particular night. I love sipping on a stout or barleywine when I'm writing. But when I'm around people I know I usually stick to lower abv beers unless me and a friend of mine are trying something new. But most of the time its nice to be able to have a few without passing out when I'm with people.

 

100% at >5%
99% at > 7%
50% at >9%

 

If I arbitrarily set the divinding line in the 6-7% range, I'm probably split about 60/40 small/big.

 

2x9% and 3x6% is a good representation for me on any given night.

 

Probably 85% under 7% ABV. I do enjoy some good strong Belgians but I could count on my fingers and toes the Imperial stouts, DIPAs and barleywines I drink in a year.

 

GO Big or Go home! Well more like, I am likely to go big when I'm at home because then I don't have to drive.

I'd say it varies by season, in the winter months I don't go out as much combined with the fact that that many seasonal beers that are delicious are high ABV (Barleywines, BA Stouts, etc). Summer time months are more session beers when out playing golf, boating, baseball games, BBQing, etc... So maybe like 60/40 during winter , 90/10 in summer and somewhere in between for spring/fall